critical essay (sample)

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A CRITICAL ESSAY ON

CREATING A NEW SEGMENT OF THE

BEHAVIORISM THEORY

INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS

ENGLISH 26

Submitted by Jaeny Pearl M. Madayag

Submitted to Mrs. Dajao

Date of submission: February 27, 2012



1

Introduction

This critical essay theorizes that the behavior of an individual

greatly affects his or her ability to acquire language. In relation to this,

behaviorism theory explains the external and internal stimuli both in

the behavior and the learning environment. The behaviorist, Edward

Lee Thorndike proposed three laws of learning such as law of

readiness, law of exercise and law of effect. These three laws further

explain the relationship between the behavior of the learner to acquire

language and his environment. How it affects one another, vice versa.

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence to the readers

as to how an individual acquire and learn to use language based on the

environment where he or she is into. The significance of this paper is

to provide pieces of information to readers about Thorndike’s theory

and its relationship to individual’s ability to learn and use language.

As a proof, two lasallian respondents namely Daisy Rhea Peñaflor

and Karen Jalalon, will give their firm beliefs about the Behaviorism

theory and how it affects their leaning development in acquiring a

language.



2.

BODY

Daisy Rhea Peñaflor is a 4th year accountancy student and

Karen Jalalon is a 2nd year education of La Salle University who really

do firmly believe about the influence of environment in their leaning

ability to use language as they grew up.

According to them, they have developed their ability to use

language because of the existence of the environment where they are

into. The people who surrounded them since then were the ones who

taught them how to utter words. Those moments became the starting

points in developing their ability to use language in their daily living.

As they grew up, it was more enhanced since they have been to formal

education world. All subjects they have undergone since they started

their basic education years until the present really have integrated the

use of language as it is used as the main tool for communication. This

is why, they are now able to use language the way how it should be

used.

They both futher explain that without the people in their

environment, they could not be able to develop their ability to use



language properly. These people made a great impact as to how they

should use language both in oral and written form.

Furthermore, they both affirm and attest the three laws: Law of

readiness, Law of exercise, and Law of effect. These were proposed

by the behaviorist, Edward Lee Thorndike. Knowing the background of

these laws, the two respondents further give their stand about how

their leaning development in using a language is affected by these

different factors happen in their environment, as emphasized in the

said laws. As explained in the law of readiness, the individual’s

readiness to learn should be considered. As these lasallians use

language in accordance to their current year level, they could rest

assure that they have been prepared well to learn to the said extent of

knowledge because they have gone their basic learnings before

knowing the complex ones. Moreover, the law of exercise tells

something about the constant practice of the individual’s learning

behavior. This greatly affects the knowledge of the two respondents in

developing further their ability to use language in their daily living. In

addition, the law of effect states that if a response is followed by a

positive reward, it tends to be repeated. The said respondents



somehow believe in the role of motivation and reinforcements in

enhancing their ability to use language. Because of the different forms

of rewards they have received everytime they correctly used language,

they really tend to repeat their learning behavior and even more

motivated to learn more. Indeed, these laws of Thorndike explain

further how the respondents learn to use language as they exist in the

environment where they are into.



3. CONCLUSION

Indeed, this critical essay theorizes that the environment and the

behavior of an individual greatly affect his or her ability to learn to

acquire and use language.

Generally, the information given by the respondents in relation to

the three laws of Thorndike, results to the fact that an environment

really plays a very important role for an individual to learn and use

language.

Based on the given facts, I highly recommend the role of

teachers in enhancing students’ ability to use language. I do challenge

them to make their students be ready to learn before imparting

knowledge in language, they have to follow up students’ learning

behavior through giving exercises and providing learning tasks to

enhance their skills in using language. Also, it would be better to hold

remedial classes for those slow learners and enrichment activities for

fast learners. The role of giving rewards and motivation also matter a

lot, thus, it should also be given emphasis.

critical essay (sample)

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