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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