finger-surefire
Introduction
Since
I
have
searched
for
relevant
information
and
read
up
on
some
articles,
superadded the knowledge that I have
gained in classes, I listed the main beliefs about
how a language is learnt of
Behaviorist, Innatist and Interactionist. My
purpose in this
paper is to show my own
understanding in the Behaviorist, Innatist and
Interactionist
views
and
how
they
have
been
involved
in
the
practice
of
teaching
English
in
secondary schools.
Depending on the
requirement
of this
assignment,
I
shall
divide my
paper into two
main parts
which excluded introduction and conclusion. The
first part is showing the
important
principles
and
rules
and
my
personal
perspectives
of
these
three
theories
that
I
have
mentioned
above.
For
the
second
part,
I
would
analyze
some
typical
examples which are chosen from a
secondary textbook of English according to part 1.
These
examples
are
closely
related
to
the
three
theories
in
order
to
put
them
into
teaching-learning activities.
PART ONE
1. Behaviorist
Behaviorism
which
focuses
on
observable
behavior
is
one
of
the
most
important
views of language
learning.
In
Pavlov
and
Skinner
?
s
theory
of
behavior,
learning
is
a
set
of
mechanical
habits
which
is
formed
through
a
process
of
imitation,
repetition
and
reinforcement.
It
is
clearly
reflected
in
most
of
the
secondary
classrooms
nowadays.
As
we
know,
imitation and repetition are the basic
ways to start learning a new language include the
first
language
because
they
could
effectively
facilitate
and
reinforce
memorizing
so
that learners could use
it fluently in daily communication. Therefore,
many types of
drill have been used in
ESL classroom under the theory of Behaviorism.
Focusing
on
Behaviorism,
one
method
is
closely
related
to
it
which
is
called
Language Learning Theory |
1
Audio-Lingual
Approach. To take a fairly recent example, we
still utilize some facets
of the audio-
lingual method with its emphasis on structural
linguistics and behaviorist
psychology.
(Mary Finocchiaro, 1989) It is a conservative
approach and emphasis on
aural-oral
skills, repetition and drills and pattern
practice. According to Ellis R. (1990),
there
are
eight
assumptions
about
second
language
learning
in
Audio
lingual
Approach
and
one
of
them
claims
that
foreign
language
learning
is
a
mechanical
process of habit
formation. Ellis R. (1990) states that the audio
lingual emphasis on
repetition,
imitation and simple substitution on the part of
the learner and systematic
reinforcement. The more often something
is repeated, the stronger the habit and the
greater the learning.
Behaviorism is also defined learning is
about the acquisition of new behavior based
on environmental conditions which means
learners need suitable environment when
they acquiring a language. In the
principles of audio lingual method, the first
language
should not be used in
classroom. For instance, teacher demonstrates and
explains with
the target language
instead of the first language if students do not
understand. Some
people are weak with
the second language communication because they do
not have
chances to put the existing
knowledge of the second language into practice.
However,
people live in a foreign
country could learn that language fast and
naturally.
Even
Behaviorism
is
a
traditional
theory
of
learning
language;
it
is
widely
used
in
typical teaching and learning
languages.
2.
Innatist
Children
are
born
with
a
special
ability
to
discover
for
themselves
the
underlying
rules of a
language; Linguists should study the set of
universal rules, for example, the
underlying
competence,
not
the
performance
of
humans.
(Noam
Chomsky,
1959)
Chomsky believes that children have
innate abilities to acquire languages without any
formal instructions. However, when
people need to combine the words into sentences
they should know the related knowledge
of grammar. Therefore, language is managed
Language Learning Theory |
2
by
a
large
number
of
principles
and
rules
which
determine
the
order
of
words
in
sentences.
2.1
Krashen
’
s five hypotheses
Krashen
?
s
five
hypotheses
(also
called
The
Monitor
Model)which
include
the
acquisition-learning hypothesis, the
natural order hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis,
the input hypothesis and the affective
filter hypothesis.
Input
hypothesis,
Krashen
emphasizes
that
input
is
acquisition
but
not
learning
and
learners focus on meanings instead of
forms.
Krashen maintains that although
early
speech is not grammatically
accurate, accuracy will develop over time as the
acquirer
hears and understands more
input. () It also shows the view that learners
should focus
on the meaning at the
beginning of learning a language. They will
automatically get
improved on
grammatical skills naturally if they deeply dig
into that language.
Listening
and
reading
are
the
two
main
ways
of
language
input
and
they
could
be
drilled
in teaching-learning process as well. For example,
teacher could give students
practices
of
dictation
or
reading
and
comprehension
in
class.
In
addition,
learners
have chances to
get input
outside the classroom such as listening radio or
watching
movies which are produced by
the language and communicate with native speakers
if
they have suitable environment.
For the natural order hypothesis, it
means that languages should be acquired with the
same order for everyone. Grammatical
structures are
?
acquired
?
in a predictable order,
which is the same for adults and
children and for learners with different L1s.
(Elis R.
1990) It becomes a rule that
children could crawl before they walk and run.
The
monitor
hypothesis
is
the
one
which
focused
on
form.
Sufficient
time
and
knowledge of rules are required in this
case as well. It could be reflected in grammar
teaching and doing exercises in
classroom.
There
are
also
three
necessary
factors
in
the
affective
filter
hypothesis
which
are
high-
motivation,
self-confidence
and
low-anxiety.
This
means
they
try
to
get
more
input and are more
receptive to the input they get, the affective
filter controls the rate
and ultimate
level of success of
?
acquisi
tion
?
. (Elis R. 1990) It has
a close connection
Language Learning
Theory |
3