Languages Are Learned Mainly Through Imitation
CHAPTER 7
POPULAR IDEAS ABOUT LANGUAGE LEARNING: FACTS AND OPINIONS
1. Language are learned mainly through imitation. Leaners produce many novel sentences that they could not have heard before. Children do not imitate everything they hear, but often selectively imitate certain words or structures that they are in the process of learning. Second language learners produce many sentences that they could not have heard. They are like children learning their first language. 2. Parents usually correct young children when they make grammatical errors. There is considerable variation in extent to which parents correct their children’s speech. When children are very young preschoolers, parents rarely comment on grammatical errors, but they correct in politeness. As children reach school age, parents often correct the kinds of non-standard speech that they hope their children will outgrow. Parents tend to focus on meaning rather than form when they correct children’s speech. They do not to react errors which do not interfere with successful communication. Without corrective feedback and guidance, second language learners may persist in using certain grammatical forms for years.
3. People with high IQs are good language learners.
There is a link between intelligence and second language learning.
IQ tests score are a good means of predicting learning success.
People with high intelligence can be successful language learners (in grammar rules, vocabulary items).
People with wide variety of intellectual abilities can be successful language learners (in oral communication skills).
4. The most important factor in second language acquisition success is motivation. Learners who want to learn tend to do better than those who don’t.Learner who begin learning a second language as adult rarely achieve the fluency and accuracy that children do in first language learning.
5. The earlier a second language is introduced in school programs, the
POPULAR IDEAS ABOUT LANGUAGE LEARNING: FACTS AND OPINIONS
1. Language are learned mainly through imitation. Leaners produce many novel sentences that they could not have heard before. Children do not imitate everything they hear, but often selectively imitate certain words or structures that they are in the process of learning. Second language learners produce many sentences that they could not have heard. They are like children learning their first language. 2. Parents usually correct young children when they make grammatical errors. There is considerable variation in extent to which parents correct their children’s speech. When children are very young preschoolers, parents rarely comment on grammatical errors, but they correct in politeness. As children reach school age, parents often correct the kinds of non-standard speech that they hope their children will outgrow. Parents tend to focus on meaning rather than form when they correct children’s speech. They do not to react errors which do not interfere with successful communication. Without corrective feedback and guidance, second language learners may persist in using certain grammatical forms for years.
3. People with high IQs are good language learners.
There is a link between intelligence and second language learning.
IQ tests score are a good means of predicting learning success.
People with high intelligence can be successful language learners (in grammar rules, vocabulary items).
People with wide variety of intellectual abilities can be successful language learners (in oral communication skills).
4. The most important factor in second language acquisition success is motivation. Learners who want to learn tend to do better than those who don’t.Learner who begin learning a second language as adult rarely achieve the fluency and accuracy that children do in first language learning.
5. The earlier a second language is introduced in school programs, the