The Module 3 of the PPP was about the language learning process. In this Module, we have to attempt a pre-quiz, which mirrors the quiz at the end. Probably this was to assess our entering behavior on the topic. and from the post-quiz, we will be able to reflect on our learning in this module. We had to read four articles in this module:
1. First Language Acquisition
2. Additional Language Acquisition
3. Myths about Language Acquisition
4. Language Leveling Systems
My reflection on the article:
First Language Acquisition
Regarding the first language acquisition, there are mainly four theories of language learning.
a) The behaviorist perspective: B. F. Skinner (1957) explained that a child learns first language in the process of – hearing – imitation – reinforcement (feedback). However other theorists claim that behaviorism cannot account for the creativity that humans bring to language use, so, it's incomplete.
b) The Innatist Perspective: Noam Chomsky (1959) developed universal grammar (UG) and argued that human beings are programmed to develop grammatically correct language, even though they have never heard such utterances before. It talks about a "critical age" – fertile time for first language acquisition, that is coincide with puberty and known as the critical period hypothesis (CPH).
c) The Cognitivist Perspective: Jean Piaget (1951/1946) propounded cognitive constructivism that is to say – people mentally construct meanings that make sense to them, and this is how they learn. Learning language is a mental process, but the UG explanation is not necessary.
d) The Sociocultural Perspective: Vygotsky (1978) proposed that language learning takes place when an individual interacts with an interlocutor who is a more knowledgeable peer or teacher within his or her zone of proximal development (ZPD). His work is often known as social constructivism that focuses on the collaborative construction of meaning through social interaction.
Brain Research: Some researchers are focused on brain research in language acquisition. A child normally learns 40 distinguished sound out of 800 by 10 months of age (Kuhl, 2010). Sound recognition process comes before the sound production process in early life of child.
Simultaneous Bilingualism: Almost all of children learn more than one native language at the same time. Simultaneous bilingualism is different from sequential bilingualism, in which an additional language is acquired after the first has been acquired – usually by age 4 or 5.
Do Bilingual Children Experience Delays?: Acquiring two first languages at the same time is more complex task, so language development can be delayed by a few months. But by late elementary school years, bilingual children catch up to and often surpass their monolingual peers in language development.
How should the Language be Separated?: The context of simultaneous bilingualism is created when a child gets the equal exposure of two different languages at the same time from caregivers, parents or peers. The children should be given equivalent and quality input on a particular language by the parents.
How much Input in a Language is Necessary?: Bilingual children may be at risk of not developing full competence in one of their languages if they do not receive sufficient input. Gunesee (2007) explains that bilingual children must be exposed to a language during at least 30% of their total language exposure.
Is "Code-switching" a Problem?: When bilingual children speak, they may switch between languages – often called "Code-switching". Code-switching allows her to express her meaning more precisely. One language at a time is helpful for developing bilingual speakers, but we need not ban code-switching.
Can Children Lose their First Language?: If a child below age five is suddenly immersed in a new language environment, and the first language is not maintained at home, there may actually be a language replacement rather than a language addition, then the child can indeed lose her first language.
My first language was Tamang language, my family language. My parents say to me, at age five I joined school where I first heard Nepali language. Then even at home, I rarely got exposure of Tamang language. Now I can hardly speak Tamang language, however I understand Tamang language well. Last month, one of my brothers who has been missing for 16 years, was found in Indonesia. He had left home at the age of twenty-eight, now he is forty-four. When we try to speak to him in Nepali language, he can't even understand our utterances. We hardly believe this incident. After one month, he is trying to speak a little bit Nepali language. This evidence proves that even adult can lose their first language, if he do not find the language exposure and speaking community of that language.
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