Dr. Stephen Krashen has made my day, people!
“… If you want improve your English, it helps to listen and to read… Speaking and writing are the result of learning acquisition and not the cause…”
This is what I do, and I do feel good to hear that it’s the right thing to do!
You, fellow learners, enjoy!
I’ve watched a lot of his videos. I think that he is right in saying that input is what really matters. The problem is, in my opinion, to determine how can the input be more efficiently used. For example, some grammar may be useful for making the input more comprehensible.
I think you are making a very pertinent point in that grammar study might actually make input more comprehensible. Krashen’s notion about grammar only serving as a monitoring function might hold true in a world with perfectly tailored material for the individual language learner. However, for the independent learner who has to deal with material without transcripts or that isn’t very comprehensible, then some knowledge of grammar might just make the material easier to internalize and easier to absorb naturally.
Then again it might not, but it certainly sounds reasonable.
I’m currently learning Italian. The grammar is very similar to that of my first language, Spanish. I’m only learning those grammar rules which are necessary for understanding the material that I use.
I think that knowing Krashen is a first step to become a better language learner, but isn’t enough, because, as you have said, is it often the case that the input isn’t very comprehensible.
A very good video. I am a faithful disciple of Krashen ideas. Thanks for the link.
You’re welcome and you’re right!
Recently, I came across his videos and I watched lots of them. From then on, he changed my live.
Have you seen this one: Plenary "Controversies and issues in language teaching..." by Stephen Krashen - YouTube
I’ve always applied Krashen’s principles into my learning. And after two years of self-study I can totally assure that his input theory is so spot-on!
Reading and listening are key elements to learn any language, and yet many schools throughout the world teach languages the wrong way in my opinion. They teach languages backwards. They make us analyze the language instead of teaching us the real thing: communicating in the foreign language. They seem to want everything perfect from the very beginning. It should be the other way around. We should start communicating/getting input early on, and then, as time goes by, we keep improving.
I’m speaking from a Brazilian point of view though. I’m sure that the teaching system in many countries are more communication and input-based.
Thank you for sharing the video.