Second Language
Acquisition
A brief introduction
1
A quick review
• What does …………………….mean?
• a second Language (SL/L2)?
• a foreign language (FL)?
• a native language (NL) or mother tongue (MT)?
• an international language?
• Is English your second language or foreign language?
• Is English a second language or a foreign language in
Cambodia?
2
(S)LA theory + teaching
• (S)LA = (Second) Language Acquisition
• subject in TESOL/FLT and applied linguistics programs directed at
language educators as well as in courses concerned with linguistic
and psycholinguistic theory
• SLA deals with the question of the nature of theories in SLA and,
possibly, how they may reveal themselves as relevant to the
context of instruction
• teachers‘ expectations are sometimes a little unrealistic
• What is the relationship between theory & research and
(classroom) practice?
3
Second Language acquisition
• SLA researchers want to learn more about competence
but through analysing performance in FL/SL
• SLA researchers want to explore ways through which
NL/L1/L2/SL/TL/L3 are acquired..
• Competence vs. performance
Competence, i.e. the underlying, mental
representations vs. performance, i.e. the actual use
• Is the way you acquire/learn L2/FL the same as the way
you acquire your L1?
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Terminology: Language acquisition
Language Acquisition
• Acquisition vs. learning
• Acquire= subconsciously/ more naturally
• Learn= conscious/ put more efforts
• I follow the tradition of most SLA researchers in the field and
use acquisition as the superordinate term; I retain ‘learner‘
(and not acquirer)
• important: focus on development
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What about you?
• Are you a language acquirer or learner?
• How do you learn a foreign language (English)?
• Or how do you teach English?
• It is probably true that most of us teach students English
as we were taught or in a way that matches our ideas and
preferences about how we learn.
• Discuss some statements of SLA on the next slides
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Activity: Give your opinion on these statements
• SA=strongly agree, A= agree, D=disagree somewhat, SD=strongly disagree
SLA statements SA A D SD
1. Languages are learned mainly through imitation.
2. Parents usually correct young children when they make grammatical
errors.
3. Highly intelligent people are good language learners.
4. The most important predictor of success in SLA is motivation
5. The earlier a second language is introduced in school programs, the
greater the likelihood of success in learning
6. Most of the mistakes that SL learners make are due to interference
from their NL/L1
7. The best way to learn new vocabulary is through reading
8. It is essential for learners to be able to pronounce all the individual
sounds in the second language.
[Link] learners knew 1,000 words and the basic structure of a
language, they can easily participate in conversations with native
speakers
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SLA statements SA A D SD
10. Teachers should present grammatical rules one at a time, and learners
should practice examples of each one before going on to another.
11. Teachers should teach simple language structures before complex ones
12. Learners’ errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order
to prevent the formation of bad habits
13. Teachers should use materials that expose students only to language
structures they have already been taught.
14. When learners are allowed to interact freely (for example, in group or
pair activities), they copy each other’s mistakes.
15. Students learn what they are taught
16. Teachers should respond to students’ errors by correctly rephrasing
what they have said rather than by pointing out the error
17. Students can learn both language and academic content (for example,
science and history) simultaneously in classes where the subject matter is
taught in their SL.
18. Classrooms are good places to learn about language but not for
learning how to use language
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