In this lecture, we will learn about:•Language, Learning & Teaching (Part II)

Features of languageIn this lecture, we will continue examining the different aspects of second language acquisition, but before going deep into these aspects, I want you to recall the definitions of language that we mentioned in the first lecture at which end we came to the conclusion that these definitions imply that language includes the following eight features: • Language is systematic – possibly a generative system. • Language is a set of arbitrary symbols. • Those symbols are primarily vocal, but may also be visual. • The symbols have conventionalized meanings to which they refer.• Language is used for communication. • Language operates in a speech community or culture. • Language is essentially human, although possibly not limited tohumans. • Language is acquired by all people in much the same way – languageand languages learning both have universal characteristics.

Thus, the conclusion we can reach is that our understanding of the components of language determines to a large extent how we teach a language. This brings us to ask two questions regarding learning and teaching: What is learning? And what is teaching?

What is Learning ?

• Traditional definition: Acquiring or getting of knowledge by study, experience or instruction.

• More specialized definition:A relatively permanent change in a behavioral tendency as the result of reinforced practice.

What is Teaching?

• Traditional definition: Showing or helping someone to learn how to do something, giving instructions, guiding in the study of something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand. We have also to realize the following facts:1- Teaching cannot be defined apart from learning.2- Teaching is guiding and facilitating learning; enabling the learner tolearn; setting the conditions of learning.Now it is high time to talk about the schools of thought in second language acquisition.

Schools of Thought in Second Language Acquisition :1. Structuralism and Behaviorism. 2. Rationalism and Cognitive Psychology.3. Constructivism.

1. Structuralism and Behaviorism:Time frame:Early 1900s&1940s&1950s.Scholars:Bloomfield, Sapir, Hockett, Fries, Twaddell, Skinner, Pavlov.Linguist’s task:to describe human languages and to identify the structural characteristics of those languages, accurately applying the scientific principle of observation to human language.Criticism:1- It examines only the overtly observable data.2- Because of its non-mentalistic view of Language, it is impossible to examine topics such as consciousness, thinking, concept formation, or the acquisition of knowledge.

2- Rationalism and Cognitive Psychology:Time Frame:1960s to 1970s.Scholars:Noam Chomsky, (Ferdinand de Saussure (1916) who planted the early seeds of the generative-transformational revolution). Linguist’s task:The generative linguist is interested not only in describing language (achieving the level of descriptive adequacy) but also in arriving at an explanatory level of adequacy in the study of language. Criticism: 1- They lose some ground by daring to ask some difficult questionsabout the unobserved. 2- Dealt with language without social context.

3- Constructivism:Time Frame:1980s, 1990s & early 2000.Scholars: Jean Piaget and Lev Vegotsky.Linguist’s Task:The linguist, the Constructivist, emphasizes that the social Interaction is foundational in cognitive development and reject the idea of predetermined stages.Now, it is high time to talk about the teaching methods used in language teaching. Of course there are so many methods that differ from one another in the focus on grammar or oral performance or written performance…etc. But the most famous and common teaching method is the Grammar Translation Method that was originally used in teaching classical languages: Latin and Greek.

The Grammar-Translation Method:1- Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little active use of the target language.

2- Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words.

3- Long elaborate explanations of the intricacies (complicated features and aspects) of grammar are given.

4- Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and instruction often focuses on the form of inflection of words (how theending of words indicate their grammatical functions or feature).

5- Reading of difficult classical texts is begun early.

6- Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.

7- Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue.

8- Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

9- This method does nothing to enhance a student's communicative ability in language.

10- It requires few specialized skills on the part of the teachers.