Most simply it’s language that the listener (or reader) understands. And it’s really important. So important, in fact, that Dr. Krashen (Linguist and Educational Researcher Extraordinaire) asserts that “… ‘comprehensible input’ is the crucial and necessary ingredient for the acquisition of language.”
If you’re a parent, you already know this. When your children were small, you loaded them up with comprehensible input- you talked to them, sang to them, read books to them and asked them questions. You did this for a long time before any language came out. And you know they understood you waaaaay before they could answer you back. Don’t touch that! Do you want juice? It’s nap time. Even before babies can express themselves verbally, they demonstrate their comprehension by nodding, shaking their heads, and obeying (or willfully disobeying!)
Isn’t it amazing that your children never needed grammar exercises or vocabulary lists to become proficient in their first language? It’s because brains are designed to build language from exposure to input. Your children soaked in all the comprehensible input around them and output (speaking and writing) followed. Lots and lots and lots of input is required for just a little bit of output. Thankfully, according to Dr. Krashen, “Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and does not require tedious drill.” Hallelujah!!
So what does this mean in a language class?
Students acquire their second language (and 3rd and 4th…) just the way babies acquire their first language. It means that your most important responsibility is to give them lots and lots of comprehensible input. It means you’re free from grammar rules and worksheets, vocabulary lists and memorized skits. It means your students are concerned with the messages they’re hearing/reading and not concerned about the rules of the language. With time and loads of input, they’ll start developing a sense for what sounds right, just like we have in our first language. It also means that we don’t pressure students to produce until they’re ready. Just as you wouldn’t (and can’t!) force a baby to start speaking prematurely, the same is true for language students too.
But the key here is that language has to be comprehensible for the magic to happen. Just flooding them with input (listening and reading) that they can’t understand isn’t the answer and it’s actually detrimental. It will stress them out and frustrate you. And more than just comprehensible, the input has to be interesting. Even if you’re a wizard at making language understandable, if they’re not paying attention to the message, it doesn’t do anything for their brains. Dr. Krashen again, “Optimal input focuses the acquirer on the message and not on form. To go a step further, the best input is so interesting and relevant that the acquirer may even ‘forget’ that the message is encoded in a foreign language.”
So how do you do it? How do you talk to your students in a way that’s comprehensible AND compelling?
I’m so glad you asked! Martina Bex has has 15 tools to support comprehension of language learners. This post is so good! Go ahead, read it. I’ll wait for you to come back 🙂 And how do you know if your input is comprehensible? If they’re actually picking up what you’re laying down? Wow, you ask great questions!
So what’s the deal? Where does TPRS fit in? Is it the same thing as CI?
There are a bunch of ways to deliver Comprehensible Input to students…TPRS is one of them. Elizabeth Dentlinger created this fabulous image of the CI Umbrella, with a few different strategies that fall within the Comprehensible Input philosophy.
This umbrella doesn’t include all the ways to provide CI (it’s what the cool kids call Comprehensible Input) but it’s a great list to get you started. Or poke around my site a white…all the classroom activities are CI Activities…that is to say, they’re designed to load up my little darlings with Comprehensible Input. Because..
Comprehensible Input leads to Language Proficiency.
Not buying it? Need some more convincing that CI is the way to language proficiency?
If you’re the touchy-feely type that likes anecdotal evidence, read my story.
If you’re more analytical and you crave research, facts and figures, eat your heart out!
Looking for some practice ways to incorporate Comprehensible Input into your language teaching? Here’s a webinar I did: What, Why and How: CI
[…] like my students to read as much comprehensible input as I can get in front of them, so after watching and discussing a clip during class, I usually type […]
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[…] the trick to teaching with comprehensible input is to get a million repetitions in a way that doesn’t feel repetitive. Games are one way that […]
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[…] another comprehensible input game (that kids really think is a drawing game. Shhhhh…..really they’re reading and […]
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[…] and describes what’s happening in the picture, with the goal of giving them lots and lots of comprehensible input. All the skills you use to tell stories, use to talk about a picture: speak slowly, stay […]
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[…] I’ve been doing for a couple of years and it’s good way to load them up with a lot of comprehensible input. And it’s hilarious and it’s a 2 part lesson, so you get good mileage out of it. AND […]
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[…] Who doesn’t need another game to add to the old toolbox? This one rarely makes it into my lesson plan, but we often play it when we have a few minutes to spare at the end of the class. It’s the typical 20 questions game, but with a few twists to ensure they’re still getting lots of comprehensible input. […]
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[…] is just not enough time in my day…what my little darlings need is input, input, input…our job is to cram their brains full of comprehensible input! Phew, glad to get that off my chest! […]
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[…] I think it will be the perfect way to recognize his special day and still give my kiddos plenty of comprehensible input. Here’s a PPT with the key structures I’ll review and teach, the video embedded for a […]
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[…] ready for a Comprehensible Input GOLD MINE! It all started a few years ago when I dressed up like Waldo for Halloween. Most kids […]
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[…] love this game because they read, and reread and reread… It’s like a triple whammy of comprehensible input! This one is especially fun because of the element of luck…That’s the secret to a fun […]
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[…] know that Comprehensible Input is the essential ingredient for language acquisition. But how do you know you’re being […]
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[…] isn’t looking for another vehicle for loading up your little darlings with Comprehensible Input? And one that’s Zero Prep? And fun to boot? I love this one because it makes us laugh and […]
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[…] thing I love about Comprehensible Input is you can talk about anything that interests them. Sports. Movies. The fight in the hallway. If […]
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[…] learning about Digital Breakouts?! What a fantastic way to load up the little darlings with tons of Comprehensible Input AND give this exhausted teacher a break! They work hard and I get the chance to sit back and marvel […]
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[…] kind of the perfect simulation for a CI class…most simulations (market, restaurant, whatever) require a lot of forced […]
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[…] like the old school party game “Telephone” but with a few twists to up the Comprehensible Input […]
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[…] how on earth do you fill up the little darlings with comprehensible language for an entire block period?! These are the things I consider as I plan my 90 minute blocks. (I […]
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[…] get you started if you’re just starting your teaching career. (Welcome to teaching! You’re lucky if you’re a language teacher because we have the best gig at school! And if you’re dedicated to loading up your students with Comprehensible Input, you’re in the right place, I’ve got goodies for you! What’s Comprehensible Input, you ask? I’m so glad you asked!) […]
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[…] of our job is loading our little darlings up with comprehensible input. The other part of our job is educating students, their parents and our administrators about […]
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[…] planning a game for Day 2. Now…you know that my mission is to load up my little darlings with Comprehensible Input…so no matter what my class activities are, that’s my underlying objective. This game […]
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[…] urged me to get the ball rolling to connect with and support local teachers who are teaching with Comprehensible Input in their classes. If you’re looking for a local CI/TPRS group, check out this list […]
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[…] I love the Beginning of the Year in Spanish 1. They come so excited to learn and soak it up like sponges! Instead of spending the first few days yammering away about the syllabus (zzzzzzzzzzzzz) load them up with comprehensible input. […]
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Thank you! Señora Vivian, K-8.
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[…] is a critical component to our classes and the richest way we can load our little darlings up with comprehensible input, I was just deeply dissatisfied with the one-size-fits-all approach. So last year, I decided to stop […]
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[…] love thinking of ways to disguise Comprehensible Input as a game. I load them up for as long as I can with CI, and then when they’re getting tired, […]
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[…] lots of CI teachers are using telenovelas in class as another way of providing rich and compelling comprehensible input to their little darlings. Let me clarify! The telenovela itself will NOT be comprehensible to your […]
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[…] I used this technique every now and then, but Tina reminded me what a great tool this is for our Comprehensible Input Tool Box. So last semester we did a lot of Write & Discuss…not every class but every […]
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[…] What is Comprehensible Input anyway? […]
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[…] Talk is AWESOME! If you’re new to Teaching with Comprehensible Input or considering taking the plunge, Card Talk would be an excellent first step. It’s super easy, […]
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[…] our school last week! We learned about Peruvian instruments, dance, geography and culture all in Comprehensible Spanish! Carlos and Julie are an awesome team: Carlos is a musician from Peru, and his wife Julie is a […]
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[…] like everything we do in class, Aplausos Especiales are just another vehicle to give them more comprehensible input! So, in slow and understandable language, ask your kiddos if So and So deserves a Special Applause. […]
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[…] everything to do with life. That’s today’s content. If you’re only here for the Comprehensible Input strategies and resources, click around, I’m sure you’ll find […]
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[…] dream is coming true! I’m all about providing my kiddos with comprehensible input and the beautiful thing about CI is that you can talk about anything, so long as it’s slow […]
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[…] la clase de español 1” and since nearly everything we do in class is to load them up with Comprehensible Input, we did this in slow, comprehensible […]
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Reblogged this on NoelG and commented:
This looks interesting. I can well remember my, two, failed attempts at learning languages at school. The focus was on vocabulary, and especially grammar. I knew more of French and German grammar than I did English. I managed to leave school believing that pluperfect, and imperfect were French words. And yet, when in France I struggled to order a pack of cigarettes.
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[…] Labs. While teachers are attending sweet sessions and working with their cohort to strengthen their CI skills, there are actual classes going on, where real people are learning a new language, taught by […]
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[…] GAME! (And not just any game, of course, a game that also loads them up with reading and listening comprehensible input, because we know that input is the essential ingredient for language […]
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[…] think the best thing about loading up our little darlings with comprehensible input is that it doesn’t really matter what we’re talking to them about. The what […]
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[…] vocabulary words and their translations does not lead to language acquisition. Only giving them Comprehensible Input does that. But…I like to keep a running list of the important words I want my kiddos to know […]
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[…] awesome thing about how we teach is that there are so many ways to load up our Little Darlings with Comprehensible Input! There are fun ways and there are boring ways and a zillion ways in between. I tend to lean more to […]
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