Essay Sample on Role of Friendship in Learning and Acquiring English

Introduction

The process of learning and acquiring the English language is complex and takes time. Language learning begins in the womb (Cell Press, 2009). According to research, unborn babies listen to conversations involving their mothers at ten weeks of pregnancy (McElroy, 2013). After birth, babies can make and hear about one hundred and fifty sounds which are in the six thousand five hundred languages available. However, the English language has only forty sounds known as phonemes (Birch, 2014). Learning the English language involves listening to people speak which helps babies associate the sounds with words (Dunn, 2016). After learning sounds, babies learn words and then how to construct sentences (Bainbridge, 2018). The transition between learning sounds to learning words and sentences is dependent on an array of factors. One of the most important factors is interaction with children which helps them associate sounds with words and learn how to construct sentences (Bruce, 2018). The friendship between children provides a platform for interaction through conversations which are key to the learning and acquiring of the English language.

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Children learn to speak and write the English language by listening and speaking with other people. It is, therefore, vital that children make friends whom they engage in conversations and develop together. Learning the English language involves four skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Fisher, Rothenberg, and Frey, 2008a). Listening and speaking are the initial stages of language learning (Fisher, Rothenberg, and Frey, 2008b). Friendships provide opportunities for children to speak and listen by engaging in conversations (Chapelton, 2016). By engaging in conversations more often children are able to learn how to construct sentences that make meaning and eliminate grammatical mistakes.

The importance of friendship in learning English is underlined by slow learners. According to research, slow learners are generally shy and have difficulties making friends (Graetz, 2006). The same can be said about children who experience delays in reading and writing. The lack of friends to interact with means that children do not get enough practice of the English language. Shy children keep to themselves and barely talk which slows down their speaking skill (Blum-Kulka, and Snow, 2004). Shy children also experience challenges reading and exhibit low self-confidence (Borah, 2013, p139). On the other hand, social and active children with many friends tend to be confident and fluent in the English language (Sabol, Bohlmann, and Downer, 2018). This is because friendship gives them room to express themselves and improve their language (Johnson 2016).

Friendship among children also provides an opportunity for children to learn from each other (Senior and Howard, 2014). One common trait exhibited by a group of friends or peers is similar language in the form of vocabulary used, sentence structure, sense of humor, and sarcasm Boud, Cohen, Sampson, 2001). Friends learn from each other and this helps speed up the process of learning the English language (Berndt, 1999). Friendship is also important in English learning as it allows children to criticize and correct each other (Toohey, 2000).

Conclusion

In conclusion, learning and acquiring the English language is a complex process that begins before birth. Learning English involves four basic skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Friendship is important when learning the English language. Friendship helps children engage in conversations more frequently which helps them learn the English language faster. Friendship also allows children to learn from each other which enhances their language learning process. There is a common saying 'Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.' The saying applies to the English language where friends have a similar choice of words and ways of expressing themselves.

References

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Birch, B.M., 2014. English L2 reading: Getting to the bottom. Routledge.

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Berndt, T.J., 1999. Friends' influence on students' adjustment to school. Educational Psychologist, 34(1), pp.15-28.

Borah, R. R., 2013. Slow Learners: Role of Teachers and Guardians in Honing their Hidden Skills. International Journal of Educational Planning and Administration. 3(2), pp. 139-143

Boud D., Cohen R., Sampson J., 2001. Peer Learning in Higher Education. London: Kogan Page

Cell Press, 2009. Babies' Language Learning Starts from the Womb. [Online] (Updated 5 November 2009) Available at: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105092607.htm [Accessed December 3, 2018]

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Fisher, D., Frey, N. and Rothenberg, C., 2008. Why talk is important in classrooms. Content-area conversations: How to plan discussion-based lessons for diverse language learners. Available at http://ebookcentral. proquest. com/lib/bergen-ebooks/detail. action [Accessed December 3, 2018]

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Sabol, T.J., Bohlmann, N.L. and Downer, J.T., 2018. LowIncome Ethnically Diverse Children's Engagement as a Predictor of School Readiness above Preschool Classroom Quality. Child development, 89(2), pp.556-576.

Senior, C. and Howard, C., 2014. Learning in friendship groups: developing students' conceptual understanding through social interaction. Frontiers in psychology, 5, p.1031.

Toohey, K., 2000. Learning English at school: Identity, social relations, and classroom practice (Vol. 20). Multilingual Matters.