The process of language acquisition has some basic requirements. During the first two
or three years of development, a child requires interaction with other language-users in
order to bring the general language capacity into contact with a particular language
such as English. We have already seen, in the case of Genie (Chapter 12), that a child
who does not hear or is not allowed to use language will learn no language. We have
also identified the importance of cultural transmission (Chapter 2), meaning that the
particular language a child learns is not genetically inherited, but is acquired in a
particular language-using environment.
The child must also be physically capable of sending and receiving sound signals in a
language. All infants make “cooing” and “babbling” noises during their first year, but
congenitally deaf infants stop after about six months. So, in order to speak a language,
a child must be able to hear that language being used. By itself, however, hearing
language sounds is not enough. One case, reported by Moskowitz (1991), demonstrated that, with deaf parents who gave their normal-hearing son ample exposure to
television and radio programs, the boy did not acquire an ability to speak or understand English. What he did learn very effectively, by the age of three, was the use of
American Sign Language, that is, the language he used to interact with his parents. A
crucial requirement appears to be the opportunity to interact with others via language.
Language acquisition has always fascinated educators and researchers alike. From the seamless way toddlers pick up their mother tongue to the struggles many adults face while learning a second language, the quest to understand this process better is ongoing. This article delves into the concept of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), exploring its implications for language teaching, the history of its study, and the potential paths forward for educators. The Two Types of Language Acquisition Language acquisition can be broadly categorized into two types: first language acquisition (L1) and second language acquisition (L2). Children naturally acquire their first language through exposure and interaction, seemingly effortlessly mastering complex linguistic structures by the age of five. In stark contrast, teenagers and adults often struggle with acquiring a second language, despite extensive formal education and various learning methodologies. This discrepancy raises critical ques...
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