Structured Input: Grammar Instruction for the Acquisition Oriented Classroom

This new text in the McGraw-Hill Second Language Professional Series brings together theory, research, and practice on structured input, an instructional technique that first emerged in the early 1990s in association with processing instruction. The author skillfully makes theoretical concepts and research accessible to the uninitiated reader while offering an abundance of examples of structured input activities in various languages. Researchers and instructors looking for more examples and clarification on structured input activities will welcome this new title.

DETAILS

Paperback: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
Language: English
ISBN: 0072887249

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Addressing Learners’ Processing Strategies
Chapter 2 The Primacy of Meaning Principle
Chapter 3 The Sentence Location Principle
Chapter 4 The First Noun Principle
Chapter 5 Common Pitfalls and Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter 6 New Research on Structured Input

FOREWORD

Since the first publications on processing instruction and structured input in the early 1990s, both practitioners and researchers alike have struggled with the nature of structured input activities. As the two researchers who are most associated with structured input, we have repeatedly been asked for additional and detailed work on this particular pedagogical intervention. Well, here it is.

In the present volume, Andrew Farley brings together theory, research, and practice on structured input in a clearly written exposition. True to the nature of the McGraw-Hill series, he makes both theoretical concepts and research accessible to the novice reader. Also true to the series, he makes the link between theory/research and practice, supplying the reader with abundant examples of structured input activities. Drawing on his own research as well as his own experience in teaching novice instructors about structured input, he has produced a solid volume that should satisfy those researchers and instructors who ask for more examples of and clarifications on structured input activities. His discussion of “pitfalls” in the development of structured input activities is especially welcome and provides valuable early feedback to activities creators.

To be sure, structured input may not be a technique that everyone embraces. This is true, however, of any pedagogical technique, method, or approach. But with this accessible presentation, readers can better decide if structured input will work for them or not. We thank Farley for this excellent contribution to the continued discussion of principled language instruction.

James F. Lee
Bill VanPatten

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