Stephen Krashens

Language Acquisition Theory

About 25 years ago, a psychologist named Stephen

Krashen transformed language teaching. He had
been developing his ideas over a number of years,
but several books he published in the 1980s
received widespread acceptance.

STEPHEN KRASHENS
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
THEORY
This theory states that acquisition and
learning are two separate processes.
Learning is to know about a language formal knowledge; acquisition is the
unconscious mind related activity that
occurs when the language is used in
conversation. Krashen embodies the
following hypotheses in his theory:

Much has been made of Krashen's theory of

second language acquisition, which consists of

five main hypotheses:

The acquisition learning

hypothesis
the monitor hypothesis,
the natural order hypothesis,
the input hypothesis, and
the affective filter hypothesis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiTsduRreug&feature=rel
ated

According to Krashens acquisition-learning

hypothesis, there are two independent ways

to develop our linguistic skills: acquisition
and learning.

This

theory is at the core of modern

language acquisition theory, and is perhaps
the most fundamental of Krashen's theories
on second acquisition.

Acquisition
Subconscious process where individual is not aware. One is

unaware of the process as it is happening and when the new

knowledge is acquired, the acquirer generally does not realize
that he or she possesses any new knowledge.

According

to Krashen, both adults and children can

subconsciously acquire language, and either written or oral
language can be acquired. This process is similar to the process
that children undergo when learning their native language.

Acquisition

requires meaningful interaction in the target

language, during which the acquirer is focused on meaning
rather than form.

Learning
Learning a language, on the other hand, is a
conscious process, much like what one
experiences in school. New knowledge or
language forms are represented consciously
in the learner's mind, frequently in the form
of language "rules" and "grammar" and the
process often involves error correction.
Language
learning
involves
formal
instruction, and according to Krashen, is less
effective than acquisition.

The Acquisition Learning Distinction

Acquisition

Sub-conscious
by environment
(Ex: games,
Movies, radio)

Picking up words

SLA

Learning

Conscious by
instructors
Correct errors

Knowing about
Grammar rules

Material created by Sonia Albertazzi, Milagro Azofeifa y Gabriela Serrano for Educational
Purposes

Natural Order: Natural progression/order of

language
development exhibited by infants/young children
and/or second language learners (child or adult).
Level l: Pre-Production Stage (Silent Period): Minimal
comprehension, no verbal production.
Level II: Early Production Stage. Limited
Comprehension; One/two-word response.
Level III: Speech Emergence Stage. Increased
comprehension; Simple sentences; Some errors in
speech.
Level IV: Intermediate Fluency Stage. Very good
comprehension; More complex sentences; Complex
errors in speech.

Monitor
Learning (as opposed to acquisition) serves to
develop a monitor- an error detecting
mechanism that scans utterances for
accuracy in order to make corrections. As a
corollary to the monitor hypothesis, language
acquisition instruction should avoid emphasis
on error correction and grammar. This might
inhibit language acquisition, particularly at
the early stages of language development.

The Monitor hypothesis explains the

relationship between acquisition and

learning.

The monitoring function is the practical

result of the learned grammar.

According to Krashen, for the Monitor to
be successfully used, three conditions
must be met:

The

acquirer/learner must know the

rule: This is a very difficult condition to
meet because it means that the speaker
must have had explicit instruction.

The

acquirer must be focused on

correctness: He or she must be thinking
about form, and it is difficult to focus on
meaning and form at the same time.

Having time to use the monitor:

The
speaker is then focused on form rather
than
meaning,
resulting
in
the
production and exchange of less
information.

Due

to
these
difficulties,
Krashen
recommends using the monitor at times
when
it
does
not
interfere
with
communication, such as while writing.

Affective Filter: Optimal input occurs when

the "affective filter" is low. The affective filter
is a screen of emotion that can block language
acquisition or learning if it keeps the users
from being too self-conscious or too
embarrassed
to
take
risks
during
communicative exchanges
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:
confidence and anxiety.

motivation,

self-

Low

motivation,
low
self-esteem,
and
debilitating anxiety can combine to '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.

Krashen

claims that learners with high

motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image,
and a low level of anxiety are better equipped
for success in second language acquisition.

Krashen

claims that learners with high

motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image,
and a low level of anxiety are better equipped
for success in second language acquisition.

THE INPUT HYPOTHESIS

We acquire language only when we understand language that contains
structure that is a little beyond where we are now.
This is possible because we use more than our linguistic competence to help us
understand.

Material created by Sonia Albertazzi, Milagro Azofeifa y Gabriela Serrano for Educational
Purposes

In addition, the Cultural Adaption / Cultural Shock cycle for

students, upon introducing themselves to a new language and
its culture is to experience the following:
1.Honeymoon: The sojourner is intrigued by the differences she or he
perceives and is excited about everything.
2. Disintegration: The differences between the cultures lead to confusion,
isolation and loneliness. New cultural cues are misread and withdrawal and
depression can occur.
3. Re-integration: The new cues are re-integrated but even though the
individual has an increased ability to function in the new culture, he rejects
it and experiences anger and resentment and acts hostile and rebellious.
4. Autonomy: The person is able to see the differences between the two
cultures in a more objective way, is able to deal with them and therefore
feels more self-assured, relaxed and confident.
5. Independence: The social psychological and cultural
differences are accepted and enjoyed (ibid.). And the person is able to
function in both the old and the new culture; he has achieved bi- culturality.

THE INPUT HYPOTHESIS

Input
needs
to
be
comprehensible.
Input
+
1/Zone
of
Proximal Development- Input/instruction that is just above the students' abilities. Instruction that is embedded in a
meaningful context, modified (paraphrasing, repetition), collaborative/interactive and multimodal.
We acquire language only when we understand language that contains structure that is a little beyond where we are now.
This is possible because we use more than our linguistic competence to help us understand.

The input hypothesis says that we acquire by

going for meaning first, and as a result, we

acquire structure.

It also states that speaking fluency cannot be

taught directly. It emerges over time, on its

own.
The best way to teach speaking, according to
this view, is simply to provide comprehensible
input.
Early speech will come when the acquirer feels

ready:
accurate.

It

is

typically

not

grammatically

Accuracy develops over time as the acquirer

hears and understands more input.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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.
Aparts taken from the presentation of:
SONIA ALBERTAZZI
MILAGRO AZOFEIFA
GABRIELA SERRANO