The notion of Second Language Acquisition in the Methodology Curriculum (by New Generation School Teacher Project)

Abstract

The terms ‘second language learning’ and ‘second language acquisition’ are often interchangeable, which leads to their misinterpreting. This does not give the understanding of the fact that ‘learning’ refers to the formal learning of a language in the classroom while ‘acquisition’ is acquiring the language with little or no formal training or learning. In the new ILE glossary acquisition is defined as the way in which languages are learnt unconsciously or ‘picked up’ by exposure to comprehensible input. In this definition, the term acquisition is used in contrast to learning, which is seen as a deliberate and conscious process of rule learning and self-monitoring of language use