Introduction: describing and explaining L2 acquisition

1. Introduction: describing and explaining L2 acquisition Rod Ellis, 2003, chapter 1 Page 3-14 UliAzzahro (2201410052)

2. What is ‘second language acquisition’? Any language that is learned subsequent to the mother tongue Or Learn language other than their mother tongue

3. What are the goal of SLA? • the description of L2 acquisition • the explanation; identifying the external and internal factors

4. The external factor: - the social milieu in which learning takes place. - the input that learners receive. • The internal factor: the plurality, relative pronouns, and the substitute respectively for human and non-human in English

5. Two case studies a detailed study of a learner’s acquisition of an L2 There are: • A case study of an adult learner • a case study of two child learners

6. A case study of an adult learner In page 6, Wes is someone who learns the language at the same time as learning to communicate in it. His knowledge of English grammar developed over the three years. At the end, he focused on the using of auxiliary be, plural –s, third person –s, and regular past tense. In fact, he had little knowledge at the beginning.

7. A case study of two child learners In page 8, J and R were almost complete beginners in English at the beginning of study. J spent almost four school terms in the unit. R spent two whole school years. They had little exposure to the target language outside the classroom. They appeared to develop in much the same way.

8. Next… By the end of the study, their ability to use request had grown considerably. They were still far short of native-like competence at the end of study.

9. What do these case studies show us? • First: they raise a number of important methodological issues. • Second: they raise issues relating to the description of learner language. • Third: they point to some of the problems researchers experience in trying to explain L2 acquisition.

10. Methodolical Issues • Wes: - developed the ability to communicate in an L2 - examining his grammatical development - his ability to use English - how he learned to hold successful conversations

11. Next… • J and R: acquired the ability to perform a single language function (request) For example: ‘ Can I have_?’ It is possible to say they had acquired ‘can’ if they could only use it in one fixed expression? most researchers would say ‘no’.

12. Next… The third problem in trying to measure whether ‘acquisition’ has taken place concern learners’ overuse of linguistic form. Wes knew when to use the present progressive correctly, but he used it with the wrong function

13. Issues in the description of learner language • Wes failed to used some grammatical features at all and used incorrectly. These are error of omission and overuse. • J and R also made grammatical errors in their requests.

14. Next.. An important issue in SLA is the role that these formulas play, not just in enhancing learners’ performance but also in their acquisition of an L2

15. Next… features like progressive –ing and auxiliary be were used accurately while features like past regular and possessive –s were used very inaccurately.

16. Issues in the explanation of L2 acquisition L2 acquisition involves different kinds of learning. So, learners must engage in both item learning and system learning. An explanation of L2 acquisition must account for both item and system learning and how the two interrelate.

17. Next.. Learners follow a particular developmental pattern because their mental faculties are structured in such a way that is the way have to learn. Other explanation emphasize the importance of external as opposed to internal factors.

18. So, perhaps L2 learner can only acquire difficult linguistic features if they receive direct instruction of them.

19. Thank you…..