homework #1

Free man

The article” Freeman & Freeman” provides two totally different theories about how to study a second language. The views of developing second languages are learning view and acquisition view. I simply define these two views as “passive way” and “active way”. In general, the learning way represents that student learn second language in classroom like student should attain math or science classes in school daily, the supporter define second language as a course, and students who want to learn second language have to attain the classes on time and finish the homework, so I define the learning view as “passive way”. In contrast, supporters of acquisition view believe students will not feel that they are studying when they are learning second language, the process are all subconscious like learning their first language. So I define acquisition view as “active”. Just from the definition the difference between these two views is huge.

The goal of the leaning view is to let students totally understand the second language, so the teachers will teach step by step. First from the vocabulary then sentence, through teaching in details students can fully understand and use the second language. However, the goal of acquisition view wants student can use second language in different condition.

The classroom activities of learning view mainly include the oral practice and writing assignment. From keeping using, the student can learn how to use the second language gradually. In my opinion from my experience, this teaching way is very boring and unattractive. Since students thinks they suffer the pain from learning, many of my friends drop this. In contrast, the teachers who support acquisition view will let student read and listen a lot to build up a structure of language, understand and finally use it.

The learning view’s attitude towards the errors is unacceptable. The teachers will immediately correct the errors if they find. This can help student use word or grammar correctly. Opposite to the learning view, the supporters of acquisition view believe that errors are common, it is more important for students to express their ideas rightly. And they believe, they student can find the errors by themselves while using the language.

In the end, the way I study English is learning view. My experience of learning second language exactly fits all what the author say about the leaning view, the goal, the teaching way and my English teachers’ attitude to errors are almost same. However, I prefer to use the acquisition view, since way of teaching is more particle and students always feel bored while studying second language in learning view.