Beliefs about language skills
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3 Universal Grammar
Universal grammar UG is a linguistic theory, proposed by Noam Chomsky, argues that
“the ability to learn language is innate, distinctly human and distinct from all other aspects of human cognition
” Chomsky 1986: 3. Further he explains that The Universal Grammar hypothesis
– the idea that human languages, as superficially diverse as they are, share some fundamental similarities, and that these are
attributable to innate principles unique to language: that deep down, there is only one human language Chomsky 1995: 131. This theory states that all children are born
with an innate aptitude to acquire, develop, and understand language. Through this view, Chomsky emphasizes on the existence of Language
Acquisition Device LAD, i.e. a system of universal principles and parameters fixed through the available data. It means, in order to learn a language, children need the
incoming data, but also something that allows them to process the data they are exposed to.
In Chomskyan tradition, grammar of a language is an account of the grammatical competence rather than performance of the native speakers of that
language. Grammatical competence is defined as the native speakers’ tacit knowledge of the grammar of their language Chomsky, 1965 in Bavali and Sadighi, 2008: 12.
In other words, Chomsky does not view language as speech to be used in real-life communication with others. Chomsky, however, views language as a set of pure,
formal properties that are inherent in any natural Chomsky views language as a set of
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pure, formal properties that are inherent in any natural language grammar Prince and Metzger,2009.
4 Cognitive
Cognitive learning strategy is one of popular learning strategies which focus to “develop the necessary skills to be self-regulated learners” Reid, 2005. In line
with this, Iskandarwahid 2009 states that cognitive strategy as an integral ability that can assist the students in learning process, the process of problem solving and
decision making. Schneider Stern 2010 also suggests that the cognitive perspective on
learning is based on the assumption that knowledge acquisition lies at the very heart of learning. Once children acquire new information in learning environments, they
are supposed to use that information in completely different situations later in life. This is only possible if they have understood it correctly and stored it in a well-
organized manner in their long-term memory. In this view, learning is cumulative in nature: nothing has meaning or is learned in isolation. Cognitive conceptions of
learning place considerable importance on the role played by prior knowledge in the acquisition of new knowledge Rumelhart 1980. In view of the cognitive approach to
learning, the notion of effective language learning requires the active involvement of the learner in the process. The approach emphasizes learning as a process resulting in
an extension of meanings the learner is capable of, as something that learners do, rather than being done to them Kolb 1984.