TMN3701
Assignment 3 2024
Unique Number: 781296
Due Date: 28 June 2024
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, QUESTION 1
1.1. (2 ANSWERS PROVIDED)
In the context of additional language teaching, input, interaction, and output
play pivotal roles in fostering effective language acquisition. These three
components form the backbone of comprehensible and meaningful language
development.
Input, which refers to the exposure learners have to the target language, is
crucial. However, it isn’t just any input that supports learning; it has to be
comprehensible input, as posited by Krashen's Input Hypothesis. This means
that the language content must be understandable to the learner, slightly above
their current proficiency level (i+1), which challenges them and prompts
learning. For instance, a teacher might use visual aids, gestures, and simplified
language to ensure students grasp new vocabulary and structures. In a
classroom setting, comprehensible input can come from listening to the
teacher, watching videos, or reading texts that are appropriately pitched at the
learners' level.
Interaction, as highlighted by Ellis and Shintani (2014), serves a dual purpose.
Firstly, it primes students for learning as it involves both listening and speaking,
thus promoting active engagement. Interaction is the crucible where negotiation
of meaning takes place, which is vital for understanding and internalizing new
language forms. Group discussions, role plays, and interactive activities not
only encourage student talk but also necessitate listening and comprehending
peers' contributions. Through such interactions, learners encounter new
linguistic forms and meanings, facilitating deeper processing of language input.
For example, in a task-based learning activity, students might discuss a
problem and collaborate on a solution, implicitly absorbing correct language
usage and structures through this social exchange.
Output is the third crucial element and refers to the language the learners
produce—speaking or writing. According to the Output Hypothesis formulated
by Swain, producing language (output) compels learners to process language
at a deeper level. This production process allows learners to test hypotheses
about language rules and receive immediate feedback, which is essential for
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