Didáctica Específica I
Second Language Acquisition - Krashen
a) Watch Stephen Krashen’s explanation on Second Language Acquisition. https://youtu.be/NiTsduRreug
b) After watching the video, in groups discuss the following questions:
1) What does Krashen try to explain with the two German lessons?
2) According to him, how do we acquire language?
3) What does it help to make language acquisition easier?
4) What does Krashen explain with Itomi´s experience?
5) Try to explain in your own words what is “comprehensible input”, “silent period”, “Affective Filter
Hyphotesis”
6) Which are the factors that relate to success in language acquisition?
Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition
Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and
does not require tedious drill.
Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language - natural communication -
in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages
they are conveying and understanding.
... 'comprehensible input' is the crucial and necessary ingredient for the acquisition of
language.
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.
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In the real world, conversations with sympathetic native speakers who are willing to help the acquirer understand are
very helpful.
Introduction
Stephen Krashen (University of Southern California) is an expert in the field of linguistics, specializing in
theories of language acquisition and development. Much of his recent research has involved the study of
non-English and bilingual language acquisition. Since 1980, he has published well over 100 books and
articles and has been invited to deliver over 300 lectures at universities throughout the United States and
Canada.
This is a brief description of Krashen's widely known and well-accepted theory of second language
acquisition, which has had a large impact in all areas of second language research and teaching.
The 5 hypotheses of Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition
Krashen's theory of second language acquisition consists of five main hypotheses:
the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis;
the Monitor hypothesis;
the Input hypothesis;
and the Affective Filter hypothesis;
the Natural Order hypothesis.
The Acquisition-Learning distinction is the most fundamental of the five hypotheses in Krashen's theory
and the most widely known among linguists and language teachers. According to Krashen there are two
independent systems of foreign language performance: 'the acquired system' and 'the learned system'. The
'acquired system' or 'acquisition' is the product of a subconscious process very similar to the process
children undergo when they acquire their first language. It requires meaningful interaction in the target
language - natural communication - in which speakers are concentrated not in the form of their utterances,
but in the communicative act.
The "learned system" or "learning" is the product of formal instruction and it comprises a conscious process
which results in conscious knowledge 'about' the language, for example knowledge of grammar rules. A
deductive approach in a teacher-centered setting produces "learning", while an inductive approach in a
student-centered setting leads to "acquisition".
According to Krashen 'learning' is less important than 'acquisition'.
The Monitor hypothesis explains the relationship between acquisition and learning and defines the
influence of the latter on the former. The monitoring function is the practical result of the learned grammar.
According to Krashen, the acquisition system is the utterance initiator, while the learning system performs
the role of the 'monitor' or the 'editor'. The 'monitor' acts in a planning, editing and correcting function when
three specific conditions are met:
The second language learner has sufficient time at their disposal.
They focus on form or think about correctness.
They know the rule.
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It appears that the role of conscious learning is somewhat limited in second language performance. According
to Krashen, the role of the monitor is minor, being used only to correct deviations from "normal" speech and
to give speech a more 'polished' appearance.
Krashen also suggests that there is individual variation among language learners with regard to 'monitor' use.
He distinguishes those learners that use the 'monitor' all the time (over-users); those learners who have not
learned or who prefer not to use their conscious knowledge (under-users); and those learners that use the
'monitor' appropriately (optimal users). An evaluation of the person's psychological profile can help to
determine to what group they belong. Usually extroverts are under-users, while introverts and perfectionists
are over-users. Lack of self-confidence is frequently related to the over-use of the "monitor".
The Input hypothesis is Krashen's attempt to explain how the learner acquires a second language – how
second language acquisition takes place. The Input hypothesis is only concerned with 'acquisition', not
'learning'. According to this hypothesis, the learner improves and progresses along the 'natural order' when
he/she receives second language 'input' that is one step beyond his/her current stage of linguistic
competence. For example, if a learner is at a stage 'i', then acquisition takes place when he/she is exposed
to 'Comprehensible Input' that belongs to level 'i + 1'. Since not all of the learners can be at the same level
of linguistic competence at the same time, Krashen suggests that natural communicative input is the key to
designing a syllabus, ensuring in this way that each learner will receive some 'i + 1' input that is appropriate
for his/her current stage of linguistic competence.
The Affective Filter hypothesis embodies Krashen's view that a number of 'affective variables' play a
facilitative, but non-causal, role in second language acquisition. These variables include: motivation, self-
confidence, anxiety and personality traits. Krashen claims that learners with high motivation, self-confidence,
a good self-image, a low level of anxiety and extroversion are better equipped for success in second language
acquisition. Low motivation, low self-esteem, anxiety, introversion and inhibition can raise the affective filter
and form a 'mental block' that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words,
when the filter is 'up' it impedes language acquisition. On the other hand, positive affect is necessary, but not
sufficient on its own, for acquisition to take place.
Finally, the less important Natural Order hypothesis is
based on research findings (Dulay & Burt, 1974; Fathman,
1975; Makino, 1980 cited in Krashen, 1987) which
suggested that the acquisition of grammatical structures
follows a 'natural order' which is predictable. For a given
language, some grammatical structures tend to be acquired
early while others late. This order seemed to be
independent of the learners' age, L1 background,
conditions of exposure, and although the agreement
between individual acquirers was not always 100% in the
studies, there were statistically significant similarities that
reinforced the existence of a Natural Order of language
acquisition. Krashen however points out that the implication
of the natural order hypothesis is not that a language
program syllabus should be based on the order found in the studies. In fact, he rejects grammatical
sequencing when the goal is language acquisition.
Krashen proposed that language acquisition occurs in a natural order, where learners acquire grammatical
structures in a predictable sequence regardless of their age, first language, and instructional context. Some
examples of the natural order of acquisition according to Krashen are:
1. Present progressive (-ing) verbs: Learners tend to acquire this structure early on because it is
commonly used in spoken English.
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2. Simple past tense (-ed) verbs: This structure is typically acquired after the present progressive, as it
is also frequently used in spoken English.
3. Plural nouns: Learners tend to acquire the plural form of nouns before they acquire other grammatical
structures, such as verb tenses.
4. Prepositions: Certain prepositions, such as "in," "on," and "at," are often acquired early on because
they are frequently used in everyday communication.
5. Complex sentence structures: These structures, such as relative clauses and passive voice, are
typically acquired at later stages of language development, after learners have acquired a strong
foundation in basic grammar and vocabulary.
The Role of Grammar in Krashen's View
According to Krashen, the study of the structure of the language can have general educational advantages
and values that high schools and colleges may want to include in their language programs. Any benefit,
however, will greatly depend on the learner being already familiar with the language. It should also be clear
that analizing the language, formulating rules, setting irregularities apart, and teaching complex facts about
the target language is not language teaching, but rather is "language appreciation" or linguistics, which does
not lead to communicative proficiency.
The only instance in which the teaching of grammar can result in language acquisition (and proficiency) is
when the students are interested in the subject and the target language is used as a medium of instruction.
Very often, when this occurs, both teachers and students are convinced that the study of formal grammar is
essential for second language acquisition, and the teacher is skillful enough to present explanations in the
target language so that the students understand. In other words, the teacher talk meets the requirements for
comprehensible input and perhaps, with the students' participation, the classroom becomes an environment
suitable for acquisition. Also, the filter is low in regard to the language of explanation, as the students'
conscious efforts are usually on the subject matter, on what is being talked about, and not the medium.
This is a subtle point. In effect, both teachers and students are deceiving themselves. They believe that it is
the subject matter itself, the study of grammar, that is responsible for the students progress, but in reality
their progress is coming from the medium and not the message. Any subject matter that held their interest
would do just as well.
References
Crystal, David The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Krashen, Stephen D. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Prentice-Hall
International, 1987.
Krashen, Stephen D. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Prentice-Hall
International, 1988.
Bibliography:
Taken from: https://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash-
english.html#:~:text=Acquisition%20requires%20meaningful%20interaction%20in,they%20are%20conveying%20a
nd%20understanding.
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Further Reading: Krashen's Theories Lecture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd0Lm7MZdjo
By Christine Austin
3) a. The previous Summary on SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION developed by Stephen Krashen,
helps us to understand the experience Spanish speakers have when living in an English country. So here
in Argentina we teach English as a Foreign Language, instead of ESL it's EFL, but the principles that we
follow are the same, so this is a very important THEORIST, that you need to read.
3) b. Choose a presentation software/tool (it could be canva, Powtoon, Genially, etc.)
3) c. After reading and listening to the lecture about KRASHEN´S FIVE HYPOTHESIS, in
groups make a presentation with his main ideas.
3) d. Try to provide examples from your own experience as foreign language students,
connecting them with some of the hypothesis Krashen proposed.
3) e. share the link (or the presentation) in our WhatsApp group (don´t forget to write your
names)
Extensive Reading
Teaching children English
Language Learning and Language acquisition
We distinguish the process that takes place when learning our first language (L1) from that of learning a
second language by using different terminology. We say that the first language is acquired and the second
language is learned. This is because we understand that the first language is acquired through experience
while the second language usually comes with formal teaching. Language ACQUISITION takes place in a
constantly stimulating environment: children are exposed to their first language from the very beginning
and they are literally bombarded with language all the time. Although we cannot reproduce these
circumstances exactly, we should try to provide our students with at least some of the stimuli which are
present in language ACQUISITION in order to facilitate language learning.
If we think of teaching as the other side of learning, then by trying to understand better how children learn
we will have more understanding of how to teach them. Learning is often confused with studying or
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memorizing. Because we, as adults, have already acquired LEARNING STRATEGIES, we often confuse
learning with studying. Studying is a tool for learning; it is not learning in itself.
Young children have hardly begun developing these strategies and are, therefore, at a more elementary stage
of the learning process than an adult or adolescent. For young children, learning is still a question of
experiencing rather than committing information to memory so we need to provide our students with the
possibility of experiencing to ensure successful learning. Because children learn from experience, they do
not distinguish learning situations from non-learning ones: all situations are learning situations for a child.
This is an extremely influential factor for you to remember when you working with primary school children
because you will see that every moment of your time with your students is, potentially, learning time and
you should take full advantage of this.
Bibliography:
HOUSE, SUSAN, An Introduction to Teaching English To Children, Richmond Publishing, 1997 (Chapter 1-p:7).
