ASU Tesol Cert: #1 Foundational Principles Week 2

Week 2 

Module 2: Modes of Learning and Interaction

In this module, learners are introduced to the distinction between learning and acquisition. The distinction is made to help give learners context for the principle that language requires practice. To introduce the importance of practice, the distinction between a focused and diffuse mode of learning demonstrates that students who simply learn through memorizing vocabulary and grammar structures (i.e., focused mode) often don’t acquire language structures. On the other hand, teachers who engage students in both a focused and diffuse mode, like a basketball coach with his players, are able to instruct but give time for that instruction to “sink in” through dedicated practice.

Lesson 1: Modes of Learning

• Video 1: Acquisition vs. Learning
• Video 2: Two Modes of Learning

Lesson 2: Modes of Interaction

• Video 3: Language is Basketball  (another metaphor, means you need to practice)
• Video 4: Practice in the Two Modes

Lesson 3: Summary and Essential Question

• Video 5: Summary and Essential Question

Reading: Accuracy vs. Fluency: Find a Balance and Keep Moving Forward

Reading: The Acquisition-Learning Distinction

Acquisition refers to the ability to put into practice. The ability to interact with others in a real language environment in order to convey meaning and ideas that will be useful to communicate information.

While test taking and learning in a focused mode can be useful for language learning, it's simply isn't enough. In fact, many people have taken years of language classes without ever really acquiring the language.

In this module, we have learned that there's a big difference between Acquisition and Learning. Learning by memorizing lists of vocabulary and grammar can be important, but acquisition means you can put all that knowledge to use through real communication.

We learned about two modes of learning, the Focused and Diffused modes. In order to help deepen your understanding of learning which tends to be more focused and acquisition which tends to be more diffused.

The concept of an 80/20 rule helps gives you a general guideline an ideal for your language classroom. 80% Practice 20% instruction.

THE ACQUISITION-LEARNING DISTINCTION

The acquisition-learning distinction is perhaps the most fundamental of all the hypotheses to be presented here. It states that adults have two distinct and independent ways of developing competence in a second language.

The first way is language acquisition, a process similar, if not identical to the way children develop ability in their first language. Language acquisition is a subconscious process; language acquirers are not usually aware of the fact that they are acquiring language, but are only aware of the fact that they are using the language for communication. The result of language acquisition, acquired competence, is also subconscious. We are generally not consciously aware of the rules of the languages we have acquired. Instead, we have a "feel" for correctness. Grammatical sentences "sound" right, or "feel" right, and errors feel wrong, even if we do not consciously know what rule was violated.

Other ways of describing acquisition include implicit learning, informal learning, and natural learning. In non-technical language, acquisition is "picking-up" a language.

The second way to develop competence in a second language is by language learning. We will use the term "learning" henceforth to refer to conscious knowledge of a second language, knowing the rules, being aware of them, and being able to talk about them. In non-technical terms, learning is "knowing about" a language, known to most people as "grammar", or "rules". Some synonyms include formal knowledge of a language, or explicit learning.

Some second language theorists have assumed that children acquire, while adults can only learn. The acquisition-learning hypothesis claims, however, that adults also acquire, that the ability to "pick-up" languages does not disappear at puberty. This does not mean that adults will always be able to achieve native-like levels in a second language. It does mean that adults can access the same natural "language acquisition device" that children use. As we shall see later, acquisition is a very powerful process in the adult.

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What is taught is what is learned

I think this question is too ambiguous. If it refers to knowledge, it can't be true. Teachers can't teach students everything. Even contents in curriculum are carefully chosen to include the most important knowledge.

But if it refers to the skills to learn, it is true. Josef Albers said: "Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers." Good teachers teach students how to think, bad teachers train them to be robots. Thus, students learn what is to be taught and become copies of their teachers. 

To answer it more accurately, the essential question should be more specified. Just like learning vs. acquisition, without specific context, I would like think learing is broader than acquisition.