Input manipulation, enhancement and processing: theoretical views, empirical research and pedagogical implications

Researchers in the field of instructed second language acquisition have been examining the issue of how learners interact with input by conducting research measuring particular kinds of instructional interventions. These pedagogical interventions include such things as input flood, textual enhancement and processing instruction. Although the findings are not conclusive, it is clear that enhancing input is beneficial for language development. In this paper, three main research foci are considered: (a) research measuring the effects of saturating the input with the target form (input flood); (b) research measuring the effects of different types of textual enhancements to draw learners’ attention to the target form; and (c) research measuring the effects of processing instruction. Pedagogical implications are drawn from these research findings