INTAKE FACTORS

INTAKE FACTORS refer to the different factors that affect the process of language intake, which is the process of acquiring and processing language input. These factors can be categorized into six groups:
1. Individual factors: These are the factors that are specific to the individual learner, such as their motivation, learning style, cognitive ability, and prior knowledge of the language.
Example: A learner who is highly motivated and has a good memory may find it easier to acquire new vocabulary and grammatical structures than a learner who is less motivated and has poor memory.
2. Negotiation factors: These are the factors related to the interaction between the learner and the interlocutor, such as the clarity and complexity of the input, the feedback provided by the interlocutor, and the degree of negotiation and collaboration in the communication process.
Example: A learner who engages in frequent negotiation and collaboration with the interlocutor may have a better chance of acquiring new language structures and developing communicative competence.
3. Tactical factors: These are the strategies and techniques that learners use to process and make sense of the input, such as guessing from context, using cognates, and using dictionaries.
Example: A learner who uses guessing from context as a processing strategy may be able to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context in which they are used.
4. Affective factors: These are the emotional and psychological factors that influence the learning process, such as anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation.
Example: A learner who is highly anxious about making mistakes in speaking may have difficulty producing fluent and accurate speech.
5. Knowledge factors: These are the factors related to the learner’s existing knowledge of the language, such as their knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and discourse patterns.
Example: A learner who has a good knowledge of grammar may be able to process and understand complex sentence structures more easily than a learner who lacks this knowledge.
6. Environmental factors: These are the external factors that can influence the language learning process, such as the availability of resources, the quality of instruction, and the socio-cultural context in which the language is being learned.
Example: A learner who has access to high-quality instructional materials and a supportive learning environment may be able to make faster progress in learning the language than a learner who lacks these resources.