ABSTRACT
How can language awareness (LA) influence second language (L2) learning? One answer to this question can be drawn from second language acquisition (SLA) in the body of research on form-focused instruction (FFI), defined as a type of L2 instruction that “involves some attempt to focus learners’ attention on specific properties of the L2 so that they will learn them” (Ellis, 2008: 963). Because FFI is sometimes confused with decontextualized grammar teaching, this chapter will clarify its role as complementary to communicatively oriented or content-based approaches to second and foreign language teaching. Emphasizing such an integrated approach to FFI, this chapter will outline its effects on a range of linguistic features by reviewing the relevant literature on instructed SLA. We begin with a brief review of prominent concepts in the literature and reiterate some of the arguments that have been put forth in support of the importance of FFI. Next is a critical survey of proactive and reactive FFI techniques, with reference to relevant studies for illustration. These techniques are organized under headings that reflect the stage of acquisition that they target: input enhancement, metalinguistic explanation, practice, and feedback. Our final section considers the integration of FFI within communication-oriented lessons, either content-based or task-based. The final section shifts to consider FFI as a topic within the domain of LA. Given that there are many excellent reviews of FFI available, the goal of this overview is to provide a succinct synthesis of theoretical concepts and research findings for the benefit of the L2 practitioner and to clarify the relationship between SLA and LA perspectives of FFI.
