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8/13/2019 Critical Essay (Sample)
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A CRITICAL ESSAY ON
CREATING A NEW SEGMENT OF THE
BEHAVIORISM THEORY
INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS
ENGLISH 26
Submitted by Jaeny Pearl M. Madayag
Submitted to Mrs. Dajao
Date of submission: February 27, 2012
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1
Introduction
This critical essay theorizes that the behavior of an individual
greatly affects his or her ability to acquire language. In relation to this,
behaviorism theory explains the external and internal stimuli both in
the behavior and the learning environment. The behaviorist, Edward
Lee Thorndike proposed three laws of learning such as law of
readiness, law of exercise and law of effect. These three laws further
explain the relationship between the behavior of the learner to acquire
language and his environment. How it affects one another, vice versa.
The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence to the readers
as to how an individual acquire and learn to use language based on the
environment where he or she is into. The significance of this paper is
to provide pieces of information to readers about Thorndike’s theory
and its relationship to individual’s ability to learn and use language.
As a proof, two lasallian respondents namely Daisy Rhea Peñaflor
and Karen Jalalon, will give their firm beliefs about the Behaviorism
theory and how it affects their leaning development in acquiring a
language.
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2.
BODY
Daisy Rhea Peñaflor is a 4th year accountancy student and
Karen Jalalon is a 2nd year education of La Salle University who really
do firmly believe about the influence of environment in their leaning
ability to use language as they grew up.
According to them, they have developed their ability to use
language because of the existence of the environment where they are
into. The people who surrounded them since then were the ones who
taught them how to utter words. Those moments became the starting
points in developing their ability to use language in their daily living.
As they grew up, it was more enhanced since they have been to formal
education world. All subjects they have undergone since they started
their basic education years until the present really have integrated the
use of language as it is used as the main tool for communication. This
is why, they are now able to use language the way how it should be
used.
They both futher explain that without the people in their
environment, they could not be able to develop their ability to use
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language properly. These people made a great impact as to how they
should use language both in oral and written form.
Furthermore, they both affirm and attest the three laws: Law of
readiness, Law of exercise, and Law of effect. These were proposed
by the behaviorist, Edward Lee Thorndike. Knowing the background of
these laws, the two respondents further give their stand about how
their leaning development in using a language is affected by these
different factors happen in their environment, as emphasized in the
said laws. As explained in the law of readiness, the individual’s
readiness to learn should be considered. As these lasallians use
language in accordance to their current year level, they could rest
assure that they have been prepared well to learn to the said extent of
knowledge because they have gone their basic learnings before
knowing the complex ones. Moreover, the law of exercise tells
something about the constant practice of the individual’s learning
behavior. This greatly affects the knowledge of the two respondents in
developing further their ability to use language in their daily living. In
addition, the law of effect states that if a response is followed by a
positive reward, it tends to be repeated. The said respondents
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somehow believe in the role of motivation and reinforcements in
enhancing their ability to use language. Because of the different forms
of rewards they have received everytime they correctly used language,
they really tend to repeat their learning behavior and even more
motivated to learn more. Indeed, these laws of Thorndike explain
further how the respondents learn to use language as they exist in the
environment where they are into.
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3. CONCLUSION
Indeed, this critical essay theorizes that the environment and the
behavior of an individual greatly affect his or her ability to learn to
acquire and use language.
Generally, the information given by the respondents in relation to
the three laws of Thorndike, results to the fact that an environment
really plays a very important role for an individual to learn and use
language.
Based on the given facts, I highly recommend the role of
teachers in enhancing students’ ability to use language. I do challenge
them to make their students be ready to learn before imparting
knowledge in language, they have to follow up students’ learning
behavior through giving exercises and providing learning tasks to
enhance their skills in using language. Also, it would be better to hold
remedial classes for those slow learners and enrichment activities for
fast learners. The role of giving rewards and motivation also matter a
lot, thus, it should also be given emphasis.
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