Language as individual cognition: the role of input, interaction and output - Coursework Example

Using the topic of discussing a visit to a bank was geared towards developing a discussion in an area common to most countries and especially in a recessionary climate, i.e., a visit to a bank. Thus, this example satisfies the critical features of a focus on meaning and the use of language in real world processes as laid out by Ellis. Moreover, the interactional process was based upon repetition, seeking clarification and recasting of the sentences in different ways so that all the students were able to understand the subject of the conversation and how they could help themselves in the second language of English if they needed to be sure they were understanding correctly during their normal conversational processes.

According to the Gass (2008) model, the first stage of learning is the apperceived input, which is associated with prior knowledge in order to facilitate comprehension. This understanding has been very helpful to me in unplanned moments in class, because in order to ensure that the apperceived input in the learner moves into comprehended input before intake, I provide examples from the students’ own cultural backgrounds. When I support information with inputs from the students’ cultural backgrounds, it appears to help them to understand faster and internalize the information.

During unplanned moments in class, when students come up with elements that are not necessarily related to what is being taught, I try to associate what they are saying with the linguistic elements being taught, so that repetitive or associative patterns can help them to integrate the lesson