MTEL ESL (54) Exam 2025
Questions and Answers
Cognition: - ANSWER✔✔-The mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired,
including perception, intuition, and reasoning.
Cognitive processes: - ANSWER✔✔-Needed to internalize language rules and
vocabulary in L2:
- memorization;
- categorization; and
- generalization [categorize and generalize vocabulary].
Metacognition: - ANSWER✔✔-An educational process that incorporates knowledge
about one's abilities; the demands of given tasks, and potentially effective learning
strategies; it involves self-regulation via planning, predicting, monitoring, regulating,
evaluating, and revising strategies.
,Interlanguage: - ANSWER✔✔-The type of language produced by a non-native speaker
in the process of learning a second language or foreign language.
Interlanguage development: - ANSWER✔✔-The emerging language system the person
creates based on L1 and L2 knowledge to communicate in L2.
Fossilization: - ANSWER✔✔-A persistent lack of change in interlanguage patterns, even
after extended exposure to or instruction in the target language.
Acculturation: - ANSWER✔✔-Adapting to a new culture, which includes
understanding cultural expectations, semiotics, values, and beliefs is essential to second
language acquisition in that it provides appropriate context. Acculturation permits
ELLs to adapt to new cultural expectations without the loss of the culture of origin.
Success with BICS and CALP in L2 is dependent on a degree of success in L1.
Piaget Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-The Cognitive model. Children
think before they speak; speaking just reflects this thinking; language is a way for
children to represent their world.
Vygotsky Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Language is a result of
interpersonal communication.
Zone of proximal development [Vygotsky]: - ANSWER✔✔-Describes the difference
between what a person knows and what he could know if he received a personal
assistance.
, Scaffolding: - ANSWER✔✔-The process of giving temporary aid to facilitate learning.
Modeling, providing cues and encouraging.
Bronfenbrenner: - ANSWER✔✔-Created the ecological model.
B.F. Skinner: - ANSWER✔✔-Language is learned as a direct response to stimuli.
Behaviorism [Skinner]: - ANSWER✔✔-All learning whether verbal or non-verbal takes
place through the establishment of habits. Correct responses to stimuli are reinforced.
Krashen Second Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Requires natural
interactions [not grammar drills]. Students will pick up grammar rules naturally by
being immersed in L2; they need to interact with language without worrying about
being corrected. Information is given slightly above the child's level.
Pinker Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-We are predisposed to learn
language; language is a human instinct. Pinker was a disciple of Chomsky.
Chomsky Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Children are born with a
knowledge of the principles of the grammatical structure of all languages, and this
inborn knowledge explains the success and speed with which they learn language.
Chomsky created the "Universal Language". The brain has a "language acquisition
device". The Nativist model.
Stages of Language Acquisition in L1: - ANSWER✔✔-Needs interaction [nativist vs.
nurture].
Questions and Answers
Cognition: - ANSWER✔✔-The mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired,
including perception, intuition, and reasoning.
Cognitive processes: - ANSWER✔✔-Needed to internalize language rules and
vocabulary in L2:
- memorization;
- categorization; and
- generalization [categorize and generalize vocabulary].
Metacognition: - ANSWER✔✔-An educational process that incorporates knowledge
about one's abilities; the demands of given tasks, and potentially effective learning
strategies; it involves self-regulation via planning, predicting, monitoring, regulating,
evaluating, and revising strategies.
,Interlanguage: - ANSWER✔✔-The type of language produced by a non-native speaker
in the process of learning a second language or foreign language.
Interlanguage development: - ANSWER✔✔-The emerging language system the person
creates based on L1 and L2 knowledge to communicate in L2.
Fossilization: - ANSWER✔✔-A persistent lack of change in interlanguage patterns, even
after extended exposure to or instruction in the target language.
Acculturation: - ANSWER✔✔-Adapting to a new culture, which includes
understanding cultural expectations, semiotics, values, and beliefs is essential to second
language acquisition in that it provides appropriate context. Acculturation permits
ELLs to adapt to new cultural expectations without the loss of the culture of origin.
Success with BICS and CALP in L2 is dependent on a degree of success in L1.
Piaget Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-The Cognitive model. Children
think before they speak; speaking just reflects this thinking; language is a way for
children to represent their world.
Vygotsky Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Language is a result of
interpersonal communication.
Zone of proximal development [Vygotsky]: - ANSWER✔✔-Describes the difference
between what a person knows and what he could know if he received a personal
assistance.
, Scaffolding: - ANSWER✔✔-The process of giving temporary aid to facilitate learning.
Modeling, providing cues and encouraging.
Bronfenbrenner: - ANSWER✔✔-Created the ecological model.
B.F. Skinner: - ANSWER✔✔-Language is learned as a direct response to stimuli.
Behaviorism [Skinner]: - ANSWER✔✔-All learning whether verbal or non-verbal takes
place through the establishment of habits. Correct responses to stimuli are reinforced.
Krashen Second Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Requires natural
interactions [not grammar drills]. Students will pick up grammar rules naturally by
being immersed in L2; they need to interact with language without worrying about
being corrected. Information is given slightly above the child's level.
Pinker Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-We are predisposed to learn
language; language is a human instinct. Pinker was a disciple of Chomsky.
Chomsky Language Acquisition Theory: - ANSWER✔✔-Children are born with a
knowledge of the principles of the grammatical structure of all languages, and this
inborn knowledge explains the success and speed with which they learn language.
Chomsky created the "Universal Language". The brain has a "language acquisition
device". The Nativist model.
Stages of Language Acquisition in L1: - ANSWER✔✔-Needs interaction [nativist vs.
nurture].
