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Discussion - Learning Theories

1) The author's ASL teachers taught using behaviorism which emphasized copying, practicing, and feedback on success. However, the students struggled to have natural conversations. 2) The author replaced the curriculum with Signing Naturally which focuses on immersing students in using the language through meaningful interaction. Students progressed more quickly. 3) Theories like the interaction hypothesis and comprehensible input hypothesis were proven as students improved through social interaction with Deaf community members without direct instruction.

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166 views3 pages

Discussion - Learning Theories

1) The author's ASL teachers taught using behaviorism which emphasized copying, practicing, and feedback on success. However, the students struggled to have natural conversations. 2) The author replaced the curriculum with Signing Naturally which focuses on immersing students in using the language through meaningful interaction. Students progressed more quickly. 3) Theories like the interaction hypothesis and comprehensible input hypothesis were proven as students improved through social interaction with Deaf community members without direct instruction.

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1

Learning Theories
Linda Bond

One size does not fit all


Dr. Greta Knigga-Daugherty quoted, You will teach as you were taught. My Interpreter
Training Programs ASL teachers were taught during the 70s when behaviorism had a
stronghold in the area of second and foreign language teaching. As a result, they taught me the
way they were taught. I copied. I practiced. I got feedback on my success.
My teachers used A Basic Course in American Sign Language (the ABC book) to teach me, and
I, in turn, used it to teach my students. I love the book for teaching grammar and syntax
(especially to interpreters), but it isnt conducive for quickly learning conversational skills like
the Signing Naturally series is.
In theatre it is often stated, You will perform as you rehearse, so one had better rehearse
correctly! Similarly, in the role of practice, DeKeyser believed that practice is only effective if
one practices the behavior that one wishes to learn. Although my students were careful to
follow the ABC textbooks sentence and dialogue practice examples, they were unable to
comfortably produce the language in a conversational atmosphere when interacting with native
language users. They were too concerned about following the grammar rules to successfully
engage in dialogue. Those who threw caution to the wind, however, got along just fine and even
improved.
I replaced the curriculum to the then newly-released Signing Naturally textbook and everything
changed. I transitioned from the grammar-translation method, a structure-based approach that
emphasized learning rules or memorizing dialogues, to communicative language teaching
--immersing students in the use of the language, focusing on meaningful interaction.
Students progressed quickly as they were exposed to native signers both in the classroom (I
invited numerous presenters to my class) and out of the classroom (I strongly encouraged Deaf
event attendance and I set up opportunities for students to interact with the community in a
relaxed, conversational atmosphere).
Attendance at events and interaction with the Deaf community saw Krashens comprehensible
input hypothesis in action while students grew exponentially without direct instruction. Too,
Vygotskis theory that cognitive development, including language development arises, as a
result of social interaction was proven again and again as students socially interacted with each
other and with Deaf community members resulting in an increase in their ASL skills.
Ortegas three principles for practice are right on target. (Cognitive-interactionist perspective)
1. Practice should be interactive. The Signing Naturally curriculum made way for the
students to quickly, if not comfortably, interact with each other and with Deaf community
members. The focus was not on grammar rules, but on conversation skills.

2. Practice should be meaningful. Instead of memorized ABC textbook dialogues that


meant nothing to the students, they were now having meaningful conversations with each
other and with Deaf community members. My attendance at events allowed for a ZPD
environment in which students could either seek assistance or perform on their own.
3. There should be a focus on task-essential forms. Unsure of what this meant, I turned to
Ortega (2007). Essentially, a teacher must be careful to choose linguistic tasks that will
use the grammar forms that s/he is trying to teach the students at the time.
The interaction hypothesis seems to undergird the Signing Naturally curriculum. Supporters
argue that conversational interaction is an essential, if not sufficient, condition for second
language acquisition. While I agree with this on one level conversational interaction is,
indeed, essential I do not believe it is sufficient for understanding the language. As Dr. MJ
Bienvenu stated in her Revolution at Work: ASL Curriculum Revisited 2007 commentary,
Deaf students raised in Deaf homes and who converse fluently in ASL could not discuss the
language on a metacognitive level. Obviously, conversational skills are not enough.
Conversational ASL, as taught in the Signing Naturally series, is not, in my opinion, enough.
Although students can converse using their new-found abilities, they dont really know grammar
and syntax. If chatting with Deaf community members in order to pass an ASL class is all that is
desired (instrumentally motivated), then the Signing Naturally series is sufficient. But for
interpreters (who desire automaticity), aspiring teachers (integratively motivated people) or
people who desire to understand the language, additional study is required. The ABC book, in
my opinion, fits the bill nicely, at least at a beginner-intermediate level.
Dr. Greta Knigga-Daugherty quoted, You will teach as you were taught. While I believe this is
true, one can, and perhaps should, choose to change.

I taught as I was taught (from the behaviorism theory)


I chose to change, and taught a different way (social interaction, interaction hypothesis
and comprehensible input)
By examining these theories and through the advantage of experience, I have now
evolved in my beliefs and practices and will include both the Signing Naturally and ABC
(or something like it) curriculum. I have adopted Longs revised interaction hypothesis
because noticing, corrective feedback and negotiation for meaning are emphasized. I
am also comfortable with Swains comprehensible output hypothesis because learners
must communicate in such a way as to be understood. When they realize their
limitations, they may be driven to develop a better understanding of the language. I will
also employ social interaction, interaction hypothesis, cognitive-interactionist and
comprehensible input in my teaching methods. Im glad I dont have to choose just one.
One size does not fit all.

Quotes taken from How Languages are Learned by Lightbown and Spada unless otherwise
noted.

3
References:
Humphries, T., Padden, C., & ORourke, T. J. (1980). A basic course in American sign language.
Silver Spring, MD: TJ publishers.
Lentz, E. M., Mikos, K., & Smith, C. (1992). Signing naturally: Teacher's curriculum guide,
Level 2. San Diego, CA: DawnSignPress.
Ortega, L. (2007). Meaningful L2 practice in foreign language classrooms: A cognitiveInteractionist SLA perspective. In R. DeKeyser, Practice in a second language:
Perspectives from applied linguistics and cognitive psychology (180-207). Cambridge,
United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

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