Wednesday, January 19, 2011
BlogSpot Question 1
This semester, I'd like you to study a language you have never formally studied before through livemocha.com. Every week, you will be sharing your thoughts on your experiences learning a new language using the theories on second and foreign language acquisition and learning as a guiding framework. For this week's blogspot, I'd like you to respond to the following question: What processes do you think are involved in learning a second/foreign language? (eg. What is going on in your mind as you are learning a second language?)
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I wish I knew more about this and hope to improve my understanding throughout the semester. For now, using layman's terms, I suspect that the processes occurring during second language acquisition include:
ReplyDelete-language transfer (of grammatical forms, rules and patterns) from L1
-attempt at direct translation from L1
-physical imagery of words or associations in the mind
-internal monitor (self sensoring)
-fear/nervousness
I would also like to add, as Krashen posits, that L2 learning may be more explicit, or conscious, as compared to L1 learning which may occur implicitly, or subconsciously.
I think there are a variety of processes that occur when learning a second/foreign language. These include internal and external factors, input and output which are all intertwined the process of second language acquisition(Ellis, 1994). Based on the readings and my personal experience of trying to learn a second language(Italian), I have encountered and expect to encounter the following processes:
ReplyDelete-transfer of knowledge from L1
-"converting input into intake and restructuring existing L2 knowledge systems"(Ellis 1994)
-using knowledge of "linguistic universals"(Ellis 1994)
-communication strategies
-internal language processing mechanisms
-input and interaction
-errors
-acquisition orders
-developmental sequences
-social context
-and using L2 in performance
All of these processes are complex and interrelated. I believe the process of SLA is different for each individual learner because each learner has their own learning strategies, motivation, and unique external and internal characteristics. After my first lesson in Italian, I can see the complex process involved in learning a second language and I understand why and how my ELL students struggle with English.
This is Ilana - my account is tied to an ESL program.
ReplyDeleteFrom what we have learned and what I experienced in my first lesson, there is transfer from L1 to your L2 occuring while learning a new language. If something is different in your L2, like the two l's making a y sound in Spanish, a new schema is built.
I noticed how much input was occuring during my language lesson. I had to watch a simple video three times because I have to notice sounds, connect sounds to meanings, and look at how words are spelled so there is a lot of input occuring.
I would surely go through a silent period if I moved to a Spanish-language environment because I can hear that my own accent is incorrect and it bugs me (so my self-monitor is over used).
Learning a new language puts you in a vulnerable position and you need to be in a safe learning environment where you can concentrate on the learning process. We need to have a low affective filter, otherwise the speed at which we learn the langauge can be impacted.
I think that the process which one goes through when learning a second language depends a lot on the circumstances. In my case I am very conscious about the fact that I am learning a language and that I have to at least learn enough to finish a lesson. I am not learning language through meaningful and authentic interactions, I’m learning it through a computer. If I was learning a language by choice or if I had a deep connection to the language I think that the process would be slightly different. Although I would still be learning through the computer, that communication would be more valuable to me because of the connection with the language. Whichever the case be, I believe that both process will involve excitement at the beginning, frustration after you figure out that learning a language is not easy, a silent period after you realize that you will be expected to speak it. Hopefully after this the learner becomes more comfortable in the language and can say a few words. I am in the middle of being excited about learning a new language and frustrated that I can’t learn fast enough, so far I can only say please and yes in Greek.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a new way of learning a language for me. I haven't tried learning a language in five years, and on top of that I'm used to a classroom setting where I have teacher expectations and other students to converse with. The first part of the lesson starts with a video, and having a background in French and Italian I assumed I could adapt easily. Very wrong since I ended up repeating the video three times and then playing/pausing to answer questions. Makes me think about my non English speaking students. How do they get through their days? They can't start and stop my speaking.
ReplyDeleteJust from the start of this class I am very aware that there are many processes happening in the mind when learning a second language, all of which I'm not currently sure. I was very much aware of the fact that I confuse who's talking easily. I am also very self conscious of my accent when speaking. Trying to match the Spanish accent makes me feel silly, but if I don't I definitely sound American. I guess that means I'm over monitoring and my affective filter is defintely in play. If I were an elementary student learning Spanish, I'd definitely go into a silent period until I was sure I could respond correctly.
I decided to study Portuguese instead of Russian because there was no information provided on how to type the Cyrillic alphabet. Since Portuguese is a romance language, I was using some language transfer from Spanish and French -- mostly Spanish. There is enough similarity between the two languages that I will have to watch out for false cognates. The biggest challenge is in the area of pronunciation. Even though many words are similar to Spanish, they are pronounced differently. I have read about research that has shown that one of the main challenges for adult learners is the pronunciation. This was true for me. I could hear the sounds in my ear, but it was difficult to figure out the formation and articulation.
ReplyDeleteKrashen's theory of comprehensible input applies in that the words and phrases were basic and were accompanied by pictures. When asked to come up with output, I felt more challenged. However, the output forced me to think about the language and will probably aid my retention.
My affective filter was fairly low, since the beginning exercises were at my level. It did go up when I had to record phrases for review. I put it off until the very end when it was the only thing left to do.
Already this experience has reminded me to think about my students. It takes a lot of mental effort to try to understand and to produce a new language. Here I am in the comfort of my own home, learning basic phrases. My students are at school and are immersed in a language!
Although this was not my first time starting to learn a new language, I felt that it was a new type of experience in that I was more conscious of my thinking as I started my lesson.
ReplyDeletePrimarily, the main process that I foun myself utilizing was connecting my L1 to the new language, as well as connecting the new language to Spanish, which I have studied before. I automatically made comparisons between the different languages. Comparisons were primarily based on the actual linguistics of the language, such as pronunciation and simply the ability to read what I was saying. Additionally, however, I also noticed that I was making considerable connections to the contexts and cultural similarities and differences in which the language I was learning would/should be used. For example, the use of the word Ciao can be used as both hello and goodbye, but should only really be used with friends and family. After learning this, I began to think of similar contexts in English. For example, I would only use "What's up" informally with friends, but with others I don't know I would use "How are you?".
Upon learning the introductory language, I found myself eager to practice the terms in a variety of ways. I do agree with Illana in that I'm sure I would go through as silent period as well. Livemocha emailed me feedback on my speaking piece, and commented on my accent, so, I too would be self-conscious about practicing the language with a native initially. My self-consciousness easily plays into my anxiety level, thus directly affecting my affective filter. Of course I feel safe practicing (and sometimes butchering!) the language in the comfort of my home, but feel that I would have a high affective filter when utilizing the language in the presence of others.
There are multiple processes involved when learning a language. As Brown (2007) states, learning a new language is a “total commitment” (1) because every aspect of your being is changing and adapting; it is intellectual, social, cultural, physical, emotional, etc. There are so many different variables that affect how someone learns a language and, on top of that, every learner is different and uses different processes in order to learn a new language.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of my own experience completing lesson one of my learning Italian adventure, I found there to be a disconnect between what I was reading and what I was producing. While listening to the videos and reading the questions/vocabulary I was understanding what was being asked of me. I was even making assumptions about what other words might mean based on the context. However, when it came to speaking I felt there was this wall before output. I knew what to say, or what the correct response was, but I couldn’t verbalize it. So I think there is definitely a disconnect between reading/listening and speaking. Anxieties aside, there was just a pause or hesitation before I could speak. As the monitor hypothesis suggests, I was checking and rechecking in my head to decide if I was correct before I could speak. Sadly, I was over-correcting and that led to minimal output.
As many of my peers have said, my L1 definitely helped me while interacting with the L2. I was able to make assumptions about word meanings because of my grammar knowledge in my L1. Furthermore, my previous studies in French helped me to quickly notice the masculine and feminine endings on Italian words; when I made that connection I felt relieved that the entire process would not be foreign to me because I was able to draw on some of my background knowledge. As a teacher, I now realize how important it is to point out these connections to our students. That tiny realization reaffirmed my language knowledge and helped me become more confident as I moved forward—that is exactly what I need to do for my students.
Repetition also plays a huge role in language learning. As many have said, I played and replayed the videos in order to fully understand the content. I agree with Ashley, in a classroom setting there is no pause and replay button. I don’t know how I would have felt or how much I would have retained without that. Students do not have that same opportunity and we as teachers need to find ways to accommodate that need anyway.
As social constructivism suggests, I believe the social aspect of learning a language is so essential. Discovering how to use language in authentic situations are so important when learning a language. I also think stress, anxiety, motivation, and fear are all born out of the social aspects of learning a language. While completing my first activity I was not afraid to try or to make mistakes because there was no one else with me. My affective filter was fairly low because I had no pressure to create output. I am somewhat torn now on my views of SLA because I truly believe that the social aspect of learning a language in vital, however the fact that my language learning was solitary and stress-free made me less worried about creating output. So what is better? Placing me in a classroom situation where I feel I need to create correct output or placing me in a situation where I have the time to make mistakes and play with language. Like anything else, I guess there needs to be a balance; no one theory or pedagogy is correct, they all have some truth.
I am wondering how this process applies to learning a third language. As I am already somewhat fluent in Spanish, I am noticing the similarities and the transferabilty to Italian (I decided to select Italian because I want to teach English and spend a year in Lake Como someday). I seem to be more aware of the parts of language, its structure, its grammar, etc as I go thru the lesson. I am much more aware of language and its placement than back when I was learning Spanish- I think this might enhance my ability to learn another language or facilitate the process better. I notice myself being able to do some parts of the lesson subconciously and more easily compared to other parts of the lesson. I wonder how much this pertains to my learning style. For example, the video portion was much more fluid for me whereas the grammar section was frustrating and I found myself analytically wanting a chart to list subject, verb, etc... I wonder if this is because that type of grammar chart is how I originally learned subject/verb in Spanish? Does my learning style when it comes to grammar/rules/structure succeed with more straighforward explanations? I seem to learn vocabulary better in context or in an auditory manner, wheres verbs I need to physically write out with a pencil and follow with auditory pronounciation. I find myself excited at hearing, seeing, and trying a new word out- twisting the syllables, sounds on my tongue- trying them on for size. I find myself really liking the pretty, melodic sound of Italian. I am also very much aware of the magnitude of what I have to learn- I wonder if that is what causes such anxiety of learning a language later in life- being cognizant of the sheer volume, words, tenses, etc...I find myself mindful of trying to mimic the correct pronounciation, reminds me of being in Spain and so wanting my accent to sound like a native speaker.
ReplyDeleteI find myself annoyed that I am on the computer learning rather than with a real person and yet I like being able to pause, repeat, pause. I find myself wanting to know the definition of every word i see and hear and I seem to transfer to Spanish sometimes and other times to English.
Ciao for now!
The language I chose to learn was Czech because it is so different than other languages I have already attempted to study. My mother's family is also Czech and Polish, so I thought that might make a connection and give me the motivation that Ellis refers to in the article.
ReplyDeleteMy experience was that I felt frustrated learning through a computer as I couldn't ask questions when I needed to about correct letter pronunciations, etc. The connection I could make to my students learning English was that they also can't ask questions when we don't share a common language.
Another process that occured was one I recognized many of my students doing- coping. I coped by making connections to things in my own mind, and converting it to translations in my L1. (Christina mentioned this above as physical imagery) For example, I started to memorize the pictures instead and found I could attain a high score on my review test- without truly understanding the language presented. I also attempted to make the words I was being presented fit into an English sense, and give the pictures an English story in my mind. The big benefit of the computer suddenly became that I had time to doi this. That benefit certainly isn't available in the real world when learning a language.
I found myself using the hypothesis theory that Ellis mentioned in his article, to try and make sense of it. I tested saying the letters a certain way, and was either supported or corrected when another phrase was presented. This made me feel confident, but as Danielle pointed out, when I was asked to write and recite, I was lost and I floundered at first. I needed more time- and was frustrated because I wanted to be able to communicate effectively and see results. However, as Brown stated in our first chapter of our textbook, "Few if any people achieve fluency in a foreign language solely within the confines of a classroom." Which means I should plan a trip to Prague.... :)
The processes involved in learning a new language involves a variety of theories and concepts we have learned and or touched on in classes. For example input and output and what is heard as a result of your environment. I also believe that some of the language learning process is a result of language transfer, whether it comes from your native language or perhaps from another language you are fluent in. I also, believe some of the language learning process is due to cognitive mechanisms and is a learning process that occurs in systematic stages. I had decided to take on Mandarin as it is completely foreign to me, which I will eventually, however I decided to try Italian. Mainly, as I'll be spending a month in Italy in June and I don't want to be able to communicate as best as I can, often times I use Spanish when I go there to communicate, it does create some levels of understanding when conversing, however even though these two languages are quite similar they are actually quite different as well. In my lesson, I found myseld using this transfer theory as I was practicing and taking prior knowledge of linguistics and root words to make sense of the phrases I learned. It was a good experience and I look forward to hopefully getting to fluency by June!:)
ReplyDeleteI believe language learning is a complex process including many intertwined stages. Language learners need to get comprehensible input from the external environment at the beginning stage. Then “digest” the language during an internal process and “absorb” the new language. Finally the learner will reinforce his/her former learning and continue to develop during communication or the output process.
ReplyDeleteAs for the internal mental process of learning a second language, I think it can be seen as several systems working at the same time. The first one is a comparison between the first language and the second language, as Ellis (1994) mentioned for interlanguage system, “…how the learner makes use of existing knowledge (of the mother tongue, of general learning strategies, or of the universal properties of language) to internalize knowledge of the L2.” When I did my language lesson in Spanish, I compared Spanish with English and French constantly, for example “ella” is Spanish and “elle” is French. The next stage I experienced was trying to remember all those new sentences and their pronunciation. While I was imitating the sounds, I also noticed some changes in words such as “-s” at the end. I thought this might indicate a plural form as in English or a gender difference as in French, and I thought I could apply some similar rules in Spanish. At this point, I was experiencing a language transition process and a memorization process at the same time.
Learning a new language definitely includes a variety of processes. Based on the different theories and approaches, there are many elements that play key factors in learning a new language. I think first, learners try to link new material to something they are familiar with and know. This will be the fourth language I have studied. I am fluent in Greek. Although it was only a couple years in high school, I studied a little bit of French. Now I decided to take Italian. I have always thought it was a beautiful language. I find myself relating words and letters to the English alphabet and some sounds to Greek words. This is what many individuals do when learning a new language. Although there is a lot of enthusiasm when learning something new, when it comes to a foreign language (especially one you have not heard a lot of), it can be very overwhelming and intimidating. I know that the more you surround yourself with the language, the quicker you will pick up words and phrases. They will go from memorizing parts of the language to storing them in your brian, especially when you have put meaning behind it. As far right now in the process, I see my self comparing the language and words to other languages I am familiar with, and simply trying to memorize words and put and association with them that I can hopefully remember.
ReplyDeleteBased on my experience learning the basic of Spanish language, I have noticed that I am building the knowledge of the additional language on my previous knowledge of the first (Arabic) and second (English) languages. In other words, I connect words I already knew with the target language (Spanish). For instance, the pronunciation of the word “see” in English language is similar to the pronunciation of the word “si” in Spanish language. The spelling and the meaning are totally deferent but the similarity of the pronunciation has helped me store the word in my memory. It is decent to recall the word. In addition to that, I have found some Spanish words have the same meaning in Arabic language. For example, the word “Shirt” in English means camisa in Spanish language and Arabic language. This is a clear example what Kellerman (1978) has shown that learners’ perception of the distance between their native language and the target language.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, brand new words or expressions are very difficult to acquire but the existence of enjoyment, excitement and recognition keeps the acquiring alive.
Most importantly, what is the purpose behind learning a new language? After I have acquired some words in Spanish language, I tried to use them with native and non native Spanish speakers at work. As my classmate Danielle said, discovering how to use language in authentic situation is so important. Additionally, learning a language is about intrinsic motivation.
The words I used are: Beunos Dias = good morning, gracias = thanks, por favor = please, Hasta Pronto=see you soon, Hasta Leugo = see you later and Hasta manana = see you tomorrow.
In my case, I have experienced that the impotence of input and the interaction are crucial. Learners acquire a language through the process of the learning how to communicate in it (see Hatch 1978b). As Brown (2007) explained the constructivism integrated the linguistic, psychological and sociological paradigms. After I communicate using these basic words, my mind starts measuring my rate of anxiety, scanning my perception and examining my attitude. I have learned that my rate of anxiety was quite high and my attitude was negative rather than positive. Also, I started asking myself why I hold this attitude. Observation learning theory (Bandura) was applicable to this situation and this theory scaffolds me through these challenges.
Last but not least, I will keep acquire new words and sentences in Spanish language with the scaffolding of the social interaction and the guiding theories.
Having studied varied languages through varied contexts, I believe that I have been exposed to a myriad of the 3 schools of thought discussed this week. While many students look back on early language education with mirth for the constant drilling and testing of obscure vocabulary lists and grammatical structures, I was lucky to have a high school Spanish class that was more aligned with the Social Constructivist Approach. A large part of our daily curriculum involved working in groups creating dialogues to perform in front of the class. The dialogues were generally open to our whim and so vocabulary was diverse and plenty of social interaction was needed to negotiate plot and lines.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast, when I studied Japanese and Korean through the hotel I was working for in Guam, the majority of lessons were based on drill and repeat patterns followed by multiple choice/gap fill testing. I would say this style more closely aligns with the conditioning and reinforcement of Structuralism and the systematicity of Rationalism. The famed Audiolingual method (most tightly aligned with Structural linguistics) definitely came into play in my education in these two languages.
Along with the rest of my classmates, I am now undertaking a new language through the website lovemocha.com. This is my first online education experience of any kind. I have to say that so far I have been disappointed in the methodology behind the curriculum for my Portuguese course. I especially loathe the drill which involves matching the correct phrase to the correct picture. Often I know the meaning of the phrase perfectly but can’t remember which picture the website has deemed best fitting for the phrase! I would say the material on livemocha.com is presented in a Structuralism/Rationalism manner but that I attempt to make sense of it and internalize it using some constructs of Cognitive Constructivism being that this version places a strong emphasis on the learner constructing their own representation of reality which is what I am trying to do to make sense of the language being presented to me in a way I am not entirely comfortable with. This is keeping me very active as a leaner!
I think a number of factors were in play as I began my attempt to learn Italian. While listening to the introductory podcasts, I felt excited and motivated to learn. I was actually impatient for the guides to begin speaking Italian, rather than the long set-up as to how the program works. I noticed my intrinsic motivations (as I hope to one day teach English in Italy) and extrinsic motivations (learning a language as part of this class). In comparison with my experiences learning Spanish in high school, I feel much more comfortable practicing in the privacy of my own home, having the opportunity to speak the sentences aloud without being judged, and being able to replay any parts that confuse me. This demonstrates the sociocultural theory of learning, because my environment and social comfort is impacting my ability to learn. Also, because of my environment, my affect is more positive, and I feel confident in my abilities.
ReplyDeleteI find myself trying to find the direct translation between parts of the Italian words and their English counterparts, for example, I see the "buon" in buongiornio as "good" to make the phrase "good day." As Ellis describes errors made because of transfer, I feel that I will struggle with this aspect of language acquisition. I need to remember that the syntax and structure of other languages is not necessarily the same as English, no matter how tempted I am to try to compare the two. As I continue to practice, I can also analyze my errors to "investigate my learning procedures" (Ellis, 1994). As I did with Running Records for children, I can identify and analyze my own miscues to determine why I am making certain errors and how to correct my mistakes.
Finally, I find myself agreeing with Stephen Krashen's strategy of the natural order hypothesis (Hong, 2008). In the introductory podcasts, we were introduced to basic statements, greetings, and phrases, rather than jumping right into past and future verb tenses. I also think that this is effected by my age, prior experience with studying foreign languages, english language proficiency, background, and context of learning. Second language acquisition is a complex and multifaceted process, and I am in the beginning stages of understanding how all of these different pieces interact.
This is Brian and I decided to study Italian. Many things occurred during my introduction to second language acquisition. First was confusion. I am usually not one to pick up a different language easily just by listening to it. I felt that even when I started to understand how to say the words, it never came out right. This is a discrepancy between competence and performance, but I think I could use my errors to help understand what's giving me trouble, as I learned about in Ellis's article. He states that examining errors is a way of investigating the learning processes.
ReplyDeleteThis language is very intricate but I went into it motivated to learn. I noticed how Stephen Krashen's affective filter hypothesis came into play. He "claims that learners with high motivation, self confidence, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety are better equipped for success in second language acquisition" (Hong, 2008). As I go into this with a positive attitude I am not creating a mental block for myself, which allow me to be more likely to succeed.
Listening to the podcast between the man and women was extremely beneficial for my naturalistic learning approach, because they are authentic speakers and having conversations that resonate in the US. As we dive deeper into these theories I will be better equipped to understand how and why I am able to acquire this second language.
Hi this is Marie Webb and I have decided to learn Spanish on livemocha.com. I think there are several complex processes involved in learning a second language and each of their definitions cannot be defined exactly. I agree with Brown that SLA is slippery as he makes an introduction to SLA in the first chapter of his book “Principles of Language Learning and Teaching.” Processes for language learning involve the silent period, learner external factors, language transfer, developmental sequence, input, output and several more factors.
ReplyDeleteAs I am learning Spanish, I think external factors are of vital importance to my success. I need to always remember why I am learning the language and for what purpose. I have decided to challenge myself because simply learning the language for this course is not enough motivation for me and thus I will fail. But I have decided to focus on the idea that I want to learn Spanish so that I can speak Spanish with my best friend Kristyn so that we can have a stronger relationship. By speaking Spanish together we internally care about each other more because we are helping each other develop our second language as a team. Spanish will also develop our tangible connection which is that both of us have traveled to Cabo San Lucas,Mexico several times a year since we were born.
While taking on a second language I am constantly thinking about all the complex processes involved. And I am trying to focus on the overall idea that cognitive learning will benefit me the best. When I started my first lesson on Live Mocha I realized that there were no exact grammar definitions. So to develop my cognitive learning I had to interpret the activities and words on my own rather than going online and looking up the exact grammar definition. For example I learned the meaning of “you form” from “¿Cómo estás?” Therefore whenever I ask a question to another person like “How are you?” I need to think about conjugating a verb based on its “you form” which I learned is known in Spanish as “tú form when I saw the question “Cómo estás tu?” I am not sure if this is the exact definition, but it helps me to form my own definition first before looking it up in a book.
Hi this is Xiaoyun Wang and decided to learn Japanese. It is very interesting and exciting to leaning other new language and shares my learning experience here! I learn Japanese alphabets and simple words this week. A little bit hard to remember 50 alphabets in one week.
ReplyDeleteWell, let’s revert to the original subject. Learning a new language is definitely a complex processes. The learning processes are also influence by various kinds of factors. But review my experience, no matter when I’m learning English, getting start to learning Japanese this week or even in my Chinese class, we all beginning from vocabulary. As I am learning Japanese, started from Japanese alphabet and some basic vocabulary. In my Chinese class, we also have some vocabulary study in the first day. As we all know, there are three things involved in knowing a language - pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. I think the pronunciation learning is always combining with vocabulary study. When I was taught Chinese to Americans, we starting with pronunciation, focus on vocabulary and correct students’ pronunciation in communication.
According to Stephen Krashen’s input hypothesis (1985), the input received must be comprehensible. When I learned some Japanese vocabulary, I need to click the pronounce button several times and made sure I had understand it. However, it is a big challenge for me to output. I need to organize the words together and pronounce them in a correct way. Just like Ellis (1994) mentioned there was a very poor match between the kind of language found in the input learners received and the kind of language they themselves produced.
As I am learning English and Japanese, I try to transfer from my L1 to the new language. L1 transfer usually refers to the incorporation of features of the L1 into the knowledge system of the L2 which the learner is trying to build (Ellis 1994). When I meet something different from my L1, the errors are appeared. Such as singular and plural, in my L1 there is no singular and plural switch. So when I learn Japanese, which verb should I use really makes me confuse. So far, I’m still in the silent period and can’t say any complete sentence. Looking forward to make progress after 10 weeks.
I have decided to take up Spanish as my language of study. Though a resident of California I am not too familiar with the Spanish language, hence my motivation to learn Spanish. I was excited and anxious to work on my first lesson.
ReplyDeleteI believe there are a number of processes involved in learning a second/foreign language. I also believe that they vary from person to person. To begin, the social context in which learning takes place has an effect on second language learning. Second language learning can occur in an instructional or naturalistic setting, one in a student teacher setting and one in a natural setting surrounded by native speakers. I am using Livemocha.com, therefore am learning in an instructional setting.
A period in the developmental stages during second language learning that I can identify with after my first lesson is the silent period. As said in the article by Ellis, during this period, utterances made by learners are usually simple sentences. I believe I am in the silent period process. After my first lesson I am only able to speak simple utterances such as, “See you later!” “Como estas?” and “Muy bien, gracias.” Not yet too complicated, but will become more intricate as I progress.
Providing learner’s with input is important in learning a second language. Through input, learner’s can understand messages as a way to acquire a language. I was provided with large amounts of input during my first lesson. I believe imitating, repeating and reinforcing input is also extremely important when learning a second/foreign language. After rereading the input a number of times, I believe I have a firm grasp on lesson one.
Another process I believe is involved with learning a foreign language is the transfer of knowledge from the learners L1 to their L2. In essence, how knowledge of your L1 can assist or hinder in acquiring your L2. This varies for each person and each language. I am interested to see the similarities and differences of the Spanish and English language.
I also believe external and internal factors have a large effect on an individual’s process of learning a second language. If one is comfortable in their environment and is motivated then learning is likely to occur. If not, learning may not occur. In terms of my foreign language study, because I am in my room, I feel completely comfortable and ready to learn. If however, I were in a large classroom setting I may not be as apt to learn.
An overall good start to my foreign language study.
The process of Second language acquisition involves three components:
ReplyDelete*Sender: The person giving the message
*Receiver: The person interpreting the message
*Affective: Filter: The experiences of receiver
As for me, I think the process of SLA is the process of changing signals into human words.
When I began to learn English, the English letters are only some pictures to me. And then after repeating and repeating again, I can acquire the pronunciation of the letters and words. Afterwards, I learn the grammar to put the words in order. Finally, enough practice helps me to apply this second language into everyday use.
Hi, this is Yang Lu and I have decided to learn Spanish since SD is a place full of Spanish speakers. It is interesting and challenging to learn a new language and the learning remind me how I learned English. However, I found that, comparing to the experience of English learning, it’s much harder for me to imitate the pronunciation right now, especially words start with “r”. That makes me considering the issue raised in the book that ”Children are better language learners than adults” and children are less likely to ask why and accept what they learned directly.
ReplyDeleteFor adults, learning a second language usually comes with a purpose which may influence the learning process. For example, business man will tend to learn those commercial words and sentences and travellers will focus on those basic daily expression. For me, the purpose of learning is to communicate and experience the learning process which can help me in the future teaching.
The online course starts with simple communication sentence without teaching the pronunciation of those alphabetic as introduction as their teaching process. It seems that the website is focusing on communicative language teaching rather than the classical method. I enjoyed this teaching style since my initial purpose of learning Spanish is to communicate. But learning the pronunciation of alphabetic can help us to pronounce the words by ourselves, so it’s a little confusing for me to figure out which way is better. When I am learning the new sentences, I tried my best to match those sentences with those pictures and find out what is the meaning without looking at the translation. After the learning, reviewing what I had learned is important because it can strength the memory. It’s pretty like the classical method, such as doing written exercises and translating texts.
I am excited to continue learning Spanish using multiple methods. I plan to focus my Spanish studies more heavily on grammar than before.
ReplyDeleteDevelopmental sequences played a very clear role in my second language acquisition. First, I went through a silent phase, broken slowly through communication with children. I listened to the language around me feeling out pronunciation and meaning.
This period transitioned into a formulas stage where I gave generic responses to frequently asked questions. I feel that my progression through this stage happened rapidly because of my natural setting.
Living in a friendly village, I was constantly approached by native speakers asking me simple questions about my life and origins. This phase was certainly guided by extrinsic forces. Curiosity forced me into conversation.
I feel that intrinsic forces are leading me to develop my language skills at a more advanced level so that I may communicate more deeply. I quickly became bored of the same question and answer sequences my earlier Spanish conversations followed. I wanted to share more of myself and learn more about those around me. An intrinsic desire to communicate on a more personal level led me to study the grammar of my second language more closely.
ReplyDeleteI want to understand and express thoughts and feelings more on level with how I do so in my first language. I am intrigued by morpheme studies, such as Krashen's review of the natural order of acquisition. I would certainly agree that my language development has followed a common and logical progression. I started out simply wanting to express immediate needs to sharing details of myself to become more involved in the community, to now seeking ways to truly represent myself and have quality conversations with speakers of my second language.
While I have had no formal instruction in Spanish, I agree with the growing "evidence to indicate that grammar instruction does work."(20) It was in fact, my own hunger for more advanced language that led me to study the grammar of my second language independently drawing on techniques I recalled being taught formally while learning German. I realize that to simple word translation would not effectively communicate the same meaning without adherence to general grammar guidelines.
This is the stage I am currently in and I find that a combination of naturalistic and instructed learning has really benefited my second language acquisition. Learning in a natural setting helped me to identify socially with my second language, while at the same time motivating me to learn. I would agree with Beebe that "learners are active participants in choosing target language models they prefer' in majority language settings".
While I would agree with the basic idea behind behaviorist theories emphasizing the importance of input for language learning I certainly agree with Chomsky that it is the process inside the mind of the learner where acquisition actually lies.(26) I feel immersion settings are great in that they offer a continual model of the language that the learner can process and absorb.
Practical grammar studies are vital efficient language acquisition because they allow the learner to work within a set of rules which can be presented to her formally much faster than through pure observation.
I chose for my first language assignment in this class to study the reflexive verbs. I chose this chapter in the book (out of sequence) with the thought that because it is a chapter relevant to daily life, I might absorb it more rapidly than a more abstract lesson. To reinforce the vocabulary and rules of the lesson I taped simple sentences throughout my house. Phrases about when I go to sleep and wake up in front of my bed.
I look forward to learning more Spanish so that I may communicate with my future mother in law. I also look forward to delving more deeply into theories of language acquisition so that I may better understand this process as I explore it, to gain a better understanding of the process as I witness it in my future students.
Hi, this is Adriana and I have decided to learn Portuguese (Brazil). It was difficult to make a decision of what language to learn but I decided Portuguese would be most beneficial to me at the moment. I started my lesson on Livemocha and realized all the processes that were part of my learning experience. Factors such as the context (in this case livemocha vs language acquisition within the cultural and linguistic setting), purpose (my reason and purpose to learn Portuguese), instructional variables (how much time I am dedicating to my learning experience), learning process (where am I learning the language, what type of input and feedback I am receiving from the lessons) and others all had an impact over my lesson. I think I am off to a good start; however, I need to admit that since I have had no exposure to Portuguese in the past there were times where I was completely lost. I was also surprised of all the feedback I received from other members of Live Mocha. The experience was good overall and am aware that I have to work hard in order to see good results…
ReplyDeleteNi hao, I chose to learn some Chinese this semester. I know it will be challenging, and luckily my first lesson was short and simple. The first lesson was from Chinesepod.com. The learn was a "newbie" lesson which focused on greetings. The lesson is taught on a podcast and does offer lesson pages so text can be to followed. The input from the lesson was comprehensible. The teachers( one Asian, one Australian?) contrasted the grammar structure between English and Chinese in each phrase. The phrases were also repeated several times for input processing to accommodate hearing the sounds and intonations. I wrote the lesson in my note book then called a Chinese friend to practice my new phrases. Although the podcast is easy and convenient, I will look for a tutor to teach me Chinese. I know I will process learning the new language better when it is more meaningful to me, like conversing with another human being. During the lesson, I would have to refocus my mind to what I was doing because I kept wondering if there was a better place to start than just doing the simple task. I do like the immersion/classroom scenario better. I like spontaneous correction, and sharing the language, while learning aspects of grammar which coincide with the lesson being taught. The processes I used for my first lesson included: listening, speaking, writing, reading, monitoring, and reflecting on my learner language, monitoring my affective filter, error correction notice, repetition, accommodating new knowledge and sharing knowledge with my son.
ReplyDeleteI think my second language learning is a combination of the structuralism, rationalism and constructivism.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started to learn English in junior high school, I have spent years learning English in Classical Method, spending all the time focus on grammatical rules, vocabulary memorization, texts translation and written exercises. The class pattern is always repeating after the teacher in the classroom, reciting the word list after school, and having grammar tests. This rote memorization is boring but useful for beginners to increase vocabulary, and to distinguish and compare the grammatical rule between the L1 and target language. When I began my Japanese lesson these days, I also started from vocabulary memorization and sentence analyzing and compare Japanese with Chinese and English. The structuralism approach is helpful when I am reading passages that I have to analyze the sentence structure and translate the confusing part in to my first language to get a better understand of the meaning. And Rationalism approach is also an efficient way that by concluding and summarizing the learned grammatical rules of the target language, I can compose sentences that I have not learned accordingly in oral classes and composition writing. When I went into college, most of the time I studied English all by myself. I find that after grasp the basic rules and have a certain amount of vocabulary we have to apply constructivism approach to improve our language level. For instance, we have to emphasis the importance of social interaction that we should not only know how to speak grammatical correctly but also socially properly. And we should also pay attention to the cooperative learning, discovery learning, task-based leaning to improve well-rounded language ability and language usage accuracy and fluency. As a language teacher, I should be attentive to what student benefit most from these schools of thoughts that to project a best study strategy and curriculum for them.
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