UNIT 12

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN L1 AND L2 LEARNING

      I learnt that our mother tongue/ native or primary language is acquired during early childhood. When we are growing up our cognitive skills develop at the same time, but it depends on learners’ motivation to communicate with others. In addition, L1 acquires language without translating and learning grammar formally because they develop their knowledge subconsciously. The most important factor is to be exposed and interact with others to pick up chunks, slangs, idioms in order to expand their language. For example, L1 listens or looks what others say after experiment language (silent period), it helps learner to reformulate or simplified the speech. Consequently, L2 start learning the target language when goes to primary or secondary school, because L2 must practice, imitate to fulfill their expectations. Also, L2 need controlled practice activities and being corrected by teachers because they are learning through specific structures. As a result, I will apply group works, play games, listen to radio programs, write emails to pen pals, extensive reading, record videos, create forums and so on in order to provide students opportunity to pick up and experiment language with motivation and confidence. All of these activities will be presented according students’ age, learning style, multiple intelligence, level and age.  

I will share these links which contains extra information:

• http://www.brainboxx.co.uk/a3_aspects/pages/vak_quest.htm
• 
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2QtSbP4FRg

UNIT 11

THE ROLE OF ERROR

      Making errors is the most natural thing in the learning process.  I learnt how mistakes, interference, overgeneralization, fossilization are inseparable part of the learning process. First of all, mistakes are categorized into errors (occurs naturally in a second language) and slips (result of tiredness). For example, the learner says a sentence, makes some mistakes, the teacher corrects them, and the leraner memorizes the proper way yo say the sentence. In addition, learner make errors when occurs the interference of mother tongue (L1) on the second language (L2). For instance, learners try to translate their mother tongue’ grammatical structures, idioms, slangs and so on into target language. Moreover, learners apply a rule of one language into another and it is called (overgeneralization). For example, learners write “Yo tengo un perro bonito”/ I have a dog nice; learners should know that adjective comes before a noun in English. On the other hand, learners learn simple sentences structure and basic vocabulary like “My mother has long hair” instead of “My mother is a long- haired person,” so it means that learners get fossilized in the target language. To sum up, errors can’t be split for the learning process.

My advice as future teacher:

• Don’t correct each mistake and every time when students start talking because you will make their lives miserable.
• Learners don’t worry about making mistakes because no one cares if you speak perfectly or not, the most important is to convey meaning accurately.
• Apply extensive reading and extensive listening in order to let students to improve their target language.  

Children's errors have been seen as "traditional forms", the native speakers ones are called "slips of the tongue" and the second language (L2) errors are considered "unwanted forms" (George, 1972). 

• http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/classroom-management/classroom-management-the-role-of-correction-in-english-teaching/146448.article
• http://www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/images/pdf/HomeBestPrac.pdf

UNIT 10

 EXPOSURE AND FOCUS ON FORM

       Until today, we do not understand how foreign languages are learnt. There are three ways identified in which we learnt a foreign language such as: acquisition, interaction, focus on form, and learning style. First, learners acquire a language when society provides useful opportunities (imitate adults’ pronunciation, adjust form of speech, communicate through expressions before speaking) to pick up language. It is the silent period in which learners listen and look after start speaking. In addition, learners learnt a language through interaction with more advanced speakers like teachers and peers. For instance, teacher plan a group work, students extent their concepts, use of chunks, use of slangs, and share new ideas. Interaction makes the acquisition of grammatical structures and lexicon. Moreover, focus on form refers to language form in general; in which learner first explore some formal features (word order, spelling, grammatical structure, affixes). Here the teachers apply the methodology Task-based language teaching which implies Presentation (teacher’ explanation), Practice (filling gaps, multiple choice, etc.) and Production (role-plays). Finally, learning a language depend on our age, learning style and multiple intelligence. For example, if learners are visual and kinesthetic, teacher will apply real materials (pictures, maps, hand-made activities). It means that a class is governed by student’s native ability. For this reason, Grammar Translation or Communicative Approaches doesn’t work effectively.

       Therefore, as future teacher I will apply learning strategies and multiple intelligence activities because students learn in many ways (listening, visualizing, reasoning, acting, etc.). For example, use of illustrated text books, the paper air plane activity, warm-ups and so on.

I will share with you these links:

• http://www.nhlrc.ucla.edu/media/files/O'GRADY-First-Language-Acquistion-be-wfa.pdf?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
• http://es.slideshare.net/jalomi112/l1-and-l2-acquisition

UNIT 9

 MOTIVATION

“Motivation is some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do some things in order to achieve something” (Harmer, 1988:51).

    Well, today I learned how motivation is involved in the teaching process. Let’s start by saying that motivation is important in academic activities because it encompasses different factors like achievements, interest in the target language, learner autonomy and so on. First of all, each individual set goals for themselves and they realize them through effort and perseverance. For example, some learners are motivated to learn a target language because they want to communicate, travel and master a language, meanwhile others are encouraged to perform well and get good grades. For this reason, teachers should convince these students that learning rather than grades are the principal purpose of education. Second, learning a target language involves learners’ high motivation because learners want to explore new culture, country’s custom, meet people and lifestyle. So, learners feel responsible for their own learning in order to success. Motivation depends on learners’ expectation and dreams.

On the other hand, as future teacher I will apply positive ways to enhance motivation in the classroom such as:
·   Convince students of the importance of the subject in order to avoid unmotivated and demotivated learners.
·        Provide interesting activities according learners’ learning style like: games, role-plays, videos, songs, forums, interviews, etc.
·         Provide positive and clear feedback to help by giving suggestions or advice for future success.

Finally, I want to share these links with you:

Motivational Activities: http://www.differencemakers.com/elections/pdf/activities.pdf

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_cHUgHVKw http://www.youtube.com/watch?