114 ¦ Universal grammar: Our language learning superpower? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 29 MIN

114 ¦ Universal grammar: Our language learning superpower?

from The Motivated Classroom · host Dr. Liam Printer

This third and final episode in the mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research and theory. This one looks at Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar; the idea that we all possess an innate mechanism that allows us to decipher and encode language with ease.In this episode I try to look at both sides of the research on this and also at where the common ground lies. There is, always, lots of valuable practical implications for teachers too!Please let me know what you think!Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom. Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

This third and final episode in the mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research and theory. This one looks at Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar; the idea that we all possess an innate mechanism that allows us to decipher and encode language with ease.In this episode I try to look at both sides of the research on this and also at where the common ground lies. There is, always, lots of valuable practical implications for teachers too!Please let me know what you think!Keep in touch and share widely! Full programme notes are available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.liamprinter.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow The Motivated Classroom on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@motclasspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@themotivatedclassroom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'd love to know what you think, please get in touch! Join the conversation with the hashtag #MotivatedClassroom. Enjoying the podcast? Leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Become a Patron of The Motivated Classroom podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com.

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114 ¦ Universal grammar: Our language learning superpower?

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This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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This third and final episode in the mini-series on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research and theory. This one looks at Chomsky's concept of Universal Grammar; the idea that we all possess an innate mechanism that allows us to decipher and...

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