Krashen's Learning Hypotheses

1. The Acquisition-Learning hypothesis

2. Acquisition involves the subconscious acceptance of knowledge where information is stored in the brain through the use of communication

3. Process used for developing native languages

4. The Input hypothesis

5. The Affective Filter hypothesis

6. Language acquisition occurs when learners receive messages that they can understand, a concept also known as comprehensible input.

7. This comprehensible input should be one step beyond the learner’s current language ability, represented as i + 1, in order to allow learners to continue to progress with their language development

8. One obstacle that manifests itself during language acquisition is the affective filter. That is a 'screen' that is influenced by emotional variables that can prevent learning

9. This hypothetical filter does not impact acquisition directly but rather prevents input from reaching the language acquisition part of the brain

10. The affective filter can be prompted by many different variables including anxiety, self-confidence, motivation and stress.

11. Learning, on the other hand, is the conscious acceptance of knowledge ‘about’ a language

12. Product of formal language instruction

13. The Monitor hypothesis

14. The acquisition system, initiates an utterance and the learning system ‘monitors’ the utterance to inspect and correct errors.

15. Monitoring can make some contribution to the accuracy of an utterance but its use should be limited.

16. The ‘monitor’ can sometimes act as a barrier as it forces the learner to slow down and focus more on accuracy as opposed to fluency.

17. The Natural Order hypothesis

18. Learners acquire parts of language in a predictable order. For any given language, certain grammatical structures are acquired early while others are acquired later in the process

19. This natural order of acquisition occurs independently of deliberate teaching and therefore teachers cannot change the order of a grammatical teaching sequence