The lexical approach

According to Lewis(2000), there are two kinds knowledge: declarative knowledge which involves stating facts or rules and procedural knowledge which is knowledge how to, that is, the ability to do something actually. These two kinds of knowledge are separated in the ways which we acquire them rather than separated totally. Declarative knowledge is additive while procedural knowledge is integrative. Lewis believes that all language acquisition is intrinsically procedural. He also points out that language learned discretely and additively cannot contribute to the learner's mental lexion. This means, it is not available for learner's use.

Language learning is conscious while language acquisition is unconscious. The latter is regarded as important, but Lewis suggests that the "concious noticing of features of the language that learners meet doees facilitate acquisition."(p.158) Acquisition involves taking in new language into learner's intergrammar and mental lexicon which they already have. If learners wish to turn the language they meet which is input into language they acquire and ready to use which is intake, they certainly need to notice the linguistic features of such language. In contrast, if learners do not notice the language features and the correct natural version they used, they can not turn their input into intake. Teachers, therfore, "need to be proactive in guiding learners toward the input language"(p.163) to assist learners to acquire language effectively.

Differ from Present-Practise-Produce(P-P-P) paradigm, Lewis' lexical approach suggests the Observe-Hypothesise-Experiment paradigm. Lewis points out that firstly language must be met and noticed, then sort the input on the basis of "apparently significant similarities and differences"(p.178) and experiment involves "using the language on the basis of the learners' current intergrammar.

Lewies believes that grammar and vocabulary are not separable, in fact, many language patterns are bound up with specific vocabulary. Noticing language as chunks and the features of such chunks could facilitate acquisition. Thus, it is essential for language teacher setting a context to help learners transfer language chunks to their mental lexicon. In addition, as language learning is not a linear process, even the learning curve for a single item is not linear. The progress and backwords always happen in such curve. Therefore, giving continued input to let learner self-organize their interlanguage systems is essential.(Diane, 1997)

From my learning experience, I found Lewies's lexical approach is quite helpful. We learn language by chunks rather than single word and grammar is likely to help us to assimilate it into our own mental lexis and alert us to notice such language and then turn it into our intake. However, I disagree Lewies's view about using language is not necessarily help the learner retain it. In contrast, I think using language is essential to help the learner to retain it effectively.