Second Language Acquisition and Second ... - Stephen Krashen

on actual use of routines and patterns in adult second language performance. There
is, however, some interesting literature from scholars concerned with materials and
language pedagogy. Consider the "standard" audio-lingual technique of first
memorizing a dialogue (as a routine) and then working on pattern practice. This is
an implicit version of position 1: the routine is acquired from the dialogue and then
broken into patterns for pattern practice, and it is suggested that the adult gains
fluency through the use or transfer of these patterns to real conversational contexts.
In other words, routines and patterns constitute all of language performance. (This is
certainly not the view of all those scholars who encourage the use of pattern
practice; see, for example, Rivers, 1972, pp. 10-12.)
To be sure, audio-lingual language teaching does result in increased student
proficiency in second language, although other systems seem to be more efficient
(see von Elek and Oskarsson, 1973). Does this mean that position 1 is correct? Not
necessarily. It may appear to be the case that routines and patterns are being learned
in the classroom and used as such in performance. In reality, proficiency gained in
such circumstances is more likely due to the creative construction process, which is
present in both adults and children (Krashen, 1977b), as well as the learning of
explicit conscious rules (hypothesized to be used only as a Monitor).
First, even meaningless pattern practice may provide some, if less than optimal,
input for the creative construction process. Second, such practice may also provide a
domain for conscious rule learning, either as an environment for working out rules
(inductive) or as a place to practice rule application (deductive) and to receive
feedback.
The use of routines and patterns is certainly a part of language, but it is probably not
a large part. In fact, many second language performers report that it is often quite
difficult to find a spot in a conversation for a routine or pattern learned in a dialogue
(K. Schule, personal communication). In addition, sometimes performers report
having to run through an entire dialogue to get to the appropriate line!
Even if the gestalt mode per se were learned in the audiolingual class, there are
dangers in encouraging adults to use it. The outside world for adults is nowhere near
as predictable as the linguistic environment around Fillmore's children was. The
wide use of routines
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