Language Learning

Language learning.

Language is a system of arbitrary, vocal symbols which permit all people in a given culture or other people who have learned the system of that culture or other people who have learned the system of that culture to communicate or interact (Finocchario, 1964:8).

Language is a system of communication by sound, operating through the organs of speech and hearing among members of a given community and using vocal symbols possessing arbitrary conventional meanings (Pei, 1966:141).

Thus language is a conventional system of arbitrary vocal symbols through which human thought is conveyed or communicated from one human being to another.

A second language is a language learnt by a person after his or her first language.

Language learning refers to the process of getting the knowledge about a certain language through formal process or system.

Second language learning refers to the process of learning other languages in addition to the native language.

In fact, language learning is not free, since there are several ingredients needed for second language learning. Those ingredients play a great role make second language learning effective and efficient. Such ingredients include;

Presence of motivation; motivation is a psychological quality that enables learners or people to reach their target. Whatever the form of motivation is, if it is utilized properly second language learning would be accelerated to a considerable extent. Motivation inspires learners to become successful users of the target language. It encourage a learner/learners to learn the language for utilization purposes such as improving social status, furthering education and developing economic status. Also external motivation like getting good grades or finding a new job can enforce learners to learn the second language with much effort. For instance, Csizer & Dornyei, (2005) found that integrative motivation was the most important factor that influences second language learning. Meanwhile integrative refers to the learners desire to become integrated with the culture of the target language.

Willingness to communicate, this can be enhanced when the student receives social support and when he/she has socially influenced-reasons for learning the second language. Willingness is indeed encourages the student to communicate in the target language in the classroom and even outside the classroom. MacIntyre, et al, (2001) suggests that the ultimate goal of the learning process of a second language should be to generate the willingness to communicate by fostering pedagogy of the streets (learning through every day experiences).

Time, in learning the language a learner need to spend time with language regularly. A second language learner should find enough time or be given an opportunity to practice on the language to be learnt. Human’s brain is designed to learn language, so if the learner sticks with learning the target language (second language), learning will be ease.

Semantic knowledge: learning most often interpret test using their prior knowledge of the world. They often take a common sense approach to interpret meaning, (Bold C, 2004). The teacher is expected to stimulate content-processing of oral or written language by giving special tasks that involve learning the second language learning. The meaning of the target language has to be comprehended sufficiently.

Form; the teacher should employ activities aimed at awareness raising of the second language form, thus making learners conscious of specific language features.  The teacher can indicate and direct learners’ attention to correct and incorrect uses of form, give examples of such uses and giving the target language rules. This will facilitate implicit or explicit noticing of language form.

Effective methods and strategies; the teacher can encourage learners to react and ask questions that stimulate interaction between learners in the target language. Different interactive formats like group and pair work might be implemented to facilitate meaningful communication in the second language. Correct feedback by teachers or peer students might stimulate the use of correct form/ meaning. The   teacher can use a diverse range of activities for further exercising essential    aspects of form/ meaning use (westhoff, G.J, 2004). Some methods may hinder learning the language effectively.

Content; the teacher is required to select and tailor input material in order to have it challenging but comprehensible for learners. The  teacher  is  required to  select  appropriate texts/ materials that  will stimulate  learners to  learn the second  language .

Experience, The  knowledge  of a particular language  plays a role  in  mastering and   developing that  language  and in turn  will  encourage to know rules of the target language.

Curriculum;  it refers to an educational  plan  that spells out  which goals and objectives should  be  achieved,  topics  to be covered and  which  methods   are   to be  used  for   learning, teaching  and  evaluation.  The curriculum should be designed   to allow learners   to know the second language in terms of writing, reading, listening and speaking.

Culture and status of the learner; the culture of the second language learner can influence   or hinder the effectiveness of learning the target language. If   the culture of the second language is having high status, it will in one way   or other influence learners to learn it.

Slight  vocabulary;  most children have a good  memory of the  words of   common things and they  can  recognize the picture of the  whole word especially   if it is easily to distinct  key   words  and high  frequency words  on cards help children  to take a  photographs  of  the word  patterns, word  with the same  ending  or beginnings, suffixes or  prefixes.

Language  is a crucial element  in  our life it is  a tool of  communication people  need to be  skilled  communicators to play   out rightful  role in the society, at  home  and in the work place  communication skills  is  undoubtedly need  learners/people  to live  in harmony with others, to love, to dream and  to have  a sense  of well being. Therefore, language acquisition and second language learning is inevitable to one’s life.

REFERENCE

1. bold, C, (2004) Supporting Learning And Teaching , New  York, David  Fulton  Publisher.

2. west hoff, G.J (2004) The  Art Of Playing A  Pin Ball Machine Charactectestics Of Effective

    SLA- Tasks, Baby, Lonia.

3. wills J ( 1996) A France For Task - Based  Learning, Harlow, Lorsman

4. Scizer, K  & Dornyei,Z (2005) The  International  Structure  Of Language  Learning               

    Motivation And Its Relation Ship With Language  Choice and   Learning  Effort : The   

    Modern Language  Formal

 5. Maclntyre, P.D, et al (2001) Willingness to Communicate, Social Support And Language

     Learning Orientation  of Immersion Students Second Language Acquisition.