2. What is Second Language Acquisition?
Is the Process by which people learn a Second
Language (L2). This research focuses on the
developing knowledge and use aof a language
by children and adults who already know at
least one other language.
3. Theories of Second Language Learning
• Universal Grammar
• Chomsky describes this theory as knowledge
that people are born with. Basically skill of
language people already have without being
thought . Although it has been questioned in
that context its widely accepted as at least a
plausible explanation for first language
acquisition.
4. • Monitor Theory
The point of this theory is to note the
differences between ‘acquisition’ and
‘learning’.
Acquisition is hypothesized to occur in a manner
similar to first language acquisition, learning is
described as a conscious process, one in which
the learner’s attention is directed to the rules
and forms of the language.
5. • Behaviourism
It dominated psychology and education theories
of second language learning and teaching.
Behaviourism was based on the view that all
learning including language learning occurs
through a process of imitation, practice,
reinforcement and habit formation.
6. • Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychologists hypothesized that
second language acquisition, like other
learning, requires the learner’s attention and
effort.
Some theories suggested that language is fist
acquired through intentional learning of what
is called ‘declarative knowledge’ and that the
declarative knowledge can become
‘procedural knowledge’
7. • Connectionism
This theory explains how the brain creates
networks which connect words or phrases to
other words of phrases which occur at the
same time. Its suggested that these links are
strengthened when learner are repeatedly
exposed to linguistic stimuli in specific
contexts.
8. • Multidimensional Model
Was developed as a result of studies of the
acquisition of German word order and
later, on the basis of research with second
language learners of English. Second language
learners were observed to acquire certain
syntactic and morphological features of the
second language in predictable stages.
9. • Interactionist Perspectives
This theory explains the ongoing use of language
and gestures in anticipation of how the other
will react in a conversation. It’s not only the
speakers reactions but also the listeners’.
10. Learner Language
In the 1970’s several error analysis studies in the
1970’s classified Second Language learners
'errors and found that many errors could no
the attributed to First Language influence.
11. Developmental Sequences
In the 60’s, a number of researchers studied
second language acquisition in ways that were
based on previous work in first language
acquisition.
One of the most influential studies of the
acquisition of first language English was
Brown’s (1973)
12. Instruction and Second Language
Acquisition
Research shows that instruction can have a
significant effect on second language acquisition,
at least in terms of the rate of learning and the
long-term success that learner achieve in using
the language accurately.
In the context of communicative interaction,
learners seem to be able to benefit more form
instruction and error feedback which focus on
semantic or lexical errors than from that which
targets syntactic errors.
