College of Teacher Education

Second Semester, S.Y. 2023-2024

LEARNING GUIDE 2
LANGUAGE LEARNING MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT
Principles of Language Acquisition

Course Title: LANGUAGE LEARNING MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

Course Code: EL 105

Name: _____________________________________
Course and Year: _____________________________________
Contact Number: _____________________________________
Date and Time Allotment: (Saturday) February 3, 2024 (3 hours)
Instructor: _______LEA C. CACAYAN ______________

Introduction

Teaching learning language is a process in transmitting the information or materials to be

understood the learners. The main components in teaching learning is materials, materials
development and instructional materials.

I. Objectives

At the end of the end of this module, students should be able to:
1.Discuss the general principles of language acquisition.
2.Describe the basic principles of developing learning materials for language learning.
3. Relate the principles and theories of language learning to the development of appropriate language
learning materials.

II. Lecture

General Principles of Language Acquisition

A number of general principles derived from current research and theory about the nature of
language, language learning, human development, and pedagogy, underlie the ESL standards described in
this document.
These principles are described briefly here.
1. Language is functional.

2. Language varies.

3. Language learning is cultural learning.

4. Language acquisition is a long-term process.

5. Language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction.

6. Language processes develop interdependently.

7. Native language proficiency contributes to second language acquisition.

8. Bilingualism is an individual and societal asset.

Language is functional. Language, oral and written, is primarily a means of communication used by
people in multiple and varied social contexts to express themselves, interact with others, learn about the
world, and meet their individual and collective needs. Successful language learning and language teaching
emphasize the goal of functional proficiency. This is a departure from traditional pedagogical approaches
that view language learning and teaching primarily as mastery of the elements of language, such as
grammar and vocabulary, without reference to their functional usefulness. Therefore, what is most important
for ESOL learners is to function effectively in English and through English while learning challenging
academic content.
 Language varies. Language, oral and written, is not monolithic; it comes in different varieties.
Language varies according to person, topic, purpose, and situation. Everyone is proficient in more than one
of these social varieties of their native language. Language also varies with respect to regional, social class,
and ethnic group differences. Such language varieties are characterized by distinctive structural and
functional characteristics, and they constitute legitimate and functional systems of communication within
their respective sociocultural niches. Additionally, language varies from one academic domain to another –
the language of mathematics is different from the language of social studies. As competent language users,
ESOL students already use their own language varieties. They must also learn the oral and written
language varieties used in schools and in the community in large. What is most important for ESOL learners
is to function effectively in academic environments, while retaining their own native language varieties,

Language learning is cultural learning. Patterns of language usage vary across cultures and reflect
differences in values, norms, and beliefs about social roles and relationships in each culture. When children
learn their first language, they learn the cultural values, norms, and beliefs that are characteristic of their
culture. To learn another language is to learn new norms, behaviors, and beliefs that are appropriate in the
new culture, and thus to extend one’s sociocultural competence to new environments. To add a new
language, therefore, is to add a new culture. Learning a new language and culture also provides insights
into one’s own language and culture. This is important for ESOL students because general education in
U.S. schools tends to reflect a culture other than their own. If ESOL students are to attain the same high
standards as native-English-speaking students, educational programs must be based on acknowledgment
of, understanding of, respect for, and valuing of diverse cultural backgrounds. What is important for all
language learners is to develop attitudes of additive bilingualism and biculturalism.

Language acquisition is a long-term process. Language acquisition occurs over time with learners
moving through developmental stages and gradually growing in proficiency. Individual learners however
move through these stages at variable rates. Rates of acquisition are influenced by multiple factors including
an individual’s educational background, first language background, learning style, cognitive style,
motivation, and personality. In addition, sociocultural factors, such as the influence of the English or native
language community in the learner’s life, may play a role in acquisition. In many instances, learners “pick
up” conversation skills related to social language more quickly than they acquire academic language skills.
Educational programs must recognize the length of time it takes to acquire the English language skills
necessary for success in school. This means that ESOL learners must be given the time it takes to attain full
academic proficiency in English, often from 5 to 7 years.

Language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction. Research in first and second
language acquisition indicates that language is learned most effectively when it is used in significant and
meaningful situations as learners interact with others (some of whom should be more proficient than the
learners are) to accomplish their purposes. Language acquisition takes place as learners engage in
activities of a social nature with opportunities to practice language forms for a variety of communicative
purposes. Language acquisition also takes place during activities that are of a cognitive or intellectual nature
where learners have opportunities to become skilled in using language for reasoning and mastery of
challenging new information. This means that ESOL learners must have multiple opportunities to use
English, to interact with others as they study meaningful and intellectually challenging content, and to
receive feedback on their language use.

Language processes develop interdependently. Traditional distinctions among the processes of

reading, listening, writing, and speaking are artificial. So is the conceptualization that language acquisition is
linear (with listening preceding speaking, and speaking preceding reading, and so forth). Authentic language
often entails the simultaneous use of different language modalities, and acquisition of functional language
abilities occurs simultaneously and interdependently, rather than sequentially. Thus, for example, depending
on the age of the learner, reading activities may activate the development of speaking abilities, or vice
versa. Additionally, listening, speaking, reading, and writing develop as learners engage with and through
different modes and technologies, such as computers, music, film, and video. This means that ESOL
learners need learning environments that provide demonstrations of the interdependence of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. They also need to develop all of their language abilities through the use of
varied modes and technologies.

Native language proficiency contributes to second language acquisition. Because, by definition,

ESOL students know and use at least one other language, they have acquired an intuitive understanding of
the general structural and functional characteristics of language. They bring this knowledge to the task of
second language learning. Some ESOL students also come to the task of learning English and learning
content through English already literate in their native languages. These learners know what it means to be
literate – they know that they can use written forms of language to learn more about the world, to convey
information and receive information from others, to establish and maintain relationships with others, and to
explore the perspectives of others. Literacy in the native language correlates positively with the acquisition
of literacy in a second language. In addition, academic instruction that includes the use of ESOL students’
native languages, especially if they are literate in that language, promotes learners’ academic achievement
while they are acquiring the English needed to benefit fully from instruction through English. Native
language literacy abilities can assist ESOL students in English-medium classrooms to construct meaning
from academic materials and experiences in English. And, in learning a new language, students also learn
more about their native tongue. This means that for ESOL learners the most effective environments for
second language teaching and learning are those that promote ESOL students’ native language and literacy
development as a foundation for English language and academic development.

Bilingualism is an individual and societal asset. Acquisition of two languages simultaneously is a

common and normal developmental phenomenon and acquisition of a second (or third) language can confer
certain cognitive and linguistic advantages on the individual. To realize these benefits, however, advanced
levels of proficiency in both languages are necessary. Therefore, the most effective educational
environments for ESOL learners are those that promote the continued development of learners’ primary
languages for both academic and social purposes. In addition, as noted earlier, bilingual proficiency
enhances employment possibilities in the international marketplace and enhances the competitive strength
of U.S. industry and business worldwide. This means that bilingualism benefits the individual and serves the
national interest, and schools need to promote the retention and development of multiple languages.

Six Principles of Second Language Development

Principle 1 Children learn what they hear most.
Principle 2 Children learn words for things and events that interest them.
Principle 3 Interactive and responsive rather than passive contexts promote language learning.
Principle 4 Children learn words best in meaningful contexts.
Principle 5 Children need to hear diverse examples of words and language structures.
Principle 6 Vocabulary and grammatical development are reciprocal processes

SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2

A large literature on monolingual language development provides a useful guide on how to foster
strong language skills in L1 acquisition (e.g., Harris, Golinkoff, & Hirsh-Pasek, 2011; Parish Morris,
Golinkoff, & Hirsh-Pasek, 2013), but less is available on ESL. Because ESL children’s early language skills
have consequences for their later academic achievement (Miller et al., 2006) and because the number of
ESL children entering school is increasing (Batalova & McHugh, 2010), understanding the factors that
promote L2 acquisition is imperative.

Principle 1: Children Learn What They Hear Most

Frequency matters; children learn what they hear most. A concern for ESL children growing up in
impoverished environments is that the amount of input a child hears in each language may affect vocabulary
size in each language (Gollan, Montoya, Cera, & Sandoval, 2008; Hoff, Core, et al., 2012; Pearson,
Fernandez, Lewedeg, & Oller, 1997).

Principle 2: Children Learn Words for Things and Events That Interest Them
Bloom (1993) argued that children are likely to learn words for things they find interesting or salient.
In her words, “Language learning is enhanced when the words a child hears bear upon and are pertinent to
the objects of engagement, interest, and feelings ... ” (Bloom, 1993, p. 19— Principle of Relevance). The
learner’s interest plays an essential role in any type of learning. Importantly, what is appealing to an infant
may be different from what is interesting to a child. Here, we consider how perceptual and social factors
may promote L1 and L2 development.

Principle 3: Interactive and Responsive Rather Than Passive Contexts Promote Language Learning
Frequent language input matters but the social context in which language learning takes place is
also important to consider. For example, hearing words—even if presented in an interesting format like
television—does not guarantee that language learning will occur (Kuhl, Tsao, & Liu, 2003; Roseberry, Hirsh-
Pasek, Parish-Morris, & Golinkoff, 2009). Interactions that involve periods of joint focus, positive affect,
sensitivity, cooperation, and acceptance provide children with the scaffolding necessary to facilitate
language acquisition (Bornstein, Tamis-LeMonda, Hahn, & Haynes, 2008; Clarke-Stewart, 1973; Katz,
2001; Tamis-LeMonda & Bornstein, 2002; Tamis-LeMonda, Kuchirko, & Song, 2014; Tomasello & Farrar,
1986). Infants and young children learn language in contexts in which their vocalizations, gesture, and facial
expressions evoke responses from the people around them.
 Principle 4: Children Learn Words Best in Meaningful Contexts
“Strategies that introduce young children to new words and entice them to engage in meaningful
contexts through semantically related activities are much needed” (Neuman & Dwyer, 2009, p. 384). This
insight is in line with research on memory: adults retain information long-term when it is presented in
integrated contexts rather than as a set of isolated facts (Bartlett, 1932; Bransford & Johnson, 1972). This
same idea can be applied to learning an L2 for ESL children. Meaningful connections between words are
also fostered when thematic play is used as a prop for language development. For instance, children who
often engage in thematic play such as picking up a cup and pretending to drink out of it are more likely to
have a larger receptive vocabulary (Tamis-LeMonda & Bornstein, 1994).

Principle 5: Children Need to Hear Diverse Examples of Words and Language Structures
A growing body of research emphasizes the importance of diversity in linguistic input to foster rich
language outcomes. Mothers’ use of rare words and the breadth of children’s vocabulary in kindergarten
and second grade are strongly related (Weizman & Snow, 2001; see also Pan, Rowe, Singer, & Snow,
2005). Similarly, when fathers use diverse vocabulary in interactions with their children at 6 months of age,
their children have more advanced communication skills at 15 and 36 months (Pancsofar, Vernon-Feagans,
& The Family Life Project Investigators, 2010

Principle 6: Vocabulary and Grammatical Development Are Reciprocal Processes

The final principle is based on the notion that children rarely learn new words and their meanings in
isolation. The idea that children use the syntactic structure of a sentence to learn new words is a
mechanism known as syntactic bootstrapping (e.g., Dionne, Dale, Boivin, & Plomin, 2003; Fisher, Klinger, &
Song, 2006; Gillette, Gleitman, Gleitman, & Lederer, 1999; Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 1996; Landau &
Gleitman, 1985; Naigles, 1990). Children use syntactic bootstrapping in learning new vocabulary, just as
children use vocabulary knowledge to learn the structure of language (i.e., semantic bootstrapping) (e.g.,
Pinker, 1994).

CONCLUSION Language is crucial for children’s academic success—in both reading (Durand, Loe,
Yeatman, & Feldman, 2013; Scarborough, 2001) and in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics) disciplines (Levine, Suriyakham, Huttenlocher, Rowe, & Gunderson, 2010; Pruden, Levine, &
Huttenlocher, 2011). Language acquisition occurs most effectively in preschool classrooms that mimic the
way language learning naturally takes place in the home (Harris et al., 2011).

Principle 1: Children benefit from increased amounts of language input. That is, the more English
children hear, the more likely they are to acquire it.
Principle 2: Incorporating information that capture the interests of children may facilitate ESL
students’
L2 development.
Principle 3: Interactive contexts are superior to passive contexts for learning language. Playful
learning
environments in which children are happily engaged afford opportunities to promote L2
acquisition.
Principle 4: Meaningful learning environments are important for language acquisition. Scaffolded
interaction and instruction that occur in an integrated context are ideal learning situations.
Principle 5: The use of diverse examples and sentence structures promote language development.
Hearing different exemplars of words and grammar by different English speakers may help
ESL children gain a better grasp of their L2.
Principle 6: Vocabulary and grammar play a complementary role in language learning. Learning
more
vocabulary can enhance children’s knowledge of the syntactic structure of their L2 and vice
versa.
Our six principles of language development bring together the research on language development
and offer implications for practice to promote L2 learning. Putting these principles into practice will increase
language competences of ESL children and will thus put them on the path to greater academic success
from preschool and beyond.

The basic principles of developing learning materials for language learning as follows:

1) Materials should achieve impact

Impact is achieved when students are interested, curious, and pay much attention to the material.

2) Materials should help learners to feel at ease

Sometimes, students feel uninterested, anxious, and bored during teaching and learning process.
 When students are at ease, however, they are comfortable and relaxed when producing language.

3) Materials should help learners to develop confidence

When students are at ease, they can develop their confidence in producing the language during the
teaching and learning process.

4) Be relevant and useful

The material being taught should be related to learners’ needs and learners’ interests. They should be
able to practice it by using their target language not only in their real-life but also in the classroom.
English teacher has to select specific topics which students have learnt and useful for them.

5) Materials should require and facilitate learner self-investment

The material, even media, should allow students to carry out many activities in learner-centered
classroom. The media should also facilitate students when they do the activities.

6) Learners must be ready to acquire the point being taught

Teacher can use the material that is familiar with students’ life. It means that the material should be
related to students’ interest and students’ needs.

7) Expose the learners to language in authentic use

Students can get experiences to use the language from instruction, advices used by the teacher.

8) Giving learners’ attention should be drawn to linguistic features of the input

Students are able to recognize and understand linguistic features in materials that they learn.

9) Provide the learners with opportunities to use the target language to achieve communicative
purposes.
Students have opportunities to use their English in real life

10) Positive effects of instruction are usually delayed

Students have to learn materials regularly and frequently.

11) Learners differ in learning styles

Each student has his/her own learning style.

12) Learners differ in affective attitude

Materials should provide many variations of passages and activities.

13) Permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction

Students need a silent time to internalize grammar and other language elements

14) Maximize learning potential by encouraging intellectual, aesthetic and emotional involvement
which stimulates both right and left-brain activities
Materials should maximize all part of brain

15) Not rely too much on controlled practice

It is useful for grammar but it has little effect for accuracy and fluency.

16) Provide opportunities for outcome feedback

Students get effective outcome for the language that they use.

References:
ISSN: 8756-5641 (Print) 1532-6942 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hdvn20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJYHumdx4jw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfXVG_-Ijd4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9Swinzjy0
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0PbDn63m2k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojhzot-Eh30