Rabu, 27 Desember 2017
1. language acquisition and language learning
ccording to
linguists, there is an important distinction between language acquisition and
language learning. As you may well have noticed, children acquire their mother
tongue through interaction with their parents and the environment that
surrounds them. Their need to communicate paves the way for language
acquisition to take place. As experts suggest, there is an innate capacity in
every human being to acquire language.
By the time a child
is five years old, s/he can express ideas clearly and almost perfectly from the
point of view of language and grammar. Although parents never sit with children
to explain to them the workings of the language, their utterances show a superb
command of intricate rules and patterns that would drive an adult crazy if s/he
tried to memorize them and use them accurately. This suggests that it is
through exposure to the language and meaningful communication that a first
language is acquired, without the need of systematic studies of any kind. When
it comes to second language learning in children, you will notice that this
happens almost identically to their first language acquisition. And even
teachers focus more on the communicative aspect of the language rather than on
just rules and patterns for the children to repeat and memorize. In order to
acquire language, the learner needs a source of natural communication.
The emphasis is on the
text of the communication and not on the form. Young students who are in the
process of acquiring a second language get plenty of “on the job” practice.
They readily acquire the language to communicate with classmates.
In short, we see this
tendency in which second language teachers are quite aware of the importance of
communication in young learners and their inability to memorize rules
consciously (although they will definitely acquire them through a hands-on
approach just as they did with their mother tongue).
Unfortunately, when
it comes to adult students, a quick look at the current methodologies and
language courses available clearly shows that communication is set aside,
neglected or even disregarded. In almost all cases, courses revolve around grammar,
patterns, repetitions, drillings and rote memorization without even a human
interlocutor to interact with.
The very same courses
that promise you language independence and the ability to communicate upon
completion of the courses do NOT offer you a single chance to engage in
meaningful conversations. How many times have you bought or read about “the
ultimate language course on CD” in which the learner simply has to sit in front
of a computer to listen to and repeat words and phrases time and again. That is
not communication. That is the way you train a parrot! The animal will
definitely learn and repeat a few phrases and amuse you and your friends, but
it will never ever be able to communicate effectively.
How could you be
expected to communicate if you are never given the chance to speak with a real
person? Language without real communication is as useless as Saint Valentine’s
day without lovers or Children’s day without kids.
In some other
scenarios, in which there is a teacher, the work done in class is mostly
grammatically oriented: tenses, rules, multiple choice exercises and so on and
so forth. Is this similar to the way in which a child “acquires a language?”
Definitely not. No wonder why so many people fail in acquiring a second
language naturally. Simply because whatever they are doing is highly unnatural
and devoid of meaning to them. This is the field of language learning.
Language learning as
seen today is not communicative. It is the result of direct instruction in the
rules of language. And it certainly is not an age-appropriate activity for your
young learners – as it is not for adults either. In language learning, students
have conscious knowledge of the new language and can talk about that knowledge.
They can fill in the
blanks on a grammar page. Research has shown, however, that knowing grammar
rules does not necessarily result in good speaking or writing. A student who
has memorized the rules of the language may be able to succeed on a
standardized test of English language but may not be able to speak or write
correctly.
As teachers, it is
our duty to make sure that our students “acquire” rather than “learn” the
language.
Written by Julio Foppoli
2. language
function in social communication
The Social Function of Language
The social function of language refers
to the way we relate language to our relationships with other people. Meaning,
it's how we use language and how we communicate in a social setting.
Let's
take a look at a concrete example of this, using word meaning and word forms.
We're going to pretend that you're in college and just started a new internship
at a hospital and have gotten sick on day three. You're going to call your boss
and mentor, a physician named Dr. Eric Smith, and ask him to take the day off.
How are you going to do this? There are an infinite number of ways we can
phrase this, but let's stick to two examples that we'll analyze.
Hey
Eric. I'm sorry, boss. I feel sick to my stomach. I'm gonna need to take the
day off.
Hi
Dr. Smith. I'm sorry, boss, but I feel very sick today. I'm going to need to
take the day off.
Notice
how both examples convey the same idea. The meaning of the word boss is the
same. The meaning of needing to take the day off is the same. The direct
meaning of what you're trying to say is the same.
However,
which of the examples uses word forms that are a socially acceptable way to
communicate with your supervisor, who is also a physician? Clearly, it's the
second example.
Here,
we're using terms like 'Dr. Smith', instead of 'Eric'. And 'I'm going to',
instead of 'I'm gonna'. The first example is too informal for a newly formed
boss-employee relationship between a student and his or her supervisor/mentor,
so the second example is more apropos unless Dr. Smith says it's OK to be on a
first-name basis.
These
are examples of indirect social cues we use in language to express how we view
ourselves in comparison to someone else in society. The way we form phrases or
words, despite their variations having the same meanings, helps us understand
things like social standing when two people interact with one another.
The point is, it's
not just enough to use language to communicate. You must also use it in a way
that fits the type of social relationship you have with your audience.
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