Acquisition “initiates” our utterances in a second language and is responsible for our fluency. Learning has only one function, and that is as a Monitor, or editor.
Fig 2.1. Acquisition and learning in second language production.
Second language performers can use conscious rules only when three conditions are met:
- Time
- Focus on form
- Know the rule The conditions are necessary and not sufficient.
Individual variation in Monitor use
- monitor over-users: Attempt to Monitor all the time. Constantly checking their output. Cannot speak with any real fluency.
- monitor under-users: Prefer not to use their conscious knowledge, even when conditions allow it. Self-correction only works by using a “feel” for correctness, and rely completely on the acquired system.
- optimal monitor users: Use the Monitor when it is appropriate and when it does not interfere with communication (e.g. writing, planned speech, and grammar test).