Output-driven, input-enabled hypothesis: output as both driving force and objective of EFL teaching¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

A tentative theory of foreign language teaching for tertiary-level students, proposed by Wen (2013, 2014, 2015), which “places emphasis on the importance of language output, or specifically teaching students to do things with English”. Under it, output is “both a driving force and an objective to second language acquisition”, while input through which learners acquire language form and content “enables the output tasks to be accomplished”. The article applies this hypothesis to writing instruction for non-English majors.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Students must select one or more output skills (speaking, writing, translation) as learning targets and complete output tasks using language forms and content acquired from input materials

Constraints¶

• The hypothesis is one of second language teaching rather than second language acquisition, and is concerned with “effective second language teaching for learners of intermediate level and above”

Target Learners¶

• non-English-major university students in mainland China at intermediate level and above

Target Learning Objectives¶

• productive English skills, especially writing

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Swain's output hypothesis with three functions of output in second-language acquisition
• Swain's Comprehensible Output Hypothesis with a circular input-output-intake model
• Ellis's revised interaction hypothesis: noticing, comparison, and integration as the basic acquisitional procedures

Examples¶

• Writing-integrated reading lesson pattern across teaching objectives, content, organization and assessment
• Teach writing based on reading so learners use meaningful input to accomplish output tasks
• Guide reading with targeted questions that direct attention to grammatical, lexical and structural features needed for the writing task
• Give students more chances to produce output and communicate during writing, with varied assignment types and clear sufficient feedback

Key Sources¶

• Junhong Ren. (2017). College English Writing Instruction for Non-English Majors in Mainland China: The “Output-Driven, Input-Enabled” Hypothesis Perspective. English Language Teaching, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n7p150