Assignment #1: Theories and Hypothesis Comparative Chart
Samantha Vanden Berge
Current Theories Implication to Students
Krashen’s Acquisition- Acquiring a second language is an
Learning Hypothesis unconscious state where students learn to
adjust their second language through the
communication with others.
Krashen’s Natural Students acquiring a second language have
Order Hypothesis a natural order in acquiring English
morphemes.
Krashen’s Input Students acquire language when language
Hypothesis is put in a simple form.
Cummins BICS Students are given the opportunity to
communicate inside the classroom that is
similar to that of their home environment.
Cummins CALPS The language skills needed in order to
perform daily school task successfully.
Chamot & O’Malley’s Cognitive, metacognitive, and social-
Cognitive Academic affective strategies are used to develop
Language Learning students language acquisition at the
Approach (CALLA) advanced-beginning and intermediate level.
Vygotsky’s Theory of Teachers need to understand the student’s
Cognitive background in order to better understand
Development their learning development.
Discourse Theory Face to face interaction between students is
important in developing better English skills.
Example
When classrooms and lessons are designed
for student to student interaction, students
will be able to learn both content matter and
English language.
Create a classroom that fosters the gradual
progression of grammatical structures
across all levels when teaching students
whose second language is English.
Students are able to better grasp second
language when questions are simple and
comprehendible and allows the student to
focus on communication skills.
The classroom environment allows students
to engage in social context that are similar to
their home environment (class chores,
instructional media, conversations with
peers) which further enhances their
communication skills through feedback from
peers.
Provide students with the necessary tools to
categorize, compare, and analyze new
experiences so that they may grow in all
contents of English proficiency.
Teach students the important cognitive
functions for curricular areas such as
analyze, evaluate, justify, and persuade. As
well as how to organize, check, and assess
their learning. And finally how to generate
questions for clarification and how to work
with peers.
Create a classroom that allows students to
interact and engage in one to one or group
setting between mixed English skills to
develop a classroom of equals (Kagan
Structure works perfectly for this theory).
Classrooms that allow peers to work
together and communicate with one another
 This allows students to develop an internal will allow English learners to elaborate on
language to sort out the way language is specific topics as well as generate a better
used. understanding and willingness to try new
expressions.

Whorf-Sapir The way a student perceives the world is If language does in fact correlate to how
Hypothesis based off of one’s native language. students perceive the world, English
language learners should be in a classroom
that embodies everything that is good in this
world. The classroom environment should
be kind, respectful, encouraging,
compassionate and full of love.

Second Language Acquiring second language acquisition may If CPH is true, then there may be different
Acquisition and the change if a student’s first exposure to the types of struggles at different ages. Continue
Critical Period new language is after a certain age. to foster a classroom that engages all
Hypothesis learners and continues to guide second
language acquisition.