1、 understand more deeply the concept and features of language outline major views on language understand different theories of language learningP A R T/0 1What is language?Define language in your own words.You can turn to definitions of language from dictionaries,books or the Internet for reference.P
2、 A R T/0 1Study the following definitions of language and discuss in pairs what you can learn from them.l Language is a system of arbitrary,vocal symbols which permit all people in a given culture,or other people who have learned the system of that culture,to communicate or to interact.(Finocchiaro,
3、1964)l Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.(Wardhaugh,1972)What can we learn about the nature,function and users of language from these definitions?P A R T/0 1l Language is a complex,specialized skill,which develops in the child spontaneously,without consciou
4、s effort or formal instruction,is deployed without awareness of its underlying logic,is qualitatively the same in every individual,and is distinct from more general abilities to process information or behave intelligently.(Pinker,1994)l Language is merely a system of conventions developed by various
5、 groups to communicate among themselves.(Geyser,2006)Study the following definitions of language and discuss in pairs what you can learn from them.What can we learn about the nature,function and users of language from these definitions?P A R T/0 1Structural view of language Target of language learni
6、ngTo master those elements including phonological units,grammatical units,grammatical operations,and lexical items.Nature of languageA structural and linguistic system of forms or elements.Teaching focusLinguistic patterns.Summarize the key points of the three different views of language based on Ch
7、apter 1.P A R T/0 1 Target of language learningTo know how to use the language to perform functions.Nature of languageAn instrument to fulfill communicative functions in social interaction.Teaching focusCommunicative functions of language and learners communicative competence.Functional view of lang
8、uageP A R T/0 1 Target of language learningTo grasp the patterns and rules of acts,negotiation,and interaction in communication.Nature of languageA tool to create and maintain social relations.Teaching focusThe interactional dimension of language.Interactional view of languageP A R T/0 2Do you consi
9、der the following behaviors as learning?What do they share in common?1)Learning is acquisition or“getting”.2)Learning is retention of knowledge,information,or skill.3)Retention implies storage systems,memory,and cognitive organization.4)Learning involves active,conscious focus on and acting upon eve
10、nts outside or inside the organism.5)Learning is relatively permanent,but subject to forgetting.6)Learning involves some form of practice,perhaps reinforced practice.7)Learning is a change in behavior.P A R T/0 2Work in pairs.Discuss the similarities and differences between learning of your mother t
11、ongue and foreign language acquisition.01 Similarities02 DifferencesP A R T/0 2Watch the video and summarize the key notions of the behaviorist theory of language learning.Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition https:/ A R T/0 2Decide whether the following statements are true(T)or false(F
12、)about the cognitive theory of language learning.According to the cognitive theory of language,second language acquisition(SLA)is a process of habit formation.The cognitive theory of language learning holds that to acquire a language is mainly about learning the system of grammatical rules.Teachers
13、who approach language learning from the cognitive perspective rely heavily on repeated training.Language is an internalized system of rules and children are born with certain property to learn language.()()()()TFTFP A R T/0 2Watch the following video about“assimilation”and“accommodation”and discuss
14、how these two concepts are related to language learning.Development:Schemas,Assimilation,&Accommodation https:/ A R T/0 2Below is the description of a language learning activity following Sociocultural theory.Discuss how this theory is applied to the learning practice.Activities for Sociocultural Th
15、eory:A Second Language Acquisition Theory Module https:/ DateArrange a day in which students can meet up with native speakers who will serve as their company for the day.The learner and the native speaker must arrange some activities they can do together like dining out,shopping,playing some sports.The native speaker must not be able to understand the learners native language.AssignmentAssignmentu Fill in the following table with what you have learned about views on language and language learning theories.
