science

Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition

Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition rather than just read about it. In short: Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition are theories of second-language acquisition based on models of skill acquisition in cognitive psychology. These theories conceive of second-language acquisition as being learned in the same way as any other skill, such as learning to drive a car or play the piano.

Key takeaways

Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition are theories of second-language acquisition based on models of skill acquisition in cognitive psychology. These theories conceive of second-language acquisition as being learned in the same way as any other skill, such as learning to drive a car or play the piano. That is, they see practice as the key ingredient of language acquisition. The most well-known of these theories is based on John Anderson's adaptive control of thought model.

Adaptive control of thought

The adaptive control of thought model assumes a distinction between declarative knowledge, knowledge that is conscious and consists of facts, and procedural knowledge, knowledge of how an activity is done. In this model, skill acquisition is seen as a progression from declarative to procedural knowledge. Adaptive control of thought is a general model of cognition, and second-language acquisition is just one application of a wide area of research in cognitive psychology. Second-language acquisition is seen as a progression through three stages, declarative, procedural, and autonomous.

Notes

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition

In research: Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Language acquisition stubs, Second-language acquisition, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition in simple terms?

Why does Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Skill-based theories of second-language acquisition.