One size fits all?
When it comes to items of clothing, I have never found that the “one size fits all” claim stands up to close scrutiny. Perhaps this is because while the approach has many advantages, these often benefit the producer rather than the consumer. Rarely, are the unique needs of the individual completely met. In short, the outcomes tend to be “second best”. A personally tailored fit is preferable…………but it comes at a cost.
Are there any implications here for second language development? Almost certainly.
So, what do we know about this field of study?*
A simple analysis of our own experience as learners, provides us with a number of general insights, i.e. strategies that when applied result in a benefit for all language learners, (the one size fits all approach):
- Communicative competence is achieved when experiences are provided that encourage the development of both language learning and language acquisition.
- Many students will learn or acquire skills and knowledge through a process which we might refer to as an experiential learning cycle. This involves a number of overlapping stages: experiencing, recalling and reflecting, theorizing, applying.
- Skills and knowledge are often learned or acquired in an incremental way (a building block approach).
- Meaningful and varied repetition is helpful.
- Making mistakes is part of the process.
- Modelling skills by the teacher is helpful.
- Students need to experience early success.
- A combination of praise and critical feedback from the teacher is essential.
- Attitudes and approaches to the learning process are often influenced by social and cultural factors.
- Motivation level (either intrinsic or extrinsic) is an important factor in the learning process.
However, the effective language teacher will also need to be aware of the need to provide a more tailored approach to individuals and groups within the classroom. Research reveals that:
- Individuals often have different learning styles (visual learners, aural learners, kinaesthetic learners, individuals who see things holistically and individuals who break things down into their constituent parts).
- Our ability to learn / acquire new skills and knowledge may be influenced by physical, emotional, cognitive and intelligence factors.
- Age may influence our ability to learn, acquire, retain and use new knowledge and skills.
- Aptitude may have a part to play in the process e.g. some people have an aptitude for art-related skills, music, or languages.
- The personality of the learner may affect outcomes.
An awareness of both sets of factors is a crucial element in our approach to second language learning and acquisition. While, as teachers, it is not always easy or practical to apply all the insights, at the very least it is worth taking time out to analyse our own practice in the light of them and identifying areas to work on. Happy clothes shopping!
*Acknowledging the research findings of: Lightbown, P. and. Spada, N. How Languages are Learned. Oxford University Press. 2002.
