8 Ways Chaos Theory Explains How We Learn New Languages
Let’s talk about Complexity Theory in Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
“The act of playing the game has a way of changing the rules.” - James Gleick
“Chaos is a friend of mine” — Bob Dylan
A key proponent of Complexity Theory in the field of Second Langauge Acquisition (SLA) is Diane Larsen-Freeman. Now, my main goal here will be to briefly outline the theoretical position of complexity theory in SLA, quickly sliding over problematic areas, and conveniently sweeping areas needing more elaboration under the rug. As the name implies, this theory is complex, and especially considering how it seems to be applied to SLA, more complex (or rather counter-intuitive) than its proponents might have us believe.
But let’s get on with it.
How did complexity theory get into Second Language Acquisition research???
Much of the initial research in SLA in the ’60s had a strongly cognitive focus. This in large part was inspired by Noam Chomsky’s devastating blow to behaviorist models of language learning. In its stead, he posited a “Universal Grammar,” which is an innate capacity in all human beings to learn language.
