Wu Chengxi-Albert Homework#1

Discuss the difference between learning and acquisition discussed in the reading. Has this been true to your experience?

Chengxi Wu-- Albert

Understanding a language is a complex and hard process both for the learners and the teachers and basically linguists use two methods which very different from each other to distinguish language understanding process -- Learning and Acquisition.

To understand a language and use it fluently, a learner have to manage reading, writing whatever for first or second language. First we take about reading. The first views toward it is Recognition (Learning), which use fundamental phonic rules and break words in to parts to pronounce simple words and then use these them to identify other words. The purpose of that is identify words and get the meaning of text. However, another view of reading use graphophonics as on of the three language cueing system to reach the same purpose. This way is knew as sociophycholinguisic view(acquisition).

When talk about writing, Linguists deeper the ideas of learning and acquisition. The main difference between them is their goals. By learning process, students could grasp how to write a good essay, but, not only can the acquisition process achieve the same goal but also can let student acquire the knowledge of writing process. To accomplish their goals, teachers who use learning process firstly teach how to write words, secondly sentences, then compose them into paragraphs, finally assembled paragraphs (usually 5) to a complete piece of writing and these kind of writing always be conventional since the beginning. As for teachers who prefer acquisition, they focus on the importance of sending message. They believe that when students know how to produce a massage then they will acquire writing skills naturally. In order to manage it, teachers create conditions for authentic written respond and help students express themselves in writing.

As we can see, learning is the traditional point of view which think highly of correctness, orderliness and convention. Nevertheless, the new acquisition view emphasize on use vary linguistic techniques to make language comprehensible to students so they can use it for different purposes.

According to my knowledge, acquisition indeed is much more easy, effective way to conquer a language, however, this acquisition process also has its limits  Take me, a second language learner, as an example. In my language study life, some teacher did use acquisition way to teach us, however, the result is not confidential. This is because acquisition is a long-time-period mission which cost more time than learning process. The question is class time is inadequate and there are not too many classes each semester, as a consequence, students will not reach the height they were supposed to be. Besides, acquisition teaching requires high quality from teachers but this is hard to achieve. It seems impossible for a mediocre teacher or worse one to use acquisition skills teach language to their student. And if he or she try to do so, then he or she may fail.

In the end, i believe combining traditional learning and new acquisition will produce a better method than these individuals. At first, let students learn basic words and forms of a language, when the fundamental work is done, acquisition is on the stage. Using the condition that teachers created, students can advance their language skills much faster than pure leaning, and with the reliable base form early learning process, students will acquire better. In short, get the advantages from both learning and acquisition.