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Learning language is done all throughout life. It starts from when we were babies and our parents would speak a language titled "parentese." This helps us learn the components of how to speak the language properly. This continues into childhood until children are about 2 years old.
Noam Chomsky, an innatist, talked about how children are "equipped" with a language acquisition device. This device is a mental device that children have which helps them learn to speak different languages more fluently. This is how children are able to learn languages easier than adults can. This is not to say that adults can't learn to speak other languages, but it would be a lot harder than children because children's brains are still developing while adult's brains are already fully developed.
TWO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION APPROACHES
COGNITIVE
SOCIOCULTURAL
The cognitive approach is based on what is happening on the inside of the language learner's head. This is where we see the influence of Chomsky's theories.
MODEL: KRASHEN
When talking about the affective filter, we are talking about a filter that prevents children from speaking out comfortably in a classroom. This has a connection with things like anxiety, lower self-esteem, or feelings of being left out of the language group.
As teachers we should be making a student's comfort the number one priority. If we focus on this, then a student's affective filter will lower as they get more acclimated and comfortable in the classroom. This would also help students acquire language easier.
The sociocultural approach mainly focuses on one thing.
ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT
The zone of proximal development was introduced by B.F. Skinner and is the place that says where the student's level is at. This approach brings up the points of how knowledge is constructed through interactions and collaboration with others. The circle of proximal development has different zones.
Inner: These are the things the learner can do independently with barely any help. As the learner grows more things will fit into this zone.
Middle: The things the learner can do, but with help from an adult or student outside of that zone.
Outer: The things that the learner can't achieve yet.
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