Language and Language Learning

Language

Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols (Sapir in Lyons, 1997: 3)

A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group co-operates (Bloch and Triger in Lyons, 1997: 4).

Language is the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols (Hall in Lyons, 1997: 4).

Language Learning

A theory of language learning is an account of the psycholinguistic and cognitive processes involved in learning a language and of the conditions that need to be met in order for these processes to take place.

Here are some kinds of theories of language learning:

§      Process-oriented theories, and

§      Condition-oriented theories

Language learning principles are generally sorted into three sub-groupings: Cognitive Principles, Affective Principals and Linguistic Principles.  Principles are seen as theory derived from research, to which teachers need to match classroom practices.  Here are some brief summaries of the principles that fall into each grouping:

1. Cognitive Principles

Automaticity: Subconcious processing of language with peripheral attention to language forms;

Meaningful Learning: This can be contrasted to Rote Learning, and is thought to lead to better long term retention;

Anticipation of Rewards: Learners are driven to act by the anticipation of rewards, tangible or intangible;

Intrinsic Motivation: The most potent learning "rewards" are intrinsically motivated within the learner;

Strategic Investment: The time and learning strategies learners invest into the language learning process.

2. Affective Principles

Language Ego: Learning a new language involves developing a new mode of thinking - a new language "ego";

Self-Confidence: Success in learning something can be equated to the belief in learners that they can learn it;

Risk-Taking: Taking risks and experimenting "beyond" what is certain creates better long-term retention;

Language-Culture Connection: Learning a language also involves learning about cultural values and thinking.

3. Linguistic Principles

Native Language Effect: A learner's native language creates both facilitating and interfering effects on learning;

Interlanguage: At least some of the learner's development in a new language can be seen as systematic;

Communicative Competence: Fluency and use are just as important as accuracy and usage - instruction needs to be aimed at organizational, pragmatic and strategic competence as well as psychomotor skills.

This is a very brief overview of various language learning principles, drawn heavily from H. Douglas Brown's explanation (see resources for reference).  You may be able to come up with more or different interpretations yourself.  However you view language learning principles, these should form the basis or backdrop of the techniques you choose to use and the choices you make in the language learner classroom.

Theories of language learning have been polarised between two camps:

Chomskian theories, in which the abstract structures of adult language are acquired by innate language-specific mechanisms.

Broader frameworks such as cognitive linguistics, in which general social/cognitive mechanisms are used to learn language in stages of development.

Language learning requires the ability and courage to cope with the unknown, to tolerate ambiguity and, in a sense, to appear childish with a reasonably balanced self-concept can cope with there demands better (Stern in Nunan, 1992: 23)