Linguistics & Language Teaching: L1 vs L2 Acquisition
Contribution of Linguistics to Foreign Language Teaching
For over 2,000 years, language has been an object of fascination and a subject of study. At the end of the 17th century, the subject began to emerge as a new field of scientific research, with language analysis as its focus. This subject is now called linguistics. Linguistics is the systematic study of language. Psycholinguistics is the study of the mental processes underlying the act of speech, and one of its most important outcomes has been the study of language acquisition in children.
Both psychology and psycholinguistics have contributed greatly to current foreign language teaching (FLT). The main approach on which the current law is based is the communicative approach. In this chapter we will analyze the contributions of linguistics to FLT through history. We’ll also look at theories of first language learning (L1) and second language learning (L2). Finally, we will establish similarities and differences between L1 and L2 acquisition.
Traditional Grammar
The study of grammatical rules, translation, reading and writing practice, dictionary study and accuracy.
Structural Grammar
Beginning of the 20th century. Saussure’s structuralism: the smallest unit is the sentence, emphasis on speech over written language, the avoidance of translation. Bloomfield’s structuralism: Language in speech, language skills should be taught in this order: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Structures are learnt through imitation, repetition and memorization.
Generative Grammar (1960s)
Chomsky: Learners can make novel utterances in a creative way, errors must be considered as normal.
Functional Grammar (1980s)
Halliday: Language learning is learning to communicate, use of pair and group work, varied materials, translation may be used.
The Language Learning Process
Many different methods have been devised in the search of the best way of teaching a foreign language. Research is necessary in order to understand how people learn a second language.
We will first focus on theories on first and second language learning in order to further establish the similarities and differences between both learnings.
Theories on First Language Acquisition
- Imitation and reinforcement or behaviorist view (Skinner): children learn L1 by a process of imitating what they hear.
- Innateness or cognitive view (Chomsky): Children use their innate linguistic knowledge to produce sentences.
- Cognition (Piaget): children will produce structures if they have developed a cognitive foundation.
In conclusion, it is very difficult to choose between these approaches, but there is no doubt that all hypotheses are right in some way: children imitate a lot, they are born with a language-learning mechanism, their cognitive stage is important, the input they are exposed to is also a significant factor. All theories play their part in the learning process.
Theories on Second Language Acquisition
- The behaviorist view: learning a language is a process of imitation and reinforcement.
- The cognitive view: Learning L2 is a creative mental process.
- The monitor Model view (Krashen): Learning L2 should be a process similar to L1 learning.
Similarities and Differences Between L1 and L2 Learning
Similarities
- Cognitive process
- Errors are a positive evidence
- Comprehensible input
- Natural order
- Repetitions taking place
Differences
- L1 interference errors may come up when learning L2
- Natural environment in L1 vs artificial environment in L2
- L2 learners have less time and opportunities to use the language
- Motivation is different
- L2 learners are conscious of the learning process
Foreign Language Teaching Implications
We have seen the differences between L1 and L2 learning processes. Teaching methods will depend on our knowledge of how learners acquire a language. Taking into account the theories and hypotheses on L2 language learning, we can list the following teaching implications:
- Motivation: Foreign language teachers must create as many ways as possible of encouraging their pupils and boosting their desire to learn. This can be done by devising activities that learners can relate to.
- Imitation and repetition: L2 learning cannot be done simply through imitation and mechanical repetition; however, learning does have phases of imitation and repetition that teachers must include in their teaching stages.
- Comprehensible input: In the early stages, oral receptive skills (listening) are basic. The level of difficulty must be slightly beyond the learner’s competence. Input must be sufficient and contextualized.
- Phases on reflection: Reflection on a linguistic aspect might be helpful in the learning process, since learners are equipped with cognitive abilities.
- Silent period: Teachers should respect a learner’s natural silent period. Teachers must never insist on the pupils speaking all the time. Pupils shouldn’t speak until they have demonstrated a desire to do so and feel ready for it.
- Pleasant classroom atmosphere: Krashen’s affective filter hypothesis demonstrates that learning cannot load to genuine acquisition if the learner’s attitude isn’t positive. The classroom atmosphere must be interesting and friendly.
- Errors: Errors must be analyzed by the teacher in order to help the learner progress in his/her interlanguage. Errors must be seen as something natural and logical, since they are a positive evidence of the learning process.
Conclusion
FLT must be based on how pupils learn a language. The teacher must be aware of the principles underlying the process of learning in order to apply an adequate teaching method. Linguistics and psychology have contributed a great deal to the knowledge of the learning process, and several methods have been derived from their ideas. However, research has not yet provided a magic solution that can be applied to contemporary teaching.