Comprehensible Input. To learn a new language without studying?

Nowadays, the way of learning languages has changed according to the demands of modern society with more resources. Traditional methods are becoming increasingly obsolete and inefficient, therefore, many professionals and passionate about languages share their proposals or discoveries. The Comprehensible Input is a method that has been interesting for those who are looking for an alternative to learn a new language. How does it work? how could we apply it to our learning? 

What is the Comprehensible Input?

The Comprehensible input tells us about forgetting the idea that to learn a language, you have to resort to the tedious and traditional way of learning, studying. Instead, it invites us to listen to the language, read the language, or interact with the language.

How can we start using it?

Our brain has the ability to acquire knowledge unconsciously, but it does not mean that we should not make some efforts. We must stimulate input, we can achieve this by feeding our environment with the language we want to learn, listening, reading, analyzing the way it is spoken, how the expressions and characteristics of this language work.

What are the first steps to get started?

The ideal way to complement the learning of comprehensible input is to go hand in hand with some basic material since there are certain aspects of each language that are necessary to understand to have better results. I do not mean to study grammar or listen without understanding anything but among other aspects such as the alphabet, basic expressions, or sounds. If after understanding how certain characteristics of the language work, all the input we receive is going to become something much easier to understand.

It is important to emphasize that the most pleasant way to surround ourselves with a new language and to keep our motivation to learn, is through the materials we choose. Materials must be something we enjoy, either by finding a popular series on platforms such as Netflix or Amazon, reading something about our interest or through music. The work of learning will not be boring in this way. The understandable input has proven to be of great resource to self-employed language learners. There are indeed important things to learn through courses, but the greatest learning will always come from our own motivation and effort.

Video

Professor Stephen Krashen explains the language acquisition theory through Comprehensible input.