Basic Principles of Second Language Acquisition

1. Basic Principles of Second Language Acquisition China Teachers Workshop Lynn Henrichsen

2. Five Widely Accepted “Hypotheses” about Second Language Acquisition Championed by Prof. Stephen Krashen,University of Southern California (Debated by many other experts; widely accepted by many language teachers)

3. The Acquisition/Learning Hypothesis • Language acquisition is an unconscious process developed through using language meaningfully and naturally. (Children acquire their native languages this way.) • Language learning involves consciously learning or discovering rules about a language. (Older learners study foreign languages this way.) • These two processes are different (and take place using different cognitive operations) • Language acquisition is the only way real competence in a second language develops.

4. Three conditions necessary for conscious learning: • Time. There must be sufficient time for a learner to choose and apply a learned rule. • Focus on form. The language user must be focused on correction on the form of the output. • Knowledge of rules. The performer must know the rules.

5. The Monitor Hypothesis • Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired.

6. The Natural Order Hypothesis • Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.

7. The Input Hypothesis • People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence. • Comprehensible input (i + 1) is the key to language acquisition.

8. The Input Hypothesis • People acquire language when it is understandable. • They need to understand the intent of the message, but not every word. • Teachers can make language more comprehensible by supplementing it with visuals, media, body language, and gestures—whatever conveys meaning.

9. The Affective Filter Hypothesis • The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition.

10. The Affective Filter Hypothesis • People acquire language best when their anxiety level is low and they are engaged in activities in a safe, comfortable, supportive environment where they feel free to take risks in using the language.

11. Three affective or attitudinal variables related to second language acquisition • Motivation • Self-confidence • Anxiety

12. Quick Review • Language acquisition (an unconscious process developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules about a language) and language acquisition is the only way competence in a second language occurs. (The acquisition/learning hypothesis) • Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired. (The monitor hypothesis) • Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order. (The natural order hypothesis). • People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence. (The input hypothesis) • The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition. (The affective filter hypothesis)

13. Implications for classroom language teaching • “The Natural Approach” • The application of these “natural” language acquisition principles in “artificial” classroom situations

14. The Natural Approach: The Learners’ Roles • Processcomprehensible input • Lose themselves in activities involving meaningful communication

15. The Natural Approach: The Teacher’s Roles • Provide learners with comprehensible input in the target language • Create an atmosphere that is interesting, friendly, and which there is a low affective filter for student learning • Choose and orchestrate a rich mix of classroom activities that accomplish these objectives

16. References • Stephen D. Krashen and Tracy D. Terrell. The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the Classroom • Heidi Dulay, Marina Burt, Stephen Krashen. Language Two.