TESOL at Forty and Lightbown & Spada's Chapter 7

            I found the article reading this week interesting in that it illustrates the SLA through time. Unlike a lot of what we have read, it does not focus on one theory or a specific category of theories, but looks at SLA from a bigger picture. It is almost like an overview—and very well fits into our studies since it is the end of the semester.

            I especially found it interesting when the article talks about how intrinsic motivation facilitates empowerment. In this particular section, the article explains that through time our teaching values have shifted from “product-oriented and teacher-fronted pedagogies” to “process-oriented, autonomous, and experiential” pedagogies. This allows for our students to get more involved in what they are learning, as opposed to just listening to a lecture. Teaching methods such as these allow for students to pick up a language from practicing, and they also allow students to feel worthy in the classroom. The best kind of learning environment is a comfortable one, where a student feels comfortable enough to participate in class and interact with his/her classmates and teacher.
           Aside from the article reading, I found Lightbown and Spada's chapter 7 very enjoyable to read. I feel as if everything in this chapter has been what we have been talking about this entire semester, and works as a great wrap up. It is so important when the authors bring up these misleading "notions" that are believed and passed around our culture about language learning, because language learning is so very different for everybody. Realistically, there isn't a right answer to the best theory, or best way of learning a language. There is no formula, and as Dr. Seloni would say, it isn't a "one size fits all" process, so it is so important for us as future educators to recognize the "gray areas" of SLA.