Second Language Acquisition
Processes and Theories
Comprehensible Input
Hypothesis
by Stephen
Krashen
Language is acquired in one way only, when we
understand messages. Language is acquired when
we understand what is being said or what we read
Teachers can contribute to comprehensible input
when they use pictures, images, or graphics to
illustrate concepts while teaching.
Basic Interpersonal
Communicative Skills
(BICS)
by Jim
Cummins
Children acquire these skills during early
years of life. This is the basic language they
use everyday. (Native language)
Conversational fluency. A
conversation between two or more
people in the native language.
Complex language acquisition that is not used in
everyday conversations and can take any where from 5
to 10 years to master. Learned in school - decoding
language.
Teachers add onto the basic language acquisition by
introducing phonics, phonological awareness between
the sounds of language and written language, and
grammar and spelling.
Cognitive Academic
Language Proficiency (CALP)
Universal Grammar
by Noan
Chamsky
All language share the same basic things. Those
things are nouns, verbs, and adjectives. How a
language utilizes these is what makes a language
different.
Language has unique features. The placement of
nouns, verbs, and adjectives in a sentence makes the language
different.
Stages of Second Language
Acquisition
by Kristina Robertson
and Karen Ford
Second language acquisition is a gradual process. There are six
stages to language acquisition. (1. Pre-production, 2. Early
Production, 3. Speech Emergent 4. Beginning Fluency 5.
Intermediate Fluency 6. Advanced Fluency)
Teachers need to be aware that ELLs may be fluent socially in their second
language but not academically. Lessons should reflect this understanding and be
structured the help the student reach Advanced Fluency stage.