How to understand the differences between British and American English

Differnces between B and A english (3)

Differnces between B and A english (3)

Age and acquisition

chapter 3

Throughout the different chapters it has been establish how human beings acquire language, which are the necessary strategies and methods to acquire it, and which are the factors that can interfere in this process whether they are positive or negative. Although there has been a continuous research on the subject of language acquisition and language learning, there exist some questions and doubts that still need to be cleared out and researched. It has been previously discuss about the process of language on how people acquire and learn a language, it has been stated that in the language acquisition process, since it is an area which the learner is obtaining from zero, it just happen naturally and without even noticing and it starts gaining more knowledge by constant reinforcement on what we as learners see and hear (environment). While when learning a new language there is already an awareness of patters, structures, etc; therefore, the learner will have knowledge on how to proceed on the process. However for some would not be simple. We have also talked about language acquisition in children and the stages they go thought that process of acquiring their native language. Children acquire their native language during the early years of their lives different from SLL which can be acquiring during childhood or adult years.   
                                                                                                                 
The stage of life or age in which a new language is learn in a easier or faster way has never been determined, however researchers based on studies and observations came up with a Critical Period Hypothesis which states that there is a significant period or a biological timetable in which humans learn more rapidly the language. According to the CPH is around puberty in which language is learn successfully, nevertheless by this stage in their lives they are still in progress of growth and their brain is not as mature to transmit a language successfully. Nevertheless, according to researchers the complete development of the brain is supposedly to be at the stage of puberty by a process called lateralization.                                                                                                  

Lateralization consists on the brain’s progress to acquire different functions, it is a slow process that begins during the first years of the child and completes its cycle around the latest ages of puberty. This process consists on assigning function and skills to the different side of the brain.  There exists doubt whether the development of the brain can alter language learning; however as it was mentioned before each side has an assigned function. The left hemisphere works with feelings, emotions, intuition; while the left hemisphere deals with language, logic, reasoning etc. Nevertheless, there exist the possibility that if the left side of the brain didn’t developed correctly or has suffered from some damage  this type of functions specially language can adequate to the right side f the brain at any age and what was learned will continue to be in the person’s memory but at a lower level.               
                                                                                                                                                                                               The lateralization provides cognitive differences between child and language acquisition. The human cognition develops in a fast mode during the first early days of life until adolescent and from there it does not counts with the same speed; therefore in every human being perception, knowledge, awareness, etc will be developed at the persons pace in a way in which he/she could understand it in its own way. According to Ausubel’s experiment in cognitive constructs he first establish that as the child matures there is the chance that left hemisphere provides more control to the other side of the brain and eventually examine very carefully everything regarding to language. Another consideration was the difference between meaning and rote. According to him language learning does not need constant imitation or repletion, but rather meaningful learning, situations or experiences that can be attached to knowledge.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Age  and acquisition

By Natalia Molina
 

Lateralization: In learning process this term refers when certain skills or functions are distributed to each side of the brain (left or right hemisphere). For example the left hemisphere is related to reason, logic, etc. while the right hemisphere is where emotions and feelings are developed.

Equilibration: Making emphasis on the cognitive domain and for differences between adult and child acquisition; equilibrium in language is applied during the process of knowledge which has to be acquire one step at a time

Language ego: Language learners depending on what type of language they speak or acquire they create their own identity and personality based on the language or languages they master.

Coordinate bilingualism : A language learner which is trying to acquire two languages at the same time usually has to learn similar strategies for both languages but he/she should learn how to separate contexts for both languages

Compound bilinguals: different form the coordinate bilingualism; compound consists on learning both languages through the same context.

Code switching:  when learners combined or mix words, sentences etc into another language that already know.

Glossary 1^st Language Acquisition

1.    Competence- The ability to create or do something

2.    Constructivist position: the process of each person to create knowledge by his or her own means.

3.    Heterogeneous competence: Learning abilities that are not completely developed

4.    Innateness  hypothesis

5.    Language acquisition device (LAD)- Natural ability to comprehend  and create language

6.    Nurture- learning through teaching

7.    Operant condition- Learning condition that works by response and uses reinforcement

8.    Performance: The realization and achievement of an activity

9.    Receptive skills- the four learning skills

10. Tabula Rasa: According to experts when knowledge comes from exposure, perception and reinforcement

11. Telegraphic utterances: Two to three words (speech) that children develop in their first years.

First language acquisition

 

 

 

The way in which people acquire their native language and how it is developed during the following years of their growth, and as well as the learning of a new language has always been matter of research and sometimes of discussion due to their different thoughts and experience on the subject of linguistics. Research on first language acquisition has called a lot of attention during many years, for sometime the first investigations were based only on observations on speech development however; later on new researchers began to study how language was acquire based on a cognitive and psycholinguistic process in order to conclude how do humans acquire the language. Results were better than the previous research made since it allow experts to work on the information gathered in order to prove and disapproved the differences between first and second language acquisition. As it has been stated previously learning and acquiring are not the same.            

When we talk about first language learning what comes to our minds is children, they are the best example when referring to language learning because they are like a sponge; they acquire so many things is such short time. People usually wonder how they have the capacity to absorb that amount of information during their early years in such a fast way.  These and other questions related to their process of knowledge are tried to be answered by researchers, by applying different methodologies and approaches.                                                                                                                                                    

As a child starts his/her process of discovering and learning, it can be seen that during his years when they try to communicate they go through different stages.  They babble, cry and coo during his early stage (first month), later they make sound and noises, try to imitate and repeat words (first years). By the age of three they use complete sentences or words.    

 

                                                      

The approaches mentioned during the reading represent the ideas and thoughts based on their studies on how (children) acquire language. These researchers talk about the different ways they think children learn their native language. Some of them sate that children acquire language based on behavior; learning through stages: first they acquire, and then they respond, produce and later are reinforced. Other stat (Nativist researchers) that they born already with language knowledge, later through their growth they developed thanks to an internalized system.  Lois Bloom said they learn in word order.                                                                                                                       

Although researchers continued to study language acquisition during the first years of the child and get to different conclusions as for how they are capable to learned in a short period of time; it is only necessary to watch how does the child grow and realize what is his attitude towards those things that surrounded him and how reacts and gets to absorb. Theories and approaches will continue coming about the development and understanding of the child in language they will always bring new attitudes that will continue causing attraction on them.

Language, Learning and Teaching

 

       

Learning a second language is not an easy process, there is a need to go far beyond from the native language knowledge. Teachers as well as learners should have a mental and emotional willingness and commitment in order to introduce themselves into second language learning and be able to render and receive messages; since language learning is a process that requires social cultural knowledge.                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 Teachers are one of the essential pieces in language learning; they must discover the main inquiries and learn how to unravel them in order to apply proper learning principles and techniques. He/she must not necessarily master or be aware of the rules of the same one; since language is always evolving, but learn how it works and how  itis applied.                                                                                                                             

Throughout many years experts, researchers, psychologists and linguists among others have developed and studied human’s behavior interaction, relation etc and related t to language. They have developed different thoughts in order to understand communication, language and other of its areas; this in order to acquire and learn whether a language or a SL. These thought what provides teachers is to go beyond teaching process.