UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

CEAD BOGOT
GROUP 551018_26
HYLDE ANDREA RAMIREZ TORRES
FIRST AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Definitions of learning and teaching

According with the material Ive read about SLA included in the bibliography. I believe I can define
these two concepts as follows:
Learning is a way of getting the language naturally or artificially. If I refer to natural learning, I
mean that there is not a systematic way of acquiring the knowledge of the language. Language is
acquired by the learner by experience and the instruction of it is developed through the contact
with the environment in which the language is being used. On the other hand, if it is learned
artificially, it is necessary to have a formal instruction, probably in a classroom. It also involves the
understanding of the rules implicit or explicit, through a systematic work.
Teaching usually refers to the instruction given by a person, which in general, has the knowledge.
This person (the teacher) guides the learner systematically in order the student to learn and
acquire the knowledge provided by the teacher.

Vygotskys Constructivism Theory

According with the material read, the theory of constructivism was first proposed by Piaget and
Vygotsky, but not together. These authors started studying the idea of integrating linguistic,
psychological, and sociological paradigms in order to construct meaning for every interaction that
the individual could have with the world.
However the theory that concerns me is basically the one proposed by Vygotsky. It focuses in the
social construction of knowledge, where cognitive and emotional images of reality prepare the
learner to reconstruct what he or she already knows. Moreover, if the theory is applied into the
classroom, the interaction among groups makes the learner have a meaningful relationship with
what he or she is learning. So, the construction of meaning is fostered by the teacher and the
mates. It is also necessary to have appropriate stimuli to construct knowledge correctly.
Vygotsky also talks about the ZPD Zone of Proximal Development. It is the interaction in which
social and cultural aspects to learn the language appear. If it is used in the classroom, the student
can have a meaningful learning, in our case of the language.

In my own practice as a teacher I have tried to create environments that recreate real ones, where
students feel as if they were in the real context, for example activities like sketches with the
clothing and set design. It has involved the students in the topics and they use language better
than in a traditional class.
I think it is important to use these types of theories as part of our learning and of course when we
have to teach. It provides a better learning of every area we need to learn.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BROWN H. Douglas, Principles of Language Learning and teaching. Pearson Longman. 2007.
Chapters 1 and 2.
http://constructivismo.webnode.es/autores-importantes/lev-vigotsky/
http://www.proglocode.unam.mx/system/files/TEORIA%20DEL%20CONSTRUCTIVISMO%20SOCIAL
%20DE%20LEV%20VYGOTSKY%20EN%20COMPARACI%C3%93N%20CON%20LA%20TEORIA%20JEA
N%20PIAGET.pdf