Language Intake

A definition of language intake and what determines intake has long been debated. This book considers definition and argues that contributors to intake include input (this remains the sine qua non of language intake: without it there is nothing to take in), interaction (which connects input and output and makes the input memorable and available for communicative purposes), identity (a multi-faceted concept which may facilitate or block language intake) and investment (which occurs when learners are motivated to spend time, effort and possibly other resources in order to learn). These contributing factors all interact with each other in an extremely complex and dynamic fashion, which needs to be viewed holistically, plus they are all in themselves complex, dynamic and situated (they can vary according to socio-ecological context), resulting in an almost infinitely variable scenario. This book proposes that all these multiple factors contribute to what might be called the Intake Hypothesis. This requires teachers to provide rich, interesting, and extensive input, affording opportunities for interaction, respecting learner identity, and offering a motivating environment to encourage and sustain investment of time and effort, thereby contributing to intake.