Eric continues:
Furthermore, Krashen finds flaws in the focus on form research designs. Since these studies always target a few grammatical items, the subjects are always aware that the “name of the game” is to use those forms correctly. On top of that, the tests often don’t include real-life time pressures, so the students are able to “monitor” their output (rely on learned, not acquired knowledge). And lastly, these studies rarely include delayed tests and Krashen wants delayed tests that are at least 3 months after the treatment.
I get the feeling that the current obsession in the field of SLA is with CI supplemented with a focus on form (not formS). This is VERY good for us. I consider these researchers “middle of the road,” because they want a focus on meaning & form. The justification of a need for focus on form comes from those Canadian immersion programs in which researchers were unsatisfied with the accuracy development of the students, despite supposedly large quantities of CI. Yet, as we know, immersion and content-based language teaching (CBLT) is much less comprehensible and much less compelling than TPRS. But SLA researchers seem to falter in their logic and assume that because immersion did not develop the desired accuracy, that including focus on form or formS or output is necessary, despite the fact that it is also possible that including these things could develop even less proficiency! Krashen’s response was: give them more CI!
In the end, the reality, as Long notes, is that teachers are for the most part “eclectic,” often do not follow a particular method as recommended, teach differently than the way they may have been trained to teach (instead reverting to what is familiar or adopting textbook or district syllabi demands), and are even teaching in a way that is different from the way they think they are teaching. So, if HC advocated for the principles of TBLT, then that would be a HUGE improvement upon the current state of affairs and would share a lot in common with our approach.
The Problem with CI
Jeffrey Sachs was asked what the difference between people in Norway and in the U.S. was. He responded that people in Norway are happy and
