Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN ILOILO STATE UNIVERSITY

Barotac Viejo Campus, Brgy. Puerto Princesa, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo

Module 8: Lessons 1 - 7
LANGUAGE LEARNING AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION ON FOCUS

I. INTRODUCTION

When we think of "language learning" we need to understand two clearly distinct concepts. One
involves receiving information about the language, transforming it into knowledge through intellectual
effort and storing it through memorization. The other involves developing the skill of interacting with
foreigners to understand them and speak their language. The first concept is called "language learning,"
while the other is referred to as "language acquisition." These are separate ideas and we will show that
neither is a natural consequence of the other. The distinction between acquisition and learning is one of
the hypotheses (the most important) established by the American Stephen Krashen in his highly regarded
theory of foreign language acquisition known as the Natural Approach.

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this module, you should have:

Discussed and described language learning and language acquisition in detail
Described the relationship between acquisition and learning

III. LEARNING CONTENT

Lesson 1: LANGUAGE LEARNING AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. Language acquisition refers to the process of natural

assimilation, involving intuition and subconscious learning. It is the product of real interactions between
people in environments of the target language and culture, where the learner is an active player. It is
similar to the way children learn their native tongue, a process that produces functional skill in the spoken
language without theoretical knowledge. It develops familiarity with the phonetic characteristics of the
language as well as its structure and vocabulary, and is responsible for oral understanding, the capability
for creative communication and for the identification of cultural values. In acquisition-inspired
methodology, teaching and learning are viewed as activities that happen on a personal and psychological
level. The acquisition approach praises the communicative act and develops self-confidence in the
learner. A classic example of second language acquisition are the adolescents and young adults that live
abroad for a year in an exchange program, often attaining near native fluency, while knowing little about
the language. They have a good pronunciation without a notion of phonology, don't know what the
perfect tense is, modal or phrasal verbs are, but they intuitively recognize and know how to use all the
structures.

LANGUAGE LEARNING. The concept of language learning is linked to the traditional

approach to the study of languages and today is still generally practiced in high schools worldwide.
Attention is focused on the language in its written form and the objective is for the student to understand
the structure and rules of the language, whose parts are dissected and analyzed. The task requires
intellectual effort and deductive reasoning. The form is of greater importance than communication.
Teaching and learning are technical and based on a syllabus. One studies the theory in the absence of the
practice. One values the correct and represses the incorrect. Error correction is constant leaving little
room for spontaneity. The teacher is an authority figure and the participation of the student is

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predominantly passive. The student will be taught how to form interrogative and negative sentences, will
memorize irregular verbs, study modal verbs, learn how to form the perfect tense, etc., but hardly ever
masters the use of these structures in conversation. Language-learning inspired methods are progressive
and cumulative, normally tied to a preset syllabus that includes memorization of vocabulary. It seeks to
transmit to the student knowledge about the language, its functioning and grammatical structures, its
contrasts with the student's native language, knowledge that hopefully will produce the practical skills of
understanding and speaking the language. However, the effort of accumulating knowledge about the
language with all its irregularity becomes frustrating because of the lack of familiarity with the language.

Lesson 2: INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACQUISITION AND LEARNING AND ITS

IMPLICATIONS

The clear understanding of the differences between acquisition and learning makes it possible to
investigate their interrelationships as well as the implications for the teaching of languages. First, we
ought to consider that languages are complex, arbitrary, irregular phenomena, full of ambiguities, in
constant random and uncontrollable evolution. Therefore, the grammatical structure of a language is too
complex and abstract to be categorized and defined by rules. Even if some partial knowledge of the
functioning of the language is reached, it is not easily transformed into communication skills. What
happens in fact is the opposite: to understand the functioning of a language with its irregularities is a
result of being familiar with it. Rules and exceptions will make sense and grammar, word choice and
pronunciation will be employed appropriately if it "sounds" right. Language analysis and the deductive,
rule-driven study of grammar are not only ineffective to produce communicative ability, but also
frustrating. It is much easier and more enjoyable to acquire a language than it is to learn a language. In his
Monitor Hypothesis Krashen admits that the knowledge obtained through formal study (language
learning) can serve to monitor speaking. Krashen, however, doesn't specify the language that would be
the object of study, but it is logical to assume that he was using the study of Spanish as the basis for his
inferences and conclusions because it is the dominant foreign language in the United States, and
particularly in the state of California, where Professor Krashen lives and works. Therefore, it is necessary
to analyze the characteristics of the target language, their degrees of irregularity and difficulty and how
that affects the applicability of Krashen's theory. It is also necessary to analyze the personal
characteristics of the players in the teaching-learning arena.

Lesson 3: THE LEVEL OF IRREGULARITY OF THE LANGUAGE AND THE EFFICIENCY

OF ACQUISITION VS. LEARNING

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 The effectiveness of the monitoring function (made possible by the knowledge of grammar rules)
is directly proportional to the degree of regularity of the target language. If there is regularity, there can
be a rule and such a rule will be useful to produce and monitor language. The lower the regularity, the
fewer the rules and the more limited the monitoring. One of the most important aspects in the learning of
a foreign language is its oral production. This fundamental skill is subject to an inhibitory and persistent
interference from one of the main irregularities of English: the oral interpretation of the written word.

SPELLING TO SOUND CORRESPONDENCE: Spanish shows a much higher degree of

regularity when compared to English, especially in its almost perfect correlation between the written
language and its pronunciation. Therefore, when interpreting Krashen's theory we can infer that his
conclusions concerning the superiority of acquisition over learning would have been more emphatic if the
object of study and analysis had been English as the target language instead of Spanish.

WORD STRESSING: The unpredictability of word stressing in English with five possibilities
against only three in Portuguese, coupled with the absence of any indication of stress from spelling, is
another element that adds irregularity and difficulty and supports the idea that acquisition-inspired EFL
teaching in Brazil is likely to be more effective than learning-inspired teaching. There are still many other
points of contrast between English and Spanish that show the greater degree of irregularity of English.
The fact is that even with a target language with a large degree of regularity such as Spanish, the
contribution of learning will only be effective and durable if the student simultaneously develops
familiarity and skill with the language in natural environments.

Lesson 4: THE DEGREE OF PHONETIC SIGNALING IN THE LANGUAGE AND THE

INEFFICIENCY OF LEARNING

It's easy to assess the degree of phonetic signaling of languages and understand its importance. If we
analyze and compare Spanish and Portuguese with English, we conclude that there is a significant
difference, being English considerably more economical and compact than the Romance languages. This
means a greater difficulty in speech recognition of the target language when going from Portuguese or
Spanish to English than going the opposite direction. It also means that more time needs to be devoted to
the practice of the spoken language (especially listening) and less time spent on translation, grammar
rules and vocabulary memorization.

Lesson 5: INTROVERSION VS. EXTROVERSION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

The effect of grammar knowledge on a learner's communicative competence depends

significantly on that person's personality. People who tend to be introverts, that show a lack of self-
confidence and often are perfectionists, will benefit little from understanding the grammar of the language
and its irregularities. The result can be even adverse, in the case of languages with a high degree of
irregularity such as English. After years of English learning in high school and language schools, where
natural deviations are classified as errors and are promptly corrected and repressed, the student who is
insecure by his nature will develop a block that discourages spontaneity due to his awareness from
experience that there is a high probability of making an error. On the other hand, people who tend to be
extroverts, who talk too spontaneously, improvising all the time, also benefit little from learning. Their
monitoring function is almost inoperative and subject to an impulsive personality that manifests itself
without much concern with accuracy. The only ones who benefit from learning are people whose
personalities are midway between introvert and extrovert, and manage to apply the monitoring function in
a moderate and effective form. However, this monitoring will only function if there are three
simultaneous conditions: Concern with form: The learner must be concerned with correctness of the
linguistic form in addition to the content of the message. Knowledge of the rules: There must be a rule
that applies to the case and the learner knows the rule and existing exceptions. Time availability: When
producing language, the learner must have enough time to assess the alternatives provided by the
applicable rules.

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Lesson 6: THE EFFECTS OF ACQUISITION VS. LEARNING ON MOTIVATION

Approaches inspired by acquisition or learning will have different effects on the learner’s level of
motivation along the learning process. Acquisition-inspired approaches are normally detached from a
syllabus and naturally more geared towards the learner’s needs and individual goals. They will also have
activities based more on conversation rather than the study of grammar. As a result, they will produce
more readily useful knowledge and raise the level of motivation as the learner builds up his
communicative skills. Learning-inspired approaches, normally tied to a syllabus, will emphasize the
production of knowledge about the target language, especially its grammatical structures, at the expense
of communicative skills. They will hardly meet the learner’s immediate goals. If not offset by a lively and
charismatic teacher, the learning-inspired approach will drain the motivation, especially considering that
proficiency in a foreign language can take a long time to be attained.

Lesson 7: AGE AND THE EFFICIENCY OF ACQUISITION VS. LEARNING

The majority of studies as well as the experience of those in the field of SLA indicate that the lower the
age the easier, the faster and the more complete the learning will be. In the same way that age is a
determining factor in foreign language learning in general, it is also a determining factor in the level of
efficiency of acquisition and learning. Not considering individual differences like personality, motivation,
hearing, and taking the normal learner as a sample, we can say that the lower the age, the more efficient
acquisition will be over learning. At the same time, learning demonstrates to be partially efficient only
during the age of intellectual maturity.

NATIVE VS. NON-NATIVE INSTRUCTOR. Native and non-native teachers have different
talents. Likewise, acquisition-inspired and learning-inspired language programs require different talents.
Language teaching in Brazil is predominantly based on language learning, strictly following a syllabus
and working with the written language or following sequences of lessons with oral drills and repetition
exercises. For this kind of teaching, non-native teachers with the experience of "already having walked
down the same path," may have an advantage over native speakers. In language acquisition, however, the
primary goal is human interaction, in which one functions as a facilitator, providing plenty of
comprehensible input, and through which the other (the learner) selects his own route building his skill in
a direction that interests him personally or professionally. Instead of a syllabus, language acquisition
programs offer intercultural communication through a personal relationship. Here, the presence of
genuine representatives of the language and culture that one intends to assimilate is fundamental. Native
or near-native instructors, therefore, have a clear advantage in a communicative approach, inspired by the
concept of language acquisition.

GROUP SIZE. Group size is vitally important in the implementation of second language
acquisition programs. For acquisition to take place the target language and culture must prevail all the
time in the group activities. The bigger the number of learners, the more difficult the challenge will be for
instructors to impose their language and less personal the interaction with each learner.

CONCLUSION

Krashen finally concludes that language acquisition is more efficient than language learning for
attaining functional skills in a foreign language not only in childhood. Language learning is limited to a
complementary role in the form of support lessons and study materials, and will be useful only for adult
students that have an analytical and reflective learning style and make good use of the monitoring
function. Language learning will also be more useful for languages with a higher level of regularity, as
well as in situations where the number of students per group cannot be reduced. The efficient teaching of
languages isn't that tied to a packaged course of structured lessons based on grammatical sequencing,
translation or oral drilling, nor is the one that relies on technological resources. Efficient teaching is
personalized, takes place in a bicultural environment and is based on the personal skills of the facilitator
in building relationships and creating situations of real communication with comprehensible input

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focusing on the learner's interests.

IV. LEARNING ASSESSMENT

A. Answer the following (using your own words/cite if necessary):

1.Describe language learning
2.Describe language acquisition

V. ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Answer the following:

1. What is Krashen’s take on language learning? On language acquisition?
2. Read another article on language learning and language acquisition and summarize it.
3. Which do you think is more effective, learning a language or acquiring a language? Why?

*the same rubrics and criteria will be used all throughout

VI. REFERENCES

Krashen, S. D. (2009). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition: Pergamon Press
Inc. University of California

Castello, D. (2015). First Language Acquisition and Classroom Language Learning: Similarities
and Differences: ELAL College of Arts & Law University of Birmingham Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT United Kingdom

Brown. H. Douglas (20000. PRINCIPLES of LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING: San

Francisco State University

Schütz, Ricardo E. "Assimilação Natural x Ensino Formal." English Made in Brazil . Online.
(data do acesso).

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