THEORIES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

by :

Yeyaganes a/l Narayarasamy Muhammad Fikry b Zahry Khairur Razi b Maskun

HOW DO PUPILS LEARN A LANGUAGE ?

Behaviourism Cognitivism

Social Constructivism

Humanism

BEHAVIOURISM

The behaviourist theory has its origin in the early 20th century. Psychologists like Pavlov, Watson & Thorndike believe that it is possible to predict and explain the way people learn by studying the behaviour of animals
( Nesamalar Chitravelu, Saratha Sithamparam & Teh Soo Chon. ELT Methodology Principles & Practice )

BEHAVIOURISM

They claimed that by using a learning model ; a STIMULUS , a RESPONSE and REINFORCEMENT, it is possible to train an animal to behave in any desired. Example : a rat was placed in a box with a light.
STIMULUS RESPONSE REINFORCEMENT
The light is switched on

The rat goes up to a bar and presses it

A piece of food drops at its feet

BEHAVIOURISM

light food dispenser lever

The food is used as a positive reinforcement If the sequence is repeated, the rat will always press the bar when the light is switched on. Repetition is seen as important to bring about habit formation and learning
( Nesamalar Chitravelu, Saratha Sithamparam & Teh Soo Chon. ELT Methodology Principles & Practice )

BEHAVIOURISM

Skinner, a famous psychologist applied the stimulusresponse reinforcement theory to the way human acquire language. According to Nesamalar Chitravelu, Saratha Sithamparam & Teh Soo Chon. ELT Methodology Principles & Practice, Skinner views language as a form of behaviour just like the rat experiment and language learning as a process of habit formation.

BEHAVIOURISM
STIMULUS RESPONSE REINFORCEMENT

A baby is hungry He cries

Notes: The baby soon learns that his cries will be rewarded with milk / food

He is given his milk

Example : a baby is hungry

BEHAVIOURISM
IMPORTANT NOTES FROM B.F SKINNER

He emphasizes on reinforcement / reward. It may be a smile, a nod or a word of smile. His work showed that reinforcement is very important in the early stages of learning, and should be given frequently ( Nesamalar
Chitravelu, Saratha Sithamparam & Teh Soo Chon. ELT Methodology Principles & Practice ) Correct behaviour is reinforced with rewards and mistakes are corrected immediately.

BEHAVIOURISM
SUM UP

The behaviourist theory of learning provided teachers with a set of guidelines & easy to implement into the classroom Behaviourism stress on the STIMULUS RESPONSE REINFORCEMENT model and the importance of HABIT FORMATION

COGNITIVISM
Emphasize on the learners and how they organize their knowledge. Cognitivists want the learners to learn how to analyse problems and how to think for themselves.

COGNITIVISM
ISSUES OCCURRED

Noam Chomsky has different view about behaviourism. He stated that language is not a form of behaviour but rather a complicated rule-based system. He also believed that we cannot monitor certain utterances by young learners if language is learnt behaviour.

COGNITIVISM
For example :
Father goed to work. Sara cutted my paper.

It shows that the learner appear to realize the existence of a rule. He add ed to the base form to show the simple past. Chomsky stated that there are finite number of rules and one can produce infinite numbers of sentences with the knowledge of the rules. Chomsky calls the knowledge of these rules competence and actual production of sentences using these rules performance ( John R Searle.

http://chomsky.info/onchomsky/19 720629.htm )

COGNITIVISM
Learners required to : 1. Think and make sense of new information 2. To seek 3. To discover the underlying rules Language learning is an active process Often misinterpret the rules Apply them incorrectly 1. View errors as a sign of learning.

2. Learners do not need to be corrected immediately and directly.

3. They see errors as part of learning

4. Apply

Cognitivist

Learners

Cognitivist

COGNITIVISM
SUM UP
FC
Learner centred
Teacher guides learners to test it Teacher uses a number of specific examples. Inductive approach

Discovery learning

Deductive approach

Teacher presents a rule / generalization

Cognitivist theory

active
Learning as an

Teacher guides learners Teacher uses a number of specific examples

Mental process
Note: Teacher needs to present new info so that learners can relate new info to their existing mental structure & previous knowledge

Teacher asks them to find out the rule of generalization through the process of guided discovery

REFERENCES
John R Searle. Chomskys Revolution in Linguistics . Retrieved on 6th Dec 2011 from http://chomsky.info/onchomsky/19720629.htm Knowledge Base and Webliography . Retrieved on 2nd Dec 2011 from http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html

Nesamalar Chitravelu, Saratha Sithamparam & Teh Soo Chon. ( 2005 ) ELT Methodology Principles & Practice 2ND Edition. Selangor : Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd
Teaching and Learning Recources . Retrieved on 5th Dec 2011 from http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/ 31012664/Cognitivism