My Theory on Second Language Acquisition Redefined

Hugo Vargas.

SLA Module

Upon having read this week articles I must admit I have reflected on deeper issues
about SLA. I have been thinking about SLA involving the four skills; development of the
four skills in a Language: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. One should devote
time to it through self-Learning and Interactions. In my opinion Self-Learning is a factor
that makes a difference on Second Language acquisition because one first have to develop
an Intrapersonal experience on the language to gain confidence and understanding.

Scarcella and Oxford (1992) refer to Language Laerning strategies as “ secific actions,
behaviors, steps, or techniques- such as seeking out conversation partners, or giving one-
self encouragement to tackle a difficult Language task- used by stuents to enhance their
own learning” (P.63 ).

MacIntyre and Noels (1996) say that any tactic or plan that the student believes will help in
learning some part of the language or in managing the language learning process can be
considered a strategy.

They argue that students look for strategies in order to learn the new language and
motivation and behavior factors are associated to it.

Referring to the acquisition-laerning distinction, language acquisition is also a subconscius

process, this is called “ pick up” a language in an informal way hwereas language learning
is “ conscious knowledge” It is what is explicit about the language and the the error
correction is an issue that is useful for conscious learning. Nevertheless learning formal
rules or conscious learning play a limited role in second langauge performance.

One aspect wich calls my attention on second Language acquisition is the one that refers to
acquiring understanding first before dealing with structures of the language. We need
context, our previuos knowledge of the world , our extra-linguistic information, when we
go for meaning and the structures, we acquire lenaguage. The imput-hyphtesis has the
following characteristics: First of all realtes to the acquistion of the languge not the
learning per se. one has to understand certain structure of the language beyond one´s level
of competence ( i+1) but this is done with the help of content or extra-lingusitic
information. Another aspect is that when communication is successful and when the imput
is understood and there is also enough of the imput, (i+1) will be provided automatically.
So bearing this in mind I should give the students meaningful content acompanied by
exercises that increase their knowledge. Another aspect that I think is important in Krshe´s
imput theory is that of Speaking fleuncy, It says that this cannot be taught directly, that
emerges overtime and that there shoud be comprehensible imput first. It odes not require of
extensive use of conscious grammatical rules and tedious drills.

I believe that the affective filer is important when acquiring a second language since
lloweing the levels of anxiety prepares the learner and has to be included in the process as
It is related by Duley and Burt (1997) how affective factors relate to second language
process.

As I have stated in this paper; there are self-learning factors that are mediated by the
context to facilitate the acquisition of a second language and as teachers, providing them to
our students is necessary for their performance.