The most fundamental change in the area of L2 studies in recent years has been a shift from concern with the teacher, the textbook and the method to an interest in the learner and the acquisition process.
transfer ( crosslinguistic influence ): using sounds, expressions and structures from the L1 while performing in an L2
positive transfer: the use of a feature from the L1 that is similar to the L2 while performing in the L2.
-> Positive transfer in L2 learning occurs when a learn's knowledge of their L1 facilitates the learning of their L2
Ex: French and English are quite similar in written form.
negative transfer: the use of a feature from the L1 (that is really different from the L2) while performing in the L2.
eg: Vietnamese people: "He goes play"
interlanguage: the interim system of L2 learners, which has some features of the L1 and L2 plus some that are independent of the L1 and the L2
fossilization: the process whereby an interlanguage, containing many non-L2 features, stops developing toward more accurate forms of the L2
instrumental motivation: the desire to learn an L2, not to join the community of L2-users, but to achieve some other goal, in contrast to integrative motivation
integrative motivation: the desire to learn an L2 in order to take part in the social life of the community of L2-users, in contrast to instrumental motivation
input: the language that an acquirer/learner is exposed to -> simple in structure and vocabulary
foreigner talk: a way of using a language with non-native speakers that is simpler in structure and vocabulary
negotiated input: L2 material that an acquirer/learner is exposed to when active attention is drawn to that material during interaction in the L2
output: the language produced by an acquirer/learner, in contrast to input
The important of input and output:
=> meaningful interaction
task-based learning: using activities involving information exchange and problem solving as a way of developing ability in language