Questions 2

1. Who is Ivan Pavlov?
Ivan Pavlov is a Russian physiologist known chiefly for his development of the
concept of the conditioned reflex. In 19th century, he discovered classical
conditioning while studying digestion.
He trained a hungry dog to salivate at the sound of a bell, which was previously
associated with the sight of food.
He found that dogs automatically salivate at the sight of food—an unconditioned
response to an unconditioned stimulus. If Pavlov always rang a bell when he offered
food, the dogs began slowly to associate this irrelevant (conditioned) stimulus with
the food. Eventually the sound of the bell alone could elicit salivation. Hence, the
dogs had learned to associate a certain cue with food. Behaviorists see salivation as a
simple reflex behavior. His work provided a basis for later behaviorists like John
Watson and B. F. Skinner
2. Who is Burrhus Frederic Skinner?
B. F. Skinner is an American psychologist who began studying animal learning in the

1930s. Based on his experiments with rats and pigeons, Skinner identified a number
of basic principles of learning. He claimed that these principles explained not only the
behavior of laboratory animals, but also accounted for how human beings learn new
behaviors or change existing behaviors. He concluded that nearly all behavior is
shaped by complex patterns of reinforcement in a person’s environment. Skinner
developed the behaviorist theory of operant conditioning. Contrary to the theories of
both Watson and Pavlov, Skinner believed that it wasn't what comes before a behavior
that influences it, but rather what comes directly after it.
3. Who is Noam Chomsky?

Noam Chomsky is an American theoretical linguist. He argued that human behavior is
much more complicated than animal behavior __> language is not a set of habit
4. What are their contributions to the learning theories?
Ivan Pavlov was the first to introduce the concept of conditioning through his
experiments with animals. He discovered classical conditioning while studying
digestion. His work provided a basis for later behaviorists like John Watson and B. F.
Skinner
Skinner developed the behaviorist theory of operant conditioning. Contrary to the

theories of both Watson and Pavlov, Skinner believed that it wasn't what comes
before a behavior that influences it, but rather what comes directly after it.
Chomsky theorised that all children are born with some kind of language processor - a
'black box' or 'language acquisition device' - which allowed them to formulate rules of
language based on the input they received. The mind, in other words, contains
'blueprints for grammatical rules' (Pinker 1994:43). Once these rules have been
activated, the potential for creativity follows. This would suggest that for learners of
second languages a methodology based on Behaviourism is not adequate. It is not
enough just to teach students 'good' habits: they also need to be given input which will
allow their 'processors' to work. They should also be given opportunities for creative
language use both in language production and in the processing of written and spoken
text.
5. According to behaviorists, what is learning?

Behavior theorists define learning as nothing more than the acquisition of new
behavior based on environmental conditions.
Behaviourists theory explained learning is the result of imiation, practice,
reinforcement (or feedback on success), and habit formation.
6. What is Chomsky’s view about Skinner’s theory?
His objection centred on the following conundrum: if all language is learnt

behaviouristly, how come children and adults frequently say things they have never
heard before? How on earth would it be possible to create whole new sentences in
conversation and poetry, for example, if all language behaviour has been conditioned
into us? The fact that we can do these things is the result of having a mental ability to
process what we hear, channelling it through the language-processing parts of our
brain where rules in some way reside, and where all input adds more information for
the better functioning of that processor. This is what stops us from being the mere
repeaters, the almost-robots, that Behaviourist principles would seem to describe us
as.
7. Point out the difference b/t Behaviorism & Mentalism in lg learning.
Whereas the behaviourist theory of learning portrayed the learner as a passive receiver
of information, the cognitive view takes the learner to be an active processor of
information (see e.g. Ausubel et al., 1978)
Behaviorism Mentalism
Language acquisition is a stimulus- Language is an innate, in-born process.
response process.
Language is a conditioned behavior. Language is not a behavior like other
behaviors, but a specific mental process.
Children learn language by imitation and Children learn language by application.
analogy.
Language learning is based on practice. Language learning is analytical,
generative and creation.
The role of imitation, repetition, The role of exposure to language is quite
reinforcement and motivation is very vital.
significant in language learning.
Language acquisition is the result of Language acquisition is the result of
nature nurture.
Mentalist approach means something which involves the mind and the thought
processes.. Behaviourism may not tell us much about the way in which we learn our
mother tongue, but it can point to successful strategies in the learning of a foreign
language when we are older. .
8. What is the implication of cognitivism in language learning?

Implication of Mentalism: In classroom, teachers can help students learn more easily
by showing them rules and let them have a go on their own. Making up their own
sentences is the objective.
9. Give examples of some hypotheses by Vietnamese learners.

Behaviorism: Repetition drill Substitution drill
Mentalism: Teacher shows the underlying structure. Students create sentences of their
own, internalise the rules
--> Special ability to discover the underlying rules of the languege system.
Cognitivism: The problem-solving task.

Some activities such as Rearrange the sentences
Learning, then, is a process in which the learner actively tries to make sense of data,
and learning can be said to have taken place when the learner has managed to impose
some sort of meaningful interpretation or pattern on the data.

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1. Who is Ivan Pavlov?

2. Who is Burrhus Frederic Skinner?

B. F. Skinner is an American psychologist who began studying animal learning in the

3. Who is Noam Chomsky?

4. What are their contributions to the learning theories?

Skinner developed the behaviorist theory of operant conditioning. Contrary to the

5. According to behaviorists, what is learning?

6. What is Chomsky’s view about Skinner’s theory?

His objection centred on the following conundrum: if all language is learnt

7. Point out the difference b/t Behaviorism & Mentalism in lg learning.

8. What is the implication of cognitivism in language learning?

9. Give examples of some hypotheses by Vietnamese learners.

Cognitivism: The problem-solving task.

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