Innatism

Innatism (Top Down) (Listening,Comprehension based)

This is an important theory for language teachers because it rescued students from the behaviorist style of teaching. Innatism, by Chomsky, says that children have an inborn ability to acquire language with no effort whatsoever. Their brains are not empty buckets that only use language by way of repetition and imitation. We teachers need to take advantage of this buy using teaching activities and methods that let students basically use the language and hear the language for real communication, which means that errors are part of the learning process and are acceptable as long as the message is communicated.

When it comes to language acquisition, children have access to the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that makes acquiring the language through input possible. Experts state that the younger children are the more access they have to the LAD. As children get older, they generally say students have less access to the innate language ability. Generally, as people get older they questions and analyze what is said in a language classroom which requires learning.

The key words for Innatism are: Acquisition, Language Acquisition Device, Universal Grammar, Natural, inborn, genetic, fun, play, Chomsky.

Teaching Approaches that are generally associated with this theory: The Natural Approach, Communicative Language Teaching,and Direct Method.