Theories of Second-Language Acquisition

Theories of Second-Language Acquisition

1. Innateness Hypothesis

   • Lenneberg
   • "Language is a biologically controlled behavior that develops from within, triggered by age and environment."
   • Applicable to the learner from birth to age 2 where the brain undergoes a crucial developmental period.

2. Contrastive Analysis

   • "The theory that comparing first and second languages can predict what might be easy or difficult for the learner."
   • No contributor mentioned
   • The theory was actually proven to not be effective so it would be well-advised not to apply it in the classroom.

3. Behaviorism through audiolingualism

   • No contributors mentioned
   • "The method is behavioral, emphasizing oral practice such as pattern drills of specific grammatical form."
   • This would be student-teacher interaction with the teacher correcting problems as they occur. No writing or writing until oral adequacy.

4. Communicative Competence

   • Hymes
   • "The knowledge that enables language users to 'convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within specific contexts.'"
   • Application is through social functioning of language: requesting, refusing, agreeing, telling a story, etc. One example is roleplay.

5. Interlanguage Theory

   • Selinker
   • "[It] asserted that the learner's language should be viewed as creative, with rules unique to itself, and not just a borrowed or incomplete form of the target language."
   • Since this theory doesn't really view "errors" as errors, the teacher instead uses student mistakes to focus on what to better instruct. I would argue that codeswitching is similar to this except, instead of switching languages, it almost combines them.

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