Language learning theories by Ana Fernández Guerra

Behaviourism

2026-02-02 08:45:09 UTC

It is based on Pavlov's theory about human behaviour and habit formation. It explains how imitation and repetition helps language acquisition. Also, correcting mistakes is important in order to avoid bad habits

Behaviorism

2026-02-02 08:49:06 UTC

Behaviorism (say what I say): This theory claims that children come to this word with a tabula rasa (blank slate) and no preconceived notions of language, therefore everything is learned through the environment around through reinforcement.

Behaviourism

2026-02-02 08:52:31 UTC

Behaviourism is based on habit formation through repetition and reinforcement. Moreover, corrective feedback avoids bad habits.

PD: Ana Tarzan Pérez also contributed to the different theories, apart from this.

Behaviourism

2026-02-02 08:52:42 UTC

It views language learning as a physical process of habit formation through stimuli, responses, and reinforcement, rather than a mental one. It involves breaking language into small units, sequencing them from simple to complex, and using extensive drilling to minimise errors.

Behaviourism adria centelles and adelin

al435212 — 2026-02-02 08:53:30 UTC

The behaviorist theory believes that language is acquired through imitation, rewards, and practice from human role models. Alongside with reinforcement to adopt what is good and reject mistakes

Cognitive Process

2026-02-02 08:54:13 UTC

Cognitive theories view the mind as an active processor, similiar to a computer, that takes in input and produces output.

Learning as a cognitive process

2026-02-02 08:55:31 UTC

Language learning is a mental process. The learner is considered an explorer who actively builds their understanding of the language from exposure and experience.

Behaviourism

2026-02-02 08:56:14 UTC

Behaviourism sees language learning as the formation of habits through repetition and practice. Learning happens when a learner responds to a stimulus and receives reinforcement, especially positive feedback for correct answers. Errors are considered bad habits and should be avoided, so teaching focuses on imitation, drills, and controlled practice.

Learning as a cognitive process

2026-02-02 08:57:23 UTC

Learning is viewed as an internal mental process in which the learner actively constructs knowledge through memory, reasoning, and information processing, rather than merely imitating external behaviours.

Skill-Based Learning

2026-02-02 08:57:44 UTC

Language is acquired as a complex skill that moves from controlled processing to automatic processing through practice and feedback

Social process

2026-02-02 08:57:54 UTC

In the 1990s, the process of learning started to be important from a sociocultural theory perspective. There is an important term that is scaffolding. That is known as a form of mediation, which means that the process of learning is guided and transformed through other people. And where a learning process happens through social interaction, and knowledge is built through dialogues.

Performance-Based Learning

2026-02-02 08:59:41 UTC

This sociocognitive approach views learning as acquiring a repertoire of performances for specific social context through repeteated participation in those social routines.

Cognitive Process

2026-02-02 08:59:52 UTC

Learning is seen as a cognitve process which means that there is a mental activity. A mental activity where the learner is an explorer developing the comprehension of the language from language input as well as experience.

Skill-based learning

2026-02-02 09:02:06 UTC

Skill-based theory says that the complex behaviours are built in a hierarchial mode. It can be related with behaviourism because those skills are learnt through practice.

learning as a cognitive process

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:02:48 UTC

The cognitive learning definition refers to the mental means used to comprehend, learn, and communicate. It investigates the way in which language comes into a person in a specific order

Skill and performance based learning

2026-02-02 09:03:38 UTC

This is an evolution of pure cognitive approaches. It considers learning a language anologue to mastering a sport. It describes learning as a progression of concious effort to efforless performance. The process goes from controlled processing to automatic processing.

Interactional Processes

2026-02-02 09:03:51 UTC

Language learning is also a social and interactive process. This theory proposes that language acquisition occurs through social interaction, where learners negotiate meaning to make input comprehensible.

Strategic process

2026-02-02 09:06:17 UTC

Learning also involves a strategic process where learners use specific strategies to facilitate their own acquisition, such as seeking out opportunities for practice or using context clues to understand meaning.

Language learning is skill-based and performance-based learning.

2026-02-02 09:06:50 UTC

There we can see a skill-based learning, where skills are a set of behaviours that are learned through practice, and are arranged in a hierarchy from higher-level skills to lower-level skills. And over time, the skills can be automatic, that are called automatic processing.

Social Process

2026-02-02 09:07:58 UTC

These theories emphasize that language is acquired through communication with others. Important elements: interactional theory, scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development

Skill and performance based learning

2026-02-02 09:08:01 UTC

Skill- and performance-based learning sees language learning as the gradual development of skills through practice and use. Learners move from controlled processing (slow, conscious use of language rules) to automatic processing (fast and fluent use). Language ability is built step by step, starting with simple sub-skills and combining them into more complex ones, such as speaking or writing. Practice is essential, as repeated use helps learners become more accurate and fluent. Performance in real communicative tasks shows how well the language has been learned, not just knowledge of rules.

skill + performance

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:08:12 UTC

language just like learning how to drive, first the process is concious and through performance, your learning and skill becomes authomatic

Learning as an interaction

2026-02-02 09:11:34 UTC

This theory proposes that language learning is accomplished through the nature of the interaction that occurs within a language learner and others the person interacts with. It focuses on how cummincation facilitates second language acquisition due to the exposure or language input/output the learner is going through.

Behaviourism

2026-02-02 09:11:34 UTC

Is a learning theory which states that human and animal behaviour can and should be studied in terms of physical processes, without taking into account the mind. In which specific responses are acquired through responses to specific stimuli. Learning is involved through repetition and reinforcement.

interaction

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:11:35 UTC

language is shaped through interaction, social contexts module the way language is performed. Not only is language a key for interaction, but interaction is also a tool for language learning.

Learning as interactive process

2026-02-02 09:12:33 UTC

The concept of "comprehensible input" (Kashen) is a clear example of learning as interactive process. This happens when a more proficient speaker modifies their input to make it more comprehensible to the learner, this can be put into action by slowing the pace in which they speak or even changing the vocabulary they use to a much easier one.

Learning as social process

2026-02-02 09:13:01 UTC

Learning as a social process combines speech and action. Within this theory, scaffolding refers to having meaningful conversation with a specialized speaker and Zone of proximal development (ZPD) has to do with the problem-solving and collaboration with capable peers.

Cognitive Process

2026-02-02 09:14:34 UTC

Psychology and cognitive studies were being developed. All these features are transferred to language acquisition, including memory, perception, inner abilities, inferences, creation of hypotheses, etc.

SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY

2026-02-02 09:15:11 UTC

In 1990s sociocultural theory was developed based in Russian psychologist Vygotsky theory from 1930s. Teachers in 1980s/1990s introduces the notions of scaffolding and zone of proximal developement (ZPD).

SCAFFOLDING:

Social theory views language learning as a social process in which meaning or undestanding is constructed through dialogue between a learner and a more knowledgeable other person.

ZPD:

Makes reference to the gap between what the learner can actually do and what needs to be achieved to reach the next stage in learning - the level of potential developement

Learning as interactive process

2026-02-02 09:16:01 UTC

Learning as an interactive process views language learning as something that happens through interaction and communication with others. Learners develop language by exchanging meaning, negotiating understanding, and receiving feedback during real conversations. Interaction helps learners notice gaps in their language and adjust their output. Modified input, clarification requests, and reformulations make language more comprehensible and support acquisition. In this view, communication is not just practice but a key mechanism for learning itself.

Learning as a social process

2026-02-02 09:17:12 UTC

Learning is fundamentally a social, meditated process, based on the work of Lev Vygotsky. Knowledge is co-constructed by interaction between people in a particular social and cultural context, it is a process of "guided participation". Important examples are the ZPD and Scaffolding.

social process

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:17:59 UTC

by comunicating and stablishing social bonds, language is acquired and learnt. If you find foreign language friends, your social process will improve your language learning process

Learning as a strategic process

2026-02-02 09:18:07 UTC

This learner-centered approach emphasizes the active role individuals play in managing and directing their own learning through the use of specific strategies. These are defined as specific actions, behaviors, or thoughts that learners use to make learning easier, faster, and more effective. Research suggests that more successful learners actively employ a wider range of these strategies.

Learning as social process

2026-02-02 09:18:16 UTC

Learning as a social process sees language learning as shaped by social interaction and collaboration. Knowledge is constructed through dialogue between learners and more knowledgeable speakers, such as teachers or peers. Support like scaffolding helps learners perform tasks they could not do alone and gradually become independent. Learning depends on context, culture, and participation in social activities, and language develops through meaningful use in real social settings.

Interactiveness

2026-02-02 09:18:58 UTC

This highlights the learner's production and abilities to adapt the language to different circumstances, as well as develop social skills. By using interactiveness, competence is well-developed and the four traditional skills are perfectly integrated

strategy

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:19:24 UTC

as every type of learning, strategies can be used to facilitate the acquisition of the language. Each individual can use its own methods

Cognitive process

2026-02-02 09:19:36 UTC

Language learning is seen as a cognitive process, where learning is a mental activity. Seeing how linguistic knowledge changes, what types of mental representations are constructed, and the nature of the information-processing that learners make use of. There are different concepts as universal grammar, schema theory, restructuring…

We liked:

2026-02-02 09:19:38 UTC

The concept as a whole, we have done this several times in the last three years of the degree. And since we are used to it, we knew how to answer most of the topics, which made us feel relieved.

the teacher

al435212 — 2026-02-02 09:19:43 UTC

she is a beautiful person

Learning as a startegic process

2026-02-02 09:19:47 UTC

Learning as a strategic process means that learning is an active, purposeful activity in which an agent makes decisions about what information to seek and what actions to take in order to improve knowledge, reduce uncertainty, and achieve better outcomes over time.

Aspects we liked

2026-02-02 09:20:16 UTC

The aspects we liked were finishing the reading 🤣

And that there were other sub-theories like Contrastive Analysis or Schema-theory

Strategic process

2026-02-02 09:20:29 UTC

This process focuaes on the strategies aplied by the learner (Learner-centredness) to comprehend a second language. It addresses how learners can be actively involved in managing their own learning, through awareness of strategy use and refleting their own learning processes.

2026-02-02 09:21:28 UTC

The different ways language can be taught and acquired, as well as how other disciplines are mixed with language

2026-02-02 09:28:18 UTC

Each learner needs to know their best methods to learn new things. By using this, new competences will be acquired with ease, avoiding tough processes and demotivation.

2026-02-02 09:32:46 UTC

To have a good language process is essential to communicate with others using the language. This process combines speech with action. With no interaction and using language in real-life discussions, it is very difficult to acquire a language correctly