Part 4: How do children learn a language?

4.1 Native language (L1) acquisition

These are the process and sequential stages of L1 acquisition

1. Babbling (Phonological)
2. The first word (Syntactic and lexical norms)
3. Two words (Syntactic and lexical richness)
4. Small sentence (Conversational skills)

When learning the native language, it is a combination of desire, repetition and positive
reinforcement that motivate childrens linguistic development.

Children are naturally curious and inquisitive - it is their desire to satisfy immediate needs
and concerns that leads to conceptual development. Asking questions, giving information,
understanding explanations, making requests, suggestions and offers are all intrinsic to a
childs development of L1. These are key concepts which can be applied to second
language (L2) acquisition.

4.1.1 L1 versus L2

The question of how far the processes of L1 acquisition can be applied to learning L2 is a
complex question as there are so many variables, eg different views of learning, learners
motivation, learning context etc.
However, young learners are interesting in so far as their acquisition of L1 and L2 show
similarities in terms of their ability to acquire language, but differences in terms of what
they bring to language learning.

The following are skills children use in acquiring their native language:

Observation and inference

Repetition
Puzzle-solving and hypothesis testing
Guessing and predicting
Pleasure in talking
Risk taking and experimentation

Think of the previous skills and see how these aspects of L1 acquisition can be positively
incorporated into learning L2.

Focus on the differences between acquisition of L1 and L2 and the fact that the two key
differences are the amount of exposure and contextualization of language. We only have
limited power over the first. We have to accept that children learning L2 will have less
input, fewer sources, less one-to-one interaction and less time for acquisition. As teachers
all we can do is maximise learning time within the classroom and encourage pupils to
observe examples of English in their everyday lives. However, we have greater control
over the way in which we present language, and the context we give it. When learning L1,
the language is highly contextualized therefore children are highly motivated to learn,
whereas in the case of L2 language is decontextualized therefore it is more challenging to
motivate children to learn.

Think of a typical decontextualized task in which the focus is on the grammatical formula
rather than the meaning and natural context of the language, and think why this would be
an inappropriate way to introduce language to young learners.

We need to support young learners by contextualizing language. The following are

contextualized language:

Visual aids (pictures, flash cards)

Realia (real things)
Feelings
Real life situations

How are these activities vital for language learning in young learners?
(We do not want to build resentment or waste childrens natural motivation therefore we
use childrens imagination to give language direct relevance to the learner).
There are four stages to acquiring a foreign language.

1 Working out rules, eg -ed endings to verbs in the past (walked travelled)
2 Generalising these rules over similar instances, eg I know 'worked and watched',
so 'moved and asked' must be right
3 Over generalising and inappropriate application of the rule, eg go > goed, put >
putted
4 Using language correctly