Comprehensible output hypothesis for Topic in linguistics class

1. Comprehensible output
hypothesis

2. Second Language Acquisition
• Comprehensible Output Hypothesis.

3. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• Output is closely related to the process of
language production.

4. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• Developed by Merrill Swain
• states that learning takes place when a learner
encounters a gap (fissure) in his or her linguistic
knowledge of the second language (L2).
• the learner becomes aware and may be able to
modify his output he learns something new
about the language.

5. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• “The output hypothesis claims that the act of
producing language (speaking or writing)
constitutes under certain circumstances, part of
the process of second language learning”
Merrill Swain

6. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• According to this author there are three specific
functions of output. They are as follows:
• The noticing
• The hypothesis-testing function
• The metalinguistic

7. 1. Noticing function:
It refers to the awareness or “noticing”
students find when they cannot say or write
exactly what they need for conveying meaning.

8. 2. Hypothesis-testing function:
This function suggests learners may use the
method of “trial and error” for testing his
production expecting to receive a feedback.
By uttering something, the learner tests this
hypothesis and receives feedback from an
interlocutor.

9. 3. Metalinguistic function:
Learners reflect on the language they learn, and
thereby the output enables them to control and
internalize linguistic knowledge.

10. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• The comprehensible output (CO) hypothesis
states that we acquire language when we attempt
to transmit a message but fail and have to try
again.
• Eventually, we arrive at the correct form of our
utterance, our conversational partner finally
understands, and we acquire the new form we
have produced.

11. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• Merrill Swain does not claim that CO is
responsible our language competence.
• "sometimes, under some conditions, output
facilitates second language learning in ways that
are different form, or enhance, those of input"

12. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• For Swain, constant practice facilitates the
learner to be conscious of her/his production.
• Output makes to move the learner from the
semantic processing to the complete
grammatical processing for accurate production.

13. Comprehensible output hypothesis
• Feedback is important, especially, because it is
one of the few settings in which students have a
contact to the target language and they need
advices and corrections for improving their
production.

14. Comprehensible output hypothesis
Advantanges in language clasroom
• The collaboration and interaction are necessary
for students to feel comfortable and work
together.
• Language in this case will serve as a mediating
tool, which allows students to lead with the
solving-problem process they encounter in the
path of acquiring the second language.

15. Comprehensible output hypothesis
Advantanges in language clasroom
• This hypothesis has a great importance since
thanks to it, we can move from the input data
provided to the student from the environment to
the capacity of the learner to produce a clear and
coherent language.

16. References
• Swain, M. and Lapkin, S. (1995). A step towards
second language learning. Oxford University
Press.
• Dulay, H. & Burt, Marina. (1982) Language two.
New York: Oxford University Press
• Krashen, S. (1994). The Input Hypothesis and
Its Rivals. Implicit and Explicit Learning of
Languages. London: Academic Press.