Introduction to language

acquisition and language

learning.

• What is language acquisition?
• Programme outline
• Requirements of the course
• Bibliography

What is language

acquisition?

• The process of developing

competence in a language. The term
is used for infants acquiring their
native language (first language
acquisition) and for those learning a
second or foreign language
(second/foreign language
acquisition)

Programme outline

Language acquisition theories:

– The behaviourist perspective

(mimicry and memorisation)

- analysing children’s speech

– The innatist perspective (Universal

Grammar)

- the critical period
- grammar module

Programme outline

– The interactionist/developmental

perspective (connectionism)

- innate learning ability
- interaction with environment

• Stages of learning the first language in

early childhood
- the first three years
- the pre-school years
- the school years

Programme outline

• Language disorders and delays
• Childhood bilingualism
• Second/foreign language learning

- second language learning theories
- individual differences in S./F.L. learning
- analysing the language of S./F.L.
learners
- first language interference

Programme outline

• The origins of language

- the origins of words

– perception and production of

speech

• Language competence vs.

successful communication

Programme outline

• The role of memory in learning a

foreign language
- types of memory
- how does human memory work?
- mnemotechnikques – effective
memorising

Requirements of the course

• Your final grade will be determined

by attendance/participation and a

final paper:
- Attendance/participation 35%

Meetings will consist of both lecture

and discussion. Although the exact

mix will depend on the topic at hand,

discussion is encouraged whenever

any of us would like it.

Requirements of the course

- Final paper 65%
A 800 – 1200 words long paper on a
topic chosen from a list available in
mid December, comparing and
contrasting at least 3 different
sources listed in the bibliography of
the paper.

Bibliography

• DĄBROWSKA, EWA/ KUBIŃSKI WOJCIECH (red.)

(2003) Akwizycja języka w świetle językoznawstwa

kognitywnego, Universitas, Kraków.

• GLEASON, JEAN BERKO/ RATNER, NAN BERSTEIN

(2005) Psycholingwistyka, Gdańskie Wydawnictwo

Psychologiczne, Gdańsk.

• KURCZ, IDA (2005) Psychologia języka i

komunikacji, Scholar, Warszawa.

• MECNER, PAWEŁ (2005) Elementy gramatyki

umysłu, Universitas, Kraków. (część I – „Umysł a

język”, str. 12-80.)

• Doughty, C i J. Williams, eds. 1998. Focus on Form

in Classroom Second Language Acquisition.

Cambridge: CUP

Bibliography

• CHOMSKY, Noam (1959/ pol. 1977) Recenzja z

Verbal behavior B. F. Skinnera, w: STANOSZ, B.

(ed.) Lingwistyka a filozofia, PWN, Warszawa, pp.

23 – 81.

• CHOMSKY, Noam (1965/ pol. 1982) Zagadnienia

teorii składni, Ossolineum, Wrocław.

• LENNEBERG, Eric H. (1967/ pol. 1980) Biologiczne

aspekty języka, w: STANOSZ, B. (1980) Język w

świetle nauki, Czytelnik, Warszawa, pp. 263 – 276.

• LINKE, Angelika et. al. (1994) Studienbuch

Linguistik, Niemeyer, Tübingen. (= Reihe

Germanistische Linguistik 121)

• PIAGET, Jean (2005) Mowa i myślenie dziecka,

PWN, Warszawa.

Bibliography

• Steven Pinker The Language Instinct
• Steven Pinker Words and Rules
• Ellis, R. 1997. SLA Research and

Language Teaching. Oxford: OUP

• Brown, H.D. 1994. Principles of

Language Learning and Teaching.
Englewood Cliffs, N.Y.: Prentice Hall.