Second Language Acquisition Processes and Theories

Second Language Acquisition Processes and Theories

1. Universal Grammar Theory

   • Noam Chomsky
   • States that all children are born with the innate ability to acquire, develop, and understand language

2. Input Hypothesis

   • Krashen
   • Proposes the language acquisition takes place only when the learner receives input just beyond their current level of competence.
   • Application: Create a student centered teaching model to encourage interaction and discussion

3. Output Hypothesis

   • Merrill Swain
   • Meaningful output is as necessary as meaningful input because the experience of producing language leads to more effective processing of input
   • Application: Use classroom interaction to ask questions and allow the students to respond verbaly

4. Interaction Theory

   • Long
   • States that the effectiveness of comprehensible input is greatly increased when learners have to negotiate for the meaning
   • Application: Allow the students to discuss a topic such as global warming, allowing each student to give their opinion while listing to the opinion of others.

5. Noticing Hypothesis

   • Richard Schmidt
   • States knowledge of a language is not always essential for acquisition but the learner must be aware of the input in order to gain from it
     • Also learners must notice the ways in which their interlanguage structures differ from target norms
   • Application: Allow an English learner student to first check if they can find the mistake in their work before telling them the mistake, allowing them to find and notice the mistake for themselves

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