This lecture introduces Second Language Acquisition (SLA), defined as the methodical, formal study of the learning processes and teaching practices related to any language learned after the first language (L1). The field traces its real beginning to the late 1960s, emerging as an interdisciplinary enterprise that borrowed equally from linguistics, psychology, and child language acquisition. Understanding L2 learning requires examining how the L1 is acquired, as early theoretical and practical methods about L1 were often transferred into L2. A key focus is placed on the distinction between teaching (the teacher's role) and learning (the change that happens to the learner), recognizing that these are not two sides of the same coin. Consequently, because whether teaching leads to learning is a debatable matter, the lecture emphasizes focusing on the role and activities of the learner. Finally, the lecture outlines the three developmental stages of L2 learning observed in natural contexts: the silent period, formulaic speech, and structural and semantic simplification.

Objectives of this Lecture 

At the end of the lecture, students will be able to:

• Define Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
•  Differentiate between "teaching" and "learning"
• Outline the three developmental stages of L2 learning