Interactionist approach (mobin bozorgi)

By:Mobin Bozorgi

mobinbozorgi@yahoo.com

3 Major Theories In Language acquisition

Behaviorism Innativism

Interactionism

environment cognition

Environment +

cognition

Vygotsky laid the foundation for interactionist

,Other interactionist theorists apply Vygotsky’s

socio-cultural theory and hypothesize that,They

think second language learners gain proficiency

when they interact with more advanced speakers

of the language e.g teachers, proficient students

etc.

Long's interaction hypothesis proposes that language acquisition is strongly facilitated by the use of the target language in interaction.

Based on this approach, learners should beexposed to comprehensible, negotiated, or modified input in their attempts to acquire a language.

Long believes that Comprehensible input is a necessity for language acquisition influenced by Krashen’s Input Hypothesis.

Long proposes that conversation facilitates Language acquisition :

conversation makes input comprehensible

comprehension will promote acquisition

Conversation makes input comprehension through

Modified input Modified Interaction

Modified Input : refers to modifications to the linguistic forms directed at NNS, they may be in grammatical or ungrammatical forms.

Modified Interaction : refer to modifications to the interactional structures of NS-NNS conversation and they are usually in the form of clarification request , Confirmation checks, Repetitions and etc.

response

Trigger → signal → response → resolution to response(Indicator)

This negotiation will provide direct or indirect forms of feedback including : correction, comprehension checks, clarification requests, topic shifts, repetitions, and recasts.

This is a routine non-understanding negotiation interaction model :

Interactionist Approach is considered to have two versions:

weak version : acknowledges that interaction is beneficial or evenNecessary for learning by providing learners to comprehensible, negotiated, or modified input

Strong Version : recognizes interaction as a basic and fundamental dimension of learners’ everyday lives.

To summarize the above discussion, Interactionist Approach is said to have the following effects on second language acquisition:

* It helps to promote communication.

* It facilitates learning as it helps noticing a ‘gap’ between received input and the learner’s output.

* It enables learners to receive feedback through direct and indirect evidence .

* It helps acquisition at least where vocabulary is concerned.

* Clarification requests facilitate learners to produce output modifications.

Keep CalmIt’s Over !

Thanks For Your attention