Language acquisition and language learning: the linguistic background of language development

1. Language acquisition and language learning: the linguistic background of language development Marina Tzakosta LaDivacoordinator University of Crete Dept. of Preschool Education, Faculty of Education

2. What is language? • A system of communication

3. What is a system (of communication)? • A network of ‘things’ governed by rules and principles Human languages Animal languages productivity systematicity

4. Language levels – grammatical levels • Pragmatics (meaning & implicatures) • Semantics (words, sentences, texts) • Syntax (sentences, phrases) • Morphology (inflection, derivation, compounding – language typology) • phonology (segments, syllables, stress, intonation, focus)

5. How is language developed? • Network of factors determining language development/ acquisition/ learning Environment nature imitation predisposition Behaviors models of development Generative models of development

6. Crucial terminology • Language development • Acquisition • learning

7. Crucial terminology: the critical period hypothesis • Age plays a crucial role in development/ maturation • ≥ 7 years of age (Lenneberg 1967)

8. Crucial terminology

9. Crucial terminology

10. Factors influencing second language learning • Language-internal • language typology, relation to the mother tongue • Perception/ comprehension • Proficiency level • Order in language learning

11. Factors influencing second language learning • Language - external • Motives • Social context/ civilization • Teaching methods • Perception/ comprehension

12. Crucial terminology Second language vs. foreign language Learning in natural environments Learning in artificial environments

13. Second/ foreign languages • Preschool education • Primary school education Age Teaching/ learning techniques

14. LaDiVa: objectives • To investigate how language develops in the speech of preschool and early primary school pupils in multilingual and multicultural environments, these environments being the countries of the participating institutions and • To design, produce and apply original teaching material in true class settings

15. LaDiVa: objectives • Given that students come from different countries (Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey with different backgrounds in • educational systems, • language learning and • language teaching additional objectives

16. LaDiVa: objectives & great expectations • the participating institutions will keep on exchanging ideas on teaching methods and new projects

17. LaDiVa: objectives & great expectations • develop a strong multidisciplinary approach given the multidisciplinary orientation of the participating institutions • add to our knowledge of how different linguistic systems are learned under various social and cultural conditions by populations differing in their level of education and their age • A long-term outcome of the project is students’ training on how language can be taught in entrepreneurial intensive environments

18. What we expect you to do • Interact, interact, interact! • Work together & learn form each other • Look for special features of your languages • Look for special features of your culture • Look for special features of the languages and cultures of your co-workers and compare • Exploit your environment • Produce teaching material

19. What we hope you get • Provide you with all the necessary equipment (cultural, scientific etc.) • Facilitate your work by any (rational) means required

20. Let’s start!