Language Learning and Concept Expansion : An Experimental Study

Concepts are mental representation of knowledge. Knowledge and expression of concepts need language. However, just the knowledge of language without concepts also would make the learners successful in careers. This paper discusses the theoretical aspects of formation of concepts and relationship between concepts and language. The learning theories in relation to expansion of concepts are presented. Based on these theoretical aspects, an experimental study was conducted in five phases where a tremendous change in the performance of the students was observed. The phases include expressing the existing concepts (self and surroundings), expansion of concepts through familiar genres, i.e., stories and anecdotes (spiral learning), increasing the pace of expansion through other inputs like news stories and the fifth phase was through academic texts. The performance of the learners after executing the experimental techniques was on par with the other group of students. Hence it can be concluded that the concept expansion techniques would enhance the language proficiency levels of the learners along with knowledge levels