Language Use of a Multilingual Person

Behaviourism

• There is a stimulus and your response is a mechanical repetition

Acculturation

• The less social and psychological differences there are between the learner and the culture and language the easier it is for you to learn it

Universal Grammar

• Humans are biologically programmed to learn languages

Comprehension hypothesis

• If the learner understands the second language they will subconsciously acquire the language and grammatical structures

Interaction hypothesis

• Interacting with people that speak the language making it easier for the learner to pick it up

Output hypothesis

• The learner needs to be able to comprehend what they are saying to learn it

SOCIOCULTURAL

• Learning the language by becoming immersed in the culture and social environment

Connectionism

• Links are created by observing reoccurrences in input and patterns are recognised and strengthened

Stages of acquiring a second language

• Preproduction
• Early production
• Speech emergence
• Intermediate fluency
• Advanced fluency

Preproduction 0-6 months

• Has minimal comprehension
• Responds with yes/no
• Draws and points

Early production 6-12 months

• Uses key words and familiar phrases
• Limited comprehension
• Use of tenses

Speech emergence

• Good comprehension
• Makes grammar and pronunciation errors
• Can produce simple sentences and questions

Intermediate fluency

• Few grammatical errors
• Excellent comprehension

Advanced fluency

• Near native level of speech

CASES