Reading is the key. According to Dr. Stephen Krashen, one of the most important experts in the field of Second Language Acquisition, reading helps students to improve “reading comprehension ability, writing style, vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. In addition, evidence shows that it is pleasant, promotes cognitive development, and lowers writing apprehension”. (Krashen, The Power of Reading, 2004)
In episode 84 of Growing with Proficiency The Podcast, Dr. Krashen shared his invaluable insights on the critical role of reading in language acquisition and literacy, the importance of compelling input, and the often-overlooked distinction between acquisition and learning. I’m highlighting our conversation but listen to our discussion here.
Grammar is not the answer. Input is the answer.
Many language teachers have a deep love for grammar. In fact, Dr. Krashen has a degree in linguistics and finds grammar fascinating. However, the conclusion is evident after years of research in Second Language acquisition. Grammar is not the answer.
If the goal is for students to acquire the language and develop proficiency, we need to provide a ton of comprehensible input. On the other hand, if our goal is for students to understand grammar and master grammar concepts, Dr. Krashen suggests having a linguistics class as an elective in high school or college. Different goals require different approaches.
However, language acquisition will only be possible when our students receive an abundant amount of comprehensible input. Dr. Krashen adds that that input must be compelling. Compelling means that students don’t even realize they are learning the language because they get lost in the message.
In a school setting, reading is the most effective way to provide abundant and compelling input.
Reading is Key
Dr. Krashen is not only a prolific researcher in the field of reading, but he has also personally experienced its effectiveness in language acquisition. Over recent years, he has significantly improved his Spanish proficiency, not through conversations, but by engaging in extensive reading.
As Dr. Krashen himself emphasized,
“It’s reading that makes things happen. Conversation is wonderful… Fill your class with interesting conversation. Absolutely. But it’s reading that’s going to propel us forward”.
Dr. Krashen then delved further into some of the advantages of reading, particularly focusing on the joys of reading for pleasure. He highlighted several key benefits:
- Reading enriches your language skills, serving as a primary source of vocabulary and grammar acquisition.
- Those who read extensively tend to have a broader knowledge base. In other words, the more you read, the more you know about a wide range of subjects!
Encouraging students to engage with books can be a challenge, but it’s essential for language acquisition. Dr. Stephen Krashen highlights the importance of making reading enjoyable and accessible. He advocates for self-selected reading, where students choose their own material, leading to greater engagement and a genuine love for reading.
However, it’s not just about giving students the freedom to choose. The material must be interesting and at the right level of difficulty. Dr. Krashen’s experience in secondary school, where he didn’t remember the assigned literature but vividly recalled the stories he chose, illustrates this point. Easy reading books are key; when the material is too complex, students tend to disengage.
Easy Reading
In our conversation about reading, I asked Dr. Stephen Krashen if such easy books could provide the academic language necessary for upper levels. Without hesitation, he affirmed, “Yes.”
Dr. Krashen referred to a study by Jeff McQuillan, a former student of his, which examined the presence of academic language in easy reading materials. The study, Where Do We Get Our Academic Vocabulary? Comparing the Efficiency of Direct Instruction and Free Voluntary Reading, concluded that free reading is between two and six times more efficient than explicit teaching of academic vocabulary.
Once again, Dr. Krashen affirms that when we talk about reading “rigor is irrelevant. What we want is interesting”. As a matter of fact, Dr. Krashen shared that he acquired his academic language through engaging with baseball stories, science fiction, and comic books. All of these readings were easy but fun and interesting to him.
When the concern is about complex grammar knowledge and accuracy, Dr. Krashen emphasized,
“Studying grammar is not the route to knowing grammar. The way to acquire it is through self-selected reading that you love and doing a lot of it. You will gain all the academic language, vocabulary, and grammar that you need. This is what McQuillan’s study has shown us. That’s how I did it.”
This insight challenges the traditional approach to language learning, highlighting the power of reading materials that resonate with the reader’s interests. It suggests that by immersing oneself in enjoyable reading, one can naturally acquire the language skills needed for academic success.
The route to grammatical accuracy and good writing is lots of reading.
Solving The Problem of Basic Language Acquisition
Incorporating easy reading into the school setting can be a powerful tool for language acquisition. Dr. Stephen Krashen advocates for starting novice learners with storytelling, a method that has been proven effective in various studies.
Research has shown that when parents tell stories to their children, it has a positive impact on language development. The same benefits apply when teachers use storytelling in the classroom.
Dr. Beniko Mason‘s research on storytelling further supports this approach. According to Dr. Krashen, Dr. Mason begins with story listening, where students are exposed to stories supported by illustrations. This method helps students build a foundation of language before transitioning to guided self-selected reading.
In any case, one crucial aspect is libraries. Libraries play a crucial role in this process. Dr. Krashen emphasizes that libraries are a valuable resource for providing students with self-selected materials. The research is clear: reading scores are higher in neighborhoods with well-stocked libraries, and children who are read to by their parents tend to be more successful in their language learning. We can apply those findings to our classrooms too.
In conclusion, Dr. Krashen suggests a combination of storytelling by teachers, along with self-selected reading, as a comprehensive solution for basic language acquisition. By implementing these strategies in a school setting, educators can create an environment that fosters language development and encourages a love for reading.
Heritage Language and Reading
In our discussion, we also briefly touched on the topic of heritage language. Dr. Krashen explained that research has shown that when heritage language students become interested in reading for pleasure in their heritage language, they often become fully bilingual.
For more about the importance of reading for heritage learners, listen to episodes 79 here and 81 here of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast with Dr. Alberta Gatti.
Finally, I posed a significant question to Dr. Krashen: If research clearly demonstrates how students acquire language, why do so many language classes still focus on grammar and vocabulary teaching?
Dr. Krashen pointed out that the push for acquisition is limited because it doesn’t generate revenue, unlike workbooks and textbooks. He emphasized the importance of making research on comprehensible input and easy reading more accessible to teachers and administrators.
To hear our entire conversation, including more insights on libraries, easy reading, and Dr. Krashen’s perspective on why there’s nothing wrong with “errors” language, listen to episode 84 of my podcast here.
Resources and Links
Article: The Power of Reading (PDF)
More Resources
How to Teacher Guide: How to Shift to A Comprehensible and Communicative Teaching Approach
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