Cognitive Principles

They relate mainly to mental and intellectual functions. It should be made clear, however, that all 12 of the principles spill across somewhat arbitray cognitive, affective, and linguistic boundaries.

Principle 1: Automaticity

Efficient second language learning involves a timely movement of the control of a few language forms into the automatic, fluent processing of a relatively unlimited number of language forms.

Overanalyzing language, thinking too much about its forms, and consciously lingering on rules of language all tend to impede this graduation to automaticity.

Principle 2: Meaningful Learning

The process of making meaningful associations between existing knowledge/experience and new material will lead toward better long-term retention.

Principle 3: The Anticipation of Reward

Human beings are universally driven to act, or "behave," by the anticipation of some sort of reward- tangible or intangible, short-term or long-term- that will ensue as a result of the behavior.