Beyond instructed L2 grammar acquisition: Theoretical insights and pedagogical considerations about the role of prior language knowledge

Abstract

The prior language knowledge of learners for whom the target language is not the first foreign language poses a different starting learning situation that should merit pedagogical attention. The present paper seeks to contribute to the question of which pedagogical considerations can be made in regard to the role of prior language knowledge beyond instructed L2 grammar acquisition. Moreover, it fills a significant gap expanding the limited existing pedagogical options that instructors have at their disposal when it comes to teaching in classrooms where one foreign language is simultaneously chronologically first to some and second to others. Starting with (combinations of) existing theoretical accounts and associated pedagogical aspects (such as explicit information, negative evidence, metalinguistic explanations, grammar consciousness raising, and input enhancement), a recently developed method (Hahn & Angelovska, 2017) is discussed. The method acknowledges equally the three phases of input, practice and output and is applicable in instructed L2 grammar acquisition and beyond.

Consciousness Raising-based Grammar Teaching: Empowering Learner’s Metalinguistic Awareness in Second Language Acquisition

“…Deductive approach to grammar teaching, which is commonly called rule-driven learning [11] starts with presentation of rules, practicing the rules and producing sentences based on the rules. This is the approach like Grammar Translation Method where teaching begins with presentation of grammar rules and proceeds to practice of the rules involving the translation of L1/L2, native and target languages.…”

“…Inductive approach is data driven learning [11] adopting implicit instruction, inducing the rules from the input examples given to them. The learners are exposed to comprehensible language input and they will acquire the system of the rules subconsciously through peripheral attention to language forms.…”

Language Acquisition: The Role of Grammar Acquisition and Instruction in Second Language Teaching and Learning

“…To fully understand language acquisition, we need to understand the origin of SLA, said by Larsen-Freeman (2018, as cited in Ellis, 2020). According to Ellis (2020), in SLA, studies have already addressed these five (5) phases in aspects about L2 acquisition: [1] 'Making a Start' -in which it focused on the order and sequence of acquisition; [2] 'Expansion Period' -Language transfer, Universal Grammar, Second Language Pragmatics, and Input and Interaction were talked about; [3] 'Cognitive Phase' -which dealt with the studies about Implicit Knowledge and Explicit Knowledge, Skill Learning Theory. Consciousness and L2 acquisition, and emergentism; [4] 'The Social Turn' -that focused on the Socialization theories and the Sociocultural Theory; and [5] 'Recent Developments' -which we are talking about the Complex Dynamic Systems Theory and the Transdisciplinary.…”

Input- And Output-Based Grammar Instruction in Teaching English After German

“…The exploration conducted by Angelovska (2017) views the role of students' prior language experience and shows that there is the necessity for teachers to be aware about the frequency of learners' exposure to prior languages, the social contexts of this exposure, which language should be regarded as dominant, and "to ensure that these realities find their reflection in instruction" (p. 399). Angelovska (2017) discusses "the input-practice-output (IPO) method" developed in cooperation with Hahn (p. 406). This method was developed to deal with negative syntactic transfer and the starting learning conditions were different as for some learners English was their first foreign language and the second for others.…”

“…Further input processing presupposes practice that helps to convert the input into the intake. Considering the method proposed by Angelovska, the activities should be enriched with the tasks that develop metalinguistic knowledge (Angelovska, 2017). Following the ideas about "moving beyond the sentence level" in grammar teaching (Richards, 2015, p. 265) and the principles proposed by Richards and Reppen (2014), who substantiate the use of texts for grammar instruction, this activity should provide guided noticing (p. 13).…”