Prepared by: Ms. Shirley C. Veniegas Master of Arts In Teaching Major in Filipino Saint Mary's University Graduate School Summer 2015

1. THE VARIABLE COMPETENCE
MODEL
MS. SHIRLEY C. VENIEGAS
MAT- FILIPINO

2. VARIABLE- var.i.able (’ver-ē-ə-bəl)
• Adjective
: able or likely to change or be changed: not
always the same.
Synonyms: adaptable, adjustable, changeable,
malleable and flexible.

3. Discourse ’dis-,k rs, dis-’
: a long talk or piece of writing about a
subject
• : a mode or organizing knowledge, ideas, or
experience that is rooted in language and its
concrete contexts (as history or institutions)
Synonyms- chat, converse, dialouge,
discussion, conversation and exchange

4. CONTINUUM
Noun: a range or series of things
that are slightly different from each
other and that exist between two
different possibilities

5. • ROD ELLIS(1984) proposed The Variable
Competence Model
Accdg to him, many aspects of
language and vocabulary are
learned implicitly through
exposure: word structure and
form, collocations, word class, and
certain extent meaning. This
suggest that a great deal of
exposure to a target language is
necessary for learning.

6. A.PRODUCT OF LANGUAGE
B.PROCESS OF LANGUAGE

7. THE PRODUCT OF LANGUAGE
• Is the plan and unplanned discourse previously,
where the user chooses to speak out of a
source of general knowledge to provide
automatic information or to speak
meticulously planning ahead what is to be said.
That is the basic premise of the “product”part
of the theory.

8. • Product or performance of language
use comprises a continuum of discourse
types ranging from entirely unplanned
to entirely planned.
• The product refers to what the learner does
with the language – the discourse which he
helps to construct.

9. What is discourse
continuum?
The discourse continuum is of central
importance in the Variability Model. It accounts
that L2 learners produce output that manifests
one rule on one occasion and a different rule on
another occasion – what Sclinker (1972) called
‘backsliding’, which might be better termed
‘discourse sliding’.

10. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN UNPLANNED AND
PLANNED DISCOURSE?
UNPLANNED
DISCOURSE
-Is a discourse that lacks
thought and
preparation. It is
associate with
spontaneous
communication.
PLANNED
DISCOURSE
-Is a discourse that is
thought out prior to
expression. It requires
conscious thought and
the opportunity to work
out content and
expression.

11. THE PROCESS OF LANGUAGE
-language use is to be understand in terms of
the distinction between linguistic knowledge(or
rules) and the ability to make use of this
knowledge (procedures)

13. PREMISE
a. That the language
user has variable
competence;
Means: we possess a myriad of
different rules for different uses
of language.

14. b. That the language user has
variable application
Means: Contends that when we
speak we analyze from different
perspective what we are saying
prior and during speech.

15. Latter analysis of speech happens in
primary and secondary way:
When we say things
that are automatically
know and does not
require analysis, such
as our name, address
and other factual
knowledge that is
stored permanently
Secondary analysis
happens when we
plan ahead, or when
we “mentally-edit”
what we need to
say.

16. Widdowson (1984)
-refers to a knowledge or rules as competence
and to a knowledge of procedures involved
using rules to construct discourse as capacity.

17. PRINCIPLES OF THE VARIABLE
COMPETENCE MODEL
1.There is a single knowledge store containing variable
interlanguage rules according to how automatic and how
analyzed the rules are.
2. The learner possesses a capacity for language use which
consists of primary and secondary discourse and cognitive
processes.
3. L2 performance is variable as a result of whether
primary processes employing unanalyzed L2 rules are
utilized in unplanned discourse , or secondary processes
employing analyzed L2 rules are utilized in planned
discourse .

18. 4. Development occurs as a result of
(a) acquisition of new L2 rules through
participation in various types of discourse (i.e.
new rules originate in the application of
procedural knowledge);
(b) activation of L2 rules which initially exist in
either a non-automatic unanalyzed form or in an
analyzed form so they can be used in unplanned
discourse.
The diagram below illustrates very clearly the
enumerated principles

19. Acquisition Acquisition
•
automaticUnplanned
discourse
Planned
discourse
Knowledge
analytic
use use
Primary
processes
Secondary
processes

20. From the given principles and the paradigm
illustrated, it follows that the process of language
use…result of either or both of the following:
a variable competence, i.e. the language
uses or possesses a heterogeneous rule
system;
Variable application of procedures for
actualizing knowledge in discourse

21. The distinction between automatic/non-
automatic and analytic/unanalytic
a. The first distinction concerns the relative access
that the learner has to L2 knowledge. Knowledge can
be retrieved easily and quickly is automatic.
Knowledge that takes time and effort to retrieve is
non-automatic.
b. The second distinction concerns the extent to w/c
the learner possesses a propositional mental w/c
makes clear the structure of the knowledge and its
relationship to other aspect of knowledge.

22. DISCOURSE PROCESS
• Simplify the semantic structure of a message
by omitting elements that are
communicatively redundant or that can be
realized by a non-verbal device.
• e.g. mime
• Mime is a form of entertainment w/c a
performer plays a character or tells story w/o
words by using body movements and facial
expressions.

23. COGNITIVE PROCESS
a. Construct an underlying conceptual
structure of a message.
b. Compare this structure with frame of
reference shared with an interlocutor.
c. Eliminate redundant elements for
which no lexical item is available.

24. Widdowson (1979)
We draw upon our knowledge of rules to make sense. We
do not simply measure discourse up against our knowledge
of pre-existing rules; we create discourse and commonly
bring new rules into existence by so doing. All competence
is transitional in this case.
Means: Language acquisition is the result
of our capacity to make sense.

25. IMPLICATIONS OF VARIABLE
COMPETENCE MODEL
1. Spread of rules along the interlanguage
continuum from the careful towards the
vernacular style and from simple to complex
linguistic environment. Motivate learner’s felt
need to be socially acceptable and helped by
practice w/c automizes rules that initially can be
applied only when the learner is attending to his
speech.

26. 2. There is the need to make the interlanguage system
more efficient by removing free variability. This involves
the progressive reorganization of form-function relations
and eventual elimination of redundant form.
3. Stress the importance of matching the learning
process with the type of instruction. Instruction must
consider the specific goals of the learner and attempt
to provide the appropriate form of knowledge to
achieve those goals.

27. Conclusions:
All language users have the capacity
to use language either in a primary
(automatic) or secondary (analytical)
way.
More L2 is produced as more
discourse takes place, hence, the
more we talk the more we learn in
L2 given the number of new rules
that are learned through dialogue.