Stephen Krashen: Language Acquisition and Comprehensible Input

Summary

The speaker emphasizes that all individuals acquire language in the same way, through comprehensible input in a low-anxiety environment. They argue against the common belief in individual variations in language learning and instead highlight the universality of the process. The presentation debunks the idea that talking is practicing, asserting that language acquisition is a result of understanding messages, not merely repeating or speaking them. The speaker also introduces the 'affective filter hypothesis,' which suggests that factors like motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety play crucial roles in language learning success.

Takeaways

• 😀 We all acquire language in the same way, contrary to the current focus on individual variation in education.
• 🧠 The process of language acquisition is similar to other universal human functions like digestion and visual processing.
• 🔊 Comprehensible input is the key to language acquisition, not just the method of delivery or repetition.
• 📺 The effectiveness of language teaching is demonstrated through engaging and understandable examples, as shown in the second language lesson.
• 🗣️ Speaking is not practicing; true language acquisition comes from understanding messages, not from producing them.
• 👂 A 'silent period' in language learning is normal and should be expected as the learner processes comprehensible input.
• 🌐 Language learning is a global phenomenon, with the same principles applying across different cultures and regions.
• 📚 The input hypothesis suggests that the quality and comprehensibility of input are more important than the quantity of practice.
• 🧠 The 'affective filter hypothesis' posits that factors like motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety significantly impact language acquisition.
• 💡 Successful language acquisition requires a low anxiety environment where the learner is receptive to and understands the input.

Q & A

What is the central issue discussed in the presentation?

The central issue discussed in the presentation is how we acquire language, with the presenter arguing that we all acquire language in the same way, through comprehensible input.

Why is the statement 'we all acquire language the same way' considered outrageous?

This statement is considered outrageous because the current educational focus is on individual variation, emphasizing how students differ rather than how they are the same.

What is an example of a biological process that the presenter uses to illustrate the uniformity of certain human functions?

The presenter uses the process of digestion as an example of a biological function that is uniform across different individuals and cultures.

How does the presenter demonstrate the ineffectiveness of certain language teaching methods?

The presenter demonstrates the ineffectiveness of certain language teaching methods by showing that simply repeating words, speaking louder, or writing them down does not aid in language acquisition.

What role does Mr. Spock play in the second language lesson?

In the second language lesson, Mr. Spock serves as a character that helps make the input comprehensible by providing context and visual cues, which aids in language acquisition.

What is the 'Input Hypothesis' as discussed in the presentation?

The 'Input Hypothesis' suggests that language acquisition occurs when we understand messages, or comprehensible input, rather than through repetitive practice of language forms.

Why does the presenter argue that talking is not practicing for language acquisition?

The presenter argues that talking is not practicing for language acquisition because it is the comprehensible input that we receive, not the output we produce, that leads to language learning.

What is the significance of the story about Itomi in the presentation?

The story about Itomi illustrates the concept of a 'silent period' in language acquisition, where a child listens and processes comprehensible input before starting to speak, highlighting the importance of input over output.

What is the 'affective filter hypothesis' mentioned in the presentation?

The 'affective filter hypothesis' posits that factors such as motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety can affect language acquisition, with lower anxiety and higher motivation and self-esteem leading to better language learning.

How does the presenter suggest we should view student speaking in language classes?

The presenter suggests that while speaking is not the direct path to language acquisition, it can be beneficial as it allows students to seek and receive more comprehensible input from others.

What is the final summary statement regarding language acquisition according to the presentation?

The final summary statement is that we acquire language through comprehensible input in a low anxiety environment, emphasizing the importance of understanding over mere repetition.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Language Acquisition and the Importance of Comprehensible Input

The speaker introduces the concept of language acquisition, emphasizing the universality of the process despite individual differences among learners. They challenge the notion of distinct learning styles by comparing language learning to universal biological processes like digestion and vision. The speaker humorously dismisses ineffective teaching methods, such as repetition and copying, and argues that true language acquisition occurs through comprehensible input, where learners understand the message rather than the form of the language. They support this with a demonstration of two contrasting language lessons, highlighting the ineffectiveness of the first and the success of the second, which includes context and interaction.

05:01

🌐 The Role of Comprehensible Input in Language Learning

The speaker delves deeper into the concept of comprehensible input, asserting it as the key to language acquisition. They argue against the common belief that talking is practicing, using personal anecdotes and professional literature to illustrate that speaking out loud without understanding does not aid in language learning. Instead, they advocate for a learning environment where students are exposed to comprehensible and engaging input, which naturally leads to language acquisition. The speaker recounts a personal story involving a Japanese child named Itomi, who, despite not speaking for five months, eventually learned English through listening and understanding, underscoring the importance of a 'silent period' in language learning.

10:02

🔍 The Affective Filter Hypothesis and Its Impact on Language Acquisition

The speaker introduces the Affective Filter Hypothesis, which posits that factors such as motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety significantly influence language learning. They explain that high motivation, self-esteem, and low anxiety create a conducive environment for language acquisition, while the opposite hinders it. The speaker suggests that anxiety should be minimal for effective language learning, as it can act as a barrier, or 'affective filter,' preventing comprehensible input from reaching the brain's language acquisition device. They also touch upon the idea that while some anxiety can be facilitative for certain tasks, it is generally detrimental to language acquisition, where the focus should be on understanding and enjoying the input rather than on the language itself.

15:03

📚 Summary of Language Acquisition Principles

In the final paragraph, the speaker succinctly summarizes the key points discussed in the presentation. They reiterate that language is acquired through comprehensible input in a low-anxiety environment, highlighting the importance of understanding the message over the form of language. The speaker emphasizes that while speaking is not the primary method of practicing language, it can indirectly contribute to language acquisition by stimulating further comprehensible input from others. The summary encapsulates the essence of the presentation, reinforcing the idea that language learning is a natural process that occurs when learners are engaged, motivated, and free from excessive anxiety.

Keywords

💡Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to the process by which humans learn a language. In the video, it is emphasized that all individuals acquire language in the same fundamental way, through understanding messages or 'comprehensible input'. The speaker argues against the notion that language is learned differently by different individuals, highlighting the universality of the process. The example of the Japanese girl, Itomi, illustrates how she acquired English not through forced practice but through natural exposure and understanding, which is a central theme of the video.

💡Comprehensible Input

Comprehensible Input is a key concept in language acquisition theory, which posits that language is learned when the input (what is heard or read) is understood. The video underscores the importance of this concept, suggesting that language learning occurs when learners understand the messages conveyed to them, not merely by repeating words or practicing language forms. The speaker uses the example of a failed language lesson to contrast with a successful one where the input was made comprehensible through context and interaction.

💡Individual Variation

Individual variation refers to the differences in how individuals learn or process information. While the speaker acknowledges the existence of individual variation in learning styles, cognitive abilities, and other factors, they argue that the fundamental process of language acquisition is the same for everyone. The video challenges the contemporary focus on individual differences by asserting that the commonality in language acquisition is more significant for educational practices.

💡Cognitive Style

Cognitive style pertains to an individual's preferred way of perceiving and thinking about things. The script mentions that cognitive style differences, such as being a 'left hemisphere thinker' or 'right hemisphere thinker,' have been considered in educational approaches. However, the speaker suggests that these differences are less critical than the universal process of language acquisition through comprehensible input.

💡Field Dependent and Field Independent Learners

Field dependent and field independent learners are categories that were used to describe how individuals process information in relation to their environment. Field dependent learners are more influenced by the context, while field independent learners focus more on the task at hand. The video script refers to these categories as part of the historical context of educational theories that have tried to tailor teaching methods to different learner types.

💡Affective Filter Hypothesis

The Affective Filter Hypothesis suggests that an individual's motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety levels can act as a 'filter' that either facilitates or hinders language acquisition. The video explains that high anxiety or low self-esteem can raise a metaphorical 'filter' in the brain, preventing language input from reaching the parts of the brain responsible for language learning. This hypothesis is used to explain why some students may not acquire language despite receiving the same input as others.

💡Motivation

Motivation is described in the video as a key factor that influences language acquisition. Students who are more motivated are likely to perform better in language learning. The speaker implies that motivation is not just about wanting to learn but also about being in an environment where the learner feels encouraged and supported, which aligns with the concept of a low-anxiety setting for language acquisition.

💡Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is highlighted as another critical factor in language learning. The video suggests that learners with higher self-esteem are more likely to succeed in language acquisition. This is because they are more likely to be open to the learning process and less likely to be hindered by a fear of failure or negative self-perceptions.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is presented as a barrier to language acquisition. The video argues that lower anxiety levels are associated with better language learning outcomes. The speaker suggests that anxiety can prevent learners from fully engaging with and understanding language input, thus acting as a block or 'affective filter' that hinders the language acquisition process.

💡Silent Period

The silent period refers to a phase in second language acquisition where learners do not produce much language output despite being exposed to the language. The video uses Itomi's story to illustrate the importance of this period, where she was absorbing and understanding the language before she began to speak. The speaker argues that this period is not only normal but also necessary for effective language acquisition.

💡Facilitative Anxiety

Facilitative anxiety is a term mentioned in the context of the appropriate level of anxiety needed to achieve a task. While the video emphasizes the need for low anxiety in language acquisition, it acknowledges that a certain level of anxiety or pressure can be beneficial for other types of learning or tasks. This concept is used to qualify the speaker's earlier assertion that anxiety should be minimal for language acquisition, suggesting that the role of anxiety can vary.

Highlights

The most important question in language education is how we acquire language.

An outrageous statement: we all acquire language the same way.

The age of individual variation in education focuses on differences, not similarities.

Examples of individual variation theories: field dependent vs. independent learners, brain hemisphere dominance, cognitive styles.

Despite individual variation, there are universal processes like digestion and visual system that work the same in everyone.

Language acquisition is a universal process similar to digestion and vision.

Comprehensible input is the key to language acquisition, not just practice or repetition.

Lesson one demonstrates ineffective language teaching methods that lack comprehensible input.

Lesson two illustrates effective language teaching through context and comprehensible input.

The input hypothesis: language is acquired through understanding messages, not just exposure to sounds or words.

Talking is not practicing; it does not necessarily lead to language acquisition.

Language acquisition happens naturally through comprehensible input over time.

The story of Itomi, a Japanese child who acquired English through comprehensible input over five months.

The silent period in language acquisition is normal and should be expected.

Speaking contributes indirectly to language acquisition by stimulating further comprehensible input.

The affective filter hypothesis: motivation, self-esteem, and anxiety levels affect language acquisition.

For successful language acquisition, anxiety should be low or non-existent.

The affective filter can block language acquisition if the learner is not in a low anxiety, receptive state.

We acquire language through comprehensible input in a low anxiety environment.

Transcripts

to begin my presentation this afternoon

by talking about what I think is the

most important issue in language

education the most important question

and that is how do we acquire language

and I'd like to begin this discussion

this presentation with an outrageous

statement

in my opinion we all acquire language

the same way

the reason this is an outrageous thing

to say is that these days in education

we're living in an age of individual

variation we're very concerned about how

our students are different not how our

students are the same those who've been

around in the field for a while remember

oh about 15 20 years ago people were

very concerned about something called

field dependent Learners and field

independent Learners who give people a

certain tests and one group gets this

treatment one group gets the other then

about 15 years ago it was left side of

the brain right side of the brain so

people are left hemisphere thinkers some

people are right hemisphere then about

10 years ago cognitive style the

cognitive style the home culture differs

from the cognitive style of the school

culture we have a clash Etc

apples I gave you is probably correct

there is individual variation and there

is quite a bit of it nevertheless there

are some things we all do the same

let me give you some examples

digestion we all digest food the same no

significant individual variation first

you put it in your mouth then you chew

it up then it goes down your throat then

into your stomach that's how it's done

everywhere that's how it's done in North

America South America Europe Asia Africa

that's how it's done everywhere in the

world

the visual system is the same everywhere

it's always the occipital lobe in the

back of the brain it's never in the side

of the brain it's never in the front of

the brain it's never in the elbow it's

done exactly the same everywhere you go

by the way I used to use sex as an

example of things everyone does the same

but some counter examples have been

pointed out to me recently

actually I saw this movie if you really

want to know the truth anyway we all

acquire language the same and rather

than just talk about it I'd like to show

you I'd like to take just a couple of

minutes and give you some sample

language lessons I'll use a language

that I'm sure you've heard before and

maybe some of you speak and you can tell

me which of these two very brief lessons

you like better

uh here's lesson number one

is

what do you think good lesson so far

do you think if I kept talking to you

like that you'd pick up German

not very likely

how about if I uh repeated it would that

help

probably not how about if I said it

louder would that help

probably not how about if I said it and

you repeated it back again I don't think

that would help how about if I wrote it

out for you and you could see it on your

television screen that wouldn't help

either but if I wrote it out for you and

you copied it down

how about if I read it out for you and

deleted every fifth word and you tried

to guess what the word is the truth is

that none of these things that none of

these things help none of these things

mean anything and I hope you can see

that now here's lesson number two and

for this you have to watch me carefully

Das is hand

everyone say yeah I can hear you even

though it's a TV audience good

cough that's his main cup which is good

cop from here I'll draw a picture now

cop

it's good yeah

sure

cup

this is Mr Spock yeah Mr spark Hut sway

Oren

orenzie Oren

okay Mr spark yeah okay

Algin

Christian organ finds

swai

dry organ dry again

nine

The Havana

Sarai outcome

if you understood lesson number two

not every word

but more or less

I did everything necessary to teach you

German and now I'm going to share with

you the most important thing I have

learned about language

probably the best kept secret in the

profession

we acquire language in one way

and only one way

when we understand messages we call this

comprehensible input we acquire language

when we understand what people tell us

not how they say it but what they say or

when we understand

what they what we read comprehensible

input in my opinion has been the last

resort of the language teaching

profession we've tried everything else

we've tried grammar teaching drills and

exercises computers etc but the only

thing that seems to count is getting

messages you understand comprehensible

input now one of the reasons lesson

number two is better than lesson number

one is we had Mr Spock to help us out so

anything that helps make input

comprehensible pictures knowledge of the

world realia Etc helps language

acquisition if comprehensible input is

true what we call the input hypothesis

is true other things follow from it and

very important corollary the input

hypothesis is this and this may come as

a bit of a surprise to some of you

certainly came as a surprise to me

talking is not practicing talking is not

practicing what does this mean means if

you want to improve your Spanish it will

not help you to speak Spanish out loud

in the car as you drive to work in the

morning it will not help you to go to

the bathroom close the door and speak

Spanish to the mirror I used to think

those things help now I think they don't

on the other hand if we were a German

class and we could hang together for a

couple of weeks say an hour a day of

German and I could keep the input light

and Lively as in the second example

you'd start to acquire German it would

come on its own and eventually you'd

start to talk your speaking ability

would emerge gradually now we have a lot

of evidence that this is true and the

evidence is in the professional

literature in books and journal papers

Etc and if you're an insomniac you're

welcome to look at all that but rather

than go through that I'd like instead to

tell you a story that illustrates the

same point

um I've used this story for a long time

so those who have heard it before I've

been using this for about 15 years and

the reason I keep stay with it is that

it makes the point very well and I've

decided it's I've discovered it's just

about a universal experience what has

happened to me has certainly happened to

you and bear in mind if you've heard it

before and you're tired of hearing it

think how I feel

my experience took place in 1974 when I

was briefly living in Exile from

California working at the City

University of New York at Queen's

College as director of English as a

second language and like everyone else

in New York we lived in a big apartment

building and the apartment next door to

us was owned by a Japanese company

and every year there'd be a new family

in the apartment and every year there

were the children who couldn't speak

English

and there I was director of English as a

second language I will teach English to

these children and brag about it to my

friends

so I remember going up to the little

girl next door she was four years old

her name was itomi and I didn't know

about this material on language

acquisition that nobody did and I

thought then the way you get people to

acquire language is you get them to

practice talking so I try to get her to

talk I'd say he told me talk to me say

good morning say hi

no response well clearly I decided I've

got to make this more concrete he told

me say ball

no response well obviously I've got to

break it down to it into its component

parts let's work on initial consonants

say

but look at my lips again no response uh

there's a theory going around then that

a lot of people still believe that

children don't really want to acquire

language you have to kind of force it

out of them so I tried that I won't give

you the ball until you say ball that

didn't work either no matter what I said

he told me wouldn't speak she didn't say

anything the first week she didn't say

anything the second week

the first month

the second month

five months until she started to speak

actually that's not entirely true

children during this stage do pick up

certain expressions from the other

children in the neighborhood there it's

not real language they they understand

approximately uh what they mean it's not

again it's not real language they have a

rough idea what it means they use it in

roughly appropriate situations things

like leave me alone

get out of here in fact one child I knew

the only thing could say was I kick your

ass set it everywhere I wasn't quite

sure what it meant after about five

months itomi started to speak and

several things were interesting about

her language

first it looked a lot like first

language acquisition the same process

our children went through one word two

words gradually getting more complicated

second it came quickly by the time itomi

and her family went back to Japan at the

end of the year her English was closing

in on the way the other children in the

neighborhood were talking

the question is this what was going on

during those five months

she was listening

she was picking out comprehensible input

when she started to speak it was not the

beginning of her language acquisition

let me repeat that when she started to

speak it was not the beginning of her

language acquisition it was the result

of all the comprehensible input she had

gotten over those five months now a

silent period for a child in a situation

like this is not pathological it's

normal it's what you expect

you'd like to have a silent period

wouldn't you

how would it be if you had to study

another language but you went to a class

where you didn't have to say anything

doesn't that sound wonderful you can

talk all you want you can raise your

hand you can volunteer but no one's

going to call on you no one's going to

put you on the spot also in this perfect

class if the input isn't comprehensible

it's the teacher's fault not yours

that's how we're doing it now and the

results we're getting

aren't a little better than other

methods they're actually much much

better before I leave this topic let me

put in a brief commercial message for

speaking I'm not opposed to speaking I

think when students speak it's fine but

what counts in speaking is not what you

say but what the other person says to

you in other words when you get involved

in conversation what counts is the input

that you can stimulate from other people

so I'm in favor of students speaking but

we have to understand it makes an

indirect a helpful but indirect

contribution to language acquisition

I'd like to discuss one more hypothesis

before we move on to literacy and this

is a very important one called the

affective filter hypothesis our research

in language acquisition has concluded

that there are several factors that are

that relate to success in language

acquisition and I'm going to list them

here on your screen one factor is

motivation

students who are more motivated do

better in language acquisition of those

of you who study this know that it's a

little more complicated than this but

this is a good approximation second

self-esteem

probably the dominant concept today in

popular psychology students with more

self-esteem more self-confidence do

better in language acquisition third

anxiety

and here the correlations are negative

the lower the anxiety the better the

language acquisition in fact my

hypothesis is for language acquisition

to really succeed anxiety should be zero

this has happened to you have you ever

been in a situation speaking a language

that you may not speak very well when

the conversation gets so interesting you

temporarily forget that you're using

another language if this is happening to

you that's when you're acquiring when

your focus is completely on the message

what the other person is saying and your

anxiety is temporarily gone by the way

is an important footnote to this I guess

today we say sidebar as a sidebar to all

this

I'm not sure that zero anxiety is right

for everything I'm sure it's good for a

lot of things but I'm not quite sure how

far to push this

speaking to you as a college teacher

speaking to you as a parent I'm not all

that free and easy I think there are

certain things in school children

absolutely must learn I think my

students at the University of Southern

California

should suffer

we have hard classes tough requirements

so you don't do the work you're out I

finally learned what they tried to teach

us in educational psychology the amount

of drive or anxiety necessary to

accomplish a task depends on the task

sometimes we call facilitative anxiety

is okay I don't believe in torture but

sometimes a little anxiety is okay

language acquisition though is different

for language acquisition to succeed

anxiety has to be directed somewhere

else not at the language Frank Smith

puts it this way for the child to

develop literacy the child has to assume

that she's going to be successful the

way we integrate this into the theory is

like this

if a student isn't motivated if

self-esteem is low if anxiety is high if

the student is on the defensive if the

student thinks the language class is a

place where his weaknesses will be

revealed he may understand the input but

it won't penetrate it won't reach those

parts of the brain that do language

acquisition a block keeps it out we call

this block the affective filter here's

how it works somewhere in the brain

Chomsky tells us is a language

acquisition device

our job is to get input into the device

so that's input here

low motivation low self-esteem high

anxiety the block goes up the filter

goes up

and the input

cannot get in

this explains how it can be that we can

have two children in the same class both

getting comprehensible input one makes

progress the other doesn't

one is open to the input the other is

closed let me now try to summarize

everything I've said in the last 10 15

minutes or so and I'll summarize it in

one sentence and we'll wonder why it

took me that long

we acquire language in one way

and only one way

when we get comprehensible input in a

low anxiety environment