Second Language Acquisition by Yule

1. What is the difference between the terms ACQUISITION and LEARNING?

• ACQUISITION: Subconscious process, implicit, informal, natural learning; “picking-up a language”

• LEARNING: Conscious knowledge of a second language; knowing the rules; “knowing about” a language; explicit learning, grammar. 

2. Why is motivation important for L2 students?

Motivation is important because it is related to the affective filter hypothesis; that helps students to be interested in the L2, and thus they would acquire it. It also activates the Language acquisition device.

3. Why might foreign talk be beneficial?

Foreign talk is a variety of speech which is simpler in structure and vocabulary. It might be beneficial because we receive comprehensible input.

4. What is communicative competence?

Communicative Competence is the level of proficiency en second language acquisition

There are three types of communicative competence:

• ·Grammatical competence:  It evolves the accurate use of words and structures in the L2

• ·Sociolinguistic Competence: It enables the learner to discriminate the social context.

• · Strategic competence: This is the ability to organize a message affectively and to compensate via strategies, for any difficulties (monitor)

5. What is Positive and Negative Transfer?

Positive transfer: If L1 and L2 have similar characteristics, the learner may be able to benefit from the positive transfer of L1 knowledge.

Negative transfer: L1 and L2 are too different, and it is not affective for L2 communication.

Grammar Translation Method	Audio-lingual Method	Communicative  Competence
Grammatical rules	Spoken language	Creation of communicative experience