Recent orders
Social Cultural Factors In Second Language Acquisition
Social Cultural Factors In Second Language Acquisition
There are several factors that affect the acquisition of a second language by an individual. Culture plays a major role in people’s lives because it shapes not only our actions but also our thoughts. Cultural factors that can affect the acquisition of a second language are many, first of all the role that the second language plays in the society (Adger, 1995). If learning a second language will lead to acceptance by people or lead to a climb in the social class ladder then it will be highly encouraged, but if felt like it has no value then it will not be encouraged.
A culture that has embraced its native language in their curriculum, make it easy for their students to learn other languages (Tharp, 1998). This is because the features of use of one language to proficiency highly influence the acquisition of another language. This is the reason as to why most exchange programme students who come to America are able to easily learn English and perform well in it. This is because they have done the same in their countries like china and Japan.
Culture also affects the attitude that people will have on a second language, for instance in most Middle East countries they have the culture of being against America that they do not even want to learn English. This is what is known as intrinsic motivation from an individual but is partly dependent on culture (Adger, 1995). The cultural difference between the two languages also affects the acquisition of a second language. If the two languages are linguistically similar then it becomes easy, cultural similarity is also a factor because it creates a familiar environment to the learner and creates a good chance of easily learning the language (Deci, 1985).
References
Adger, C. Kalyanpur, M. Peterson,D, Bridger T. (1995), Engaging Students: Thinking, Talking cooperating. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Tharp, R.G, Gallimore, R. (1988), Rousing Minds to life: Teaching, Learning, School in Social Context. Cambridge University Press, New York
Deci, E.L, Ryan, R.M,,(1985), Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behaviour, Plenum Publishers, New York
Social Contract
Social Contract
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Number and Name
Instructor Name
Due Date
Social Contract
The social contract is a very important part of our lives. Having been brought into light in the 18th century by people like John Locke it completely changed the form of governance that existed then in most places as monarchies. This can be said to be one of the most important parts of freedom as people came to understand that the government had a role to play towards them and they had a role to play towards the government and therefore the social contract (Williams & McShane, 2018). In almost every democratic country the concept of a social contract is enforced in that people vote for their leaders because they promise to work on the different societal issues presenting themselves to the masses and when they win they are supposed to work on the issues they promised within the times they have in their different posts (Crawford, 2020). Therefore it is a contract between the people and the elected. This is a perfect example in the contemporary world of a social contract.
Life without some form of social contract would be very demanding and tiresome since only those at the top get to decide what they want to do with the rest of the individuals at the bottom (Jahn, & Brühl, 2018). This also means that most leadership would be dictatorship or monarchial which to most people would not be functional to help the common citizen. Therefore the social contract is a positive aspect of our current society.
References
Crawford, C. (2020). Access to Justice for Collective and Diffuse Rights: Theoretical Challenges and Opportunities for Social Contract Theory. Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 27(1), 59-86.
John, J., & Brühl, R. (2018). How Friedman’s view on individual freedom relates to stakeholder theory and social contract theory. Journal of Business Ethics, 153(1), 41-52.
Williams III, F.P., & McShane, M.D. (2018). Criminological theory (7th ed.). New York: Pearson.
Social Construction of Reality
Social Construction of Reality
Student’s Name
Institution
Social Construction of Reality
The social construction of reality commonly known as Social constructionism is a theory that is found in sociology as well as in communication theory that is used to examine the level of knowledge on development by basing the joint understanding of the people in the world hence forming the assumptions of people about reality. Social constructionism originated thirty years ago with an attempt of coming to terms with how reality is revealed naturally. Social constructionism is concerned with the meaning and notation which are placed on objects or the event which occurs in the society and adopted by the people living in a particular community in respect to how they view the events or the objects. The relationship between the inhabitants with the events and the events is also put into consideration. This paper will consider more on the work of George Herbert Mead and what other theorists such as Berger and Luckmann draw from his work.
George Herbert Mead who is the major figure of the African Philosophy involved many variables in his work which other theorists draws with Berger and Luckmann in consideration. In his work, he involved a variable of communication and mind which is under the theory of social theory. Mead describes how a mind of an individual and self of a person arises from the social process which occurs around the person. According to Mead, the mind of a person arises from the social process of communication he or she makes which cannot be understood apart from the process itself. Mead argues that the process of communication is composed of two phases which involve first the communication by use of gestures and the second is composed of communication by use of significant gestures which is termed as language (Berger & Luckmann, 1991).
In communication by use of gestures, Mead describes how dogs approach each other in a hostile kind of attitude. They move around each other snapping as well as growling with an aim of attacking each other. The act of the dog wanting to attack each other is the stimulus which Mead considers as the conversation with gestures. On the other hand, Mead describes that conversation by use of significant gestures occurs by means of words from one individual to another which is termed as language. A significant gesture, according to Mead is a gesture which is usually a vocal symbol which is used to call a person or talk to the individual. This variable is drawn by Berger and Luckmann in their theories in that communication is the main means through which message can be passed from one person to another successfully. Communication either by use of gestures or by use of significant gestures has the role of ensuring that meaningful conversation takes place in Social Construction of reality as without communication. Additionally, theories by Luckmann and Berger cannot be archived without meaningful conversation taking place.
Furthermore, Berger and Luckmann were strongly influenced by the work of Alfred Schutz while they were introducing the term ‘social construction’ into the work of social sciences. Alfred Schutz had a lot of successful variables in his theory which Berger and Luckmann drew. One of the variables which the theorists drew was a division of labor. Alfred Schutz argued that for sociology to develop, a division of labor must occur as it the key thing to develop in the society. According to Alfred Schutz, everybody in the society must be involved in one way or the other that would have a positive effect on the society involved. The kind of division of labor involves hunting, cooking and other tasks in the society. Alfred Schutz says that a society is only structured in terms of how specific roles are divided and performed by various people in the society. This variable is important in that the development of a society is determined by how various tasks are done in that society. If the division of labor is well distributed in the society, rapid growth in terms of development is archived in the society while if the division of labor is poorly carried out, little or no development is expected to take place in the society involved (Luckmann, 1966).
On the other hand, Social Interactionism is a theory that is within sociology which develops from practical considerations and alludes of people in their day to day life in making images, normal implications as they interact with one another. It is a theory that puts more emphasis on the interactions which occur amongst people in a particular society where this interaction aids in creating symbolic worlds and as a result how this worlds aids in shaping the behaviors of the individuals involved. (Berger, 1977). The social construction of reality commonly known as SCR tries to transcend the units of analysis of Symbolic Interactionism in that it involves many variables which when combined results in the development of the society positively. Among the variables that are in the Social construction of reality includes division of labor and communication and mind which are discussed above which have a great impact in ensuring that sociology has developed. By considering a large field within the society, the social construction of reality has passed the limits that affect the interaction of the society. The social construction of reality and Social Interactionism in most cases are successful in many societies in that they have led to the development of sociology to a great extent. Eighty percent of the variables introduced by Social Interactionism and social construction of reality is successful in the society (Berger & Luckmann, 1979).
As discussed above, various theorists with Luckmann and Burger in consideration have drawn variables from the work of other theorists as a result leading to the success of their work in ensuring that sociology has developed. Variables such as division of labor which Berger and Luckmann have drawn from Alfred Schutz awakens the spirit of people to work hence ensuring the development of the society. Additionally, the social construction of reality was successful in many societies hence leading to the development of the society involved.
References
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1991). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge (No. 10). Penguin Uk.
Berger, P. (1977). Thomas Luckmann1966 The Social Construction of Reality. Garden City: Doubl eday.
Berger, P. (1967). Luckmann. T.(1966). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge. New York: Double and Company.
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1979). The social construction of reality: A treatise. Penguin.