SLO1 -Theories of Second Language

Acquisition and GrammarThis Webinar will direct you to places where you can get

information, help, and answers. It will give some of the main ideas to know under each

topic, and distinguish some easily confused terms. Please raise your hand, or ask, if you want further

clarification or have questions.

Inside the COS in “Your Learning Resources”.Topic menu is on the left.

Learning Resources

are the place to

start!

Morphologythe study of forming words from morphemes.

imperfection

im perfect tion

Morphology – the study of forming words from morphemes. An Introduction to Language, ch. 3, How Language Works, “Morphemes”.

Morpheme=the smallest unit of linguistic meaning or function.

Allomorph= alternative morpheme (the changing end sound in hats/frogs/kisses).

Free morpheme=single morpheme that can be a word all by itself (hit/wish/bat)

Bound morpheme= can only occur attached to other morphemes in words (hidden/watched).

Inflectional morpheme=has a strict grammatical function.

Derivational morpheme= may be needed to create an adjective or other part of speech (petrify/quickly)

Syntax sentence structure, and the study of it.

Sentence

Noun phrase

noun adjective

Verb phrase

verb

Syntax – sentence structure, and the study of it. An Introduction to Language, ch’s 1, 2, & 4. Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking: ch’s 2 & 3. Online Guide to Grammar and Writing.

Think: word order How do we order words to make a question? (use “question

words” at the beginning, add “do” to a sentence (Do you want a cookie?), move a be verb to the front (Are you going?)

Forming complex verbs: Present progressive: be verb+(verb) “ing”(You are shoveling

snow). “Ing” does not automatically = present progressive tense, it

could be a Gerund! (What an amazing concept!) Don’t ignore the articles/adjectives (a/an/some, the, one/two…) Sapir-Wharf Hypothesis: in ch. 1, the belief that our language

either determines or effects our thinking and perception of the world. ◦ Linguistic Relativism----Linguistic Determinism

Semantics the study of the ways that language structures meaning in words and sentences.

Who/what is doing the action?• noun• Person/place/thing

What do we need to know about him/her/them/it?• adjectives• Describing

words/phrases

What is the action?• verb• Active/passive• What needs to be

said about the action?

Semantics – the study of the ways that language structures meaning in words and sentences. An Introduction to Language, ch. 5, Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking: ch’s 5 & 8. Additional web pages in COS.

Discourse= a linguistic unit of more than one sentence on a topic.

Phrasal verbs= verbs+prepositions-an English phenomenon? Turn up/turn down/turn into/turn around/turn on/turn off/…. “The plane is taking off.” “Is the plane going to take off?” “I want you to take the hat off.”

deixis- “she left it over there”.

Keep this in mind-

Our brains get used to receiving and giving meaning in a certain order. Language learners have to train their brains to accept meaning in a different order. Learning the rules of syntax does not necessarily re-train our brain’s semantic expectations!

Think of it as doing mental gymnastics.

Language AcquisitionDifferent theorists = different theories

Krashen Cummins

AsherO’Malley

and Chamot

L2

Language Acquisition - An Introduction to Language, ch’s 2, 8 & 9. Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking: ch’s 4, 6 & 8. Teachscape Module: Second Language Acquisition Theory and Policy Part 1.

Learning our L1Noam Chomsky- The Innateness

Hypothesis: LAD, UGPragmatics= the appropriate use of

language in contextL2 Acquisition and teaching methods

◦TPR, Monitor Model, CALLA, BICS & CALP…

Sociolinguistics A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…

Telephonic aparatus telephone phone

Sociolinguistics and Language Change –There’s more to communication than the words! An Introduction to Language: ch 10, 11. Other websites.

Descriptive vs. prescriptive linguisticsDialect= a language variety used by any particular

group of speakers.Regional dialect=when the dialect is used in a

particular region.Social dialect=a dialect shared largely/only by

speakers of the same social statusPidgin=a language developed by speakers of different

languages to communicate with each other.Creole=a language begun as a “pidgin” that has

evolved into a “native tongue” that is learned as the first language of the speakers’ children.

Writing SystemsThe way it looks on screen…on paper…a scroll…papyrus…in stone…

Writing Systems- An Introduction to Language, ch’s 12 & 6. The Diversity Kit, Part I, pgs. 25-65, and Part II, pgs. 1-30. Several additional web pages.

Logographic=a symbol represents a whole word or morpheme (Chinese).

Syllabic= a symbol represents a syllable. Consonantal=consonants are represented by symbols, and

vowels are represented by diacritical marks. Alphabetic=a symbol (or combination of symbols) represents

a vowel or consonant (English, European languages). Pictogram=symbols resemble the objects they represent. Ideogram=symbols that represent ideas. Logogram-symbols represent words or morphemes The Rebus Principle=allows for the evolution of ideographic

writing systems by using one symbol for multiple homophones. Think of license plate messages, “BI2U”, or “4sale”. Works in Chinese, evolution of ancient Phoenician.

Stuck?Use this contact information for the Course Mentor to give you help with SLO1, or any other ELL Course of Study

Chris Arandachristina.aranda@wgu

.edu1-866-895-9660

x5150

Or click on the “Contact a Mentor” button in the COS or ELL Communities