Second Language Acquisition is the science of how one acquires the ability to both understand and produce a language that isn’t one’s native language.

Meta Comment

I’m by no means an expert on the topic of language acquisition but I’ve read some basics. This is a summary of what I understand so far

How do we acquire language?

We all acquire language in the same way. In the same way we learn our first language.

By understanding messages. When we understand what people tell us in a low anxiety environment. This is called “comprehensible input”. It can be both listening and reading.

What helps?

How do you make input comprehensible?

• Gestures
• Visuals
• Clarity and speed of speech.
• Easy vocabulary and syntax.
• Background knowledge. Learning about something you.
• Good stories.
• Natural repetition

What makes good input?

• Comprehensible
• Compelling
• Rich
• Abundant

What doesn’t work?

• Talking! It will not help you to speak. Speaking emerges from input.
• Drills and exercises
• Grammmar teaching
• Forced repetition

So I shouln’t bother speaking? What about immersion?

What counts is not what you say but in what you comprehend from its response.

Factors

• Motivation (higher better)
• Self Esteem (higher better)
• Anxiety (lower better). Facilitative anxiety does not apply. Your focus should be on the message, and not on the syntax.

Affective Filter

Learners might be distracted by emotional factors in language learning process. Students might not be able to absorb what they should learn in class because of their teacher’s uncongenial manners or classmates’ aggressive and competitive attitudes.

Misc

The real trick is finding something that you’ll find interesting enough to actually focus on but is just above your level, so you’re able to understand and stretch yourself (edited)

• Focus on comprehensible input: reading and listening
• Stretch the limit, but not too much. You should previously understand about 90-95% of the content of the message.
• It takes roughly 12 messages to fully learn a word
• Phrases and sentences are better than words
• Don’t don’t teach vocabulary and especially don’t translate word-by-word
• Speak slowly and clearly. Slower than you think you need to
• Output is useful, correction is not. Instead of correcting people restate correctly. - e.g., recast
• Extensive reading is great

also consider the distinction between

Language Acquisition

The process by humans acquire the ability to comprehend and produce language.

Language Learning

Conscious knowledge of the rules of language.

Communicative Skill

Correctly transmitting the intent of your communication.

The Four Skills

flowchart LR;
    subgraph Input
    Listening
    Reading
    end

    subgraph "Output/Production"
    Speaking["Speaking/Oral"]
    Writing
    end

    Listening --> Speaking
    Reading --> Writing

Technical Terms

Natural order hypothesis

Every language has a fixed order of acquisition. Every learner acquires rules in the same way.

Early acquired

These are topics learned early in the journey of language learning.

Late acquired

These are topics learned later on in the journey of language learning.

Monitor hypothesis

In order to “monitor” your own language (by using your learned rules) you need specific conditions: ¹:

• know the rule
• time to use the rule
• be focused on the correctness and not on the content

Silent Period

The period between between the time that you first start hearing language and the time that you’re able to produce language spontaneously automatically without thinking about it.

Sources

Currently not everything on this page is sourced but the intent is that it should be more so over time. I have not read every source in full.

1. John W. Schwieter & Alessandro Benati (Eds.). (2019). The Cambridge Handbook of Language Learning (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108333603
2. A Nail in the Coffin Part 1 – CI Increases ENROLLMENT – Grant Boulanger. (2017, November 8). http://www.grantboulanger.com/a-nail-in-the-coffin-part-1-ci-increases-enrollment/
3. Horner, D. (1987). Acquisition, learning and the monitor: A critical look at Krashen. System, 15(3), 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(87)90008-X
4. Chapter 5: Stages and Strategies in Second-Language Acquisition. (2008). In Jane Donnelly Hill & Cynthia Linnea Björk, Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners Participant’s Workbook (Workbook edition). ASCD.
5. Stephen D. Krashen. (1984). Principles and practice in second language acquisition (Reprinted). In Language teaching methodology series. Pergamon Press.
6. Stephen Krashen, Beniko Mason, & Ken Smith. (2018). Some new terminology: comprehensionaiding supplementation and form-focusing supplementation. Language Learning and Teaching, 60(6), 12–13. https://www.benikomason.net/content/articles/pdf_new_terminology_2018._llt_copy.pdf
7. Jennifer M. Sevilla. (1996). Involuntary rehearsal of second language at the elementary level: Do elementary school children experience the din in the head? System, 24(1), 101–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(95)00055-O
8. Stephen D. Krashen. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition (1st ed). In Language teaching methodology series. Pergamon.

Citations