Universal Grammar Universal grammar may be thought of as some system of principles common to the species and available to each individual prior to experience” (Chomsky, 1981, p. 7). “Universal Grammar might be defined as the study of the conditions that must be met by the grammars of all human languages” (Chomsky, 1968, p. 126,…
Language Faculty Language Faculty We may assume that the linguistic theory of the language faculty is a theory of the cognitive architecture for language knowledge and acquisition. Chomsky (1980) postulated that there is a language organ, which is part of a human’s biological endowment and which houses the universal principles and parameters without which a…
Cortex Cortex or cerebral cortex covers the surface of the brain and is only 2-4 mm (0.08-0.16 inches) thick. It plays a central role in such functions as memory, attention, perceptual awareness, language, and consciousness. The outermost part of the cortex is grey in color, hence the common term ‘grey matter’. The inner layers are…
/əˈfeɪ.ʒə/ (noun) Aphasia Aphasia refers to any damage to the left hemisphere that often provokes aphasia (dysfunction in, or loss of, language due to neurological damage. This damage results in a loss of procedural ability to use the L2 (i.e. learners cannot automatically and accurately access all aspects of their implicit knowledge of the L2…
Input Hypothesis Input Hypothesis Krashen’s Input Hypothesis explicitly rejects a role for consciousness, claiming that “acquisition” is a subconscious process. Krashen assumed a ‘language acquisition device’, that is, an innate mental structure capable of handling both first and second language acquisition. The input activates this innate structure. But only input of a very specific kind…
IELTS – TOEFL Preparation Course – Session 1 Writing Practice From 9:40 to 10:00 pm In each session, one student writes an essay or some part of an essay on specified topics and leaves it as a comment in the blue comment form at the bottom of this post before the next class. In the…
What is IELTS and what does it stand for? Let’s get more familiar with IELTS, its formats and modules. IELTS Exam IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is mainly administered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia. IELTS corresponds to the highest international standards…
Learning-centered method in second language learning, which is one of the three dimensions of ‘language teaching methods’. Learning-centered method Learning-centered methods are those that are principally concerned with cognitive processes of language learning. These methods such as the Natural Approach seek to provide opportunities for learners to participate in open-ended meaningful interaction through problem-solving tasks in…
Discourse analysis and pragmatics in second language acquisition Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics Discourse analysis serves as a device for systematically describing the kinds of interactions that occur in language classrooms. Drawing on initial work on content classrooms by Bellack (1966) and by the Birmingham School of linguistics (Sinclair & Coulthard (1975) discourse analysts give attention…
Topic: Computers can translate all kinds of languages well. Do our children need to learn more languages in the future? Essayist: Taraneh Computers can translate all the languages well, but it can just translate text word by word, not a whole text perfectly. Therefore, it means that our children should learn foreign languages in order…