Define these two terms & What are the differences between the two approaches?
1.The distinction between "focus on form" and "focus on formS" was first made by Michael Long (1988, 1991), a professor of second language acquisition at the University of Maryland. Focus on forms means that teachers focus learning on formal linguistic features and isolate from context or communicative activities. On the other hand, focus on form entails a focus on formal elements of language within communicative language teaching environment.
2.Ellis (2001) also claimed that students view themselves as learners of a language and the language as an object of the study in focus on fromS approach. However, learners view themselves as language users and the language is viewed as a tool for communication in focus on form approach.
3.Focus on fromS approach provides learners with explicit and isolated grammar instruction to master linguistic items to reach native speakers’ levels. Focus on form provides some types of corrective feedback which is arisen incidentally to remain learners’ attention on meaning in a communicative context.
Which one do you or will you adhere to?
I will prefer focus on form approach because language is a tool for communication in our daily life. Students should learn how to apply what they have learned into social contexts but not just to memorize grammar rules or vocabulary items in class. Overemphasizing the linguistic aspects may interfere with students’ oral fluency and cause negative effect on their language learning. From this point of view, teachers have to provide more opportunities for students to practice language use in real contexts by giving them corrective feedback when they have difficulties in negotiating meaning.
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