Unit 12

Differences between L1 and L2 learning 

The relationship between how people learn their first language (L1) and how they learn their second language (L2) differ in many ways since when we acquire our first language we learn from exposures while when we learn the second language through input.

On the other hand, there are some differences between L1 and L2 learning such as:  how you get a language, amount of time, the age, the setting and motivation for using the language. First of all, there is the difference in the way to pick up a language such as acquiring for L1 or learning for L2, but L2 could also be picked up as a native language if the person lives in a country where the target language is used; there is also another in factor such as time for picking up L1 and L2, of course L1 is learnt faster for picking up L1 is learned more meaningfully than learning L2.

Another big difference between L1 and L2 learning is that L1 learning is nearly always fully successful, while L2 learning varies a lot in how successful it is.

Finally, learning a second language is really difficult but if teachers use some practical strategies, methods or techniques they could help their students to learn the language in a helpful way. For example, in the classroom, praising learners can be very motivating especially for younger learners respond well to praise since they keep working when receive something.

There are some links below which are useful to increase your knowledge in this topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkvkbHUP7E 
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/second-language-acquisition-sla 

Unit 11 

The role of error 

Are mistakes good or bad?

Let me say something obvious first: mistakes are bad. If one had a choice between saying a sentence correctly and saying it with a mistake, nobody in their right mind would choose saying it with a mistake and no teacher would recommend that. However there are some reasons that teachers sometimes say that mistakes shouldn’t be avoided is that they believe one of two things (or both):

1. Those mistakes are an inseparable part of the learning process; therefore, the only way to avoid language mistakes would be to avoid speaking and writing in a foreign language, and that would be bad. (the “Mistakes are inevitable” group)
2. That making mistakes, and having them corrected, is a good way to learn a language. (The “Mistakes are good” group.)

In addition, making mistakes plays a significant part in language because it allows learners to experiment with language and measure their strengths and weakness in communicating.

On the other hand, teachers need to know that mistakes are divided into errors and slips. To have a clear idea of what refer each of them let’s gives a definition; error occurs when a learner uses language unconsciously in order to understand and learn it but they cannot correct errors themselves because they do not understand what is wrong. Meanwhile, slips occur as result of tiredness, worry or everything can disturb students’ concentration which makes them to commit slips it could be when they are speaking or writhing.

Another important point why learners make errors is the influence of learner’s first language (mother tongue L1) on the second language L2 this is called interference or transfer. In this part teachers should be aware that learners sometimes use the second language in the same way that they use their mother tongue it includes lexis or grammatical structures.

As a final relevant aspect from this unit and it is fossilation of errors may be the result of lack exposure to the L2, the result of a learner’s conscious or unconscious lack of motivation to improve their accuracy.

In conclusion, making mistakes is a good way to learn a language since it can helps learners to improve or realize what they are doing well or wrong with language but of course teachers take a significant role in this due to they should correct those mistakes in a positive way. 

Here you have an interesting video about the role of error 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cipFuDxiF2Y

This is a good power presentation about this topic:

http://es.slideshare.net/MelissaFerrer/learner-errors-and-error-analysisppt-rev

Unit 10 

Exposure and focus on form

 In this article we are going to mention some useful ways of how to achieve it. For instance we have exposure according to some experts they say that we can learn a language by hearing or reading it all around us and without studying it. In fact, the persons who learn their first language in this way are children since they learn it unconsciously by imitating sounds patterns or repeating words articulated by their exposures such as: parents, relatives or environment

On the other hand, experts say that to learn a foreign language as adults, exposure to language is not enough since we need to focus on the form of the foreign language it means that we need to know or get familiar with its correct pronunciation, the use of grammar, spelling and the correct use of vocabulary as well as we need to know that an effective an useful way of learning a language is to use it to interact.

Let’s tackle three main ways in which we learn a foreign language. Firstly, language acquisition in this way the learner concentrates on the communicative act and not on the form or correctness of the language it means that acquisition of a language is very similar to the way children learn their first language and constitutes a simple but natural way of language acquisition.

Secondly, another way to learn a foreign language is interaction this is one of the most relevant aspect since we can learn from others for example we may start a conversation with a native speaker once we finish our conversation we could notice if he/ she understood what we were saying but if they have not understood us we may use other language in this case paraphrasing it can be helpful until we can achieve a successful conversation and also we can use chunks or structures to be direct or understood.

Thirdly, as we know learning a language is not an easy job since we have to take into account its formal features such as: pronunciation, word order, and grammatical structures due to it helps us to use the language appropriately.

What are some tips that can help us to acquire a foreign language?  In fact, there are many tips but we are going to mention the most useful ones for instance; we need to hear or read a wide variety of language since it can help us to increase our vocabulary. Another tip to acquire language is to do project works since they let us investigate new terms, as well as develop our reading and writing skills. While if teachers want their students focus on the form they may ask them to highlight conjunctions in a text which make them think in what is a conjunction , how does it work in a text.

Finally, acquiring a foreign language is difficult but if we have a good exposure with it we could learn without many problems and also is significant to point out that we can learn a language by focusing on form of it, it means that we need to pay attention not just to the meaning of language but also to its formal features.

Unit 9

 Motivation

Motivation is one of the most important factors which influence language learners’ success or failure in learning the language since it involves the thoughts and feelings which make them want to learn the languageIn fact, the main purpose of this article is to point out the most relevant aspects about motivation in learning a language such as: types of motivation, characteristics of a motivated learner, the role of teachers as motivator and some key concepts.

First of all, a teacher needs to know that there are two types of motivation the first one is intrinsic and the second one is extrinsic. Regarding to intrinsic motivation we can say that it is an inner desire to achieve a certain task or goal whose value is associated with students' interest in target language learning activities and their expected enjoyment in learning the language. Meanwhile, the extrinsic motivation comes from forces or sources outside of an individual it means that learners who have this motivation work on tasks because they believe that participant will result in desirable outcomes such as a reward, teacher praise, or avoidance of punishment.

As a second aspect we have characteristics of a motivated learner it is important for teachers to know that since it can help them to see if their methodology of teaching is working well. Let’s cite some characteristics that a motivated learner should have; he/ she shows positive attitude to doing tasks and activities, as well as all he/she desires to be succeessful all the time by accomplishing his/her goal-.focused.

Third of all, the role of teacher as motivator it is the most significant part since it is focused on some tips that the teachers should follow in order to create in their students the interest of learning the language. Then let’s tackle some of those tips; a good motivator teacher should be creative it means that he/she should use as many interesting resources as he/she can for teaching any topic which provides sufficient support to students as well as he/she should vary the pace of lessons. However, there is a good tip that the teachers must always do and it is to help students correct their mistakes without demotivating them through the use of a positive feedback which containssome useful pieces of advice of how to improve any work or saying that it was fine but you need to pay attention more in some basic mistakes.

Forth of all, key concepts it refers to strategies for motivating learners then the classroom atmosphere takes an important role since students feel comfortable and free to express their opinions or ideas when there is a nice and friendly atmosphere. On the ohter hand, autonomy helps teacher to get students working by themselves through the development of activities which increase the awarness of learning languge.

As a conclusion, the key is to make the language course attractive and arouse students' curiosity to learn and to master it by keeping in them an extrinsic motivation it means that they learn the language because they feel really motivated and interested for doing.

 Here you have some links which contain useful information about this topic:

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/video/a/video_tcm4531622.asp?strReferringChannel=search&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-615801-64

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_cHUgHVKw