Assignment - SLA

SUBJECT RESIT:SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

GENERAL INFORMATION:

This assignment has to fulfil the following conditions:

- Length: between 5 and 6 pages (without including cover, index or appendices –if there are any-).

- Type of font: Arial or Times New Roman.- Size: 11.- Line height: 1.5.- Alignment: Justified.

The assignment has to be done in this Word document and has to fulfil the rules of presentation and edition, as for quotes and bibliographical references which are detailed in the Study Guide.

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In addition to this, it is very important to read the assessment criteria, which can be found in the Study Guide.

The assignment mark is 100% of the final mark, but the participation in the activities performed during the tutorials can improve this mark.

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Assignment - SLA

Assignment:

According to Swain,

...producing the target language may be the trigger that forces the learner to pay attention to the means of expression needed in order to successfully convey his or her own intended meaning.(Swain 1985: 249)

In Swain's view, learners need not only input, but output: they need to use language in order to learn it. Krashen, however, as recently as 2009, stated that:

Research done over the last three decades has shown that we acquirelanguage by understanding what we hear and read. The ability toproduce language is the result of language acquisition, not the cause. Forcing students to speak English will not improve their ability tospeak English. (Korea Times, 2009).

“Is it possible to reconcile these two seemingly opposite views as to what constitutes second language acquisition or ‘learning’, as Swain puts it? Or do the two views represent two extremes of both theory and practice?”

Guidelines: To answer this question in essay form, you will need to refer to alternative concepts of acquisition and learning proposed by other theorists, judge them in relation to these two apparent extremes of input versus output, and then try to draw some conclusions. You must ensure that both Krashen and Swain are discussed within the broader framework of SLA theory, and thus demonstrate that you understand the general field.

Name and surname(s): Group:Date:

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Assignment - SLA

The two Views are equally important, but not totally absolute. We need to consider the

existent difference in people, also their motivations and learning styles, some may

prefer to communicate right away and talk at the same time than learning the language

and many more rather have more input in order to perform and use the language.

Skehan talks about some of this when referring to variables which influence language

learning, this really caught my attention, because although SLA theories help us to

understand the different methodologies and ways of how people learn a second

language, we all are different in many aspects, and learning a second language can be

quite complex and surely very distinct than learning the first language the good

outcome of language acquisition depends of many factors which in many cases are

not just natural capacity.

According to the interactionist, the acquisition of language is the result of the interaction

between learner´s mental process and the linguistic environment, focusing in the

discourse to construct and negotiate rather than the utterances produced by the

learner, yet we can notice the importance and quality of the input received, so the

learner can produce (input) and make himself understood. Out of this interaction,

learning takes place. To this respect Krashen says that the input should be modified in

some way so the actual learning takes place, also adds that in terms of complexity, be

slightly above the students language level.

When there is a need on the learner to communicate for that reason learning is

present, even though many mistakes may be identified during the interaction, the help

of a professional guidance on grammar must be required to avoid remain in the

utterance errors.

Chomsky in the othe hand takes language to be a complex, abstract system of rules.

And leaves it as a mystery the ability of a normal person that produces a speech that

is appropriate for a situation The issue of what sort of knowledge and abilities are

involved in SLA, and the extent to which they can be adequately described and

explained, is one of the most vexed issues in SLA research and theory construction.

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Assignment - SLA

But in the opposite part Halliday says that language is a systematic resource for

expressing meaning in context, not the set of all possible grammar sentences.

Consequently language should be analysed in the terms language users go about the

task of the realisation of meaning in context.

Halliday explains that language develops according to the changing needs of human

communities. The two main functions that language performs are the ideational

function, which allows people to deal with the external world and the interpersonal

function, which allows people to deal with each other.

Language according to Halliday can be seen both abstract knowledge and as a human

behaviour. Then if we notice Swains theory of second language acquisition is closely

connected to express the intended meaning and carry out a task.

(Swains 1997 a) One of the main rationales offered in the literature for using

communicative tasks in language teaching is the second language acquisitions is

enhanced through negotiation of meaning… language learning is assisted through a

social interaction of learners in their interlocutor, particularly when they negotiate

toward mutual comprehension of each other´s message meaning.

Krashen second language acquisition marks the (output) language production as a

result of language acquisition instead of a learning process, but takes in count the

importance of the meaning in the input as well the nature of it.

All this reminds me about the structural syllabus of Ellis, this role consist of intake

facilitation, a list of grammatical items, usually arranged in order in which they are to be

taught, but such syllabus will need to be used alongside some meaning-based

syllabus, which is design to provide learners with the opportunity for communicating in

the second language. What it can be notice here? Well in my point of view is that as

much is significant what the learners acquire than what the learner performs too.

Acquiring and practice go together always in order to have a significant learning. And

not always the perform should be seen as the result of the learning, because while

using the language we may learn too, speech can be corrected or confirmed.

The second language theorists although focus a little bit more in one of them (input or

output) can´t live aside the other, but consider both as an important part of acquiring a

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Assignment - SLA

language, the only partial difference is the time in which they are to be done, yet

learning is taking place in all the process since input, intake and output

Much have been said and written about the important role than input plays in second

language acquisition, however the mere exposure to an input- rich environment

Will not suffice to ensure learning, and by learning I mean to acquire communicative

competence, and the ability to use it in a real- time processing.

Elizabeth Chin, places a special attention on the role that the output or language

production plays in SLA, and explains that production can enhance fluency, or the

capacity to successfully cope with the pressures on real-time language processing,

also considers how output can help learners to enlarge their knowledge based on the

improve their performance.

When learners are emerged in second language real-life situation, the need of

performance is developed within them and get a higher chance to use the language

acquiring it better, also the opportunities for a better input is latent and makes it easier

to learn it. Stephen Krashen Theory says ¨Language acquisition does not require

extensive use of conscious grammatical rules and does not require tedious drill.

In formal Education can be different, it seems that the silent period enlarge, stress

grows, making the process between input and output longer. Although all students go

through a similar procedure of learning at the end the speed of learning and range

outcomes are highly variable from learner to learner, some do much better more

quickly than others due to each individual motivation , interest etc.

In krashen´s view one obstacle that manifest itself during language acquisition is the

affective filter, that is a screen that is influenced by emotional variables that can

prevent learning. He claims that learners with high motivation  self-confidence, a good

self-image, and a low level of anxiety are better equipped for success in second

language acquisition.

"The best methods are therefore those that supply 'comprehensible input' in low

anxiety situations, containing messages that students really want to hear. These

methods do not force early production in the second language, but allow students to

produce when they are 'ready', recognizing that improvement comes from supplying

communicative and comprehensible input, and not from forcing and correcting

production." Stephen Krashen

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Assignment - SLA

According to Krashen the learner improves and progresses when he receives second

language input that is a one step beyond current to his stage of linguistic competence,

comprehensible input, the meaning successfully conveyed constitutes the learning

experience . The ability to produce language is the result of language acquisition, not

the cause.

Meanwhile Swan theory has three ideas, the first it refers to the awareness or

noticing, when students find when they cannot say or write exactly what they need for

conveying meaning. With the use of this function, learners realize there are some

linguistic problems they need to manage, so that, it pushes the students to look for the

adequate knowledge they require for completing the new discovered gap.

Second testing function: suggests the learners use the method of error for testing

production expecting to receive a feedback. Recasts and elitations or clarification

requests.

Third, the mentalinguistic or reflective function. Language is seen as a tool conductive

to reflection on the anguage used by the teacher, their partners and the student

himself.

Krashen and Swain both refers to the significant role of the input during second

language acquisition but differed in the purpose of the output, for swain the purpose is

learning but Krashen considers it as the result of language acquisition.

Krashen hypothesis attempts to answer questions about how language acquisition is

acquired, but Swain believes that reasonable external factors can also help people

learn languages.

As long you provide a sufficient number and enter the appropriate forms of language,

expressions of spoken written language acquisition and grammar knowledge will be

automatically. Theoretically, that is not necessary for acquisition. In other words, The

output of comprehensible input in the course can be naturally .occurring, not

deliberately  . However, Swain believes that is necessary.

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Assignment - SLA

Important: you have to write your personal details and the subject name on the cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below the cover.

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Assignment - SLA

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