Krashen on Language Learning

The godfather of natural approach language learning, Stephen Krashen, has published a boat-load of articles and books about second language learning. You can read most of them on his website. His most interesting hypothesis are the input hypothesis and the affective filter, both of which are ignored by Payap University.

Here's a video of his ideas.

Learning Like Children

It's widely believed that adults can't learn a second language as well a children. "Adult brains are different," or "the adult's mother tongue interferes" often end the conversation. But if children are better language learners why not do what children do? Until you've tried learning a language by doing the same things as a child, how can you conclude adults can't learn as well?

Learn language through stress and anxiety

How many students do you think would enroll in a program where stress and anxiety were promoted in the classroom? No language school on the planet promotes stressful classrooms but most schools have created that very thing. Why is that?

When you are required to speak a second language, one you don't know well, it's stressful. Add to this all your classmates watching you create a stressful class. Wouldn't it be better if language students spoke only when they felt comfortable? There's research that shows we learn better when we're relaxed - that's why TV ads are so affective.