A COGNITIVE THEORY OF LEARNING

A COGNITIVE THEORY OF LEARNING

1. Anderson´s Information Processing Model

   • Inoformation Processing Model of Cognitive Skill Learning 1980,1983,1985.
     • A comprehensive model for examining language learning form a cognitive perspective.
     • The purpose of this framework is to explain how information is stored in the memory and how new information is acquired.
       • The Short-Term Memory refers to that part of the memory where information which is received is stored for short periods of time while it is being analysed and interpreted.
         • STM is also sometimes referred to as working memory.
         • The Term `working memory´is used to refer to whatever one has in mind at any particular time.
         • The contents of the STM are pased on to the Long Term Memory (LTM) where they are structed.
         • The process of structuring new information takes time because students find it almost imposible to remember something that they do not properly understand.
       • The Long -Term Memory (LTM) once the STM has made sence of new information,it is then passed into the Long Term Memory(LTM) where,unless it is subsequently used or recalled in some other way,it is eventuallly forgotten.
         • According to Weinstein and Mayer ( 1986) in this cognitive psychology paradigm,new information is acquired through a four -stage encoding process involving selection,acquisition,construction and integration.
           • Selection:learners focus on specific information of interest in the environment and transfer that information into working memory.
           • Acquisition:learners actively transfer information from working memory time into log-term memory for permanent storage.
           • Construction: learners build internal connections between ideas contained in working memory:this information is used to enrich the learner´s understanding on retention of the new ideas.
           • Integration:final the learner searches for prior knowledge in long-term memory and transfers this knowledge to working memory.
   • Representing Knowledge in Memory.
     • He makes an important distinction between `static´information or knowing about something.
       • Declarative (or factual knowledge).
         • a)Proposional Networks: there are associations of meaning between important elements in a sentence.
         • b)Schema: is a larger unit of interconected features which defines a concept.
     • Procedural knowledge refers to the ability to understand and generate language,or to apply our knowledge of rules to solve a problem.
       • In terms of language acquisition,procedural knowledge is simply seen as our ability to understand and produce language(Varcarcel Coyle and Verdú,1996).

2. Cognitive Theory applied to Second Language Acquisition

   • Faerch and Kasper (1985,1987) stated that the learner´s declarative knowledge consisted of internalized interlanguage rules and memorized chunks of language whereas procedural knowledge where those strategies and procedures used by the learners to process L2 for acquisition and use.
     • Faerch and Kasper procedural knowledge can ve divided into five separated component:Reception Procedures,Production Procedures,Conversational Procedures,Communication Strategies and Learning Procedures.
   • Conscious awareness.
     • In cognitive theory,the learners is said to be consciously aware of the formal rules of the L2 during the early stages of SLA ,and he(/she becomes increasingly less aware of them as proficiency is achieved.
   • Stages of skill acquisition
     • a)Cognitive stage:during cognitive stage the L2 learners engages in conscious and intensive mental activity in order to make sence of the new language.
     • b) Associative stage: learners beging to use their previously acquired knowledge procedurally.
     • c)Autonomous stage: performance in the L2 closely resembles that of a native speaker.

3. Shortcomings of Anderson´s Cognitive Theory.

   • A problem which has been identified with Anderson´s theory is the insistence on a single process to expalin all formas of learning complex cognitive skills.
   • As Rumelhart and Norman (1987) they distinguished three stages.
     • a)Restructuring: the development of novel structures for interpretating new information and for reorganizing existing knowledge.
     • b)Accretion: gradual acccumulation of new information by matching new data to existing schemata.
     • Tuning:this acts to refine existing knowledge by modifying available knowledge structures.
   • Interlanguage as declarative knowledge.
     • To accept Aderson´s theory it is neccesary to extend his definition of declarative knowledge to include not only the grammatical rules of the L2,but also those highly individual `rules´which learners produce as a result of their own learning experience.
   • Efficiency in the Instructional Approach.
     • In the acquisition of an L2 ,learners frequently prefer to become actively involved in performing the skill as early as possible in the learning process,whether they are familiar with the formal rules of the language or not.
     • A more effective method for learning a complex skill would be to model the performance required by the learner while providing opportunities for practicing the componets of the skill until they become automatic.
     • Faerch and Kasper (1985) have also proposed learning through imitation as one of the basic processes in the acquisition and automatization of a second language.
       • A second process described in Faerch and Kasper´s (1985) work involves hypotheses formation and testing.
         • Learners form hypothes based on their previous L1 or L2 knowledge and test them out in comparison with L2 input acquired receptively,productively,metalingually or interactionally.

4. Hockly,N Madrid ,D Learning Strategies IEXPRO anthology Mexico .Chiapas,2010.

Images and files in the map