Entry 4
Taking this Second Acquisition course helped me understand several ways that students are able to learn a second language. I also got a better understanding of what learning a second language was all about.For my understanding i thought you just practice the language, practice speaking it and eventually it will start to process in your head. I was also able to find out that there are different types of bilingualism. “Bilingualism is a broad term, and like heritage acquisition, has many forms and configurations” (Gass and Selinker 2013, pg. 24). They go on to define several different types of bilinguals later on in the same chapter to further prove that there are in fact several types of bilinguals. This class also made me experience how it is to learn a additional language. As a educator it is up to you to create a warm and comfortable environment in which your child can grow to learn the complexities of language. The communication skills that your child learns early in life will be the foundation for his or her communication abilities for the future. Strong language skills are an asset that will promote a lifetime of effective communication.
In Second Language Acquisition motivation plays a big part of learning a new language they need internal motivation in them which helps them to feel the language while they learn it. Ortega (2013) states that, “Motivation is usually understood to refer to the desire to initiate L2 learning and the effort employed to sustain it, and in lay terms we all understand it to be a matter of quantity, as in the everyday observation that some learners are highly motivated and others have little or no motivation,” (p. 168) As a student if you are motivated you are more likely to perform well in any tasks. And if you are unmotivated which some students will be as a educator it is up to us to find ways to motivate our students.
I think this class will greatly impact my professional practice because i have a better understanding in Second Language and i can use what i learned into my future classroom. I want to be able to help all my students succeed and be well equipped in their learning experience. In my placement i have a few L2 students and i am able to connect with them using some of the practices that i learned in this class, and what a good feeling it is when you can bond with your students and make them feel comfortable.
Creating VBlogs in this class had its challenging moments but overall it helped me interact with other peers and was able to learn from each other. We were able to listen to our peers and witness there learning as well. We also were able to comment and respond to our peers and exchange our viewpoints which i thought was amazing. The modules that was posted every week was also beneficial i learned alot from listening to the videos that were provided for us.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2013. Print
In Second Language Acquisition motivation plays a big part of learning a new language they need internal motivation in them which helps them to feel the language while they learn it. Ortega (2013) states that, “Motivation is usually understood to refer to the desire to initiate L2 learning and the effort employed to sustain it, and in lay terms we all understand it to be a matter of quantity, as in the everyday observation that some learners are highly motivated and others have little or no motivation,” (p. 168) As a student if you are motivated you are more likely to perform well in any tasks. And if you are unmotivated which some students will be as a educator it is up to us to find ways to motivate our students.
I think this class will greatly impact my professional practice because i have a better understanding in Second Language and i can use what i learned into my future classroom. I want to be able to help all my students succeed and be well equipped in their learning experience. In my placement i have a few L2 students and i am able to connect with them using some of the practices that i learned in this class, and what a good feeling it is when you can bond with your students and make them feel comfortable.
Creating VBlogs in this class had its challenging moments but overall it helped me interact with other peers and was able to learn from each other. We were able to listen to our peers and witness there learning as well. We also were able to comment and respond to our peers and exchange our viewpoints which i thought was amazing. The modules that was posted every week was also beneficial i learned alot from listening to the videos that were provided for us.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2013. Print
Gass, Susan M. Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. Routledge, 2013.
Exemplary entry. Thank you for your amazing feedback. I wonder how this week reading will help you ground your ideas about interaction with peers and its role in the learning of new concepts. Interaction is key in learning a second language but I also think it is essential for learning in general. Only through interacting with you have I been able to see what you have been able to learn and what concepts still need further explanation.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to motivation, I agree that it is a key component in the SLA process. One theory in particular that posed a strong belief that we as humans are predisposed to life long learning and development. “Self-determination theory construes humans as volitional beings who are growth-oriented, that is, predisposed to life-long learning and development” (Ortega, 2013, p175). Though this may not be as apparent with every individual in their learning journey, in this, I find that individuals that are intrinsically motivated in their learning. It is a responsibility of the instructor to create a positive learning environment and supportive community within the classroom. Providing students with an environment that is in support of their learning as well as having social interactions with peers who’s integration are rewarding situations.
ReplyDeleteOrtega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Hello Katiana,
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny that before this course motivation was such a broad term and now we try to fit it in to a more definite term we've learned. When I read chapter 8 I thought attitude really struck out to me. According to Ortega "attitudes towards the L2 and its speakers will contribute to increased or diminished L2 motivation" (Ortega, 2013, pg. 74). The student have to want to learn L2. Then it will be the environment that will assist the student in their L2. This will include our classroom community and the peers in the class and people the student is associated with.
Katiana,
ReplyDeleteIn your reflection you mention the important role of motivation in second language acquisition. I agree that this definitely plays a big part, more specifically intrinsic motivation. Ortega states, “When individuals engage in behavior that they understand as self-initiated by choices and largely sustained by inherent enjoyment in the activity (that is, as an end in itself, for the sheer sake of learning), they are said to be intrinsically motivated” (Ortega, 2013, pg. 176). Intrinsic motivation is important as the students are motivated within, they do not need any exterior incentives to push them to learn. While both types of motivations are great to have in the classroom, I definitely see a greater value in intrinsic motivation.
In addition, you mentioned that you were able to take away from this course and that it will have a great impact on your teaching in the future. I agree that there have definitely been some great learning experiences within this course and will use them to help my SLL students. I really feel that this course has helped me gain a greater understanding of second language acquisition as a whole.
Thank you for sharing!
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Hi Melissa,
DeleteWhen I encounter a student who does not want to follow instructions, I think about what I could do to motivate this student. I believe that intrinsic motivation is effective in pushing students to learn. According to Ortega (2011, pg. 173), "...the highest and most facilitation form of motivation is what he called the integrative motivation..." When students acquire a genuine interest in the language, it positively affects their attitude towards the language and its speakers, and receptiveness.