Basic Principles

of Second
Language
Acquisition
 In terms of material
development, we
need to consider
two key questions,
namely what should
be provided for
learners as
materials and how
to give them to
learners.
 Materials designers
may say that the key
of material
development is
intuition or tacit
knowledge which
they know what work
and what won’t work
based on their
experiences.
1
 “Materials should achieve
impact.”

which means they should have

attractive presentation and
appealing content to target
learners.
2
 “Materials should help
learners to feel at ease.”

which means texts &

illustration in materials should
make learners feel
comfortable, relaxed and
being supportive.
3
 “Materials should help
learners to develop
confidence.”

which means they should

make learners feel successful
and push learners to develop
their skills.
4
“What is being taught should
be perceived by learners as
relevant and useful.”
which means materials should
convince learners that
teaching points are useful
whereby teachers need to find
what the learners are
interested in.
5
“Materials should require &
facilitate learners self-
investment.”

which means they should

encourage learners to invest
their interests, efforts and
attentions.
6
“Learners must be ready to
acquire the points being
taught.”
 which means using materials
to prepare learners to focus on
features of target language
which they haven’t learnt yet,
so they might be attentive to
learn these features.
7
“Materials should expose
learners to language in
authentic use.”
 which means they should
provide learners with advice
and instructions for their
activities, spoken language
and written text.
8
“The learners’ attention should
be drawn to linguistic features
of the input.”

which means materials should

include grammar and how the
language is actually used.
9
 “Materials should provide
learners with opportunities to
use target language to achieve
communication process.”
10
 “Materials should take in
account that learners differ in
learning style.”
which means they should provide
a variety of activities and should
support all learning styles, such
as, visual learners, auditory
learners, kinaesthetic learners,
studial learners, experiential
learners, analytic learners, global
learners, dependent learners and
independent learners.
11
 “Materials should take in
account that learners differ in
affective attitudes.”
 which means they should
provide different types of text
and activities, as well as should
be aware of cultural sensitivities
of target learners.
12
“Materials should permit a silent
period at the beginning of
instruction.”

which means they should not

force learners to speak until
they are ready.
13
 “Materials should maximise
learning potential by
encouraging inellectual,
aesthetic & emotional
involvement which stimulates
both right and left brain
activities.”
14
“Materials should not reply too
much on controlled practice.”

which means they should focus

on language use.
15
 “Materials should provide
opportunuties for outcome
feedback, especially feedback
on the effectiveness of use of
language rather than accuracy
of language.”