EXPLAINING SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

SUMMARY
Second language learners are different from young children
acquiring a language. We have to consider the characteristics
and

the

conditions

characteristics
cognitive

of

found

maturity,

both
are:

c)

the
a)

learner

knowing

and

another

metalinguistic

learning.

The

language,

awareness,

d)

b)

world

knowledge and e) anxiety about speaking (which is more common in

adults and adolescents rather than little kids). When learning a
language, it means you already acquired one, which can be both
an advantage and interference towards the learning of a second
language.
The conditions in need to consider are: f) freedom to be
silent (it happens more in young people and less in old people),
g) ample time (which also is given more in young and less in old
people), h) corrective feedback (which is. mostly given in the
classroom)

and

i)

modified

Input

(which,

unlike

corrective

feedback, is common in every stage).

Perspectives that explain SLL:
Behaviourism Perspective: Mimicry and Memorization.
Language learning is viewed as the formation of habits.
Students would learn by constantly imitating patterns. States
that learner should learn language features that are similar to
her/his mother tongue with ease.
Innatist Perspective:

Universal Grammar.
Chomsky argued that innate knowledge of the principles of
Universal Grammar permits all children to acquire the language
of

their

environment

development,

which

ends

during
by

critical

the

beginning

period
of

of

their

puberty.

Some

authors theorize that UG is altered by each language a person

acquires.
discussion,

Formality
as

some

of

second

authors

language

argue

that

learning
feedback

is
and

under
formal

instruction are only superficial, while the ones that think UG

is altered by prior languages argue that the learner may need
explicit information.

Krashens Monitor Model

The model was described by five hypotheses:
- Acquisition-learning hypothesis: We acquire unconsciously,
we learn consciously.
- Monitor
monitor

hypothesis:

that

polishes

Spontaneous
language.

use

Needs

of

language

time,

with

concern,

and

knowledge of the relevant rules.

- Natural order hypothesis: SLA develops in a predictable
way. The easiest things to learn are not necessarily the first
ones. Even the best forget the s in simple present sometimes.
- Input hypothesis: Comprehensible input, going only one step
ahead of whats already known (i + 1).
- Affective

filter

hypothesis:

Learners

that

are

tense,

anxious or bored may filter out input, making it unavailable

for acquisition.

Current

psychological

theories:

The

Cognitivist/Developmental perspective.
Direct answer to innatists perspective: there is no need to
hypothesize that humans have a language specific module in the
brain or that acquisition and learning are different processes.
Learning is inherent to humans in every aspect.

Information processing model

SLA is the building up of knowledge that can eventually be
called on automatically for speaking and understanding. Learners
pay attention to what they can and need to attend in order to
learn.
Eventually they will need to pay attention to more complex
properties of the language. First learners would need to pay
attention to sounds, morphemes, isolated meaning of words. When
in

advanced

stages,

learners

use

of

language

turns

more

automatic, allowing them to pay attention to overall structures

instead

of

isolated

words.

Other

authors

see

SLA

as

skill

learning, where knowledge turns from declarative knowledge into

procedural knowledge (from that to how), and eventually,
procedural knowledge ends up eclipsing declarative knowledge.
Learners

thus

forget

the

reason

that

led

them

to

learn

language, they just know it.

Sometimes
gradually

the

building

acquisition
up

of

knowledge,

a
is

language,
given

by

instead

of

restructuring,

meaning that learners suddenly put it all together even though

they werent taught anything by that moment. This can lead to

mistakes of overgeneralization though.
Transfer appropriate processing: Its easier to apply what
we learn in a context similar to that of our learning.

Connectionism
- The ability to learn is what is innate to us.
- The environment is very important, as learners build up
their knowledge mainly by exposure.
- Learners start connecting everything they were exposed to.

The Competition Model

Similar to Connectionism, learners get to understand the use
of each individual cue in a language through exposure. Learners
compare such cues within the sentences.

Second

Language

Applications:

Interacting,

noticing

and

processing
- Interaction Hypothesis: quite similar to Krashens input
hypothesis,

but

more

focused

on

HOW

to

make

input

comprehensible. Thus the concept of Modified Interaction was

created.

It

is

having

the

chance of

interacting

with other

speakers and make input comprehensible among themselves. The

modifications are 1) Checking understanding; 2) Clarification
Request;

3)

Self-repetition

or

paraphrase.

Interlocutors

negotiate meaning. Later this hypothesis was extended with the

comprehensible

output

hypothesis,

which

is

focused

on

the

learner being demanded to producing comprehensible output and

hence learning better.

- Noticing hypothesis: according to this, nothing is learned

unless it has been noticed. This doesnt mean that noticing
means immediate learning. It is debated whether if learners must
be aware that they are noticing something in the input or not.

- Processability theory: Sometimes learners have difficulties

when processing what they get, which lead to the theory that
the

sequence

of

development

for

features

of

syntax

morphology is affected by how easy they were to process.

and

Sociocultural perspective
Language development is a result of social interaction. It
occurs when individuals interact with an interlocutor within
her/his zone of proximal development (ZPD).
People

gain

control

of

and

reorganize

their

cognitive

processes during meditation as knowledge is internalized during

social activity.