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Abstract:Opening English course in primary schools arouses some doubt about it. This paper will discuss the aspects of the primary school students’ lower efficiency, the poor pronunciation of primary English teachers’ and the misconception of the critical period hypothesis which will justify it is not feasible for the overall provision of English course in primary schools in china.
Key words:rate and success of SLAcritical period hypothesisprimary English teaching
1.Introduction
Since the Curriculum Reform started and the new Syllabus Standard was implemented in the year 2001, English course has been opened from the third grade in primary schools. In recent years, English education has started even in the first grade in Shanghai, Beijing and other developed regions as well as some private primary schools in medium-sized city, and English Education in China has an increasingly clear trend of early beginning at younger age. However, Primary English Teaching in China is still a new attempt, consequently involving a number of controversial issueswhether it is feasible to open English course on a full scale in primary school in china. Basing on second Language acquisition theory, this paper plans to analyze the issue from the perspective of rate and success of SLA, as well as critical period hypothesis.
2.Rate of SLA
2.1Ellis’theory about rate
According to Ellis (1985), there turns out to be a strong relationship between age and rate of SLA. It is evidently manifested that if learners at different ages are given the equal exposure to L2, older learners attain higher level of competence. That is to say, when rate is concerned, older learners perform better.
2.2 Lower efficiency of pupil’s
Compared with children, adolescents have greater intelligence and stronger ability of memory, while the adults have a strong motivation to learn and learning persistence, which are necessary for foreign language learning. A large number of studies have shown that, except the accent, the children enjoy no much advantage in foreign language learning, compared with adolescents and adults. Therefore, it is unnecessary for pupils to learn English at younger age.
3.Success of SLA
3.1 Theory about age
Ellis (1985) held that success in SLA also appeared to be influenced by the age when SLA was commenced. It is particularly true when it relates to pronunciation. Oyama(1976) studied 60 male Italian immigrants who entered to the United States at the ages ranging from six to 20. She examined the degree of American accent and proficiency in English listening and concluded that age is an important factor to achieve native-like accent, the youngest arrivals performed a better accent than the older did.
3.2 Current situation in China
At present, qualified English teachers in primary school are in short supply in the broad areas of the country. There exists unbalanced development of English language teaching in different regions and a lack of professional evaluation of teaching quality, as well as a lack of education institutions and official standards for primary English teachers. Therefore, some teachers engaging in other course teaching are diverted to primary English teaching so as to compensate for lack of primary school English teachers, the vast majority of who are not majored in English. Then the current situation is that many primary English teachers are transferred teachers not qualified for primary English teaching, which is mainly reflected in their inaccurate pronunciation and intonation, as well as poor spoken English.
3.3 The negative effect of teachers’ on students
Primary English learning is at the initial stage of learning English, if students fail, it will affect the future learning during the whole life. Therefore, the qualified teachers for primary school English teaching is particularly important. But in reality, the poor pronunciation of teachers will only provide an inadequate model for the students to imitate. Consequently, the younger learner’s advantage in pronunciation will in return become a negative factor that influences their success in SLA. In view of the current qualification of primary English teachers, it is not feasible carry out full provision of English course in primary schools in china.4.Misconception of critical period hypothesis
4.1 Critical period hypothesis
The critical period hypothesis is the subject of a long-standing debate in linguistics and language acquisition over the extent to which the ability to acquire language is biologically linked to age. The critical period hypothesis states that the first few years of life is the crucial time in which an individual can acquire language if presented with adequate stimuli. If language input doesn't occur until after this time, the individual will never achieve a full command of language. This theory is widely taken as the theory basis of the conception that English learning should begin at younger age, that is "younger = better ".
4.2Second language acquisition and foreign language acquisition
Ellis (1985) presented two conceptions: second language acquisition and foreign language acquisition. He stated SLA was not intended to contrast with foreign language acquisition, and was a general term, including untutored (or naturalistic) acquisition and tutored (or classroom) acquisition. However it brought up a question whether language acquisition proceeded in the same way in the different situations, thus arousing another distinction: acquisition and learning
4.3 Acquisition and learning
Acquisition-learning distinction is the most widely known among linguists and language practitioners. According to Ellis (1985), acquisition refers to a subconscious process of which the individual is not aware, on the other hand learning is a conscious process. In acquisition process, one is unaware of it as it is happening and when the new knowledge is acquired, the acquirer generally does not realize that he or she possesses any new knowledge. This process is similar to the process that children undergo when learning their native language. Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language- natural communication - during which the acquirer is focused on meaning rather than form, while learning is much like what one experiences in school. New knowledge or language forms are represented consciously in the learner's mind, frequently in the form of language "rules" and "grammar". Language learning often involves formal instruction.
4.4Invalidity of critical period hypothesis
The critical period mainly refers to the acquisition in terms of mother tongue, and it is still an unproven hypothesis. The evidence for such a period is limited, and support stems largely from theoretical arguments and analogies to other critical periods in biology such as visual development, but nonetheless is widely accepted. Therefore, the theory has been over extended to SLA and it is not necessarily valid for second language acquisition.
Besides, at present, China's English language teaching and learning environment can not be comparable with the language environment of mother-tongue acquisition. It is a kind of unnatural teaching and learning which has a big gap with actual language communication means. It is the result of direct instruction in the rules of language but not communicative, and it certainly is not an age-appropriate activity foryoung learners. Actually, for the pupils, primary English education in China is a way of learning but not acquisition. From this sense, there exists a misconception between acquisition and learning, therefore the theory is also not suitable for the situation in China.
5.Conclusion
As is stated above, the provision of English course in primary schools in china is inappropriate, since pupils’ lower rate in SLA, the negative effects of the teachers’ pronunciation and the misconception of critical period hypothesis testify that it is not feasible in china. Therefore, this issue will arouse deep thinking about improving the English teachers’ quality and the way of primary English education in china which should follow the way of acquisition but not learning.
Reference:
[1]Ellis Rod.Understanding Second Language Acquisition[M]London： Oxford University Press.1985
[2]Ellis Rod.The Study of Second Language Acquisition[M] Shanghai Foreign Education Publishing House.1999
[3]Krashen.S.Lateralization, language learning and the critical period: some new evidence.1973
[4]Krashen.S.Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use .Portsmouth: Heinemann,2003
[5]Oyama.S.Asensitive period in the acquisition of a non-native phonological system.1976
[6]劉润清，胡壮麟，《第二语言习得研究》「M] 北京：北京外语教学与研究出版社1999
[7]束定芳，庄智象，《现代外语教学:理论，实践与方法》 [M].上海:上海外语教育出版社1996
作者简介：袁继红：（女，1977-），四川泸州人，硕士，讲师，主要研究方向：英语语言学, 大学英语语言教学肖莉（女，1976-），四川泸州人，硕士，助教，主要研究方向：英语语言学。
Key words:rate and success of SLAcritical period hypothesisprimary English teaching
1.Introduction
Since the Curriculum Reform started and the new Syllabus Standard was implemented in the year 2001, English course has been opened from the third grade in primary schools. In recent years, English education has started even in the first grade in Shanghai, Beijing and other developed regions as well as some private primary schools in medium-sized city, and English Education in China has an increasingly clear trend of early beginning at younger age. However, Primary English Teaching in China is still a new attempt, consequently involving a number of controversial issueswhether it is feasible to open English course on a full scale in primary school in china. Basing on second Language acquisition theory, this paper plans to analyze the issue from the perspective of rate and success of SLA, as well as critical period hypothesis.
2.Rate of SLA
2.1Ellis’theory about rate
According to Ellis (1985), there turns out to be a strong relationship between age and rate of SLA. It is evidently manifested that if learners at different ages are given the equal exposure to L2, older learners attain higher level of competence. That is to say, when rate is concerned, older learners perform better.
2.2 Lower efficiency of pupil’s
Compared with children, adolescents have greater intelligence and stronger ability of memory, while the adults have a strong motivation to learn and learning persistence, which are necessary for foreign language learning. A large number of studies have shown that, except the accent, the children enjoy no much advantage in foreign language learning, compared with adolescents and adults. Therefore, it is unnecessary for pupils to learn English at younger age.
3.Success of SLA
3.1 Theory about age
Ellis (1985) held that success in SLA also appeared to be influenced by the age when SLA was commenced. It is particularly true when it relates to pronunciation. Oyama(1976) studied 60 male Italian immigrants who entered to the United States at the ages ranging from six to 20. She examined the degree of American accent and proficiency in English listening and concluded that age is an important factor to achieve native-like accent, the youngest arrivals performed a better accent than the older did.
3.2 Current situation in China
At present, qualified English teachers in primary school are in short supply in the broad areas of the country. There exists unbalanced development of English language teaching in different regions and a lack of professional evaluation of teaching quality, as well as a lack of education institutions and official standards for primary English teachers. Therefore, some teachers engaging in other course teaching are diverted to primary English teaching so as to compensate for lack of primary school English teachers, the vast majority of who are not majored in English. Then the current situation is that many primary English teachers are transferred teachers not qualified for primary English teaching, which is mainly reflected in their inaccurate pronunciation and intonation, as well as poor spoken English.
3.3 The negative effect of teachers’ on students
Primary English learning is at the initial stage of learning English, if students fail, it will affect the future learning during the whole life. Therefore, the qualified teachers for primary school English teaching is particularly important. But in reality, the poor pronunciation of teachers will only provide an inadequate model for the students to imitate. Consequently, the younger learner’s advantage in pronunciation will in return become a negative factor that influences their success in SLA. In view of the current qualification of primary English teachers, it is not feasible carry out full provision of English course in primary schools in china.4.Misconception of critical period hypothesis
4.1 Critical period hypothesis
The critical period hypothesis is the subject of a long-standing debate in linguistics and language acquisition over the extent to which the ability to acquire language is biologically linked to age. The critical period hypothesis states that the first few years of life is the crucial time in which an individual can acquire language if presented with adequate stimuli. If language input doesn't occur until after this time, the individual will never achieve a full command of language. This theory is widely taken as the theory basis of the conception that English learning should begin at younger age, that is "younger = better ".
4.2Second language acquisition and foreign language acquisition
Ellis (1985) presented two conceptions: second language acquisition and foreign language acquisition. He stated SLA was not intended to contrast with foreign language acquisition, and was a general term, including untutored (or naturalistic) acquisition and tutored (or classroom) acquisition. However it brought up a question whether language acquisition proceeded in the same way in the different situations, thus arousing another distinction: acquisition and learning
4.3 Acquisition and learning
Acquisition-learning distinction is the most widely known among linguists and language practitioners. According to Ellis (1985), acquisition refers to a subconscious process of which the individual is not aware, on the other hand learning is a conscious process. In acquisition process, one is unaware of it as it is happening and when the new knowledge is acquired, the acquirer generally does not realize that he or she possesses any new knowledge. This process is similar to the process that children undergo when learning their native language. Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language- natural communication - during which the acquirer is focused on meaning rather than form, while learning is much like what one experiences in school. New knowledge or language forms are represented consciously in the learner's mind, frequently in the form of language "rules" and "grammar". Language learning often involves formal instruction.
4.4Invalidity of critical period hypothesis
The critical period mainly refers to the acquisition in terms of mother tongue, and it is still an unproven hypothesis. The evidence for such a period is limited, and support stems largely from theoretical arguments and analogies to other critical periods in biology such as visual development, but nonetheless is widely accepted. Therefore, the theory has been over extended to SLA and it is not necessarily valid for second language acquisition.
Besides, at present, China's English language teaching and learning environment can not be comparable with the language environment of mother-tongue acquisition. It is a kind of unnatural teaching and learning which has a big gap with actual language communication means. It is the result of direct instruction in the rules of language but not communicative, and it certainly is not an age-appropriate activity foryoung learners. Actually, for the pupils, primary English education in China is a way of learning but not acquisition. From this sense, there exists a misconception between acquisition and learning, therefore the theory is also not suitable for the situation in China.
5.Conclusion
As is stated above, the provision of English course in primary schools in china is inappropriate, since pupils’ lower rate in SLA, the negative effects of the teachers’ pronunciation and the misconception of critical period hypothesis testify that it is not feasible in china. Therefore, this issue will arouse deep thinking about improving the English teachers’ quality and the way of primary English education in china which should follow the way of acquisition but not learning.
Reference:
[1]Ellis Rod.Understanding Second Language Acquisition[M]London： Oxford University Press.1985
[2]Ellis Rod.The Study of Second Language Acquisition[M] Shanghai Foreign Education Publishing House.1999
[3]Krashen.S.Lateralization, language learning and the critical period: some new evidence.1973
[4]Krashen.S.Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use .Portsmouth: Heinemann,2003
[5]Oyama.S.Asensitive period in the acquisition of a non-native phonological system.1976
[6]劉润清，胡壮麟，《第二语言习得研究》「M] 北京：北京外语教学与研究出版社1999
[7]束定芳，庄智象，《现代外语教学:理论，实践与方法》 [M].上海:上海外语教育出版社1996
作者简介：袁继红：（女，1977-），四川泸州人，硕士，讲师，主要研究方向：英语语言学, 大学英语语言教学肖莉（女，1976-），四川泸州人，硕士，助教，主要研究方向：英语语言学。