THEORIES OF SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 2

Theories of Second Language Acquisition

As an educator, the behaviorist theory resonates most with me. The main reason why the
theory resonates with me is that it treats language as a behavior. The theory stipulates that
language is a habit that is developed over time (Honigsfeld & Cohan, 2015). The habit is
developed through imitation and reinforcement. A new language constitutes a new set of skills. I
find the theory very strong and applicable. It suggests various techniques that can be used to
enforce the acquisition of a new language. In an ever-changing environment, the theory can be
applied to both children and adults. In addition, I find the theory’s foundations strong and
practical. The first language plays a central role in the success or failure of the second language.
When one acquires the first language, they have a difficult time acquiring a second language that
is completely different from the first language. The implication is that learning the second
language is associated with the learner making various errors. If the first language and the second
language have a huge difference, the learner makes more errors. I believe learning a second
language is done through imitation as the behaviorist theory suggests.
I believe that in my instruction, I expect to encounter English language learners. As the
behaviorist theory suggests, a learner acquiring a second language will make mistakes. I have to
ensure that I use the mistakes of the learners to their advantage. The behaviorist theory suggests
that language is either acquired through positive or negative reinforcement (Honigsfeld &
Cohan, 2015). A behavior that is coupled with positive consequences encourages the learner to
repeat the behavior. On the other hand, a behavior that is accompanied by negative consequences
is not repeated. My teaching will, therefore, have to concentrate on reinforcement to encourage
the learners. A good example is when a learner constructs a sentence but makes a few mistakes.
The learner has to be encouraged and corrected to encourage the learning trend. Another
example is when a learner misspells a word in the classroom. The teacher can either decide to

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correct the mistakes of the student or discourage the learner. However, positive reinforcement is
more beneficial to the learner. As a result, I will focus on correcting the mistake and encouraging
the learner on the progress made. The theory will also affect the state of learners. Learners who
have a huge difference between their first language and the second language will make many
mistakes. On the other hand, learners whose first language does not differ greatly with the
second language will make lesser mistakes. For example, I expect Arabic speakers acquiring the
English language to make more mistakes than Dutch speakers acquiring the English language.
The theory will thus help me to understand the learners.

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References

Honigsfeld, A & Cohan, A. (2015). Serving English language learners [Electronic version].
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