Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication and a language is any specific example of such a system.

There are three main trends in language theory frame the different methods and approaches discussed in this subject:

There are three main trends in language theory frame the different methods and approaches discussed in this subject:

STRUCTURAL VIEW

STRUCTURAL VIEW

STRUCTURAL VIEW

Lexical ItemsLexical Items

STRUCTURAL VIEW

Language system of elements for coding and decoding.

Language system of elements for coding and decoding.

Phonological units

Phonological units

Grammatical

unitsGrammatical

unitsGrammatical Operations

Grammatical Operations

This particular view of language, has some contemporary methods such as: Audiolingual Method; Total Physical Response and Silent Way.

FUNCTIONAL OR COMMUNICATIVE VIEW

FUNCTIONAL OR COMMUNICATIVE VIEW

LanguageLanguage

VehicleVehicle

Functional meaningFunctional meaning

SyntaxSyntax

Study of :Study of :

Linguistic forms

Linguistic forms

SemanticsSemantics

Study of :Study of :

Linguistic forms

Linguistic forms

Entities in the worldEntities in the world

Study of :Study of :

PragmaticPragmatic

Linguistic forms

Linguistic forms

The users of (…)

The users of (…)

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Process by which humans acquireProcess by which humans acquire

Capacity to perceiveCapacity to perceive

Comprehend language

Comprehend language

There are some theories about language acquisition, the most important are:•Behaviourist Theory•Cognitive Theory

There are some theories about language acquisition, the most important are:•Behaviourist Theory•Cognitive Theory

RewardReward

BEHAVIOURISTBEHAVIOURIST

ChildrenChildren

Blank slatesBlank slates

ProcessProcess

Stimulus Stimulus

ResponseResponse

ReinforcementReinforcement

create

COGNITIVECOGNITIVE

ChomskyChomsky

TRANSFORMATIONAL GENERATIVE GRAMMAR

TRANSFORMATIONAL GENERATIVE GRAMMAR

Learners understand

Learners understand

rulesrules Limited vocabularyLimited vocabulary

SentencesSentences

LANGUAGE LEARNINGLANGUAGE LEARNING

Learning is a consicious knowledge

Learning is a consicious knowledge

THEORIESTHEORIES

Deductive - Inductive

Deductive - Inductive

Analytic - ExperentialAnalytic - Experential

Habit formation – Naturalistic acquisition

Habit formation – Naturalistic acquisition

Change of directionsChange of directions

Common strategy Common strategy

Repetion and memorizationRepetion and memorization