Chapter 1: Guiding Principles - Language Acquisition and Pedagogy

An explicit process of memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary lists.

A mostly implicit process of building a linguistic system by making form-meaning connections from the input.

A conscious effort to translate from the first language into the target language.

A deliberate study of phonetic transcription and morphological paradigms.

They consciously analyze grammatical structures.

They build a linguistic system through form-meaning connections.

They memorize lists of vocabulary words.

They translate messages word-for-word into their first language.

Because administrators require teachers to write a definition in their lesson plans.

Because without a clear understanding of what we are trying to achieve, it is difficult to know if we are going about it the best way.

Because the government mandates a particular definition for all language programs.

Because students are tested on the definition at the end of the course.

"The accurate use of vocabulary and grammar in spoken and written form."

"The expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning with a purpose in a given context."

"The memorization and recitation of dialogues between two or more speakers."

"Any verbal exchange between two or more language learners."

The accurate pronunciation of target language sounds.

Any classroom activity that involves two or more students.

The purposeful interpretation and/or expression of meaning.

The completion of grammar exercises in pairs.

"Is the activity done in pairs?" and "Does it include a grammar focus?"

"What information or content is being conveyed?" and "What will the audience do with the information?"

"Are students speaking in the target language?" and "Are they taking turns?"

"Is the activity graded?" and "Does it have a rubric?"

Can be freely altered by asking students to assume other identities like tourists or celebrities.

Cannot be altered, since students are students, and ignoring that context reduces the activity to mere language practice.

Should always replicate a real-world scenario like ordering food at a restaurant.

Must be completely ignored when designing communicative tasks.

Engaging in genuine communication because they are working with authentic texts.

Engaging in communicative practice that prioritizes audience needs.

Not engaging in communication because the activity can be completed without focusing on meaning.

Demonstrating interpretive communication by interacting with a written text.

A clear example of interpersonal communication.

A communicative activity because it involves listening and writing.

Not communicative, because learners could write what they hear without understanding the meaning.

An example of presentational communication.

The sentences produced are always grammatically incorrect.

No information is being conveyed that anyone will do anything with; the focus is purely on practicing grammar.

The clues are written in English rather than the target language.

The activity requires students to speak aloud.

Reading, writing, and grammar.

Listening, speaking, and reading.

Interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal.

Receptive, productive, and interactive.

The three modes correspond to different proficiency levels.

They are tied to modality, so interpretive is always oral and presentational is always written.

They are not meant to happen in a linear way, although starting lessons with interpretive communication is a good idea.

Each mode must be taught in complete isolation from the others.

Is essentially the same as memorizing vocabulary lists.

Involves the purposeful interpretation of meaning from a text, audio, or visual message.

Requires learners to produce language in real time without preparation.

Focuses only on reading printed materials.

Should be reduced to retrieving literal answers from a text.

Goes beyond literal retrieval and involves interpretation based on the learner's own background.

Is only possible with advanced proficiency learners.

Is identical to grammatical analysis of sentences.

Real-time, unprepared oral exchanges between interlocutors.

The creation of a message for an audience, with some level of preparation involved.

Reading a text silently and answering comprehension questions.

Memorizing a dialogue and reciting it with a partner.

Memorized scripts that students perform in front of the class.

An information gap between interlocutors: one person shouldn't know what the other will say or ask.

Reading comprehension questions based on a passage.

Writing a paragraph for the teacher to grade.

Two students reciting a dialogue they memorized the night before.

Students interviewing each other about their housing preferences and selecting options for each other.

A student recording a video tour of an apartment for classmates to watch later.

A student reading classified ads and answering comprehension questions.

Not interpersonal, because it is written rather than spoken.

Interpersonal communication, even though it is not spontaneous.

A clear example of presentational communication.

An example of interpretive communication, since the messages are read.

Not interpersonal, because candidates rehearse ahead of time.

Presentational, because the candidate presents themselves to the interviewer.

Interpersonal communication, since there is a real information gap between interlocutors.

Interpretive, because the interviewer is interpreting the candidate's responses.

Are taught on separate days with no connection between them.

Build on each other, with interpersonal activity referencing the videos made in the presentational step.

Must always follow a strict order: presentational first, then interpersonal, then interpretive.

Are only appropriate for advanced proficiency learners.

They share no aspects in common.

Many aspects of building a linguistic system from input are the same, but we should be careful about assuming L1 findings apply directly to L2+ teaching.

Whatever works for L1 acquisition can be readily applied to L2+ acquisition without modification.

L2+ acquisition is fundamentally different from L1 acquisition in every respect.

Cultures, comparisons, connections, and communities.

Comprehension, creativity, collaboration, and curiosity.

Culture, content, cognition, and community.

Communication, cognition, content, and culture.

Exist in isolation from one another and should be treated separately.

Are very much interconnected, with communication implying awareness of audience, purpose, context, and cultural intricacies.

Apply only to advanced learners of foreign languages.

Were developed by the textbook authors themselves.

Cannot be equated with first learning vocabulary, then grammar, and then finding something to talk about.

Is best achieved by first teaching vocabulary and then finding a context to use it.

Should always start with grammar instruction before any meaning-based activity.

Requires memorizing dialogues in the target language.

Help students pass standardized grammar tests.

Help students communicate outside of the classroom.

Drill students on the conjugation of irregular verbs.

Eliminate the learner's first language from the classroom entirely.

It is completely useless and should be eliminated from classrooms.

It has no value at all for language development.

It may still have value for language development, even though it is not true communication.

It is the only way to develop language proficiency.

The three modes have made the four skills disappear.

The four skills have been replaced by the three modes.

The four skills remain valid, but using terms like "interpretive written communication" underscores the importance of context and purpose.

Only listening and speaking remain important; reading and writing have been abandoned.

According to the three modes of communication.

For each of the four skills.

Only for the interpersonal mode of communication.

Without reference to skills or modes.

Cannot involve any preparation whatsoever.

Always involves perfect, memorized speeches.

Involves, by definition, some level of preparation, but "prepared" does not mean "perfect or memorized."

Is necessarily inferior to interpersonal communication.

Only true communication has any pedagogical value.

Communicative practice may have value, but our goal is helping students truly communicate.

Tasks should always be designed to avoid interpretation of meaning.

Teachers should not consider whether activities involve meaning at all.

Because form alone is sufficient to build a linguistic system.

Because the linguistic system cannot be built without form-meaning connections.

Because learners only need to memorize word forms to communicate.

Because grammar exercises are sufficient for acquisition.

A complete and precise textbook definition of acquisition.

Misleading, because the textbook emphasizes that acquisition is mainly about building a linguistic system, not communication per se.

The final, official definition given in the chapter.

A statement the textbook authors fully agree with.

True, because teachers choose all the input.

False, because while learners cannot fully control acquisition, teachers also cannot fully control what learners acquire.

True, because teachers design every activity.

False, because learners have full control over their acquisition.

Agreeing fully with this view.

Rejecting this view, since acquisition is mostly implicit and not primarily the result of explicit explanation.

Endorsing the idea that explaining grammar rules is the main role of language teachers.

Agreeing only if the teacher uses the learners' first language.

Completely true, since L1 and L2+ acquisition share nothing.

False, because many aspects of L1 and L2+ acquisition are the same, though caution is needed.

Completely true, and the textbook never discusses L1 acquisition.

False, because L2+ acquisition has nothing to do with L1 acquisition.

Create fully individualized curricula based on the most motivated learner.

Ignore individual differences entirely.

Incorporate student choice whenever possible (e.g., free voluntary reading, assignment formats) and understand students' needs, preferences, and beliefs.

Apply a single rigid curriculum with no flexibility.

Because individual factors are unimportant.

Because these factors interact in complex ways and are hard to disentangle from one another.

Because no researchers study individual differences.

Because teachers do not believe in individual differences.

Refusing to accept any late work from students under any circumstance.

Accepting late work or letting students re-do assignments.

Refusing to let students re-do any assignments.

Eliminating all homework.

Linguistic resources should determine what we want to say.

Communication should determine the linguistic resources we need, not the other way around.

Linguistic resources and communication have no relationship.

Linguistic resources are irrelevant to communication.

So that they can completely change their curriculum to match what students request.

So that they can address concerns, add variety, carve out one-on-one time, and prioritize learning over policies.

So that they can avoid teaching grammar altogether.

So that they can give every student a fully individualized curriculum.