Theories of L2 Acquisition

First Theory

The first theory you need to know is the Silent Period, developed by Stephen Krashen. The silent period is a learner designated time. This can be just a few short weeks, or can last up to nine months, during which the student is silent. You maybe wondering why they aren't speaking, maybe you think they are shy or  they don't understand. But in reality, what's happening is that the student is processing the language. They are not quite ready to start producing or speaking the language. The key during this period is for you as the teacher to be patient and not force the learner to speak. 

Second Theory

The second important theory is input hypothesis, also developed by Stephen Krashen. This is the idea that students progress when they are provided with language at their level and at a slightly more advanced level. So we can think of this as a compliment to Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development. We need to support the student linguistically where they are, but provide just slightly more advanced language, so they can improve language and content mastery.

The Input Hypothesis will be important later in the course when we talk about material selection and adaptation, and how content area teachers choose appropriate materials. Michael Long's Interaction Hypothesis builds on the Input Hypothesis, and focuses on the learning of language through face-to-face interaction. The student is communicating with a peer, with the teacher, maybe with a friend and building language. It gives them an opportunity to negotiate meaning. In other words, they are learning through the mistakes they make, while communicating with a teacher or another student, and they are learning through peer correction. Either they were understood and they successfully used the language, or they were not understood and they have to figure out what it is they need to do to make sure that they are understood. They have to keep trying. So through that negotiation, they are learning language.

Third Theory

The final theory is called Content Language Integrated Learning, referred to as CLIL. This was developed by David Marsh. This is more of a methodology that supports language being learned through content. So language becomes the vehicle for learning the content. Its aspects will be covered throughout the course when we talk about lesson planning and material selection and adaptation. In review, we have covered the following important theories for understanding second language acquisition. Stephen Krashen's silent period, in which the student remains silent until they are ready to speak, and his input hypothesis, which focuses on providing material language support at the student's level and slightly above. Michael Long's interaction hypothesis, which focuses on the importance of face-to-face interaction, and David Marsh's Content Language Integrated Learning methodology, which discusses learning a language through the content. All of them work together in supporting the acquisition of English through content instruction, without overburdening the classroom teacher.

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