Second Language Acquisition

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Second Language Acquisition
Lecture 6

• Second Language Learning
• In the Classroom
• (Lightbown Spada Chapter 6)

Dr. Robert Schwab, 2006
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A Note on Chapter 5 Observing 2nd Language
Teaching

• Chapter 5 asks you to observe language teaching
  situations by reading several transcripts
  provided in the book.
• Our course will instead use video observation and
  analysis of native-English speaking master
  teachers using communicative language teaching
  applications in real classroom settings.
• Chapter 5 is not included in our coursework and
  will not form the basis for any assessment or
  other formal requirement in this course

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Chapter 6

• Chapter 6 reviews 5 paradigms for classroom
  teaching, each reflecting a different theoretical
  approach in terms of application in the second
  language classroom setting
• Get it right from the beginning (Grammar
  translation)
• Say what you mean, mean what you say (Social
  Interaction)
• Just listen and read (Comprehensible input)
• Teach what is teachable (Orders of acquisition)
• Get it right in the end (Form-focused instruction)

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Get it Right From the Beginning

• Theoretical approach Behaviorist (Behaviorism)
• Methodological Approach Grammar translation,
  audiolingual
• Classroom focus oral language, but not
  spontaneous language. Spontaneous language would
  allow students to make errors, and errors are
  considered the source of bad language habits.
  Memorization and reciting predetermined dialogues
• Conceptual focus gradual accumulation of one
  item after another with perfect memorized
  responses

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Continued

• No need for student to think about what they are
  saying or even understand what the sentence means
• Most successful with highly motivated adult
  learners with good grammar-based knowledge of 1st
  language
• Advantageous at the rote-beginner level for
  forming a basic foundation on which recognition
  and meaning can be developed
• Least successful in ordinary school programs
  where motivation may be a problem, where
  correctness may not be highly valued, where the
  inability to actually communicate real messages
  intentions often results

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Say What You Mean,Mean What You Say

• Theoretical approach Social Interactionism
• Methodological Approach Task-based instruction,
  discovery learning, comprehensible input
• Classroom focus spontaneous oral language
  through meaningful unstructured interaction with
  teachers other students. Students negotiate for
  meaning mutual understanding. Only errors that
  impede communication are corrected
• Conceptual focus acquiring language forms base
  on recognition of meaning and related mental
  grammar

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Continued

• Students must negotiate for meaning (involving
  clarifications, confirmations, repetitions, etc)
  as an essential element of language acquisition
• The learner takes more control of their
  linguistic output as language acquisition
  advances
• The learner in no pressured to speak, but the
  natural impulse to communicate is encouraged
  supported
• Interaction with other learners of varying levels
  is encouraged communicative practice is
  considered more important than accurate
  grammatical input

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Just Listen and Read

• Theoretical approach Innate acquisition
  (Innatist)
• Methodological Approach Comprehension-based
  instruction, TPR, Enhanced input, Guided exposure
• Classroom focus providing comprehensible input
  through listening and/or reading activities may
  be reinforced through pairing with physical
  activities.
• Conceptual focus acquiring language forms based
  on association rather than communicative
  interaction, minimizing the threat associated
  with risk-taking

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Continued

• Most successful, in early stages of learning,
  where students have no contact with the target
  language outside of the classroom, and where the
  goal of language learning is academic (not
  communicative)
• Advantageous, early level in target language
  deficient environments, no or limited contact
  with native or competent speakers, large
  classroom environments
• Least successful, more advanced levels,
  particularly in terms of pronunciation and
  comprehensible speech and in recognizing
  interlanguage patterns that are not appropriate
  in the target language (negative transfer)

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Teach What is Teachable

• Theoretical approach Innate, orders of
  acquisition
• Methodological Approach Guided exposure,
  scheduled instruction, explicit instruction
• Classroom focus assess learners developmental
  level and teach what would naturally come next
• Conceptual focus Some areas (vocabulary) can be
  taught at successfully at any level but others
  (simple complex sentence word order) are
  acquired based on developmental stages. For
  these, stage 4 ca not be achieved until stage
  1, 2 3 have been acquired

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Continued

• Highly dependent on motivation, intelligence and
  quality of instruction
• Most successful with individual instruction or
  small groups with all students at same
  developmental level
• Advantageous at lower developmental levels in
  environments with limited natural exposure to the
  target language
• Least successful in large classroom settings,
  with groups containing different developmental
  levels, and in target-language dominant
  communities
• Often associated with syllabus planners
  administrators

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Get It Right In the End

• Theoretical approach Innatist - interactionist
• Methodological Approach Comprehension-based,
  content-based, task-based, form-focused
  instruction, corrective feedback
• Classroom focus wide variation of classroom
  exposure to language that is meaning-based with
  strong structural and corrective reinforcement
  
• Conceptual focus Many features can be acquired
  naturally based on motivation and input, but
  form-focused instruction and corrective feedback
  is necessary for speed efficiency of learning

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Continued

• Less highly structured, respecting tenants of a
  variety of theoretical approaches, adapting
  classroom applications to existing needs
  conditions
• Most successful in classroom settings with older
  learners (teen ), wide ranges of abilities, and
  limited exposure to natural language outside of
  class
• Less successful for younger children who may not
  be able to handle grammar form focused
  instruction
• Variation variety promotes learning, doesnt
  matter how we get there, its the destination
  thats important. The right balance will be
  learner-specific

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Issues that could affect choices

• Access to types of quality input native or
  competent speakers as instructors and fellow
  learners, resources
• Motivation and goals (academic, social,
  communicative)
• Similarity of target language to the L1
• Language environment L2 dominant/non-dominant
• Cultural and social constraints risk-taking,
  threat of embarrassment, willingness to
  participate
• Age, capacity for logic and higher order thinking
  skills, existing meta linguistic sophistication
• Range of abilities and level of fellow students

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THE ENDLecture 6Second Language
AcquisitionDr. Robert Schwab, 2006