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2. Greater opportunities to produce language output. The
need to produce output (via speaking and writing) that is comprehensible
to others is seen as necessary for pushing learners' second language competence
to higher levels.
3. Promotion of first language maintenance. The use of the first language
can assist SLA. Further, in the case of English - the world's main international
language - educators need to be cautious that, in acquiring English, learners
are adding a second language, not replacing their first language.
4. Provision of a context for learning both content and language. An important
trend in second language instruction is the integration of content learning
with language learning. In this way, students learn language
through using it to study a particular content, e.g., by reading
articles in English about saving rainforests, students are potentially
improving the grasp of English vocabulary and grammar while at the
same time learning more about how to conserve the environment.
The researchers end their article by urging that further
investigations are needed on such topics as how educational and cultural
background affect learners' perception of the use of CL.
George M Jacobs
SEAMEO Regional Language Centre
30 Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258352
REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
Tel: 65-737-9044, ext. 608
Fax: 65-734-2753
gmjacobs@pacific.net.sg
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~gmjacobs/
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