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1. What is “learning” and “acquisition”?
Learning is a conscious process of learners picking up forms and rules through
directions and instructions from the teacher.
Acquisition is a subconscious process of learners picking up a language (either their
mother tongue or a second language) through comprehensible input. Therefore, the
language we acquire is mostly spontaneous, meaning that we can easily use them in
everyday conversations without much thinking.
2. Which one is in a more relaxed setting: roughly-tuned input or finely-
tuned input
Roughly-tuned input refers to a type of input which is slightly above learners’
productive level, and that learners are exposed to it in a more relaxed setting. This type
of input aids acquisition.
Finely-tuned input, on the other hand, can be understood as specific graded
language which has been chosen for conscious learning.
3. How do you define “comprehensible input”?
Comprehensible input is the type of input which is of a slightly higher level than that
of the learners’, in terms of grammatical forms.
4. What was the study at the University of Essex?
The study at the University of Essex was conducted by Dick Allwright and his
colleagues, whose view suggested that the three elements exposure, motivation and
opportunities for use were of major importance to language learning.
Allwright and his colleagues had the task of improving the English learning skills of
students from overseas who were soon to study on postgraduate courses. After the
ineffectiveness of the original method of teaching, including studying grammar,
explaining vocabulary or paragraph organisation, students were given tasks to do
outside the classroom, which involved them in speaking and reading.
One special feature of this course was that, the teachers would give no language
training, advice or correction for the learners. This meant that they had to complete the
tasks and communicate using every language at their disposal.
The results were recorded to be favourable, even more impressive than those of the
previous years. This showed the pivotal role of the three abovementioned aspects.