SLA AND LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY

Abstract

Many SLA researchers have demonstrated an interest in language pedagogy (LP), yetthe relationship between SLA and LP is a problematic one, not so much because of thelimitations of SLA itself but because the two disciplines involve different“Discourses” (Gee, 1990). In this paper it is argued that an educational perspectiveis needed in order to examine how SLA can contribute to LP. Such a perspective suggests waysin which SLA can be appraised in a pedagogically relevant manner and, more importantly, whatkinds of applications may be fruitful. It is suggested that relevance is more likely to be achievedif SLA is used to address issues that practitioners nominate as important to them. Differentmodels of application are considered, reflecting different ways of viewing teaching. A behavioralmodel, according to which teachers implement those behaviors that research has shown to beeffective, is rejected. However, SLA can serve as an important source of information that canhelp to shape practitioners' theories of teaching (a cognitive model). Most importantly, itconstitutes a source of “provisional specifications” that practitioners can evaluatein their own contexts of action (an interpretation model). SLA also affords practitioners themeans for conducting their own investigations. In short, an educational perspective suggests thatfor SLA to influence LP, practitioners need assistance in transforming knowledge about L2acquisition into practice.