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Date Posted: 07:37:07 06/06/03 Fri
Author: Aparecida dos Santos Silva
Subject: TASK 5

UFMG 2003-06-06
Communicative Approach
Teacher: Vera Menezes
Student: Aparecida dos Santos Silva


KRASHEN AND FRACTAL MODEL

According to the American applied linguist, Stephen Krashen, the theory of Second Language Acquisition consists of five main hypothesis:

Ø the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis,
Ø the Monitor hypothesis,
Ø the Natural Order hypothesis,
Ø the Input hypothesis,
Ø and the Affective Filter hypothesis.

To the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis, he has the following definition: Acquisitition is the language we acquire subsconsciously, the one we can use whenever we want – spontaneous, since it is available anytime. Learning is the language we learn, that is the one which is taught and studied as grammar and vocabulary, not availavle for spontaneous use. (J.Hammer – The Practice of ELT ).

The Input hypothesis is related to Acquisition, and how Second Language Acquisition takes place. He explains that a learner only progresses if he receives an “input” that is slightly above of his productive level. So the learner stage is ‘i’ and when he has a “comprehensible input” he belongs to level ‘i + 1”.

In this theory Krashen simply separate Acquisition from Learning. So, he was argued against by others theorists, because it is not possible to know if a person acquired or learned the language.

Different from Krashen’s theory , the Fractal Model of Language Acquisition proposed by Vera Menezes sees the learner as a human being, considering his/her needs, pace, personality, body-mind, environment - an individual as a whole - not a person that needs to learn a languague and this or that method or approach will be sufficient for his/her learning.

It is very interesting and inovative, the way this model analyzes how languague acquisition processes, mainly because it takes into account the individuality of each one. It considers that learning is not a linear process. When it refers to human being, nothing is predictable, what is good for one is not necessarily good for other.

Vera Menezes says that the Fractal structures work as “chaotic attractors” and when she mentions the three types of attractors which are: an immovable point, periodic atractors and chaotic attractors, they remind me Piaget theories “The Stages of Development”and also when he explains the influence of the “Previous Knowledge”. As far as my little understand allows me, he carried out studies with kids and adolescents only, and the stages end at the age of 15/16. Vera goes far beyond, learning is an ongoing and everlasting process.

Another aspect of the Model that called my attention was the illustrative representation of the model and the possible combination of the fractals. It reminds me a patchwork. You can make any combinations and you will have different results. The only difference is that a patchwork is concluded work, while the fractals aren’t.

It is a relief to see that we do not have to follow this or that theory. Sometimes we feel guilty for not having done something according to a particular theory, but now I know more than ever that “the learner is the main part of the process”.

Bibliography:
www.veramenezes.com/model.html
www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html
Hamer, J. The Practice of English Language Teaching, Essex: L. Longaman, 2001.





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