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Children learn their first language through stimulus, response or presumed imitation, association and reinforcement. In the behaviorist theory, parental modeling and reinforcement are very important in helping a child with their language acquisition. Behaviorist put a lot of emphasis on children imitating what they hear.

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"Behaviorists assumed that the child’s mind was a tabula rasa, a blank slate awaiting the scripture of experience" (Peregoy & Boyle, 61).

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The video below

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ytCropper | Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition

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There is a difference between acquiring and learning a second language. When you acquire a language it is a "natural process that occurs when the target language is used in meaningful interactions with native speakers" (Peregoy & Boyle, 66). Learning a language is the conscious study in a formal way, such as in a classroom, of that language. Krashen said that learning cannot turn into language acquisition.

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In order to acquire a second language (though the development of an internal editor and monitor), there are 3 conditions: sufficient time, the focus on grammatical form and the knowledge of the rules (Peregoy & Boyle, 66). However, Krashen mentions that knowing the rules will only help refine the children's language; therefore, "the focus of language teaching should be communication" (Peregoy & Boyle, 66).

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Language learners acquire the rules of a language in a predictable sequence. Usually they acquire morphemes (grammatical features) early and other features get acquired later on (Peregoy & Boyle, 66).

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Second language acquisition in children is the result of learners understanding the language in natural communicative situations. There are 3 constraints of the comprehensible input: 1. the input must be understandable; 2. it has to contain grammatical structures beyond what the acquirer currently knows (i+1); and 3. the input has to be part of a naturally flowing language that is used for purposeful communication (Peregoy & Boyle, 67).

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Being in a low-anxiety environment, having self-motivation to learn the language and having self-confidence, as well as self-esteem, will favor the acquisition of a second language. Language teaching practices should all focus on communication (not grammatical form), allow students a silent period and create a low-anxiety environment in order to help them acquire a second language (Peregoy & Boyle, 67).

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Children can only acquire language acquisition by an innate, biological language acquisition device (LAD) and by hypothesis testing. When children are born, they have a grammar template that allows them to select the grammatical rules of the language they hear.

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"...children create sentences by using rules rather than by merely repeating messages they have heard, as assumed by behaviorists" (Peregoy & Boyle, 61).

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ytCropper | Noam Chomsky on Language Aquisition

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The role of a child's social environment, with the influence of parents and caregivers, help them with their language acquisition. The process of this acquisition involves the communication between a child and their caregiver (parents) where the caregiver scaffolds a conversation they have with the child.

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"...caregivers generally facilitate children’s vocabulary development, their ability to use language appropriately in social situations, and their ability to get things done through language" (Peregoy & Boyle, 63).
"Children are constantly constructing meaning as they interact with people and the world around them, and through these interactions, they gradually sort out the nuances and multiple meanings of words and phrases" (Peregoy & Boyle, 63).

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ytCropper | Theories of language development: Nativist, learning, interactionist | MCAT | Khan Academy

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The behaviorist perspective was centered around rigorous teachings in order to acquire a second language. One method that was used is called the Audiolingual Method. This method expects students to memorize dialogues, complete practice drills and be able to speak, read and write these new dialogues. Students can either receive positive reinforcements (when they pronounce things correctly) or they can receive negative reinforcements (when they do not pronounce things correctly).

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"For behaviorists, the processes involved in second or foreign language learning consisted of imitation, repetition, and reinforcement of grammatical structures. Errors were to be corrected immediately to avoid forming bad habits that would be difficult to overcome later" (Peregoy & Boyle,  65).

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ytCropper | Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition

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The innatist perspective helped create the Creative Construction Theory. This theory states that English language learners creatively construct rules of a second language similar to how they do it when they are acquiring their first language.

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"Based on these results [a study of Spanish-speaking and Chinese-speaking children who were learning English in school], the authors proposed that English language learners creatively construct the rules of the second language in a manner similar to that observed in first language acquisition" (Peregoy & Boyle, 65).

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The idea of give and take in a conversation with a native or non-native person is an important element of the process of language acquisition. This give and take or trail and error process is referred to the negotiation of meaning. Basically, if you are talking with someone and you are confused then you will ask, then the listener may paraphrase or use cues to convey meaning in order to help you understand.

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"A second language learner’s output facilitates acquisition in at least two ways. First, it can serve to elicit requests for clarification, thus requiring repetition or paraphrasing that is more understandable... as learners speak or write in the new language, they have to actively select the grammar, vocabulary, and linguistic style that will best express their ideas. As a result, producing output requires them to process the language more deeply than they do for comprehension" (Peregoy & Boyle, 68).