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Language Acquisition             “We all acquire language in exactly the same way.” This is an outrageous claim by Stephen Krashen [1] on his Language Acquisition interview.   Indeed it is but I agree that it is true. As a child, we learn by listening and mimicking, based on our daily conversation.   We acquire language by watching and listening to someone speaks and subconsciously collecting words and understanding what is being said. When you watch children play using little people toys, what do they do?   They role play based on what happens around them.   They play going to the doctor, church, shopping, eating, cooking and everything that they can act based on daily activities. That’s when you can see language acquisition happen.               “Immigrant children don’t speak right away when they arrive.   It takes several months of...

Unit 2: Classrooms Around the World             English is a universal language.   You may go to any country in the world and you will eventually find someone who can speak English and be able to communicate. It has become one of the essential languages for global trade. Sadly, not all countries offer English language as part of their learning curriculum. In the Philippines, we learn English from the moment we start school.   Most of our subjects are taught in English and almost all modes of instructions are done in English.               Japanese value their language and use it very effectively.   They learn English only when they wish to. The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme [1] (JET) aims to enhance foreign language education, and promote international exchange concerning the promotion of mutual understanding between nations. JET is ...

It is evident that anyone’s first language is acquired from birth. Some studies show that language is heard from the time a fetus can hear from the womb. Based on the study of US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health about Development of fetal hearing elaborates, “The development of fetal behavioural responsiveness to pure tone auditory stimuli was examined from 19 to 35 weeks of gestational age. Stimuli were presented by a loudspeaker placed on the maternal abdomen and the fetus’s response, a movement, recorded by ultrasound.   The sensitivity of the fetus to sounds in the low frequency range may promote language acquisition.” Since the first language is what we call our “mother tongue”, it is not consciously learned compared to second language.   We acquire our first language through hearing, mimicking and collecting vocabulary words as we grow up until we learn how to speak on our own. We know our language by heart because it is part of our da...

How Language are Learned 1.       Languages are learned mainly through imitation. §   Indeed, languages are learned mainly through imitation.   The Principle of Automaticity explains how children learn foreign languages when they are living in the cultural and linguistic environment of the language.    It is also a fact that we all learned our first language through imitation.   Our parents thought us how to speak by asking us to imitate them. We all started as imitators before we subconsciously learned all words by listening and being in the environment of that language. Second language learners are also the same.   In my country, most kids learn English by watching English cartoons; mimic them through singing and understanding the conversation by answering questions through the audio-video activities. Imitation I should say is the first step and the best way to learn a language.       2. ...

   TESL 0100: Unit 3 English Language in a Diverse Intensity Reviewing my English language knowledge using the Common areas of difficulty of Bolitho Tomlinson made me realize that speaking the language and knowing how to teach is just a step from what should go further to what must be offered to language learners.   From identifying the difficulty of producing the correct sound through the proper tongue and mouth positions, dissecting the word formation, context and meaning then understanding language varieties really was a mind blowing fact to be familiar with.   This realization makes me go back to my language foundation to review and relearn the basics to complex need of language facts. Knowing is definitely far from explaining and making learners to be skilled in speaking and writing in proper context makes it challenging. Analysing which ones they need and who needs what is also part of the challenge as per handling a class is concern.   I wou...

TESL 0120 Unit 4: ‘Aha’ Moment Learning the sequence of lesson planning is very motivating.   Grammar lessons can’t just be given in an instructional way but transitioning from listening to grammar that is related to the lesson is something new.   Integrating vocabulary using the listening and speaking activities does make a difference in connecting everything together.   Giving mixed-up sentence activity, vocabulary matching and text completion quiz is like giving them a game which they would enjoy learning.   Kids do this in school which is very effective, and now realizing why not for adults? Adults can have fun learning too.   I have to look for more resources for these types of practice as it is really engaging and effective.  

TESL 0120 Unit 3: “Aha” Moment In this Unit, my “aha moment” was learning that “Myths of Listening Instruction” do exist.   Before, I just notice these behaviors but now, I can name them and it helps to know that it does exist.   When I learned that “Students shouldn’t try to understand every word” broadens my understanding to listening approach considering the difference of the beginners, intermediate, and advanced listening process. It does make sense to me.   (Wilson Chapter2: pg23) The “Can Do Statements” (CBL) will definitely be a big help in my future practice how to assess and help students in terms of understanding their listening through prior learning.     The summary of “What makes a good recorded text?” mentioned in Wilson, Chapter 2: pg 33, is also a great tool in identifying students needs for choosing activities that is appropriate for class. I would agree with Jan Bell and Roger Gower as stated that they wanted listening to be natu...