Browns 12 Principles of Language

Teaching and Learning

WHAT IS SECOND
LANGUGE
ACQUISITION (SLA) ?
SLA , among other things, not unlike first language
acquisition, is a subject of general human learning,
involves cognitive variations, is closely related to ones
personality type, is interwoven with second culture learning,
and involves interference, the creation of new linguistic
systems, and the learning of discourse and communicative
functions of language.
All of these categories and the many subcategories
subsumed under them form the basis for structuring an
intergrated theory of SLA

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WHAT IS SLA?
Second Language Acquisition

Second New
Cognitive Communicative
culture linguistic
variations functions
learning system
I. BUILDING A THEORY
OF SLA
Second language learning is a complex
process.

Complexity means that there are so many

separate but interrelated factors within one
intricate entity that it is exceedingly
difficult to bring order and simplicity to
that chaos (Larsen- Freeman, 1997)
I. BUILDING A THEORY
OF SLA
1. Domains and Generalizations
* Classification of learners variables (Yorio,1976)
1)Age
2)Cognition
3)Native Language
4)Input
5)Affective Domains
6)Educational Background
 SET OF DOMAINS OF CONSIDERATION IN A
THEORY OF SLA:

1) A theory of SLA includes an understanding, in general, of

what language is, what learning is, and for classroom contexts,
what teaching is.
2) Knowledge of childrens learning of their first language
provides essential insight to an understanding of SLA.
3) A number of important differences between adult and child
learning and between first and second language acquisition
must be carefully accounted for.
4) Second language learning is a part of and adheres to general
principles of human learning and intelligence.
5) There is tremendous variation across learners in cognitive
style and within a learner in strategy choice.
6) Personality, the way people view themselves and reveal
themselves in communication, will affect both the quantity
and quality of second language learning.
7) Learning a second culture is often intricately intertwined
with learning a second language.
8) The linguistics contrast between the native and target
language form one source of difficulty in learning a second
language. But the creative process of forming an
interlanguage system involves the learners in utilizing many
facilitative sources and resources. Inevitable aspects of this
process are errors, from which learners and teachers can gain
further insight.
9) Communicative competence, with all of its sub- categories, is
the ultimate goal of learners as they deal with function,
discourse, register, and nonverbal aspects of human
interaction and linguistic negotiation.
TEACHING BY PRINCIPLES
Language Teaching requires connecting THEORY
and PRACTICE.
There are three types of principles:
Cognitive
mental and intellectual
Socioaffective
Emotional
Linguistic
language
12 PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE TEACHING

Automaticity Language Ego

Willingness to
Meaningful Learning
Communicate
Anticipation of Reward
Language-Culture
Intrinsic Motivation Connection
Strategic Investment Native Language Effect
Autonomy Interlanguage
Communicative
Competence
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
1. Automaticity
Students absorb language automatically.
Students move toward fluency and think about language
less as they progress.
Focus on purpose to which language is used, not on forms
Meaningful use
Application in teaching
Dont overwhelm students with language rules
balance rules and practice.
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
2. Meaningful Learning
Rote learning (memorization) has little chance of creating
long-term retention.
Application in teaching
Appeal to students language needs and goals
link new knowledge to previous knowledge
avoid pitfalls of teaching for the test
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
2. Meaningful Learning
Avoid the pitfalls of rote learning:
a. Too much grammar explanation
b. Too many abstract principles and theories,
c. Too much drilling and/or memorization,
d. Activities whose purposes are not clear,
e. Activities that do not contribute to accomplishing the goals of
the lesson, unit, or course,
f. Techniques that are so mechanical or tricky that Ss focus on the
mechanics instead on the language or meaning.
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
3. The Anticipation of Reward
Human beings are universally driven to act, or behave, by
the anticipation of some sort of rewardtangible or
intangible, short term or long term that will ensue as a resu
of the behavior
Reward = Better/poorer performance
Better performance
Application in teaching
Use verbal praise, encouragement, compliments, enthusiasm
remind students of long-term rewards.
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
4. Intrinsic Motivation
The most powerful rewards are those that are intrinsically
motivated within the learner. . Because the behavior stems
from needs, wants, or desires within oneself, the behavior
itself is self-rewarding: therefore, no external administered
reward is necessary.
What is motivation?
It is the extent to which you make choices about
(a) goals to pursue and
(b) the effort you will devote to that pursuit
Application in teaching
foster feeling of competence and self-determination
Limit focus on gaining an award or avoiding punishment
 COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
5. Strategic Investment
Successful mastery of the second language will be due to a large
extent to a learners own personal investment of time, effort,
and attention to the second language in the form of and
individualized battery of strategies for comprehending and
producing the language.
The methods that learners use to internalize and to perform in the
language are as important as methods of the teacher or more
so
Application in teaching
Help students become aware of their own learning preferences
and teach them how to be good language learners.
COGNITIVE PRINCIPLES
6. Autonomy
Successful learners take control of their own
language learning both in the classroom and to
continue their journey to success beyond it and
the teacher.
with the teacher as a facilitator or guide.

teacher-dependent self-dependent
SOCIOAFFECTIVE PRINCIPLES
7. Language Ego
Students feel awkward in the learning environment
and good teachers compensate.
Learning a new language builds a new identity
language ego, learners have a sense of fragility,
defensiveness and raising of inhibitions.
Application in teaching
Support your students, choose techniques that
challenge but dont overwhelm
move from teacher-controlled to student-controlled
activitiesgradually.
SOCIOAFFECTIVE PRINCIPLES
8. Willingness to Communicate
Students who are self-confident take risks and
accomplish more.
Application in teaching
Encourage both accuracy and risk-taking
carefully sequence techniques to ensure learner
success.
SOCIOAFFECTIVE PRINCIPLES
9. Language-Culture Connection
Whenever you teach a language, you also teach a
complex system of cultural customs, values, and
ways of thinking.
Successfully learning a language means learning
about the culture, too.
Application in teaching
Discuss cross-cultural differences and respect(prevent
cultural offence ).
Connect language with culture
LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES
10. Native Language Effect
In beginning levels, many errors are caused by
native language interference
Native language can also facilitate learning.
Application in teaching
Point out common L1 common errors and
interference
teach cognates
teach students to think directly in the target
language.
LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES
11. Interlanguage
Does John can play? We goed yesterday.
As students acquire a language, interlangue is
displayed
Your feedback helps learners move towards
target-language accuracy.
Application in teaching
Point out interlanguage errors
Show students that these errors mean their brain is
in language learning mode.
 LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES
12. Communicative Competence
Being competent in the language means:

Organizational
Competence

Psychomotor Strategic
Skills Competence Competence

Pragmatic
Competence