Máster en formación del profesorado de Secundaria

Aprendizaje y enseñanza de la materia (Carmen Camus)

Autor: Angélica Albuerne Gayo

Principles and Practice in

Second Language Acquisition

Introduction: theory and practice

•What is the relationship between second language teaching and second language acquisition?•Theory is not the only way to focus on methodology•Language teaching solutions are not innovations or sophistication but use of the tools we have such as language for real communication

Three Approaches to method

1. Second Language

Acquisition Approah •Series of

hypotheses proved with

experimental data•Part of

theoretical Linguistics • This theory

needs supporting evidence

2. Applied Linguistic Research

•This reaseach tries to establish

comparisons between different approaches and see which one is

the most adecuate for the students to learn

a second language

3. Ideas and intuitions from experience

•This third method relies on the insights of experienced language teachers as well as on introspections by language students.

•Empirical support is not required since the word of the teacher is sufficient

evidence.

Interactions among the three approaches to practice

Fig.1.1 Ideal relationship between theory, applied linguistics research, ideas and intuitions and language teaching practice.

Second Language Acquisition

theory

Applied linguistics Research

Ideas and inntuitions

Language teaching practice

Actual relationship between theory, applied linguistics research, ideas and intuitions and language teaching

practice

Applied linguistics research

Second language

acquisition theory

Ideas and

intuitions

Language teaching practice

CONSIDERATIONS

4.Theoreticians thought that the best way to learn a language was through

drill pattern and dialogue

5. Another way to apply linguistic theory into

practice was through the applied transformational

grammar

6. Applied transformational grammar work was based on theoretical syntax and phonology

an extremely important

contribution which easily outdid

previous theories based on linguistic

structure

7. Transformational grammar

should be considered as

3. An example of behavioristic method was the audio-lingual method

1. There should be more interaction between reseachers and teachers

2. Little interaction between theory and applied reseach

is present

Both theories failed

•Behaviouristic theory failed because it was not considered a language acquisition theory•Transformational grammar theory failed because it was a theory of product and result instead of being a theory of process •There is a break from theory, now methodology is more based on what seems to work in class and not in theory.

What the three approaches have to say about METHOD

• The best methods for language acquisition are those which have sufficient comprehensible input in stressless situation.

• These methods are called input methods supplying comprehensible input and free pressure-situations.

• A decade ago teaching language was oriented to grammatical description nowadays, there an intereset in promoting real communication, exposing students to real input and participating in conversations.

• The ideas that work are those based on role-playing, socio-drama, and above all we want a methodology that lowers student’s anxiety

Goals of this book!

A. Present the theory as it is seen today as well as its implications. B. Connect teachers to theory and give them the confidence they need.C. Theory is not the ultimate goal in second language acquisitionD. Our ideas should be considered as a source for future methods and materials together with the experiences of teachers and on the other hand as acquirers of language.

Conclusion• What is better to focus on

correctness or rather on the use of the language?

• What if we take into account both at the same level?

• Not to trust to much on theory but also trust intuition and experience

• This is the beginning of the humanistics approaches that take into account the feelings of students

• Methodology is not only theory but also practice based on experience and knowledge

• The audiolingual method and the TG were not appropriate to acquire a language : they were more focus on product than in process itself.

• The Natural Approach states a new way of acquiring a language more student-centered

THE END