Many people assume that speaking or writing in a language is better for language learners than simply listening to it or reading it. In other words, producing output is better than receiving input. I think part of the reason for this is our cultural idea that “active” is better than “passive.” Activities like listening or …

Continue reading How Do Learners Acquire Vocabulary?: Receiving Input vs. Producing Output

When I was first learning about the research on second language acquisition and was trying to figure out what it meant to teach using comprehensible input, one of the biggest obstacles for me was understanding the role of explicit knowledge. “Explicit knowledge” refers to being able to state a fact or a “rule” about a …

Continue reading What is the Role of Explicit Knowledge in Second Language Acquisition?

For my first blog post, I thought it would be appropriate to explain why I choose to teach ESL with a focus on providing comprehensible input. This post is not meant to be an exhaustive explanation but rather a summary for teachers who are unfamiliar with the approach. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, …

Continue reading Why I Teach With a Focus on Comprehensible Input