Being in the university demands learning. Therefore, we must be really conscious of the majority of the processes that occur in our brain while learning. By knowing all the processes within learning, we will become more effective and better learners. We need to know what happens inside us whenever we learn something because it will help us notice when we are failing, and even better, it will help us decide what to do about it. Strategies, skill development, met cognitive skills are all possible if we reflect upon our learning. Otherwise, we will not be effective, conscious, critical and good learners. Throughout Applied Linguistics and other classes such as Ciclo Vital, we have been encouraged to get to know ourselves and realize how we learn. Thus, an attempt to know the processes within my own learning process will be made in this essay. Also, we will discuss other topics that are relevant in the learning of a foreign language such as useful strategies, language ego and identity issues, facilitative and debilitative anxiety and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Useful Strategies in Language Acquisition
“Strategies are specific methods of approaching a problem or task, modes of operation for achieving a particular end, planned designs for controlling and manipulating certain information” (Brown 113, 2000). Firstly, I do not know if I can talk about strategies when I think about my foreign language acquisition because many times I do not realize what strategies I am using; although, I am able to notice when I am doing something that it is not working. Not knowing what strategies I use is mainly because of my “knacks”, these strange occasions when something just sounds right; although, you do not know why or how to explain, for language. But, looking back at the readings, I can say what strategies I have found useful in my process of learning English. First, I am responsible for my own learning; therefore, whenever a problem occurs, I do not blame my teachers or other learning conditions, but I reflect upon what I might have done wrong. Second, I have made opportunities to practice my language both inside and outside the class. In these three years studying I have known almost 20 American students to whom I have spoken to in English. Third, I self evaluate all the time. Grades cannot always show your progress, so you need to keep record of how much you have learnt and how have you done it. However, you need to be extremely critical and objective because otherwise you will evaluate yourself inappropriately. Lately, I have realized that I ask too many questions, but this is actually a strategy I use to learn more. So, I use the strategy of question for clarification. Whenever I am not so sure of what the teacher is saying or whenever I disagree with him/her, I need to be persuaded and convinced that what they are saying is right. For that, they need to provide strong arguments. If I am not convinced, I look it up on the Internet or ask another teacher. Taking charge of my own learning, practicing inside and outside the classroom, self-evaluation and asking for clarification are strategies I use, and they are really useful when you want to learn anything. If I say anything is because I do not only use them when learning English, but I use them in every class I have.
Language ego and identity issues
Another important topic seen in our classes that called my attention greatly was language ego and second identity issues. One reason why I like this topic so much is because it happens to me. I am a totally different person when I speak in English. Could this be dangerous? I do not think so, but as everything in life, it has advantages and disadvantages. According to Brown, “As human beings learn to use a second language, they also develop a new mode of thinking, feeling, and acting—a second identity. The new language ego, intertwined with the second language, can easily create within the learner a sense of fragility, defensiveness, and a raising of inhibitions” (61, 2001). However, it is important to say that the just mentioned extract refers to the second identity and language ego of people that feel or are weak in the command of the language. As I feel really confident with my English level, the opposite happens regarding my language ego. I feel confident and less inhibited because I believe that I communicate so much better in English. But, this can definitely become a disadvantage because in my reality I am a Chilean girl, my parents speak Spanish; thus, I need to learn to communicate in my first language. Both language ego and second identity are unavoidable because while acquiring the second or foreign language, you are learning a new set of functions, a new culture, styles, and so on. As Ogden states, “Broadly speaking, individuality has its roots in psychological dispositions, both inherited and acquired” (349), we acquire a second identity along our language acquisition. It is necessary for us to use these positively and not to let them impede our language learning process.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
“Motivation is one of the most important factors in your success in English. Motivation means having a real purpose in learning English, or really wanting to learn English for a reason” (Brown 17, 2002). However, there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. According to Baquero and Limon, the intrinsically motivated conduct is the one made only for the interest and pleasure of making it; the extrinsic motivation is the one that leads the individual to making certain conduct in order to satisfy other motives which are not the activity or conduct itself[1] (114). Which is better? I would say that intrinsic motivation is much better for the person than extrinsic motivation because it involves one’s own desires. In my language learning, I have been both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated, especially in the case of grades. But, although I try to have good grades, this is only because I want to have opportunities latter in life that are only possible if I have good grades.
As teachers we can use extrinsic motivation, but we should not overuse it because it loses its power. Therefore, we must try to encourage and motivate our students intrinsically. In addition, we will not always have something to be given in exchange for doing an activity or behaving in a certain way. Many times, we have to do things without receiving anything back, so extrinsic motivation is not useful for life. We have to bring pleasure back to teaching and learning, so that every student feels motivated not because of grades, awards, or prizes, but because he/she really wants to learn.
Facilitative and debilitative anxiety
“Anxiety means that you are afraid of making mistakes because you feel your teacher will think you are stupid or your classmates will laugh at you” (Brown 26, 2002). As well as motivation, there are two types of anxiety: facilitative and debilitative. Facilitative anxiety is the one that allows people become more aware and do different things. In other words, it does not inhibit students and lets them take risks. Debilitative anxiety is the anxiety that makes people feel weak regarding their performance and inhibits students when risking. The previous quote describes this type of anxiety. Yet, another distinction must be made concerning anxiety: trait anxiety and state anxiety. Trait anxiety is always present in some people, and it is a predisposition to be anxious. State anxiety, is the one present in specific and momentary events.
Facilitative anxiety has been a key in my language learning process because it allows me to be more alert than usual in my classes. Furthermore, this facilitative anxiety is very like state anxiety because I do not consider myself as being predisposed to be anxious. Therefore, being stately anxious allows me to take risks, make guesses and make mistakes. Thus, I can become an active learner inside my classroom.
As well as any other aspect, we must make anxiety work for us and empower our learning experience. In some time from now, we must help our students accomplish the complex work of making anxiety work for them.
Throughout this paper, different aspects of any learning process such as useful strategies, language ego and second identity, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and facilitative and debilitative anxiety have been named, described and related to my own learning process. The extremely complex task of acquiring a target language involves these aspects and many others that are as relevant as the mentioned above. Being students, we must know how to understand these aspects. Being teachers, it is our job to encourage and help our students in this great task. Therefore, we need to know and understand every theory, concept and aspect to be considered in the task of acquiring a foreign language, so that we help our students. This applied linguistics course has been really helpful to learn about language acquisition.
[1] Translated by myself
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario