Perspective!
UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE ISSUES: A BREAKTHROUGH IN EFFECTIVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Language plays a vital role in communication. English, as one of the most spoken languages across the countries of the world, was considered as the universal language which led to the creation of various learning areas under its branch. Our educational curriculum was crafted to promote holistic development to our pupils which includes effective communication skills, one of the 21st-century skills that would make them globally viable.
One’s acquisition of communication skills is an effective avenue to link themselves to the world. However, many people are encountering a lot of difficulties in upgrading their communicative spectrum through studying a language, especially if this is an L2.
According to the Contrastive Analysis of Robert Lado in 1957, a student’s L1 causes the adversities of effective acquisition and learning of the L2. He expounded that if learners are studying a language like their L1, the rate of success in achievement intensifies in terms of being cognizant of word formation, pronunciation, and structure since the L1 is aligned with their L2. However, if it is otherwise, the L2 being studied is perceived to cause learners difficulty learning as they may encounter linguistical concepts that are different from their L1. Therefore, the interference of one’s knowledge with their L1 causes errors in the linguistic know-how of their L2. For instance, the English and the Filipino languages. If native speakers of both languages are to cultivate their language skills, it would be easy for them to cope with the complexity of the lessons moving forward since they have established an upright foundation. This already serves as a very good springboard toward attaining effective learning of both L1 and L2. On the other hand, if one’s L1 is Filipino and his L2 is English since their structure primarily differs, learners could tend to overgeneralize the application of what they know. Meaning, considering the structure of a Filipino sentence usually begins with a verb, subject, and object, they might utilize the same notion in the English language which is completely wrong because the sentence structure usually commences with subject+ verb and object. As such, learning the L2 is impacted by the same as a student applies his idea from his L1.
Moreover, radical language acquisition and learning do not happen overnight. Learners should not be limited to the academic timeframe in which they would utilize a second language for compliance. We must remember that one’s exposure to a language serves a pivotal role in unpacking language skills and is a key point in the language teachinglearning process. It should be used in day-to-day life so we can harness the skill within and know the language’s different purposes.
It also makes a point to shred what are the most salient skills that should be mastered by learners. The determination of students' learning styles, providing differentiated instructions, and authentic assessments tend to enable students to absorb complex concepts convenient to them thus, students can focus on what matters while enjoying the process of learning.
As mentioned by Krashen under the Input Hypothesis of his Monitor Model, to facilitate effective language acquisition and learning, materials, as supporting tools, should be considered in terms of the crafting stage and how these would lead to supporting learning. He highlighted that both language acquisition and learning can be obtained in various ways such as, but not limited to, properly decoding the message or by receiving a comprehensive input which is at a higher stage than the current language level of a learner. Having said this, it would mean that when learners have the acquisition they can focus on the comprehension of the meaning, or the information presented to them. Input should neither be so far beyond their reach that they are overwhelmed, nor so close to their current stage that they are not challenged at all.
In conclusion, as teachers, it is very important to identify the needs of our learners; and consider where they are coming from. From there, we may devise empirical-based interventions that are appropriate to their needs and our instructions shall be designed digestible according to their capacity. Remember, holding a robust cognizance relative to a subject matter does not suffice; it should behoove the ability to strategize and ensure effective learning takes place under our watch.
Reference:
Carrier, K.A. (2005). Key issues for teaching English language learners in academic classrooms.
Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ752850.pdf
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I at Calantas Elementary School