First language acquisition

The sequence of development of L1

before the first words: listening, babbling, sounds; children

can understand language before they speak it
small range of first words between 12 and 18 months
from the age of 2 - putting words together, move towards
discovering the system of L1
early stages of L1 development - characterized by one and
two-word utterances, described as telegraphic: e.g. mommy
sock, more page
parents respond to telegraphic utterances: intuitively first fill
out the telegraphic phrase and then address the meaning of
what the child has said
by the age of 5: children have mastered basic grammar,
able to use adult forms
good L1 foundation makes it easier for a child to acquire
further languages

Children as active learners

Childrens acquisition of verb inflections - evidence for
their active contribution to the learning process:
-

before they master the regular past inflection (e.g. the

ending on she walked), they produce a number of
common irregular past forms, such as went and came
then comes a point where the child seems to regress:
instead of the correct forms, he produces deviant
utterances such as Where it goed?
at a deeper level progress; mastery of the rule for
forming the past tense, later awareness of exceptions

Superiority of comprehension over

production
Children (and also adults) understand
more than they can actually produce.

A three-year old called herself Litha.

*Litha?
*No, Litha, she maintained.
Oh, Lisa.
*Yes, Litha.

The behaviorist approach

Before the 1960s, the study of child language was
dominated mainly by the behaviorist approach
to language and learning (B.F. Skinner):
Language is not a mental phenomenon: it is
behavior.
Like other forms of human behavior, it is learnt by
a process of habit formation (imitation,
reinforcement, repetition, conditioning).

Criticism of the behaviorist

approach
Mistakes are seen as a faulty version of adult speech.
Language learning is seen as a mechanical activity.
Children imitate selectively.

Child: Nobody dont like me.

Mother: No, say nobody likes me.
Child: Nobody dont like me. (repeated eight times)
Mother: No, now listen carefully; say nobody likes me.
Child: Oh! Nobody dont likes me.

The nativist approach

Childrens language is not simply being shaped by external forces: it
is being creatively constructed by the children through
interaction.
Examples of children using language creatively:

overgeneralization:
Mummy, I am hiccing up and I cant stop.
(perfectly sensible analogy to picking up/standing up )
A Czech child (age 4y 10m): J snm zelenou. (opak k
nesnm)

creative use of words:

Father: Id like to propose a toast.
Son, later: Id like to propose a piece of bread.
(the child is discovering the full/limited meaning of the word)
A Czech child (age 4y 10m): dal ztra (pozt)

Task
What are the implications of these ideas for the
teaching of foreign languages?
sufficient exposure to the FL, allow pupils to listen
before they are asked to speak
provide good models for imitation
teachers talk should resemble some features of
parental talk: repetition, reasonable speed, expansion
of simple utterances, rephrasing (= saying correctly
what the child expressed incorrectly)
friendlier approach to mistakes (may be a sign of
progress), lots of encouragement
use of non-verbal communication to support verbal
messages

Assumptions about age and

learning
1. Younger children learn languages better than
older ones; children learn better than adults.
2. Foreign language learning in school should
be started as early as possible.
3. Children and adults learn languages
basically the same way.
4. Adults have a longer concentration span.
5. It is easier to interest and motivate children
than adults.

1. Younger children learn languages

better than older ones.
Common belief, probably based on knowing that
children living in a foreign environment pick up the
local language with great ease (lots of exposure
and attention, survival motives do not apply to
formal language instruction).
However, given the same amount of exposure to a FL,
there is some evidence that the older children learn
more effectively (with the exception of
pronunciation); teenagers are probably overall the
best learners (esp. better cognitive skills and selfdiscipline).

2. Foreign language learning in

school
should be started as early as
possible.
Critical period hypothesis if you get too old and
pass the age limit (approx. 13), you will have
more difficulties learning a FL (no conclusive
research evidence).
The optimum age for starting effective L2 learning
is about 10 early L2 learning is not costeffective, but leads to better long-term results
if learning is maintained and reinforced.

3. Children and adults learn

languages basically the same
way.
Adults in a formal classroom situation:
-

logical thinking
developed learning skills and strategies
cooperative
disciplined
learn voluntarily, motivated

4. Adults have a longer

concentration span.
The problem is not the concentration span itself
children will spend hours absorbed in activities
which really interest them.
Adults can persevere with something of no
immediate interest to them.

5. It is easier to interest and

motivate children than adults.
Yes, in a way, e.g. by selecting interesting
activities but you can also easily lose it
(monotonous lessons, pointless activities).
Young learners motivation is more likely to vary
and is more susceptible to immediate
surrounding influences; older learners tend to
be more stable.