also states that input is actually a message aiming to the learners that while they consist of structures and grammar, the learners’ current competence are made
understandable by the context where they occur. Yang 2007:10 suggests that in order to understand what input should
be exposed to the learners, the importance of input defined by three different views – behaviorism, nativism, and constructivism – should be elaborated briefly.
The behaviorism view sees input as stimuli and language acquisition occurs when responses to stimuli are conditioned. Meanwhile, the nativism states that human
beings naturally possess Language Acquisition Device LAD and it can be turned on once they have the access to input. Therefore, here input is used to trigger our
innate language learning ability. Different from the previous views, constructivism believes that language can be acquired from the result of input as
well as interaction with others. Yang, further, elaborates that according to Krashen’s Comprehensible
Input Hypothesis, acquisition happens when the learners understand messages which are just far away from their current development stage. Therefore,
comprehensible input in language acquisition is important. Krashen explains further that there are four characteristics of optimal input for acquisition, as cited
in Kenning and Kenning 1990. Those are comprehensible, interesting andor relevant to the acquirer, not grammatically sequenced, and provided in sufficient
quantity. However, merely receiving comprehensible input does not guarantee the acquisition since comprehensible input is a necessary, but not the only condition
in language acquisition Yang, 2007:16. This input is later converted into intake.
For this reason, Schmidt 1983 argues that learners need to notice input before assimilating it into intake.
From the theories above, input is considered as one of important learning components to create a successful learning outcome. Nevertheless, to make input
comprehensible and meaningful, the ways the learners interact affect the learning process and outcome.
2.1.1.2.2 Interaction
Interaction is one of characteristics of any living species. Animals, plants, and human beings interact. Ellis 1999:1 defines interaction as the social
behavior that occurs when one person communicates with another. It can occur inside our minds, both when we engage in the kind of ‘private speech’ and when
different modules of the mind interact to construct an understanding of or a response to some phenomenon. Therefore, Ellis divides interaction as
interpersonal and intrapersonal. Meanwhile, Hall 2004:611 explains that interaction is not just merely to gather individuals to work toward a common goal
that leads to transformation. She adds that interaction is the relationship that is developed, with the methods by which talk is accomplished in this relationship
creating the object of knowledge and, at the same time, the tool by which that knowledge is known. In other words, interaction is a way to convey thoughts
between individuals.
Related to this study, as cited in Paiva 2011:1, Chapelle 2003 proposes another kind of interaction, that is ‘between person and computer’. She
later synthesizes the basic types of interaction to three different perspectives on the value of interaction discussed by Ellis 1999 – interaction hypothesis,
sociocultural theory, and the depth of processing theory. The synthesis is elaborated below.
Table 2.1 Benefits of three types of interaction from three perspectives
[in Chapelle 2003 as adopted by Paiva 2011:1]
From the table, as Paiva writes, Chapelle tries to explain further about the type of interaction she offers as follows.
The cells in the table suggest the hypothesized benefits to be attained through interaction from each of the theoretical
perspectives. For example, from the perspective of the interaction hypothesis, interaction between people is expected to promote
negotiation of meaning, and if it does so, this should be beneficial for language acquisition. Since the three theories do not
specifically address learner - computer interactions, I have filled in the logical predictions in italics. 2003:56
Chapelle’s explanation emphasizes that interaction occurs not only through oral or written media but also through electronic media, such as computer. This
interaction brings the learners enhanced input. Later, the learners learn to use computer as a help for them to focus on learning language.
However, computer use in language learning can also disturb the learners. Paiva 2011:5 discusses the behavior of human beings and computer in
her paper. She clarifies this statement. The same way silence or a still face
disturbs the participant in an interaction,
as shown in Tronick’s experiment, computers also
disturb their users if the machine does not give them any hint in response to their actions. Computer specialists took interactional
instinct into account when they devised semiotic clues to calm us down. To mention just a few, an hour-glass tells us that it is worth
the wait for saving a file, or opening a program; a specific sound gives us feedback about wrong actions, and a green bar informs us
about the progression of a file downloading, where one can see a myriad of different information pieces: percentage of downloading,
the representation of the percentage in a bar, the amount of MB downloaded, the rate of the transference speed, and the amount of
time expected for the conclusion of that task. Paiva, 2003
Based on this explanation, it indicates that learners need to be provided with signals to facilitate their interaction with electronic devices.
From the explanations above, it can be inferred that interaction is unavoidable and happens everytime. The hour-glass, the specific sound, or the
green bar appearing repeatedly inform the learners about what is actually happening and later they learn what to do through trials and errors when the
signals appear.
2.1.1.2.3 Negotiation of Meaning
When learning, learners often find themselves in confusion. Interaction allows learners to engage in the negotiation of meaning through signals occurring
