By: Nicole M. Rotondo

What do these words mean? Self-confidence = belief in one’s abilities Language acquisition = the process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive, produce, and use words to communicate

Why is pertinent to the classroom? When students feel good about themselves, they are much more likely to become better achievers in the classroom. Emotional factors (not just intelligence factors) play an important role in learning. Students comfortable with teacher-centered methods. Creating a community of learners.

Stephen Krashen  Expert in the field of linguistics, specializing in theories of language acquisition and development Krashen's theory of second language acquisition: Acquisition-Learning hypothesis Monitor hypothesis Natural Order hypothesis Input hypothesis Affective Filter hypothesis

Affective Filter Hypothesis An impediment to language acquisition caused by a negative emotional response in a learner’s environment Anxiety, self-doubt, lack of confidence & motivation: prevent effective language processing and and input Low motivation, low self-esteem, and anxiety can combine to raise the affective filter and form a mental block that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. When the filter is 'up' it impedes language acquisition.

Data Collection Individual Work, Partner Work, Group Work Student surveys Conversations Interviews Observations, field notes, videotaping Grade tracking Journaling

Survey Results: Spanish th graders 8% of students said they feel “most confident” working individually in classroom activities 16% of students said they feel “most confident” working in a group of people 76% of students said that they feel “most confident working with another person in pair share

Student Quotes: “After working with a partner I understand a lot more.” “I like working with other people better than by myself. I get to see if I am on the right track before having to say something in front of the whole class.” “I feel more confident because I got feedback on my answers.” “I worked out the problems I had with the vocabulary pronunciation.” “Two minds are better than one.”

Conclusion Partner work is very important in learning foreign language and the majority of students feel the most comfortable in this type of setting. Individual and group work also prove to be essential to the learning process, but in more controlled situations. Benefits and setbacks to all types. After the research and my data collection: as teachers, we must have self-confidence in them!

What this means for foreign language teachers… Get to know your class. What is true for one, is not true for all. Stay up on research, techniques, literature. A variety of methods is the best practice.

Having self-confidence in yourself and your students should be #1!

Sources Bolinger, Dwight. Aspects of Language. Harvard University, Carroll, John. The Study of Language. Harvard University Press, Clyne, Sandra. Psychological Factors in Second Language Acquisition: Why Your International Students are Sudando La Gota Gorda. (March 03, 2010). Ellis, Rod. Understanding Second Language Acquisition. New York: Oxford University Press, Krashen, Stephen. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergammon Press, Krashen, Stephen D., Books Online, Articles Online. (February 27, 2010).

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