1、Unit 2Unit 2Reviewing Bases of Reviewing Bases of Second Language Second Language AcquisitionAcquisitionUnit PreviewUnit PreviewUnit Unit topic focus:topic focus:l definition of languagedefinition of languagel different views about language different views about language l nature of learningnature o
2、f learningl misconceptions of learningmisconceptions of learningl mystery of first language acquisitionmystery of first language acquisitionPre-learning Pre-learning TasksTasks1.Search the internet to get the definitions of language and learning and explain them with examples to your classmates.2.Re
3、flect on your own experience of learning the mother tongue.3.How do you understand the act of learning?Is language learning similar to other types of learning?Why?Language is a of vocal symbols used.(Wardhaugh 1977).By system we mean the recurring patterns or arrangements or the particular ways or d
4、esigns in which a language operates.All elements in the system of language are arranged in accordance with certain rules;they can not be combined at will.By“arbitrary vocal symbols”it is meant that anything that represents something else is a symbol,for example,the dove is the symbol of peace.Langua
5、ge consists of another type of symbols,sounds symbols or speech sounds.These symbols are not chosen for any particular reasons but at random.Language is used for human communication.Language is possessed only by human beings.Animals also have communication systems such as the dance of bees and the b
6、ark of dogs.But no system of animal communication is characterized by duality,and few systems of animal communication use discrete arbitrary symbols.In short,language is a unique system of communication,and it is the cornerstone of society.The primitive view1)1)language language is an organism:is an
7、 organism:growth and change are of more interest than the static formal rules.2)2)language language is writing:is writing:the written record of the language is the“purest”form.Speech is secondary and to be distrusted since it is ephemeral and degenerate.3)3)language language is conventional:is conve
8、ntional:language is conventional and it is not only invented,but in its progressive advancement,it varies for the purposes of practical convenience.Views at the-turn-of-the-century1)1)language language is a system:is a system:each element of the language has a value only in terms of the rules under
9、which it operates and in relation to all other elements.2)2)language language is speech:is speech:the written system is no more than a crude approximation to the spoken language,secondary and derivative.3)3)language language is conventional:is conventional:language is partly rational,partly irration
10、al and arbitrary.The structuralists view in the early 20th century1)1)language language is speech:is speech:The structuralists declared that the speech is the language.The written record is but a secondary representation of the language.2)2)language language is a structural system:is a structural sy
11、stem:language is a system of forms,elements or items of which are combined in certain ways to create sentences.3)3)language language is an arbitrary system:is an arbitrary system:there is absolutely no relationship between the words and the objects they represent.The mentalists view represented by N
12、.Chomsky1)1)language language is a system which relates meaning to is a system which relates meaning to substance:substance:it emphasizes meaning in linguistic description.2)2)language language is a mental phenomenon and is a mental phenomenon and innate:innate:the innateness of language suggests a
13、genetically imparted ability for language learning.3)3)language language is is universal:universal:all normal children acquire a mother tongue.At a highly abstract level,all languages must share some universal characteristics.The functionalistsview represented by M.A.K.Halliday1)1)The The instrument
14、al function instrumental function serves to manipulate the environment.2)2)The The regulatory function regulatory function is the control of events.3)3)The The representational function representational function is the use of language to“represent”reality as one sees it.4)4)The The interactional fun
15、ction interactional function serves to ensure social maintenance.The functionalistsview represented by M.A.K.Halliday5)5)The The interpersonal function interpersonal function allows a speaker to express feelings,emotions and personality.6)6)The The interpersonal function interpersonal function allow
16、s a speaker to express feelings,emotions and personality.7)The 7)The imaginative function imaginative function serves to create imaginary systems or ideas.Learning is acquiring or getting of knowledge of a subject or a skill by study,experience,or instruction-Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Engli
17、sh Learning is a relatively permanent change in a behavioral tendency and is the result of reinforced practice.-Kimble&Garmezy,19631)1)Learning Learning is acquisition or gettingis acquisition or getting.2)Learning 2)Learning is retention of knowledge,is retention of knowledge,information or skillin
18、formation or skill.3)Retention 3)Retention implies storage systems,memory,implies storage systems,memory,and cognitive organizationand cognitive organization.4)Learning 4)Learning involves active,conscious focus on involves active,conscious focus on and acting upon events outside or inside the and a
19、cting upon events outside or inside the organismorganism.Learning contains a number of characteristic features(Brown,1994):5 5)Learning)Learning is relatively permanent,but is relatively permanent,but subject to forgettingsubject to forgetting.6)Learning 6)Learning involves some form of practice,inv
20、olves some form of practice,perhaps reinforced practiceperhaps reinforced practice.7)Learning 7)Learning is a change in behavior.is a change in behavior.Learning contains a number of characteristic features(Brown,1994):Is learning a change in behavior?Is learning a change in behavior?Is learning Is
21、learning biological growth/biological growth/maturationmaturation?Is learning mental development?Is learning mental development?Is learning equal to thinking?Is learning equal to thinking?Is learning a change in behavior?Is learning a change in behavior?Learning involves a particular or permanent ki
22、nd of change in behavior and brain.Learning refers to the attaining of a new association that is not only established just between external stimulus and response represented by SR.It may also bring about mental association between external stimulus and internal stimulus represented by Ss.Learning,on
23、 the other hand,is a purely internal event,and can be stored in the brain indefinitely even if it is never acted out in behavior.Is learning Is learning biological growth/biological growth/maturationmaturation?Learning is more than a biological process and includes those changes that result from exp
24、erience,and is a cognitive or psychological one.Growth is a purely physical or biological process.Although much learning does occur in connection with growth/maturation,growth or maturation and learning are not the same thing.We cannot stop growth unless we kill the child.But learning can be control
25、led by human beings.We can refuse to learn.Is learning mental development?Is learning mental development?Learning is both positive and negative mental development.One distinction between learning and intellectual development is that learning involves the acquisition of either positive or negative as
26、sociations.But intellectual development is always a positive process,evolving from a lower stage to a higher one.Development may be partly biological,dependent on internal maturation whereas learning is purely psychological,dependent on the environment.Is learning equal to thinking?Is learning equal
27、 to thinking?Learning is not the same as thinking,though there is no doubt that thinking can lead to learning.Learning may be overt or covert.Thinking is exclusively covert and unobservable.Covert thinking and covert learning are not the same thing.Thinking only occurs inside the black box(process)a
28、nd involves active use of what has been learned before,whereas learning involves not only the black box(inner process)but also the whole internal and external process from SR.What is first language acquisition?What is first language acquisition?l on origin:the language(s)one learned first the langua
29、ge(s)in which one has established the first long-lasting verbal contacts.l on internal and external identification:the language(s)one identifies with/as a native speaker of/by others.l on competence:the language(s)one knows best.l on function:the language(s)one uses most.Some people believe that L1
30、is acquired through imitation and practice;others argue that it is acquired through creative hypothesis-testing.The traditional assumption:the childs language has been dependent on the models of his parents.But Chomsky contended that a child does not learn his first language by imitation but by crea
31、tive hypothesis-testing of the linguistic input in the LAD.Findings in child language acquisition may help throw important lights on the difficult question of the origin of human language,and the complex process of second or foreign language learning.这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，
32、这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本。Definition of language:Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.Definition of learning:learning is the acquiring or getting of knowledge of a subject or a skill by study,experience,or instruction.“Misc
33、onceptions of learning:learning is more than behavioral change,biological maturation,one-direction mental development,and thinking.Mystery of L1 acquisition:L1 acquisition is a biologically-based,natural and hypothesis-testing process.It is different in some ways from L2 acquisition.这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里
34、输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本，这里输入文本。1.1.Kees deBot,Wander Lowie&Marjolijn Verspoor,Kees deBot,Wander Lowie&Marjolijn Verspoor,(2006).(2006).Second language acquisition:An advanced Second language acquisition:An advanced resource book,New York:Routledgeresource book,New York:Routledge.2.2.Susan,G.&Jacquelyn Schachter.2006.Susan,G.&Jacquelyn Schachter.2006.Linguistics Perspectives on Second Language Linguistics Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition.Acquisition.Cambridge University Press.Cambridge University Press.Thanks！
