Learning a second language becomes a primary need in these modern times if people want to go and grow together towards globalization. Without learning a second language, there is a tendency to stagnate and be left behind by technology and modernization. Therefore, to learn a new language is to study and discover how languages are acquired, including factors that affect the actual learning process.
The first step is the input process, which is “the language the learner is exposed to” (Zhang, 2009, p. 91). It is influenced by three learning beliefs that says learning a language is controlled by the environment and the motivation that leads them to learn the language, also known as behaviorist view. The second one says man’s brains are inherently wired to learn other languages and exposing the brain to input could prompt the language learning process, called the mentalist view. The last one is the interactionist view, which says learning a language is brought about by “both input and internal language processing, emphasizing the joint contribution of linguistic environment and the learners’ inner mechanism in interaction activities” (Zhang, 2009, p. 92).
After the individual is exposed to the language input process, the next step is to concentrate on interaction, which is the communication process that occurs between individuals especially when they are attempting to understand the meaning of spoken words in order to avoid communication breakdown (Zhang, 2009, p. 92). Actual learning takes place at this time because of the negotiations between the communicators.
The final aspect of second language learning is output, which refers to the “language a learner produces” (Zhang, 2009, p. 92). This determines whether the learners indeed understood the concepts or not as this serves as gauge whether the learner is able to make meaningful associations between words.
Second language learning can be easy both for children and adults. By allowing the students to interact with fellow students and the teacher, carefully planning activities that promote these interaction opportunities, and teaching language forms and vocabulary incorporated in meaningful learning activities, can be used to facilitate learning.
References
Zhang, S. (2009). The role of input, interaction and output in the development of oral fluency. English Language Teaching, 2(4) 91-100.
