Language acquisition and language learning: the linguistic background of language development Marina Tzakosta LaDiva coordinator University of Crete Dept. of Preschool Education, Faculty of Education

What is language? A system of communication

What is a system (of communication)? A network of ‘things’ governed by rules and principles Human languagesAnimal languages productivity systematicity

Language levels – grammatical levels Pragmatics (meaning & implicatures) Semantics (words, sentences, texts) Syntax (sentences, phrases) Morphology (inflection, derivation, compounding – language typology) phonology (segments, syllables, stress, intonation, focus)

How is language developed? Network of factors determining language development/ acquisition/ learning Environmentnature imitationpredisposition Behaviors models of development Generative models of development

Crucial terminology Language development Acquisition learning

Crucial terminology: the critical period hypothesis Age plays a crucial role in development/ maturation ≥ 7 years of age (Lenneberg 1967)

Crucial terminology learningacquisition development

Crucial terminology Monolingual & bilingual L1 Oral speech acquisition Second language acquisition (L2) Written speech (reading & writing) learning

Factors influencing second language learning Language-internal language typology, relation to the mother tongue Perception/ comprehension Proficiency level Order in language learning

Factors influencing second language learning Language - external Motives Social context/ civilization Teaching methods Perception/ comprehension

Crucial terminology Second language vs. foreign language Learning in natural environments Learning in artificial environments

Second/ foreign languages Preschool education Primary school education Age Teaching/ learning techniques

LaDiVa: objectives To investigate how language develops in the speech of preschool and early primary school pupils in multilingual and multicultural environments, these environments being the countries of the participating institutions and To design, produce and apply original teaching material in true class settings

LaDiVa: objectives Given that students come from different countries (Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey with different backgrounds in -educational systems, -language learning and -language teaching additional objectives

LaDiVa: objectives & great expectations the participating institutions will keep on exchanging ideas on teaching methods and new projects

LaDiVa: objectives & great expectations develop a strong multidisciplinary approach given the multidisciplinary orientation of the participating institutions add to our knowledge of how different linguistic systems are learned under various social and cultural conditions by populations differing in their level of education and their age A long-term outcome of the project is students’ training on how language can be taught in entrepreneurial intensive environments

What we expect you to do Interact, interact, interact! Work together & learn form each other Look for special features of your languages Look for special features of your culture Look for special features of the languages and cultures of your co-workers and compare Exploit your environment Produce teaching material

What we hope you get Provide you with all the necessary equipment (cultural, scientific etc.) Facilitate your work by any (rational) means required

Let’s start!