Thoughts on Norris and Ortega (2000)

Abstract

I believe that L2 instruction is capable of affecting learning, even though, to some, it merely provides the learning of explicit knowledge and not the acquisition of implicit knowledge. This belief of mine may be rooted in my own experience of language learning in an EFL setting. In an EFL setting, input normally falls short of learners’ expectations, and learners’ exposure to English is severely restricted. Teachers seek alternatives to overcome the negative effects of limited time and insufficient input; they seek a variety of instructional approaches in order to impart a maximum of efficiency with a minimum of effort. My conviction remains unchanged, regardless of Krashen’s (1981, 1982, 1993) consistent argument that the effects of Form-Focused Instruction (FFI) are peripheral. To that end, the Norris and Ortega (2000) article, which investigates and supports FFI, asserts that FFI makes a considerable difference with regard to language learning.