Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 22 (1): Looking Back

Creative Writing Forum
Guidelines for the new creative
writing column

Theories of Second Language
Requisition

Kazuko Unosawa<k-unosawa@msa.biglobe.ne.jp>

Caroline Kocel-Ross, student of Sophia
university.
<c.jkoross@gmail.com>

In this issue of Learning Learning there is a
new column for creative writing titled“Creative Writing Forum” so that members
can publish their work related to themes
concerning Learner Development. We
welcome pieces ranging from poems to shortstories as well as other forms of creativewriting. As a general rule the maximum length
should be 1500 words. We look forward toyour active participation and if you have anyquestions please feel free to contact thecoordinator.
創造的な作⽂文（クリエイティブ・ライティング）コラムへの投稿ガイドライン
今⽉月号の「学習の学習」（Learning  Learning）では、Creative  Writing  Forumというクリエイティブ・ライティングを取り上げた新しいコラムを始めました。これは、会員のみなさんが学習者ディベロップメントをテーマにした作品を発表するためのものです。詩や短い物語など様々な形式のクリエイティブ・ライティングの投稿をお待ちしております。原則として1500語を単語数の上限としています。みなさん積極的にご参加ください。何か質問があれば、お気軽にコーディネーターにご連絡ください。

While there’s much research on second
language acquisition
Far less is said on the topic of imposition
So today I’m taking a fresh position
Sharing theories of second language
requisition.
SLR is characterized by student compliance
Grammar plus vocab, student-teacher reliance
Yes it’s possible that some learning may takeplace here
Through sheer grit and grind, and a healthy
dose of fear
In this classroom, I’m master – forget about
the rest
I’m not here to teach you beyond how to pass
the test
The reality of this exercise is confined tothese four walls
I decide which ones of you are good at English
and which ones of you are fools.
Target 800 words – less than 24 weeks
That kind of pressure really speaks
Volumes about the priorities ofTrue Second Language Requisition;
Empty vessels, cram them with words
No added sugar and 99% context free
Out of 15 new words, you only scored 3?!
You really must improve your English
vocabulary
A 5000 word jigsaw puzzle, finally complete
Three weeks after the test? Mostly obsolete.

学習者ディベロプメント研究部会 <ld-sig.org/>

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Learning Learning 『学習の学習』 22 (1): Looking Back
And just how far are these lessons actuallyeffective
When we look at things from our students’perspectives?
Autonomy? You ask
Then you’re clearly yet to grasp
That the only reason I’m even in your class
Is because I need your grade to passThis is mandatory - I’m not here for me
I’m here because I have to be
So while you roll your eyes at me and mymotivation
I’ll autonomously roll my eyes at this second
language education
Have you forgotten what it’s like to be forced
to sit in a classroom against your will?
Jumping the hoops of the foreign language
drill?
While the weight of the world is as much uponmy shoulders as it is uponYours
And I’m sitting here distracted by what thefuture has in store
For meAnd I still don’t know what I want to be
When I grow up.
So forgive me, please
If I don’t live up to your classroom
expectations
And forgive me, please
If I disprove your research dissertation;
You can just call me
An “anonamaly”.

It’s simple logic, one or the otherAs for me? I thank my mother—“It’s good to learn a foreign language,” shetold me“You never know when another language
might come in useful,” she told meAnd this I agree.
But that doesn’t mean that everybody
Needs to follow the same path as me.
When we go abroad, we take an adaptor plug
And if we don’t?
Well then we just don’t use the electric plug
An adaptor plug is adaptable
But that doesn’t make it necessarily valuable
In your own goddamn country.
So excuse me please while I remind both you
and meThat languages are only one aspect of thisgreat big tapestry
That we call life
And if you wouldn’t mind entertaining me,
For a moment here
Just imagine with meJust imagine—
If artistic creativity or musical ability
Were given just half the credence of linguistic
capability
How then might our classrooms be?
What change could this effect in our society?
December 2014

When it comes to SLA
I think the research can lead us astray
Promising gains, so many advantages
From the acquisition of English—I mean—
second languages
When in fact
The only ones of us
Who actually ever learned a foreign languagearea) those of us who wanted to orb) those of us who were forced toNewsletter of the JALT Learner Development SIG <ld-sig.org/>

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