Which concept explains that prior knowledge in a learner's first language can help learning in the second language?

Which concept explains that prior knowledge in a learner's first language can help learning in the second language?

• A. Positive Language Transfer
• B. Word Bank
• C. Graphic Organizer
• D. Receptive Skills

Answer: (A)

This item focuses on how what a learner already knows in their first language can help when learning a second language. When there are similarities between languages—shared vocabulary roots, similar sentence patterns, or familiar concepts—the learner can apply that existing knowledge to understand and produce the second language more quickly. This beneficial influence is called positive language transfer. For example, recognizing cognates or using familiar grammar structures from L1 can help decode new English vocabulary or form sentences more confidently. Teachers can support this by linking lessons to students’ L1 knowledge, pointing out cognates, and using prior knowledge as a bridge to new concepts. The other options don’t describe this cross-language support: a word bank is just a vocabulary list, a graphic organizer is a tool for organizing ideas, and receptive skills refer to understanding language input rather than transferring prior knowledge from one language to another.

This item focuses on how what a learner already knows in their first language can help when learning a second language. When there are similarities between languages—shared vocabulary roots, similar sentence patterns, or familiar concepts—the learner can apply that existing knowledge to understand and produce the second language more quickly. This beneficial influence is called positive language transfer. For example, recognizing cognates or using familiar grammar structures from L1 can help decode new English vocabulary or form sentences more confidently. Teachers can support this by linking lessons to students’ L1 knowledge, pointing out cognates, and using prior knowledge as a bridge to new concepts. The other options don’t describe this cross-language support: a word bank is just a vocabulary list, a graphic organizer is a tool for organizing ideas, and receptive skills refer to understanding language input rather than transferring prior knowledge from one language to another.