Second Language Learning

Have you ever studied a second language? If so, you may have taken a class, used a language-learning app, or traveled to a place where the language is natively spoken. What methods made you feel most proficient in understanding the new language and using it around others?

Though languages are taught in a variety of ways, some methods have been proven to be more effective than others. One linguist, Stephen Krashen, outlined a theory of second language acquisition that is widely accepted today. This theory is commonly used to guide instruction and support second-language learners.

In this video, we will describe two key components of Krashen’s second language acquisition theory and explain how teachers can use this theory to guide instructional practices.

Theory of Second Language Acquisition

Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition includes five hypotheses regarding how people acquire a second language. Let’s explore a couple of the most important hypotheses now.

Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis

Krashen’s acquisition-learning hypothesis states that there are two main processes people use to learn a second language: acquisition and learning.

Acquisition occurs when people engage in meaningful conversation in the new language. The focus is on exchanging meaning in low-stress environments, not drilling grammar rules or correcting mispronunciations. This is similar to the way young children learn their first languages through frequent interactions with caregivers. Over time, vocabulary and grammar become absorbed, and proficiency increases.

Consider the following situation related to first language acquisition.

A young child wants some juice but is still in the early stages of speech-language development, communicating in single words. He says “juice.” His mother replies, “Oh, you’d like a glass of juice,” as she pours it for him. Though the child cannot yet formulate an entire sentence independently, these meaningful daily exchanges help him learn the vocabulary and structure of English.

A similar process occurs when people engage in frequent, meaningful conversations in a second language. Vocabulary and grammar are subconsciously absorbed over time, gradually increasing proficiency. This is why people sometimes spend time abroad to learn a new language, as engaging in shopping, transportation, and other daily activities using the new language facilitates acquisition.

Learning is the second process involved in developing proficiency in a new language. This involves instruction in the second language, such as grammar practice and vocabulary memorization. For example, students may conjugate verbs, which results in conscious learning.

According to Krashen, acquisition is the more important of these two processes, as it involves using the language for authentic purposes. Additionally, figurative language and connotation, or feelings evoked by certain words, can be difficult to teach out of context but may be acquired over time during natural conversation.

However, learning activities such as grammar practice may still be used to supplement acquisition and help students self monitor their use of the new language for accuracy.

Input Hypothesis

The input hypothesis relates to acquisition rather than learning. It states that second language acquisition occurs when students can understand the messages they are receiving. This is known as comprehensible input.

Similar to Vygotsky’s view that instruction should occur in the zone of proximal development, Krashen argues that students should receive input in the new language that is just above their current abilities, represented as i +1. If the new input is too simple and already known, no growth will occur. If it is too complex, it won’t be understood, impeding acquisition. Input levels are gradually raised over time as students’ abilities increase.

Students do not need to know all of the spoken words for acquisition to occur. However, they must know enough words and have enough scaffolding available to identify the message, or the essence, of what is said.

Implications for Instructional Practices

The acquisition-learning hypothesis and input hypothesis can both guide instructional practices for second-language learners.

First, as we discussed earlier, teachers should frequently initiate low-stress, authentic conversations in the new language which focus on meaning rather than drilling grammar skills or correcting errors. For example, teachers may engage in conversations about current events or upcoming assignments in the target language. These types of conversations can be implemented in conjunction with skills instruction and practice activities.

Next, teachers should ensure that new input is comprehensible so acquisition can occur, building gradually upon students’ current abilities. This includes more than just carefully selecting vocabulary and sentence structure. Scaffolding can also be used to help students make sense of the new information. This scaffolding may include activating background knowledge prior to new learning, encouraging personal connections, and including visuals, such as images or gestures, to help convey meaning. Context clues can also be woven into sentences to assist students with the meanings of new words and phrases.

There are likely to be various levels of proficiency among members of the classroom, making it difficult for teachers to engage in conversations at the i+1 level for all students. A mixture of whole-group, small-group, and 1:1 conversations can provide opportunities for more differentiation. Additionally, frequent knowledge checks can be used to gauge understanding.
Creating a safe and supportive classroom environment where students are encouraged to communicate when they do not understand the meaning of something is also beneficial.

Review

Let’s review what we learned in this video.

• Stephen Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition hypothesizes how people acquire a second language.
• Acquisition is a process by which people gradually and subconsciously become proficient in a new language by engaging in authentic conversation.
• On the other hand, learning is a conscious process in which language is explicitly taught and practiced, such as with grammar instruction. It is less important than acquisition, according to Krashen.
• Acquisition occurs when people can understand the messages they are receiving. Students should receive information that is just above their current abilities in the new language.
• Teachers should incorporate lots of authentic conversations in the classroom, in addition to any skills instruction and practice they may include in the curriculum.
• Scaffolding can help students understand the meaning of conversations in the second language.

Questions

Let’s go over a couple of review questions:

1. A science teacher begins a new lesson with the following statement:

Today, we are going to learn about the stages in a frog’s life cycle.

He notices a puzzled look on the face of a student, who is an English language learner. Though the student knows most of the words in the teacher’s sentence, she is familiar with the type of stage in the school auditorium and struggles to understand what the lesson will be about. What could the teacher have done differently to help her understand the meaning of the sentence?

2. A student has intermediate English language skills. Several of her classmates are just beginning to learn English. The teacher gears most classroom conversations toward those students to ensure they understand the meaning. How might this affect the first student’s English language development?

That’s all for this review! Thanks for watching, and happy studying.