KEY ISSUES IN SLA

???
• What do you think is SLA?
• Why do teachers need to learn SLA
formally?
• Second?
• Language?
• Acquisition?
What is SLA?
• Refers to the process of learning another L after
the NL has been learned.
• Sometimes the term refers to the learning of a 3rd
or 4th language.
• The second language is referred to as the L2.
• L2 can refer to any L learned after learning the
L1.
• Refers to both the study of individuals and groups
learning another L.
What is SLA?
• Refers to both the acquisition of a L2 in a
classroom situation, as well as the in more
“natural” exposure situations.
• Acquisition broadly refers to language use.
• Is there a difference between ‘learning’ and
‘acquiring’ a language?
• Did you ‘learn’ or ‘acquire’ your L2?
Native Language (NL)
• The first language that a child learns.
• Also known as primary language, the mother tongue, or
the L1
• NL vs. non-native language
• Can a L2 be referred to as a non-native language?
• Using Singapore as an example, would English there be
an L1 or L2 for most people?
• Can the Singapore language context be equated with the
Malaysian context? What about Thailand?
• Task: Look at the Malaysian syllabus : what is the target
language?
Target Language (TL)
• Refers to the language being learned.
• Examples ????
Foreign Language Learning
• Is generally differentiated from SLA
• Refers to the learning of a non-native L in the environment
of one’s NL.
• E.g. French speakers learning English in France.
• Most commonly done within the context of the classroom.
• SLA most often refers to the learning of a non-native L in
the environment where the L is spoken
• E.g. German speakers learning Japanese in Japan
• Is there a problem with this definition and how research in
SLA is used in general?
Foreign Language Learning
• From the point of view of SLA, there is considerable
access to speakers of the L being learned.
• So what do you think of the Malaysian situation? L2 or
FL???
• It is not easy to demarcate between SLA and FLL in most
situations as there are L learning situations where a
variety of the L being learned is spoken widely although
for the most part it is not natively spoken (e.g. English in
India).
• And of course the whole concept of “nativeness” is
pandora’s box.
• What does it mean to be a ‘native’ speaker of English?
• Are you a native speaker of English?
The Nature of Language
• Fundamental to understanding the nature of SLA is an
understanding of what it is that needs to be learned.
• What does the L2 learner need to learn?
• What is language?
• There are a number of aspects of language that can be
described systematically; i.e.
• The sound system (phonology)
• The syntax
• Morphology and the lexicon
The Nature of Language
• Semantics
• Pragmatics
Sound System
• Also known as phonology.
• Entails knowing what sounds are possible and what
sounds are not possible in the L, sounds in fast speech
etc.
• E.g. say this word aloud “seat”
• Now say “mother”
• Most of you would have said [sɪt ] and [mʌðə]
• Substitution of English sounds with approximate sounds
due to influence of L1 or other reasons
Syntax
• Also known as grammar.
• Native speakers know which are possible sentence of
their language and which are not.
• The big book is on the brown table.
• Vs.
• *The book big brown the table on is.
Morphology and the Lexicon
• The study of morphology is the study of word formation.
• Words are made up of more than one part.
• E.g. unforeseen = un+fore+seen
• un has a negative function; fore means earlier in time;
seen means visualised.
• Each part is a morpheme, which is the minimal unit of
meaning.
• Lexicon refers to the words available to a person or the
vocabulary.
Semantics
• Refers to the study of meaning.
• Entails the knowledge of the reference of words.
Pragmatics
• The way we use language in context.
• Learners need to learn how to use language in context,
appropriately.
• E.g. difference between “can” and “could”, politeness,
terms of address etc.
The Nature of Non-native Speaker
Knowledge
• Knowing a L2 well means knowing information similar to
that of a NS of a L.
• The basic assumption in SLA research is that learners
create a language system known as an interlanguage (IL)
• This concept validates learners’ speech, not as a deficit
system, but as a system with its own structure.
• The IL comprises the NL, TL as well as elements that do
not have origins in the NL and TL.
The Nature of Non-native Speaker
Knowledge
• The learners themselves impose structure on the
available linguistic data and formulate a system (IL).
• Central to IL is the concept of fossilization, which refers to
cessation of learning.
• But how do we determine that learning has ceased?
• One of the problems with the concept of IL.
Exercise
• In pairs, answer “True” or “False” to the following
statements. Justify your responses. Once you come to a
consensus, compare your answers to the rest of the class.
1. Any child without cognitive disabilities can learn any
language with equal ease.
2. Learning a L2 is a matter of learning a new set of
habits.
3. The only reason that some people cannot learn a L2 or
foreign language is that they are insufficiently
motivated.
Exercise
4. All children can learn a L2 accent-free.
5. No adult can learn a L2 accent-free.
6. All human beings have an innate capacity to learn a
language.
7. Vocabulary is the most important part of learning a L2.
8. Vocabulary is the most difficult part of learning a L2.
9. Language instruction is a waste of time.
10. Learning a L2 takes no more time than learning a L1.

• Questionnaire : Lightbrown and Spada

Homework
• Read Cook Chapter 1 & Saville-Troike Chap 1,2 &
Lightbrown-Spada Chap 1

• For Mini Project:

1. Choose your project partner
2. Do sound recording of your own class teaching to test
recording clarity. Solve any problems.

• Practice Reflection: Next meeting

• 2nd class – online. Will let you know when via Whatsapp.