USMAN, Sohaira R.

Module 1

REVIEW OF THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING AND

NEEDS OF LEARNERS

Learning Content and Activities

Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is not. Explain each of your answer.

1. Language learning focuses on the development of speaking and writing, listening and reading
skills.

TRUE. Speaking and writing, listening and reading skills are the four fundamental skills of a language
which is focuses on the development in learning new language. In other words, when you’re listening and
reading you are being exposed to the language. And when you’re writing and speaking you’re producing
the language. That means to say that these four fundamental skills are inseparable and be applied in
learning language.

2. Learners learn about the language and how to use it through communication.

FALSE. Learners need to use these four fundamental skills of language to achieve communicative
purposes. In addition, language learning should be explicit for the learners to be aware of when and what
they’re learning in language.

3. Mathematics is an example of learning not acquisition.

TRUE. According by the researchers, Mathematics has been defined as second or third language.
Therefore, Mathematics is learning not acquisition. In learning Mathematics, we need to understand first
the problem that are given and used the following formula or rules in order to answer the given question.

4. Language acquisition and learning is an active process that begins at birth and throughout life.

TRUE. Learning a first language is something that every child does successfully, in a matter of few years
and without the need of formal lessons. We’re born in this world with an innate ability in language.

5. Successful acquisition and learning of second language involves explicit teaching of linguistic
features of a language.

TRUE. A teacher needs to introduce first the linguistic features of language to the learners. Since their
dominant language is far different from the target foreign language. Therefore, the teacher needs to be
mastered the structures of language and forms of words and others that related to the learning of language.
And it helps the learners to learn more and have depth understanding in learning second language.
6. Nativist theory is based on the premise that we learn language through interaction with other
speakers.

FALSE. In the view of Nativist theory by Chomsky, he stated that children are born with an innate ability
to learn language. And we are born with a built – in device that “predisposes” to language acquisition. He
termed this as language acquisition device or the LAD, which holds the universal grammar.

Activity A. Do a TRUE or FALSE rationalization again. Whether your answer is True of False,
explain your choice.

1. An example of language acquisition through behaviourist theory is when a mother is constantly

interacting with her baby.

TRUE. In the view of behaviourist theory, a baby requires language through interacting with his/her
mother and also the people that surrounds him/her. The baby can produce a sounds naturally or
effortlessly such as meaning less words and vowels sound through imitate the sound that he/she heard
until he/she can produce a words.

2. Language acquisition is largely dependent on innate ability of a person.

FALSE. Language is nature that humans are born in this world with an innate ability to acquire language.
To acquire that language, one of the process that child that needs to undergo is the interaction with other
people. You teach the child to develop more their skills in learning language.

3. Input hypothesis is when a Grade 7 student is exposed to a literary text that is slightly
complicated and best fit to teach to Grade 8.

FALSE. Input hypothesis is that the learners needs to undergo in the various process of learning, like
studying the literary text that best fit to their level of learning. It will be easier for the learner to teach
them step by step in order to develop their learning language. As a result, the learners can help them to be
prepared in the next level.

4. High self-confidence, good motivation, and high anxiety level are variables for successful second
language acquisition.

FALSE. Having a high anxiety level, the learners will affect their high self-confidence. Even you
motivate them and the high anxiety is still there, they cannot succeed and couldn’t develop their learning
language process particularly in learning second language.

5. Context of language learning and teaching Generation Z includes learners who are multi-taskers
and these beneficial for them.

TRUE. Generation Z learners for being a multi-tasker can accomplish various type of learning. Since
they’re exposed in technology, they can handle easily the activities on time for they are self-directed and
independent learners. Along with the help of teacher who is suitable for their learning needs, it will easily
lead them to success.
6. When a learner reaches puberty (critical period hypothesis), language learning becomes passive
and tends to pause.

TRUE. In this puberty period, the learners experience the changes of their physical and their development
of learning as they become adult. They’re becoming more aware of the new environment and become
uncomfortable the way they meet different people. In that situation, parents and teachers’ motivation is
highly needed.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

1. Write a 2-paragraph synthesizing the various theories on language acquisition and learning
discussed in this module.

These are several theories on language acquisition explained how people learned and acquired their
first language or their second or third language/s. The Nativist theory proposed by Chomsky claimed that
we are born in this world with an innate ability to acquire language. He explained that the universal
grammar is already embedded to our human brain. In the Interactionist theory popularized by Jerome
Bruner, he believed that children acquired and develop his/her language ability through interaction with
an adult who mastered in learning language. And also for B.F. Skinner who proposed the Behaviourist
theory, he possessed that the children acquired language through imitation and adaptation on what is
being fed to him/her.

The Nativist theory and the Interactionist theory are somehow connected in a way that children have
an ability to learn in an innate language. Language acquisition will occur when the adults interact or
communicate to the child. In the case, the adult need to master in teaching language, to develop the
language ability of a child. For Behaviourist theory of B.F. Skinner children acquired their language
learning process through imitating his/her parents or the people that surround them. Since their learning
process is limited depends on how they taught for them, they must be very careful on the language they
say to the children because it has a big impact to the children when they grow up.

2. What conclusion can you draw from the principles and needs of learners in developing
materials for language learning? How will you apply your review of theories and needs of learners
when you write your material?

As a future teacher In Shaa ALLAH, the first thing that I will do to my learners in teaching languages,
I will test their speaking, writing and listening skills to determine their ability. So that, I can identify their
level of learning who are the fast, moderate or slow learners in terms of learning language and other
teaching materials. I will know how can I manage and teach them fairly and equally. Learning this
theories of language acquisition – Nativist, Interactionist, Behaviourist theory is big helpful to gives us
and have an idea on how can I interact with my learners and also to my future children in teaching
language. These are the guides on how can I handle them.

For Krashen hypothesis, I will apply to my future learners the traditional and 21st century skills
teaching in order to become my learners a muti-tasker. In our generation today, technology plays an
important essential role in our life, children have been exposed and engaged in technology, and I will also
educate them and applied some main platforms of technology that’s related on educational purposes like
creating or using PPT, Microsoft word. and excel to have already knowledge when they’re in college and
there’s some students in high school doesn’t know how to use this different platforms. Besides this, I will
give them an activity like group reporting, role play and others group activity in order for them to interact
each other, used their brain storming, gained knowledge, reflect each other and also I will advice them to
be open and accept the opinions or ideas with respect.

When I become teacher In Shaa ALLAH, I will be open to my learners and notice their mental health
or psychological condition which is the most important in learning. I will educate them on what is wrong
and what is right in learning teaching. Since teacher is a second mother of the learners, I will make my
students to get out their comfort zone where shyness, low of self-esteem, and have high anxiety level to
take them into the real world. There are factors that some students are having hard time in related to the
personal problem like family matter or financial. I will always be open to them and tell them what they’re
problem or struggle they’re facing so I can be aware on what they’re going in life. I observed that some
teachers are too strict lead the students into passive and unconfident to their self and they cannot truly say
what they want to say and don’t understand in learning. They’re afraid of judgement and failure. To avoid
this factor we must be responsible and take care to our learners and always making them comfortable. We
as a teacher our patience toward our learners must be bottomless. So, I will be approachable and
considerate teachers to my learner, and motivate or encourage them always in a positive way like don’t be
afraid of failure because committing a mistake is a part of learning. To be an effective teacher and good
citoizen knows the values of the student and lead them into success.

REFLECTION: Write your insights about learning experiences you had in this lesson.

In this lesson, I learned how these theories of language acquisition and learning will be applied in
the near future as a future educator and mother. I learned a lot of this lesson on how language matter in
teaching second language. These are the guide or tool for me on how I can handle my learners in terms of
teaching language. It is a good experience to learn this topic. It made me realized that this lesson is
important in the various types of learning about second language in order for the student to know where
the language acquired or innate.