The Second Language Acquisition Tradition

This methodological tradition suggests that there are two distinct mental processes operating in second language development:
1-acquisition process: Similar to the process a child uses in acquiring its first language. It is necessary a meaningful interaction in the target language and this procedure is subconscious.
2-learning process: Is conscious “…our formal knowledge of the second language, our conscious learning may be used to alter the output of the acquired system...” (Krashen 1981:1)
If second language acquisition works similar as first language acquisition, then all second language learners should develop, have the same results. But this doesn’t occur because of “affective filter”. Examples anxious were the acquisition process could be blocked.

There are two models based in Second Language Acquisition (SLA):
1-The Natural Approach: The most important element is to provide comprehensible input. The activities are related to affective-humanistic where it concentrates on the meanings and not in the forms and also attempts to lower the affective filter.
2- The Total Physical Response: It focuses on two characteristics of first language acquisition. First is that a child gets a huge amount of comprehensible input before he starts to speak and second that there is a lot of physical manipulation and action language with early input, example “throw the ball to Daddy”. Teachers should provide input to the learners through imperatives (Simon says), also we should follow the “here and now” principle and finally at the beginning of second language instruction we should emphasis more in the comprehension than in the production.