Krashen 5 Hypotheses

Summary

The speaker discusses Stephen Krashen's five hypotheses of language acquisition, emphasizing the difference between learning and acquiring a language. Learning involves memorization and grammar rules, while acquisition is a natural process through meaningful input. The hypotheses include comprehensible input, the monitor hypothesis, natural order, and low affective filter. The importance of comprehensible input plus one is highlighted, where the learner receives slightly advanced information in a supportive environment. The speaker uses examples from both adult learners and children to demonstrate these principles, emphasizing the importance of creating a low-stress environment for effective language acquisition.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Two Approaches to Language Acquisition:** There's a difference between learning a language (grammar, rules, memorization) and acquiring a language (natural usage and understanding). The latter is more effective for real-world communication.
• 🗣️ **Learning vs. Acquiring:** Learning involves memorizing rules and taking tests, which often doesn't translate into practical speaking skills. Acquiring happens naturally through meaningful interactions and comprehensible input.
• 👂 **Comprehensible Input:** Providing comprehensible input—language that is slightly above the learner's current level, also known as 'input +1'—is crucial for language acquisition.
• 🛠️ **Monitor Hypothesis:** We all have an internal monitor that checks our language use. While useful for writing and editing, it can inhibit speaking if relied on too much during conversation.
• 🔄 **Natural Order Hypothesis:** Language acquisition follows a predictable natural order. Basic elements like nouns and simple structures are acquired first, while more complex grammatical rules are learned later.
• 😌 **Affective Filter Hypothesis:** A low affective filter—meaning low anxiety and high confidence—is essential for effective language learning. If learners feel stressed or afraid, they are less likely to acquire the language.
• 👶 **Silent Period:** Similar to how babies learn their first language, language learners go through a 'silent period' where they listen and understand before they start speaking.
• 🔄 **Real-Life Example:** The speaker's husband acquired Spanish naturally through daily interactions on a ranch, but struggled when he tried to learn it formally through traditional grammar-focused classes.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 **Parental Language Acquisition:** The process of speaking to a baby with meaningful and gentle input, without expecting immediate response, parallels how language should be taught to learners.
• 🎯 **Practical Teaching Tips:** Teachers should focus on providing comprehensible input and creating a low-stress environment to facilitate natural language acquisition, rather than overemphasizing grammar rules and rote memorization.

Q & A

What are Stephen Krashen's five hypotheses on language acquisition?

Krashen's five hypotheses are: 1) The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis, 2) The Monitor Hypothesis, 3) The Natural Order Hypothesis, 4) The Input Hypothesis (Comprehensible Input +1), and 5) The Affective Filter Hypothesis.

What is the difference between learning a language and acquiring a language?

Learning a language involves formal instruction, memorization of rules, and grammar-focused methods, while acquiring a language happens naturally through exposure and meaningful communication, without focusing on rules.

Can you provide an example that illustrates the difference between learning and acquiring a language?

An example from the transcript is the speaker's husband who acquired Spanish by working on a ranch where everyone spoke Spanish. However, when he later took formal Spanish lessons, he began to focus on grammar rules and stopped speaking fluently, illustrating the distinction between acquisition and learning.

What is the Comprehensible Input +1 Hypothesis?

The Comprehensible Input +1 Hypothesis states that learners acquire language when they receive input that is slightly above their current level of understanding, but still comprehensible. The 'plus one' refers to this small step beyond their current proficiency.

What role does the 'monitor' play in language acquisition according to Krashen?

The Monitor Hypothesis suggests that individuals use an internal 'monitor' to edit and correct their language use. While this can be helpful for written language, over-reliance on it can inhibit speaking by causing self-consciousness about grammatical correctness.

What is the Natural Order Hypothesis?

The Natural Order Hypothesis states that language learners acquire linguistic structures in a predictable order. For example, nouns and simple sentence structures are typically acquired first, while more complex grammatical elements, like verb conjugations or plural forms, are acquired later.

How does the Affective Filter Hypothesis affect language acquisition?

The Affective Filter Hypothesis posits that emotional factors, like fear, anxiety, or self-confidence, can impact language acquisition. A low affective filter—when students feel comfortable and unafraid—enhances language acquisition, while a high filter (stress or fear) can block it.

Why is it important to lower the affective filter for language learners?

Lowering the affective filter is important because students who are relaxed and confident are more likely to absorb and retain the language. If they feel anxious or intimidated, they may struggle to process the input and their language acquisition will be hindered.

What is the significance of the 'silent period' in language acquisition?

The 'silent period' refers to the early stage of language acquisition when learners are primarily focused on listening and understanding, without yet speaking the new language. During this time, they are absorbing input and building comprehension, which is a crucial phase for natural acquisition.

How can teachers use Krashen’s theories to support language learners in the classroom?

Teachers can apply Krashen’s theories by providing comprehensible input just above the student’s current level, reducing anxiety (lowering the affective filter), allowing for a silent period, and minimizing the emphasis on grammatical accuracy (monitoring) to encourage natural language acquisition.