The first thing that I got from Stephen Krashen

From Stephen Krashen I get it all, virtually. Almost every idea. If there were one person whose ideas I had to confine myself to, it would be him.

He's the man. No doubt about it. I grok to 99% of what he says (no, don't try to visualize that!). I could do a series of posts, really and truly. I should. I will!

Very well then, consider this the first of many.

Mr Krashen has insight, humor, and modesty too. He speaks well in front of an audience, and his scientific papers are easy to read. As a bonus,, he is still alive! (as he enjoys pointing out).

The crucial idea that I get from Stephen is that there are TWO ways to gain a language. One is to learn it the way you do at school - i.e. to study it. The second way is to pick it up. 

We're most of us familiar with these methods. The first is what an overwhelming majority of us failed to manage at school. The second is how every person alive on the planet acquired their first language in their first year or two alive (that's why it is referred to as 'the natural approach').

Learning or acquisition - which is it to be? (How much thought does that question really need?)