Language Acquisition Theory Flashcards
Long
Language is acquired through authentic face to face interaction in L2
Swain
Comprehensible Output, language acquisition is promoted when a student works to express themselves in the L2
Thomas and Collier
Documented the positive effects of dual - language programs, which are believed to promote a faster and more reliable acquisition of the L2
BICS
Basic Interpersonal communication skills, everyday language, takes less time than CALP to master (1 - 2 yrs), often makes a student appear fully proficient in English when they are not
CALP
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, takes 5 - 7 (or 5 - 12) years to master, much longer than BICS, and students are less exposed to this language than they are to BICS
Krashen’s Input Hypothesis
i+1, students learn the most when they hear a level of L2 that is slightly higher than their current level of understanding
Whole Language Instruction
How ESL has been taught the past 20 yrs: Present the whole work so students can get the big picture, and then tease out the meaning. Recently there is pushback to this method, saying there needs to be explicit instruction of the components of language.
Long Term ELs
Typically U.S. born, their education flatlines around 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade and they do not receive explicit language supports to help them progress past about 4th grade English proficiency.
U Curve Hypothesis
Honeymoon, Hostility, Humor, Home. Students can also swing back and forth along the U Curve
WIDA Level 1: Entering
Newcomers, Silent Period, Relying on reception skills. Repeat important words and be conscious about nonverbal communication. Need support from peers - group work and side conversations are good. 500 words. 6mo - 1 yr.
WIDA Level 2: Emerging
Silent period over. Routines, class management, and other elements of the classroom should be designed to lower the affective filter. Might be in/leaving Honeymoon stage.
WIDA Level 3: Developing.
Producing up to 1,000 words. Proficient in BICS, may sound like a native speaker, easy to overestimate their language skills. Need to be able to see their progress. Tend to start shutting down in ESL classes and may opt out. Likely to be in the Hostility stage of the U curve.
WIDA Level 4: Expanding
Can be put in a mainstream classroom but will struggle. Beginning to understand language nuances like sarcasm and idioms. Developing understanding of the larger linguistic context of what they learn. May be in or approaching Humor stage.
WIDA Level 5: Bridging
Can be put in a mainstream classroom but may struggle. Likely in Humor or Home stage.
WIDA Level 6: Reaching
Students are exited from the program. No programming for WIDA level 6.
Graves and Colderone
Academic Vocabulary organized into tiers. EL teachers should focus on Tier 2.
Tier 1 Language
Common/everyday. BICS. Not explicitly taught except to newcomers.
Tier 2 Langauge
General academic terms that could occur in any subject area
Tier 3 Language
Highly specialized content specific words.
Cummins Model of Language Acquisition
Learning can be context embedded or reduced, and cognitively demanding or undemanding. EL teachers should strive to teach language in context embedded and cognitively challenging situations.
Cummin’s 8 factors that impact language acquisition
Age, Disability, Motivation, Access to Language, Level and Type of L1 Proficiency, Quality of Instruction, IQ (fluid)
Age and SLA
The younger you are the easier it is to learn a language. Until age 2 you can hear all phonemes, after this ability becomes increasingly limited. Age affects ability to mimic sounds. Age 2 - 12 you acquire both languages in the same area of Broca’s area, after puberty you acquire the L2 in a different area of the brain.
Communicative Approach
Communication as the primary purpose of language. Content based instruction. Aims to create a low anxiety authentic environment. Focus on comprehensible input. Integrated Content Based Method (ICP) or Sheltered Instruction.
Cognitive Approach
Teaching learning strategies. Emphasis on learner background, thinking processes, metacognition. Development in L1 and L2. Communication is the purpose of language and motivation for language learning (cognition and communication). CALLA method.
Grammatical/Linguistic Approach
Top Down and Bottom Up instruction. Emphasis on transfer between language (grammatical approach sees this as a cause for error). Used to emphasis memorization of language rules. Grammar - Translation and Direct Methods.
Transitional Bilingual Education
Need well - developed CALP in L1 before students are transitioned out of it. At least 8 years of L1 instruction before students transfer completely into L2.
Acculturation
The process of adjusting to a new culture. Occurs in a series of stages characterized as impossible “without sever psychological costs”. U curve Hypothesis: honeymoon, hostility, humor, home.
Elements of Literacy
phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency
Bottom Up Model
Reading as a process of decoding written symbols into sounds. Hierarchical and strict levels of achievement.
Top Down Model
Begins with schema - level analysis and moves down to letter recognition. Based on the idea that the reader accesses their own schema to make sense of readings.
Interactive Process Model
Reader simultaneously makes schematic connections and decodes letters and words. Reader takes a more active role when they have extensive schema to relate to the reading. Take a more passive role focused on decoding when they do not have internalized schema to relate to the reading.
Prism Model
4 Dimensions of CLD students: sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic
L1 Proficiency
The more proficient a student is in reading in their L1, the faster they will acquire literacy in their L2
5 Components of Reading
Phonemic Awareness, names and sounds of letters, phonics rules, sight words, structural analysis skills
Models of Instruction
Push in, Pull out, Sheltered Instruction, transitional bilingual education, developmental bilingual education, two way immersion/two way bilingua/dual language immersion, newcomer programs
First Language Acquisition
Takes 12 years to fully acquire
Interference
knowledge from L1 is applied to L2
Interlanguage
A student develops their own language system blending rules from their L1 and L2
Language Loss
Weakening of individual’s L1 because of focus on developing L2
Language Differences
Differences between rules of L1 and L2
Components of Effective EL Learning Environments
(1) Instruction in L1 (2) Content based instruction (3) Students as active learners (4) Students native language and cultures valued (5) Interaction with native English speaking peers (6)Bilingual education program is integral to school
Types of Bi/Multilingualism
Sequential vs. Simultaneous, Elective vs. Circumstantial
Informal LP Assessments
Observations, Questionnaires, Storytelling, Language Samples,, Cloze Reading
Psychometric Properties
Validity and Reliability
Formal Assessments
Low psychometric properties, often not normed by native speakers or not sensitive to dialect/circumstantial linguistic differences
Recommended Practice for Assessment
- Assess proficiency in L1 and L2
- Assess receptive and expressive skills
- Use current language proficiency data
- Assess BICS and CALP development
- Use both formal and informal methods
