The amount of time that should be spent on explicit teaching of language patterns and structure is an issue among second language teachers. Those who believe that language learning is a developmental process feel that there is no sense in teaching grammar and syntax explicitly since the learner can be expected to acquire these skills as he organizes the new linguistic system. On the other hand, those who believe that language learning is habit formation feel that first language habits carry over into the second language, and, therefore, the patterns of the new language must be drilled until they become habit. An analysis of syntactic errors made by children learning a second language provides knowledge about the processes involved in second language acquisition. Methodology used in the ESL (English as a second language) classroom should be based on an understanding of these learning processes. This paper discusses both theories of second language learning. The hypothesis that forms the framework for this study is that the child organizes the grammatical patterns of the second language by using language-learning strategies similar to those used by a first language learner. (Author/CLK)