Grammar Instruction and Processing Instruction in second language acquisition

Abstract

A review of the literature on the effects of instruction in second language acquisition would lead the reader to conclude that “learners bring to the task of acquisition a variety of internal mechanisms and traits which effectively override most instructional efforts” (Van Patten and Benati 2010: 51). Despite the fact that instruction is constrained by many factors (e.g., acquisition orders and developmental sequences), it might be beneficial in speeding up the rate of acquisition. The question is: what type of instruction is beneficial? In the last twenty years researches have been investigating the role and effects of different types of instructional interventions. This paper will examine the role of one of those instructional interventions called processing instruction by looking at the theoretical and pedagogical impact processing instruction has made since its conception (Lee and Benati 2009).