ELT Assignment

Name : Ruchita Kankrecha

Roll No : 29

Paper No : 12

Paper Name : English language Teaching

Class : MA Sem 3

Topic : Second Language Acquisition

Enrolment No : 2069108420190024

College : SMT. S. B. Gardi Department of English

Email Id : ruchikankrecha06@gmail.com

Submitted to : Department of English

Introduction :

As we believe that English language is not our language or the metamorphosis if English language from a colonial power to the global market player. Nowadays, we all are more interested in learning the English language rather than any other Language because we think that the English language is a link language and gives you more opportunity than any other language. English has subsumed several languages but it also occupies a paradoxical position in the contemporary world language scene. The story of the language especially the English language is the best story that has to be written. We all are using the English language from sounds and gestures to a common means of communication. We can not see the English language as any other language because the global language has its own unique story to narrate. But we can not say that this language is superior or other languages are inferior.

In our nation we believe that English is an amazing language but if you to other countries where people are using other languages for Example French language, at that time you may have to learn the French language. So if you have command on one language which is not our Mother language than it is good but you can not say that you know everything. Language and its development is a significant move in the history of humankind and English has travelled a long way. So the English language is not a language of the British Empire but has taken on the status of a global language. 

Crystal Clarifies that,

          “A language becomes a world language for one reason only the power of the people who speak it. “

I like this clarification because it is very true. If you observed the people who are using the English language than you may get the idea that yes this is the reality. Here we can see the theory of Power and knowledge by Michael Faucult. He truly said that how knowledge create power. Like if you know English language then you may think that you have power. Crystal attributes this power to political, technological, cultural and economic reasons. He also said that English is spoken as a first language besides countries like USA, UK, Australia, South Africa etc. So the rise if the English language takes on interesting dimensions and English has created a special place or a common platform across the globe world.

SLA: Second language Acquisition :

If we are talking about this concept than first we have to talk about Stephen Krashen.

About Stephen Krashen :

Stephen Krashen was a professor emeritus and he moved from the linguistics department to the faculty of the School of Education in 1994. He is a linguistic and Educational researcher. He received a PhD in linguistics from the University of California. He gave contributing to the following field.

1. Second language acquisition

2. Bilingualism

3. Education reading

He especially is known for introducing various hypothesis and Acquisition learning hypothesis and five hypothesis. According to him,

  “Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules and does not require tedious drill “

In our nation, we all are using the English language as a second language. Our first language is our mother language and another language which we all are using is the English language. So there is a difference between Acquisition and leaning the language.

Before we discuss second language acquisition,first we have to know that what is the second language. So the second language is a language that is not your native language. The first language learned by learners is his/her mother language after that we are learning other languages.

Difference between Acquisition and leaning :

We all are using our Mother language and this language comes naturally. Like from birth we all are acquired this language. So Acquisition is a very natural process. For example, you can do group discussion or communicate with others.While learning is done in a very strict way and while learning you have to follow certain things like if you are learning the English language than your teacher first gives you some rules and after that, they will give you some kind of exercise. So we can say that,

    “Learning is a conscious process and Acquisition is a subconscious process. “

The acquisition is gradual and happens naturally. But we are facing some kind of problem while Acquiring the language.If you want to acquire English or foreign language than you have to go or you can watch the movies or some videos and acquire the language. So the native language is known as L1 and the second language is known as L2. A second language is called the target language. As we know every coin has two sides one is good or other is bad. So while Acquiring the language you may face the following problems.

1. WhatsApp language: we all are using this language. For example, BTW means, By the Way, K means Ok or U means You. So it is very difficult to communicate with people.

2. You can not find that kind of atmosphere where people are using the second language

3.   If you don’t know the real language than you may Acquire all the things which are good or bad

4.   Learners are not correct

5. Use of the second language is different from the First language. For example, we can not translate some word in other languages.

6. We can not find good speakers

How do you acquire the language?

1. Observation

2. Share your ideas with other people

3.Think about your mistakes

4. Correct your mistakes

Stephen Krashen said that,

                    “Focus on massage not on form”

And

       “Acquisition required meaningful interaction in the target language or natural communication in which the speaker isconcerned not with the form of their utterances but with the massage they are conveying and understanding”

What is Hypothesis :

Hypothesis means statement or arrangement. In hypothesis,you can not conclude anything. Like in the research area we are making a statement or hypothesis.For example, L1 rules the L2. So here we are giving our hypothesis. If L1 rules L2 it is negative approach but we do not agree or disagree with this and just giving a hypothesis.

Research :

As we all know that if you are taking about hypothesis than research is important. So here some of the writers or professor done the research with two different groups.

Product-oriented research :

Dulay and Burt did product-oriented research. They select two groups of the students one is from mother tongue and from the Native language. Their main goal was to determine whether there is s natural sequence in the order in which L2 learners acquire the grammar of the target or the second language. But Dulay and Burt rejected this hypothesis and entitled ‘L2 acquisition equals L1 acquisition ‘. Neither child or adult L2 performance could the Majority of errors be attributed to the learners of L1. Learners are making an error in areas of grammar that are comparable in both the L1 and L2.

Process-oriented research :

Long and Stephen did the research with the same group of the students. For them the result is important or the process of learning is important. They find two mental processes in which students Acquiring the language and that is Conscious and subconscious. They have not rejected any hypothesis because both are important.

Through this process Stephen Krashen gives five hypotheses:

1. Acquisition learning  :  In this hypothesis, he is talking about both the mental process, conscious and subconscious. To understand another language, first, you have to acquire your own language in a correct way.

2. Monitor  :  You have to monitor yourself. Like you have to see that in which sentence you are making mistakes. Like in the school, the teacher asks as our mistakes but in college, you have to find your own mistakes. You have to see the structure of your language.

3. Natural order  :   Language comes naturally like you are using your mother language. If you want to learn another language than you have to find this kind of natural atmosphere.

4. Input  :  Input means something which you are giving. Like after Acquiring the language you have to show it through speaking or writing.

5. Affective filter  :  When someone gives you good feedback at that time you may like it. So the teacher has to give rea response to students because if you nodot give them feedback than they may think tthehat may I am not able to do. We can via a variety of attitudes or different attitudes.

Some disadvantages of this concept :

1.The adult acquire a second language easily but mamaybeot in thecorrect way

2.  Practice does not make language perfect

3. Knowing a language rules does not mean one will be able to use it in an interaction

4. Learners already have language

Conclusion :

So we can not say that this is good or bad concept like Stephen Krashen, we can give our hypothesis. The acquisition is a natural process but you can find many drawbacks while acquiring the second language.