Tamar Jojua The Role of External and Internal Factors in the Process of Second language Acquisition Learning a second

language is a very complex and many-sided phenomenon which is connected with various factors and concepts playing a crucial role in the successful realization of this process. The level of learners proficiency which they achieve varies because of many important factors which have been under permanent study of many researchers for decades and have caused different controversial viewpoints. We can single out among them external and internal factors, which greatly influence and determine the quality and effectiveness of the new language acquisition. External factors are those that relate to the situation and environment in which language learning takes place. These factors include input and interaction, social aspects. Input is considered of vital importance in L2 acquisition. In the language input is data which the learners are exposed to. It may take place either in spoken or written form. S. Krashen suggested the input hypothesis, according to which learners acquire morphological features in a natural order as a result of comprehending input addressed to them. He states the following:The best methods are therefore those that supply comprehensible input in low anxiety situations, containing messages that students really want to hear. These methods do not force early production in the second language, but allow students to produce when they are ready, recognizing that improvement comes from supplying communicative and comprehensible input, and not from forcing and correcting production. Krashens R. Ellis distinguishes three different views about its role: the behaviorist, the mentalist and the interactionist, each view holds a different emphasis in explaining L2 acquisition. A behaviorist view proposes a direct relation between input and output rejecting the idea of mind as an object for inquiry and ignoring the internal processing what takes place inside the learner. Behaviorist models of learning as environmentally determined, controlled from outside by the stimuli learners are exposed to and the reinforcement they receive. (Zhang) Mentalist theories posit the importance of learners black box(Learners existing knowledge) As W. Renandya points out only such input that is comprehensible, abundantly and reliably available, frequently encountered, contains language features that are slightly beyond the learners current level and can engage their attention, is meaningful and interesting, will be really productive in L2 acquisition and promote this process.