1. Explaining Second Language Learning I
by Lisa Kaci, Josephin Oberhokamp, Hendrik Fitzner & Camilla Honerlage

2. Table of content Questions Behaviourism The innatist perspective
Mimicry and memorization
The innatist perspective
Universal Grammar
“Monitor Model”
Psychological theories
Cognitivist/developmental perspective
Information processing
Connectionism
The competition model
Discussion

3. Questions
What are the steps with which Behaviorism explains language? Name them and give an example.
What are the two different theories about the nature of Universal Grammar?
What are the 5 hypotheses of Krashen’s “Monitor Model? Explain two of them briefly.
To what refer “declarative knowledge” and “procedural knowledge”?
What does the Competition Model explain?

4. Behaviourism Theory of learning
Very influential between the 1940s and 1970s
Nurture  Environment has great importance

5. Behaviourism Explains learning in terms of:
Imitation
Practice (mimicry)
Reinforcement
 Formation of habit = language development

6. Behaviourism Video: Learning English, Spanglish
Video: Some funny guy learning English

7. Behaviourism
Influence on development of audiolingual teaching and material
 great emphasis on mimicry and memorization

8. Behaviourism Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis assumes:
First and target language similar
Target language is learned with ease
First and target language different
Target language is learned with difficulty

9. Behaviourism But: learners did not do the predicted errors
All learners made nearly the same errors
Influence of first language is the process of finding similarities

10. Criticism on Behaviourism and CAH
Behaviourism + Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis are inadequate explanations for second language acquisition

11. Universal Grammar Noam Chomsky
Innate linguistic knowledge which consists of a set of principles common to all languages
Explanation for second language acquisition?

12. Universal Grammar Lydia White: Robert Bley-Vroman/Jacquelyn Schachter:
best perspective for second language acquisition; but nature of Universal Grammar is altered
Robert Bley-Vroman/Jacquelyn Schachter:
Not a good explanation for second language acquisition: critical period is passed
Vivian Cook
Learners have more knowledge than input could give them

13. Universal Grammar Different theories about its nature
Nature and availability of Universal Grammar are the same in first language acquisition and second language acquisition
Universal Grammar that is present to second language learners has been altered in its nature by acquisition of other languages

14. Monitor Model Stephen Krashen Model of second language acquisition
Influenced by Chomsky‘s theory of first language acquisition

15. Monitor Model Based on 5 hypotheses: Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
Monitor Hypothesis
Natural Order Hypothesis
Input Hypothesis
Affective Filter Hypothesis

16. Monitor Model

17. Psychological theories: cognitivist/developmental perspective
Since 1990 central role in second language acquisition
Computer as metaphor for mind
Capacities for storage, integration and retrieval
No specific module in brain for acquisition/learning
UG as explanation for first language acquisition
 Less successful for second language acquisition

18. Psychological theories: cognitivist/developmental perspective
Information processing
Connectionism
The competition model

19. Information processing
Norman Segalowitz:
Second language acquisition as the building up of knowledge for automatic use of speaking and understanding
Learner first pays attention to any aspect of language for understanding/production
 controlled processing
Experience/practice  easier process of information
 quicker automatic access

20. Information processing
Controlled processing
Automatic processing
Slow access
Under control of attention
Limited in capacity
Quick access
Requires little attention
Needs little capacity to perform

21. Information processing
Robert DeKeyser:
Second language acquisition as “skill learning”
Learning starts with declarative knowledge
Becomes procedural knowledge through practice
Processes become proceduralized/automized like other skills
Parallel to development from controlled to automatic processing

22. Information processing
Declarative knowledge
Procedural knowledge
Involves acquisition of isolated facts and rules
 knowing that
e.g. knowing that a car can be driven
Requires practice
Involves processing of longer units and increasing automization
knowing how
e.g. knowing how to drive a car

23. Information processing
Example: car driving
Begin learning to drive a car
Close attention to every action/decision
Aware that performances can easily be disturbed (e.g. talking)
Practice  skill improves
Automization
Experienced driver
Able to pay attention to previously disturbing events

24. Information processing
Restructuring
Changes in language behavior
Quality changes in learner‘s knowledge
New forms are not just added to old
Regular systematic reorganization and reformulation
Sudden burst of knowledge or backsliding
Systematic aspect of learner‘s language incorporates too much or wrong things
 saw + ed

25. Connectionism Innate: only the simple ability to learn
Very important: the role of the environment

26. Connectionism Emphasis is on the frequency
Encountering of specific linguistic features in the input
How often features occur together

27. Connectionism Knowledge of language built up through exposure
“connections” build up
Stronger connections the more often something is heard
 chunks

28. The competition model
Explains first language and second language acquisition
Hypothesis:
“language acquisition occurs without the necessity of a learner‘s focused attention or the need for any innate brain module that is specifically for language“

29. The competition model Language use and language meaning important
Learners understand how to use “cues”
 word order, grammatical markers and animacy of nouns

30. The competition model Example: „Box push boy“
Depends on the mother tongue, how second languages are learned
Example: “Il giocattolo guardail il bambino”
Two/three year old
Four year old
Uses cues of animacy and their knowledge of the way things work in the world.
Children will give a SVO interpretation to strings of the words.

31. Questions
What are the steps with which Behaviorism explains language? Name them and give an example.
What are the two different theories about the nature of Universal Grammar?
What are the 5 hypotheses of Krashen’s “Monitor Model? Explain two of them briefly.
To what refer “declarative knowledge” and “procedural knowledge”?
What does the Competition Model explain?

32. Bibliography
Doughty, C. J. & Long, M.H. (eds.) (2003). The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Gramley, S. & Gramley, V. (eds.) (2008). Bielefeld Introduction to Applied Linguistics. Bielefeld: Aithesis. Lightbown, P. M. & Spada, N. (2006). How Languages are Learned. 3rd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Mitchell, R. & Myles, F. (1998). Second Language Learning Theories. London: Arnold. Richards, J.C. & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Saville-Troike, M. (2006). Introducing Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.