Controlled Processing and Automatic Processing In Psychology, second language acquisition is considered as skill learning (Lightbrown & Spada

2006) In other words, the way learners learn language is the same way that they learn other skills. Learning mathematics, learning how to drive a car, or learning Japanese are engaging in the same kind of mental activity. (Anderson 1976 1983 cited in Saville Troike 2006) To learn a second language (or a skill), the initial thing learners need to do is paying attention. Learners attention involves controlled processing which requires mental space or attention effort. However, the amount of information a learner can pay attention on at one time is limited. To go through controlled to automatic processing which that requires less mental space and attentional effort, practice is needed. It is impossible that learners can attend complex, higher- order features and content before after basic vocabulary and syntactic structures. (Saville Troike 2006) Controlled processing has the advantage that lies in the fact that processes may be created easily and quickly. They are under control and therefore may be adapted to fit any novel aspect of a situation. The disadvantage is that, because it requires mental space to pay attention to processing through the short term memory and consequently not to pay attention to other matters controlled processes are tightly capacity limit (Towell and Hawkins, 1994 cited in Shiffrin & Schneider, 1977: 156). The advantage of automatic processing is not being limited by the capacity limitations of short term memory and not requiring attention. The disadvantages of automatic processing are the fact that once all processes will complete, they require a lot of training to set up, and processes are difficult to modify. (Towell and Hawkins, 1994)

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