Lecture on Stephen Krashen's Theories of Second Language Acquisition

Introduction

Stephen Krashen: Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California
- Linguist, educational researcher, and activist
- Published over 350 papers and books
California Education Policy: Hostile to bilingualism; Krashen responded with research, public speaking, and letters to editors
- Estimated over 1,000 letters by 2006
Krashen's theory comprises five main hypotheses

Critics claim Krashen is influenced by the bilingual education industry
Krashen is criticized due to his influence on language minority education and public education efforts on English language learners

Acquisition: Subconscious process similar to first language acquisition; requires meaningful interaction
Learning: Conscious process from formal instruction; knowledge of grammar rules
Key Idea: Acquisition is more important than learning; meaningful use of language is crucial

Grammatical Structures: Acquired in a predictable order regardless of learner's age, first language, or learning environment
Stages:
1. Pre-production: Silent period; no use of language
2. Early Production: One-word responses
3. Speech Emergence: Short sentences with grammatical errors
4. Intermediate Fluency: Compound/complex sentences with fewer errors
Average Order of Acquisition: Example (for English)
1. -ing (present progressive)
2. Plural -s
3. Be verbs
4. Irregular past tense
5. Articles a and the
6. Regular past tense -ed
7. Simple present -s
8. Possessive 's
Acknowledge contradictions about grammatical sequencing; rejects it for syllabus design when goal is acquisition

Monitor: Relationship between acquisition and learning; used for editing speech
Conditions for using the Monitor:
1. Sufficient time
2. Focus on form and correctness
3. Knowing the rule
Types of Monitor Users:
- Over-users: Use monitor all the time
- Under-users: Avoid using conscious knowledge
- Optimal users: Use monitor appropriately

Explanation of Acquisition: Progress occurs with input slightly beyond current competence (I + 1)
Classroom Implication: Natural, authentic, and meaningful communication is key
Challenge: Learners at different competence levels simultaneously

Variables Affecting Acquisition: Motivation, self-confidence, anxiety
High Affective Filter: Hinders acquisition (low motivation, low self-esteem, high anxiety)
Low Affective Filter: Facilitates acquisition (high motivation, high self-confidence, low anxiety)

For more details on Krashen’s theories: Refer to his papers available online
- Additional insight into his five hypotheses