Supporting l1 and l2 development
Research indicates that students who display a level of language competency in their L1 (first language) therefore demonstrate better second language (L2) learning capabilities ( Reid Wilson and Stephen D.Krashen, 2000)
It is essential to acknowledge and encourage a student’s proficiency in their L1, as it enables the child to successfully build further linguistic strategies to enhance their L2 skills. This can sometimes be problematic during the primary years of education, as students are still developing proficiency in their L1.
Some students come to school encouraged by guardians or even teachers to abandon their L1 in favour of English, so that their development in Literacy and other educational facets are quickly met. There is always a fear that a student’s L1 will either hinder their literacy development or cause them to fall behind. It is imperative that we as teachers recognise a need to support L1 development as much as L2 development.
Krashen discovered that a learner’s first language strongest influences are in “complex word-order” and in “word-for-word translation”. More importantly, the use of prior knowledge is used to decipher new knowledge of L2 language systems acting like a “monitoring device” where L1 may "substitute" for the acquired L2 in the production of the target language. Krashen’s theory of Input hypothesis supports this, describing L2 aquisition as similar to first language acquisition in children.
“Input hypothesis is very consistent with what is known about "caretaker speech" and the modifications that parents and others make when talking to young children. The most important characteristic of caretaker speech is to recognise is that it is not a deliberate attempt to teach language.” (Krashen, 1981) Rather, it is a modified simpler form of speech in which to aid comprehension and understanding by the learner.
Krashen also divulged from his research that first language surface structures can be used in conjunction with “second language content lexicons” and assist in morphological repairs. (Krashen, 1981) Furthermore, the vitality of language development in L2 rests on the ESL learner’s competency and proficiency in their L1.
References
Reid Wilson and Stephen D.Krashen. (2000). ASummary of Stephen Krashen's "Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition" 1981. Retrieved 08 2011, from The Language Impact: http://www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenbk.htm
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Retrieved 09 2013, from sdkrashen.com: http://sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning.pdf
It is essential to acknowledge and encourage a student’s proficiency in their L1, as it enables the child to successfully build further linguistic strategies to enhance their L2 skills. This can sometimes be problematic during the primary years of education, as students are still developing proficiency in their L1.
Some students come to school encouraged by guardians or even teachers to abandon their L1 in favour of English, so that their development in Literacy and other educational facets are quickly met. There is always a fear that a student’s L1 will either hinder their literacy development or cause them to fall behind. It is imperative that we as teachers recognise a need to support L1 development as much as L2 development.
Krashen discovered that a learner’s first language strongest influences are in “complex word-order” and in “word-for-word translation”. More importantly, the use of prior knowledge is used to decipher new knowledge of L2 language systems acting like a “monitoring device” where L1 may "substitute" for the acquired L2 in the production of the target language. Krashen’s theory of Input hypothesis supports this, describing L2 aquisition as similar to first language acquisition in children.
“Input hypothesis is very consistent with what is known about "caretaker speech" and the modifications that parents and others make when talking to young children. The most important characteristic of caretaker speech is to recognise is that it is not a deliberate attempt to teach language.” (Krashen, 1981) Rather, it is a modified simpler form of speech in which to aid comprehension and understanding by the learner.
Krashen also divulged from his research that first language surface structures can be used in conjunction with “second language content lexicons” and assist in morphological repairs. (Krashen, 1981) Furthermore, the vitality of language development in L2 rests on the ESL learner’s competency and proficiency in their L1.
References
Reid Wilson and Stephen D.Krashen. (2000). ASummary of Stephen Krashen's "Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition" 1981. Retrieved 08 2011, from The Language Impact: http://www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenbk.htm
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Retrieved 09 2013, from sdkrashen.com: http://sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning.pdf
Rounds, M. (2010, 10). Stephen Krashen on Language Acquisition 1980s presentation. Retrieved 10 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiTsduRreug