Principles and Practice - Stephen Krashen

Principles and Practice

in

Second Language Acquisition

Stephen D Krashen

University of Southern California

This is the original version of Principles and Practice, as published in 1982, with only minor changes. It is gratifying to point out that many of the predictions made in this book were confirmed by subsequent research, for example, the superiority of comprehensible-input based methods and sheltered subject matter teaching (Krashen, 2003), the inefficacy of error correction (Truscott, 1996, 1999), and the "power of reading" (Krashen, 2004). Subsequent research has also, in my opinion, confirmed that in footnote 5, chapter 3, option 3 is the correct one, that we acquire vocabulary best through comprehensible input (Krashen, 1989; 2003). I have changed my position on only one issue: At the end of Principles and Practice, I suggest the use of a form of deception - students may think they are acquiring vocabulary or learning subject matter, but unknown to them, they are acquiring because they are getting comprehensible input at the same time. I now think it is very important to make a strong effort to inform students about the process of language acquisition, so they can continue to improve on their own. Krashen, S. (1989) We acquire vocabulary and spelling by reading: Additional evidence for the input hypothesis. Modern Language Journal 73, 440-464. Krashen, S. (2003) Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use: The Taipei Lectures. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Krashen, S. (2004) The Power of Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Truscott, J. (1996). The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes. Language Learning, 46 (2), 327-69. Truscott, J. (1999). What's wrong with oral grammar correction? The Canadian Modern Language Review, 55(4), 437-56.

Introduction to the Internet Edition

Copyright ? 1982 Stephen Krashen All Rights Reserved. This publication may be downloaded and copied without charge for all reasonable, non-commercial educational purposes, provided no alterations in the text are made. First printed edition 1982 by Pergamon Press Inc. Print Edition ISBN 0-08-028628-3 First internet edition July 2009

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Acknowledgments

I am indebted to many people who have helped me both directly and indirectly. I can only mention a few of them here. Earl Stevick and Robin Scarcella kindly provided me with detailed comments on nearly every aspect of the manuscript. I have also received a great deal of useful feedback from John Schumann, John Oller, Adrian Palmer, Tracy Terrell, Andrew Cohen, Steven Sternfeld, and Batyia Elbaum. I am sure this book would be much stronger if I had followed all their advice. The task of writing this volume was made much easier by the support and understanding of my family, my wife Eula, my children Deborah and Daniel, and my parents Leo and Julia Krashen. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the Linguistics Department at USC for their intellectual stimulation and encouragement. I especially thank Larry Hyman, Edward Finegan, Eugene Briere, Elaine Andersen, Elinor Ochs, Edward Purcell, John Hawkins, and Bernard Comrie.

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Contents

I. Introduction: The Relationship of Theory to Practice

1

A. Three Approaches to Method

2

1. Theory of second language acquisition

2

2. Applied linguistics research

3

3. Ideas and intuitions from experience

3

B. Interactions Among Approaches to Practice

4

C. What the Three Approaches Have to Say About Method

6

D. Goals of This Book: to reintroduce teachers to theory and

7

hopefully to gain their confidence again

Notes

8

II. Second Language Acquisition Theory

9

A. Five Hypotheses About Second Language Acquisition

10

1. The acquisition-learning distinction

10

2. The natural order hypothesis

12

(a) Transitional forms

14

3. The Monitor hypothesis

15

(a) Individual variation in Monitor use

18

4. The input hypothesis

20

(a) Statement of the hypothesis

20

(b) Evidence supporting the hypothesis

22

5. The Affective Filter hypothesis

30

B. The Causative Variable in Second Language Acquisition

32

1. The causative variables

32

2. Language teaching: does it help?

33

(a) When language teaching helps

34

(b) When language teaching does not help

35

3. Exposure variables

37

4. Age

43

5. Acculturation

45

III. Providing Input for Acquisition

57

A. The Potential of the Second Language Classroom

58

B. Limitations of the Classroom

59

C. The Role of Output

60

1. "Conversation" and language acquisition

61

2. Output and learning

61

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