What I learnt was that theories of first language acquisition.

This acquisition
process starts wtih babbling and continues with telegraphic utterances etc.
Children can comprehend an incredible quantity of linguistic input and at school
age children also learn social functions of their language. Behavioristic
approaches focus on observable data. They claim that we don’t know what is
going on in mind. They are not able to explain abstract things. In an attempt to
explain abstract things the mediation theory has appeared. However there are
many questions which are unanswered. Jenkins and Palermo claim that children
may acquire frames of a linear pattern of sentence elements. The nativist
approach claims that we are born with a genetic capaticy that predisposes us to
a systematic perception of language around us. According to chomskyan
disciples we have innate knowledge that is LAD. It is the ability to distinguish
speech sounds from other sounds, to organize linguistic data into various classes
etc. More recent researches in the nativist tradition is about the universal
grammar. It claims that regardless of their enviromental stimuli all children bring
to the language. For example all children can maket he same mistakes etc. Jean
berko demonstrates that children learn language not as a series of discrete
items but as an integrated system. There is also a term pivot grammars which
refer to the early grammars of child. The child’s first two word utterances seemed
to manifest two seperate word classes. These utterances are not simply thrown
at random. In functional approaces , language is not only the forms which govern
them. There are also functions which are meaningful, interactive purposes within
a social context.In lois bloom’s research for example in the utterance momy sock
she found at least three possible underlying relations :agent-action, agent-object
and possessor-possesed. She concluded that children learn underlying structures.

What I had difficulty in figuring out was nothing. I am able to understand the
theories of first language acquisition.

I suppose Ineed to focus more on nativist approach because I think in this way so
I should learn the basis of the theory.

I believe I may use these informations in my teaching .For example children learn
language not as a series of discrete items but as an integrated system so I should
teach in a holistic way to young learners. Children don’t interested şn forms so I
shouldn’t go over with grammar. I should do activities which include games
,songs because children love repetition and imitating etc.