Looks at recent research on learners' intake of a second language and concludes that second language research has inadequately explored the process of intake. Argues that both theory and the research derived from it need to develop consistent, well-defined models and methods for investigating language learners' processing of input. (SED)

Responds to Ellis (1996), who claims that much of first- and second-language acquisition is sequence learning and can be explained in terms of connectionist theory. This article does not disagree with the substance of Ellis's article but rather the extent to which his model can be applied to many aspects of natural languages. (six references) (CK)

Disagrees with Ellis's claim (1996) that learning the grammatical word class of a particular word, and learning grammatical structures more generally, involves in "large part" the automatic implicit analysis of the word's sequential position. The article maintains that some grammatical acquisition, but not "vast amounts," derives from the analysis…

Comments on changes in the relation between experimental psychology and second language acquisition research. Notes that new themes borrowed from experimental psychology include practice effects, the power law, connectionism, implicit learning and miniature artificial languages. Argues that attempts to attribute language learning to implicit or…

Introduces the notion of a "discourse world," that is, a set of elements against the background of which a unit of talk makes sense, and claims that several discourse worlds coexist in classroom discourse. The notion is interpreted in terms of frame theory and applied to classroom language learning. (SED)

Argues that Chomsky's theory of generative grammar provides a model for second language acquisition that meets the criteria of descriptive and exploratory adequacy in accounting for the language learning process. Illustrates this by presenting data on the acquisition of dative complements and dative questions in a passive context by second…

Argues that the second language acquisition process involves two models, providing complementary accounts of different components which could be combined. An integrated model is proposed that would carry the acquisition-learning distinction of the Monitor Model while including the Neurofunctional Theory, which uses the distinction to describe the…

Selected language acquisition research findings are examined in the light of the language teacher's daily needs. Research results are reported that provide an empirical basis for selecting and grading materials, determining skills to be taught and their order of presentation, deciding on classroom presentation and procedures, and formulating…