According to Stephen Krashen’s study, to lean a second language, it’s more effective to ‘acquire’ the language by exposing to heavy-enough inputs and practicing via interactive communications than to focus too much and early on ’learning’ linguistic rules such as grammars.
[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.
In the real world, conversations with sympathetic native speakers who are willing to help the acquirer understand are very helpful.] (Stephen Krashen)*
Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition consists of five main hypotheses.
1. The Acquisition-Learning hypothesis
It’s much more effective to acquire a new language by practicing via interactive communications.
2. The Monitor hypothesis
When we use the second language, our brain will monitor its correctness at the same time. It will help us improve proficiency; however if too much emphasis is placed on Monitor, then it might hinder or block out our learning effectiveness.
3. The Input hypothesis
To expose to heavy-enough second language inputs. This is the major reason why going abroad to study or to migrate to live in the foreign country would help the second language’s acquisition significantly.
4. The Affective Filter hypothesis
The stronger the motivation to learn a second language the easier to acquire it. And extroverted personality and open-minded attitude would also help.
5. The Natural Order hypothesis
This the least important factor. According to studies, there is a most effective sequence in acquiring second language.
When we start learning mother language, we don’t take grammar lessons first. Instead we acquire the mother language by being naturally exposed to heavy-enough inputs and learn how to make meaningful interactive communications via trial and error. This is the major insight suggested by Stephen Krashen’s study.
*：‘Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition,’ Ricardo E. Schütz, October 2019
**：〈用美國人的USA方法學文法〉，金峨永 著，張芳綺 譯
2022/2/22 how to acquire a second language Damakey
When we start learning mother language, we don’t take grammar lessons first. Instead we acquire the mother language by being naturally exposed to heavy-enough inputs and earn how to make meaningful interactive communications via trial and error. This is the major insight suggested by Stephen Krashen’s study.
*：‘Stephen Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition,’ Ricardo E. Schütz, October 2019
**：〈用美國人的USA方法學文法〉，金峨永 著，張芳綺 譯
2022/2/22 how to acquire a second language Damakey
