Literature & Language Research Paper: Focused Comparison/Contrast of Performance Learning Vs. Competence learning

Focused Comparison/Contrast of Performance Learning Vs. Competence learning
Weihao Lu
Institution:
ENG 408
2020/11/30
Focused Comparison/Contrast of Performance Learning Vs. Competence learning
Chomsky defines competence as the “speaker-hearers knowledge of his language and performance as the actual use of the language in concrete situations”CITATION Noa \l 1033 (Chomsky, 1965). For people who are actively trying to learn a new language, especially through classical methods, it is possible to find an individual who knows all the grammatical rules, and understands a relatively long list of vocabulary, but they cannot speak the language. Such individuals do not have the “speaker-hearers” knowledge as their interaction and communicative abilities are limited. Such an individual has the knowledge but is unable to use it to communicate in a way that denotes mastery or proficiency. To some linguistic researchers, having the knowledge (competence) of a language is not the same as being able to use it (performance). Whatever an individual knows and how that knowledge can be used to communicate is what determines whether an individual has mastery of the language or not. According to Wanjohi (2020), competence refers to the learning or acquiring of language abilities which can be measured in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. This can be measured orally or through writing. On the other hand, performance is the functionality aspect in language. It describes how well can an individual use/apply the said skills. Can the individual competently listen/understand, speak, read or write in a communicative way? Therefore, an individual can perform a language with limited vocabulary and few grammatical rules. For example: This is a chair. This sentence can be constructed and performed by an individual in his/her early stages of learning English language. It is simple, short and follows the simplest English grammar rules. Consider this following sentence: Not all chairs are seats and not all seats are chairs. The proficiency level required to form a compound sentence is higher and also the vocabulary.
Similarities between performance learning and competence learning
There are some irrefutable similarities between performance and competence learning. First, they are based on the same set of vocabulary, and the only way to measure them is through the four skills of language: listening, writing, reading and speaking. To determine the proficiency of an individual in any language, the evaluative process is designed around the four language skills. Similarly, to determine the performance of an individual’s mastery to use the knowledge he/she has about a particular language, it can only be done by use of the same four language skills. Because of these common elements between competence and performance learning, it is very hard to assess competence without performance. A person who has an average language performance in any language must have some knowledge of vocabulary, grammatical rules etc. In the same way, an individual who is competent in any language has the knowledge of vocabulary, grammatical rules but mostly his/her performance abilities are better.
Performance learning and competence learning are all largely based on Universal Grammar Theory. CITATION Viv85 \l 1033 (Cook, 1985) describes Universal Grammar as “the language properties inherent in the human mind…. the make-up of “Universal Grammar”, consists not of particular rules or of a particular grammar, but of a set of general principles that apply to all grammars and that leave certain parameters open.” He further adds that universal grammar sets the limits within which human languages can vary. Each language is pegged in universal grammar. During language performance, the speaker must adhere to a general set of rules that give the message meaning. Otherwise, the message is meaningless.
CITATION Viv85 \l 1033 (Cook, 1985) cites an analogy in Chomsky’s work about how a language “grows.” He points out that the best approach to a new language under universal grammar principles is not to use “learning” to describe how language develops in both children and adults. His analogy is that flowers do not learn to be fruit, rather they develop to become a fruit. Though there are environmental factors necessary for the process like water and right environmental conditions, the term learn is insufficient in describing what happens to flower cells to become a fruit. He points out that, “their growth is the realization of their genetic potential in conjunction with “triggers” from the environment, the achievement of something that was within them from the start.” Thus, learning a second language means that the universal grammar part of the human brain “grows” into competence or performance as long as certain environmental “triggers” are provided. CITATION Viv85 \l 1033 (Cook, 1985) further notes, “language acquisition is the growth of the mental organ of language triggered by certain language experiences.” Thus, in learning a second language whether to competence or performance level, the brain develops (grows) and its inherent structure changes to become a second language. The difference in performance level and competence level in relation to universal grammar theory is the degree of change within the brain.
In a study carried out by CI...