THREE APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF INPUT

Abstract

Within the field of second language acquisition research, one can discern three different approaches to the study of the input requirements of second language learners: the data‐oriented approach, the language‐model approach, and the processing‐model approach. In this article, each approach is characterized and its strengths and weaknesses are pointed out. Then one type of input, metalinguistic input, is identified, and the three approaches are compared with respect to their claims concerning the metalinguistic needs of the learner.