Essay on Let's Talk

Submitted By nageary
Words: 640
Pages: 3

Introduction
Over the past decade, research has grown in a positive direction promoting "Let's Talk" which is one of the six proposals for teaching a second language in a classroom. The theory is defined as, the importance of access to both comprehensible input and conversational interactions with teachers and other students. Comprehensible input means that students should be able to understand the essence of what is being said or presented to them. Comprehensible input is a hypothesis first proposed by Stephen Krashen. (Krashen, 1981) He purports that students learn a new language best when they receive input that is just a bit more difficult than what they can easily understand. Krashen implied that as long as learners come across words which contain “comprehensible input" language acquisition happens. In other words, students may understand and retain most, but not all words their teacher or peers are using. Supporters of the "Let’s Talk " proposal argue that it is precisely this negotiation of meaning that is essential for language acquisition. A lot of attention has been paid to the role of negotiation in language learning and different studies have been carried out comparing tasks which are done individually and cooperatively. When dealing with second language acquisition it is important to pay attention to several factors which may motivate and facilitate learner’s acquisition. The use of pair work and the consequent peer feedback when dealing with communicative tasks provoke an interaction which is very relevant to SLA. When researching conversational interaction you have to pay attention to input, output and feedback.
Many popular beliefs about second language acquisition are perpetuated in our society, I believe "Let’s Talk," is the best way to promote language learning in a classroom environment and outside the classroom. There is empirical evidence that proves increasing use of group work in the second language classroom, allows students to work in teams to construct knowledge and accomplish tasks through collaborative interaction. This topic is interesting because it takes a different approach on learning, takes it outside the classroom and into different environments. This teaching style allows students to acquire new concepts, integrate old and new ideas, and develop new skill sets. Learning is a process in which students actively construct new knowledge and skills, and the theory of “Let’s Talk” opens the doors for a great amount of growth and knowledge.
Literature Review and Synthesis The “Let’s Talk” classroom teaching approach focuses highly on comprehensible input, negotiate of meaning, and the interaction