二语习得题目.docVIP

1. Define the following terms 1) Learnability Chomsky has claimed that children learning their first language must rely on innate knowledge of language because the input to which children are exposed is insufficient to enable them to discover the rules of language they are trying to learn. When children learn their first language, the input is not always available. However, children can learn the full grammar of their mother tongue. The reason, according to Chomsky, is that children must have prior knowledge of what is grammatically possible and impossible and that this is part of their biological endowment. The competence that formed by this prior innate knowledge is called learnability. Because of this, errors can not occur in L1 acquisition because they are prohibited by Universal Grammar. Learnability is a measure of the degree to which a use interface can be learned quickly and effectively. Learning time is the typical measure. 2) Learning vs. Acquisition Learning contrasts with Acquisition in the assumption that these are different processes. Learning refers to a conscious process of accumulating knowledge of a second language usually obtained in school settings. Acquisition refers to the gradual and subconscious development of ability in the language by using it naturally in daily communicative situations. It is recognized that children acquire their native language without explicit learning. A second language is more commonly learned but to some degree may also be acquired, depending on the environmental settings and the input received by the L2 learners. 3）Focus on Form vs. Focus on Forms Traditionally, language pedagogy has emphasized form-focused instruction or Focus on Forms. For example, the Grammar Translation Method and the Audio-lingual Method which all attempts to teach learners grammar. But more recently, language pedagogy has emphasized the method of Communicative Language Teaching or Focus on Meaning, which is premised on the assumption that lea