12 – Babies and First Language Acquisition – Tamar Keren-Portnoy pt1
Now on Instagram!
Once again, I got lost in the labyrinthian corridors of the University of York Language & Linguistic Science department, this time to speak to Tamar Keren-Portnoy about first language acquisition. There’s a lot of similarities between how we learn our first language and how we acquire our second language, so it’s a useful topic for ESL / EFL / second language teachers.
She gives us insights into such things as how babies develop syntax/grammar norms, why they learn some words earlier than others, how babies are not simply mimicking their caretakers and, through her own research with Rory DePaolis & Marilyn Vihman, how babies learn through listening and the sounds they themselves make.
You may remember Marilyn Vihman from episode 9 of MOT.
Later in the year, I’ll release a mini-episode about the developmental stages of babies.
Links:
Marilyn Vihman Interview on MOT
“Travel Broadens the Mind” – Campos et al (2000)
Key words: baby, babies, acquisition, teaching, learning, babbling, language, babbling, cooing,
11 – Too old to learn? The Critical Period – Heather Marsden
This episode, I speak to University of York’s Heather Marsden about the controversial Critical Period hypothesis. This theory suggests that there is a limited age at which we can learn a second language, after which it grows increasingly difficult. Anecdotally, we assume this to be true – kids are sponges for language while older people struggle – but what does the research say about this?
This episode is simply a bite-sized introduction to a much larger topic, so I encourage you to search around for other perspectives on this subject.
Heather Marsden @ University of York
Follow me on @MOTcast
Now on Instagram!
Noob glossary:
L1 – first/native language
L2 – second language
input – any exposure to the L2
interference – where the L1 grammar, vocab or pronunciation affects or negatively influences L2 production
Would you rather…? Ice Breaker – (Upper Intermediate / Advanced)
Time: 10+ minutes
A fun ice breaker using “Would you rather A or B?”. It’s deliberately silly and the classes have had loads of fun with it over the years. It needs to be set up and demonstrated along with giving some rules (I.E., you MUST choose one option / if the choice is “completely bald” then they are not allowed to ‘get hair implants’ later! / and so on).
Partners (A & B) have different questions. Students can start to expand it and add their own questions.
FOR SOME MORE CONSERVATIVE TEACHING CULTURES, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS MAY BE ON THE EDGY SIDE.
Click the link below.
Movie Music Activity – (Intermediate & Advanced)
Time: 60 mins +
This lesson plan uses incidental movie music to activate students’ schema to write a movie scene (Intermediate) or a movie plot (Advanced). This can be adapted to your learning goals (focus on vivid language/adjective/action words/dialogue/tenses) and the level of your learners. Ideal for students that are creative or are getting bored of the usual ESL classes.
Click the link below for the lesson.
“Can you…?” Ice Breaker – (Most Levels)
Link Posted on Updated on
Here’s a fun ice breaker that works for most proficiency levels. I’ve used this for years and it has never failed.
You’ll notice there’s some unusual language (for the classroom, at least) in there – “wheelie”, “impression”, “party trick” and so on – that can provoke some interactive problem solving between partners. Also, they are unlikely to have answered these questions in an English class before so I’ve found that the students are more lively and engaged than the usual “What’s your favourite…?” ice breakers.
For lower proficiency levels: By definition, all the questions have Yes/No answers, so for lower levels, it’s a good idea to go through some conversation strategies. It helps prevent them blowing through it in 2 minutes just answering “yes” or “no”. Positive answers need an example. For negative answers, they can “explain why not”, “tell a related story”, or “tell a friend or relative’s story”. I get one student to ask me a question so I can demonstrate the answers.
THERE IS ONE QUESTION SPECIFIC TO SOUTH KOREA (where I teach) BUT YOU CAN USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD TO YOUR LOCATION’S ANTHEM.
Click the link below to download.
Now on Instagram!
Leaping into 2010! Follow Masters of TESOL on Instagram for visual fun. Not much there at the moment, but it’ll grow soon. Want to know what I look like with a cat on my shoulders? Look no further.
https://www.instagram.com/mastersoftesol/
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