Stephen Krashen’s L2 Acquisition Theory

Compiled by Doris Shih

Outline for Today

The acquisition-learning hypothesis The natural order hypothesis The monitor hypothesis The input hypothesis The affective filter hypothesis

What are the causative variables in second language acquisition?

For you, does language teaching really help? When does it help and when does it NOT help?

Effecting Variables

Comprehensible input (causative) Strength of the filter (causative) Language teaching Exposure variable Age Acculturation

The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis Acquisition = subconsciously picking up Learning = conscious

• Error correction• Explicit instruction

Children acquire language better than adults

The Natural Order Hypothesis

Grammar structures are acquired in a predictable order

L2 learning order is different from L1 order L2 learning adults and children show

similar order

ING (progressive)PLURAL

COPULA (“to be”)

AUXILIARYARTICLE

IRREGULAR PAST

REGULAR PASTSINGULAR (-s)

POSSESSIVE (-s)

The order for L2 learners (Krashen, 1977)

The Monitor Hypothesis Acquisition has the central role Learning functions as a Monitor 3 conditions needed to use Monitor

• Time• Focus on form• Know the rule

When Monitor is not used, errors are natural Pedagogically: study of grammar has a

place, but a limited one

The Input Hypothesis

We acquire by comprehensible input (i) + 1 Input Hypothesis relates to acquisition, not learnin

g Focus not on structure but on understanding the m

essage Do not teach structure deliberately; i+1 is provide

d naturally when input is understood Production ability emerges. It’s not taught directly

The Affective Filter Hypothesis

Motivation Self-confidence Anxiety Lower affective filter will go further

LanguageInput

Affective Filter

Acquired Competence

Language Acquisition Device

The affective filter

Reference

Krashen, Stephen D. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. New York, NY: Prentice Hall, 1987.