CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTUAL MAP

THE ACQUISITION AND ROLE OF THE FIRST LANGUAGE

First language process

Contrastive and error analysis

Interlanguage

L1 acquisition L2 learning compared

Behaviourist theory: The learning is based on the formation of a series of habits children imitate from the people around them. (Skinners)

Acquisition or learning order: All learners, no matter their language backgrounds, follow a path in their learning process.

Success in language learning:

All subjects in the L1 learning process, succeed in gaining a command of the language after a period of time.

L2 learners may reach a stage in which they do not make any progress or development. Fossilization (Selinker 1972)

Objectives

FL learners need to communicate with people to establish a connection with the outside world to satisfy physical or psychological needs.

L2 learners needs and interest will vary from one learner to another.

Nativist: Language developes in the child in the same way as other biological functions. Acquisition is innately determine. (Chomsky)

Developmental: Result of childrens interaction with their environment. Interaction between perceptual cognitive capacities and linguistic experiences. (Piaget)

The nature of input

Cognitives of effective factors

Time devoted to the task of learning

Every individual manages to learn his/her first language

Term used by Selinker (1972)

Structured system cunstructed by the learner at any given stage in his learning development.

Series of interlocking systems which form the learners "built-in-syllabus" (Corder)