The disciplines of psychology, linguistics, and sociology, from which second- language learning theories draw much valuable information, have not undergone the radical transformation that second-language teaching has in the last few years. With respect to language learning, much of the effort in these areas has been devoted to research attempting to substantiate the internal theories of language and learning, which at this time have been widely accepted as being the most powerful models proposed to date.
In general, current learning theories are basically similar to those previously proposed by the cognitive psychologists and the linguistic theories of Chomsky. The most widely accepted theories of learning are those that acknowledge the crucial role the student plays in the learning process. The writings of Piaget, Bruner, Ausubel, and the phenomenologists have had an important impact on the comprehension of the individual's cognitive development and of the individual's contribution to his own learning. The major part of the activity in linguistics has revolved around attempts to prove or disprove various aspects of Chomsky's theories. The two principal innovations are the suggestion by Fillmore that language study should concentrate on case relationships in the sentence rather than on the subject and the verb and the contention by supporters of generative-semantic theory that the key to meaning in language resides in the semantic component of language rather than the syntactical (Greene, 1972).
The stress on the total student in the classroom has given rise to the need for additional information from the fields of psychology and sociology. The affective domain is now considered to be as influential as the cognitive in determining student achievement and success in the classroom. In addition, it is increasingly apparent that the student does not learn in an isolated environment, and it is undeniably obvious that the school, in preparing the student to participate productively in a democratic society, must concern itself with the socialization of the student. Past and present social influences on the learner are important factors in determining student success or failure in any given classroom, and future success and happiness will be dependent upon the degree to which the student adapts to the surrounding social structure.
Perspectives 37
Overall, recent trends In psychology, linguistics, and sociology support the importance of internal processes and of the role of the individual in learning. This statement should not be construed as a denial of external, extrinsic factors. Assigning the central role in learning to the internal, mental processes in no way denies the importance of conditioning, i.e., external reinforcement in learning activities in some skills and for some students. Motivation to learn can be extrinsic as well as intrinsic. From the teacher's point of view, the latest descriptions of the various factors influencing her teaching and the student's learning make her job that much more complicated and require that her knowledge and expertise extend into more areas. In short, she must now consider the students' attitudes, feelings, and social adjustment as well as their cognitive capacities and the subject matter being taught. What an interesting and exciting challenge and what possibilities exist for implementing qualitative educational goals!