How to learn a new language?
I’m pretty sure there are many articles and videos about learning a new language. Then why am I writing this post? To repeat what other people said or to put another perspective? Instead, I realize that most of the content about learning a language, suggestions, etc doesn’t tell the science behind it. Therefore they mostly fell into the “talk is cheap” category. We are living in an age where reaching for information is almost effortless, but most of them are quite shallow information. The reason why I’m writing is just want to share what I have learned about language learning recently.
It took me ages to speak English. I started my English lessons at the age of 8 in primary school but I was only able to understand it at the age of 20 but speak English fluently at the age of 30. That’s a long time. I know that I’m not the only one, and many of my friends have gone through similar experiences. For me, the next thing is to acquire German after the age of 35 and it is not going smoothly. I was reluctant to follow conventional courses from the beginning and now I think I have found why conventional courses are not effective for everybody. Stephen Krashen says that there is “one way and the only way of acquiring language: when we understand messages”. It is called Comprehensible Input. It is neither teaching grammar nor teaching how to spell all vowels in the language from the first lesson.
Stephen Krashen’s Comprehensible Input theory is a linguistic theory of second language acquisition that suggests learners acquire language by taking in and understanding language that is “just beyond” their current level of competence, known as “i+1”[2]. The theory is based on the following central hypotheses:
1. Language acquisition occurs subconsciously through exposure to meaningful messages[5].
2. Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language, such as natural communication, in low-anxiety situations[1].
3. Comprehensible input is the crucial and necessary ingredient for the acquisition of language[1].
Krashen’s theory emphasizes the importance of comprehensible input, which is not limited to easy grammar exercises or simple vocabulary. Instead, it refers to a sentence understood from context, such as a book with a picture of a mouse eating an apple and the sentence “a mouse is eating an apple”[4]. The theory also suggests that language learning proceeds in a largely fixed order, similar to first language learning, and that language teaching in schools often revolves around explicit learning, which may be at odds with how we learn language[5].
In summary, Krashen’s Comprehensible Input theory posits that language acquisition occurs through exposure to meaningful messages, natural communication, and comprehensible input that is slightly beyond the learner’s current level of competence. The theory emphasizes the importance of understanding language in context and suggests that language learning proceeds in a largely fixed order, independent of classroom exposure.
Citations:
[1] https://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash-english.html
[2] https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/curriculum/esol/cpd/module2/docs/krashenFINALtext.pdf
[3] https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-comprehensible-input.html
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/comments/117dt3z/a_question_about_stephen_krashen_and_his_theory/?rdt=61329
[5] https://forum.lingq.com/t/second-language-acquisition-and-krashen%E2%80%99s-theory/73874
