The best way for children to develop
language is to imitate and practice
correct structures
respondents with no
special training
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
postgraduate students
strongly
disagree
disagree
uncertain
agree
strongly
agree
respondents with seminars
only
respondents with seminars,
training courses and
university courses
Figure 27. Relationship between the special training of respondents and their attitude
towards the role of imitation and practice in language learning
As figure 27 shows, the more special training teachers have received, the more
they reject the behaviouristic assumption that language is learnt through imitation and
practice of correct structures. Thus, while only 14% of the ones who have not
received any special training whatsoever express their disagreement towards the
above assumption, this percentage raises to 20% among the ones who have attended
seminars and reaches 50% among the ones who have attended a combination of
university courses, training courses and seminars. Finally, 75% or postgraduate
students either disagree or strongly disagree with the assumption that language is best
learnt through imitation and practice.
Concerning the degree to which respondents are placed for or against the
synthetic approach, figure 28, on the next page, shows that only ones who have not
received any special training are strongly in favour of it, while, on the other hand,
only respondents who are postgraduate students are strongly against it. However, it
should be stressed that the middle positions of the continuum are occupied by
respondents who belong to all categories, and that there are generally more
respondents from each category who are in favour of a synthetic approach rather than
against it.
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