The natural process of language acquisition can be accelerated
The truth is... Contrary to what some software companies may promise, the process of language acquisition takes time to develop and must be acquired through exposure to a variety of contexts. Although some schools feel that ELL students should make sufficient progress towards English language proficiency in one year, it typically takes 4-7 years to build English language proficiency. Cummins (2006) theorizes that conversational fluency takes about 1-2 years to develop for English learners, and that it takes 5 years or longer for English Language Learners to reach the same level as native English speakers in academic English (Wright, 2010, p.32). There is no software program or one instructional method that guarantees an accelerated second language acquisition. There are a variety of important factors that play into the development of a second language development.
There are many theories about how language is acquired. The four most widely accepted theories are behaviorism, the innatist perspective, the cognitive/developmental perspective, and sociocultural perspectives. The most important thing to keep in mind is that educators need to provide abundant opportunities for meaningful interactions in the classroom, keeping in mind comprehensible input and the student’s zone of proximal development. When the teacher knows their student well, they are able to target instruction that builds on the individual’s strengths and areas for improvement in order to address their unique needs and help the student develop proficiency in English over time (Wright, 2010, p. 49).
There are many theories about how language is acquired. The four most widely accepted theories are behaviorism, the innatist perspective, the cognitive/developmental perspective, and sociocultural perspectives. The most important thing to keep in mind is that educators need to provide abundant opportunities for meaningful interactions in the classroom, keeping in mind comprehensible input and the student’s zone of proximal development. When the teacher knows their student well, they are able to target instruction that builds on the individual’s strengths and areas for improvement in order to address their unique needs and help the student develop proficiency in English over time (Wright, 2010, p. 49).