On Stephen Krashen's language theories

 By Manuel Espinal

The author is teacher and journalist

 Stephen Krashen is one of the most prolific researchers in the field of second-language acquisition, for which he has presented or introduced a series of concepts and hypotheses.  Among them we can mention:

a) Acquisition and learning hypothesis

b) Input Hypothesis

C) Monitor Hypothesis

d) Natural order hypothesis

e) Affective filter

f) Free voluntary reading

Meanwhile, we are going to introduce separately each hypothesis and thus we will have a better idea about each of them.

Acquisition and Learning hypothesis 

According to Krashen, the acquisition process of the second language occurs naturally, intuitively and subconsciously as result of the continuous meaningful interaction in the target language. The process is the same for both children and adults (acquirers) in the second or native language.  Acquirers do not realize they have attained the language, and they focus on meaning rather than forms.

Stephen Krashen

Going a little far beyond, we can infer from what Krashen has said that the process of acquisition is closely related to an environment where the target language is spoken, and due to the continuous contact that acquirers have with such a language, they can easily acquire it. However, I pose a question. What about those children and adults who speak fluently and accurately the target language, but their setting is the school, because out of this place, the spoken language is the native one?

On the other hand, we have the process of learning a second language, which according to Krashen is something like what we experience in school. The language is presented explicitly (consciously) through a series of grammar rules or forms that make the process (which involves errors corrections) more difficult. For Krashen the process of learning is more difficult than the process of acquisition. Learners learn concepts about the language (grammar rules) and not the language itself.

The rest of the hypothesis will be explained further on, expecting that Krashen can maintain the difference between acquisition (out of explicit rules) and learning (based on rules).