You’re ready to tackle learning Spanish, so what’s the first thing you do? Open up your laptop and type “how to learn a language” into the YouTube search bar. If you’ve done this in the last few years, chances are you’ve come across the words comprehensible input. Comprehensible input (CI) is a fancy-sounding phrase that just means exposing yourself to linguistic input that is slightly above your current level in order to understand new input. This term was coined by Stephen Krashen, an American linguist who, back in the 80s, proposed the idea that everyone acquires language in this way. More recently, the term has been reduced to a buzzword, making for some extremely clickable video titles that don’t often explain how to use this philosophy to accelerate language acquisition.
At its core, CI is about understanding messages. If you can understand messages, you understand the language. Let’s take a look at an example:
Erizo
I’ve labelled the picture with a word in Spanish but even if you don’t know the language, you probably now know that ‘erizo’ means hedgehog. For a more in-depth example, Krashen has a demo lesson entirely featuring comprehensible input. Pretty amazing, right?
Comprehensible input promises to speed up language learning, but what exactly are the benefits? I’m glad you asked. For one thing, CI makes language learning more fun and engaging. This makes it more likely for the learner to retain the language since it’s meaningful to them on a personal level. This is extremely helpful since, in a lot of ways, language is one big memory game. Plus, CI-focused learning tends to involve visual cues (like the ‘erizo’ example above), which builds connections between the target language and the real world. I like this approach because it treats the target language as its own entity, cutting out the middleman of the learner’s native language.
As with most things, being an extremist doesn’t get you very far. For most people, being a Krashen purist won’t make you learn Spanish as fast as possible. A major problem with CI is its tendency to villanise grammar study. When I first started learning Spanish in elementary school, we focused a lot on learning vocabulary with CI through images and roleplay. The thing is though, my Spanish only started to flourish when I sat down and took the time to learn my grammar. I know it’s boring, and it’s not as fun as looking at pictures of animals and instantaneously understanding their meanings, but it is fundamental. Imagine learning German without ever being told that there are three genders. Studying grammar can make a language less abstract by breaking it down into a formula.
Another major issue with CI is what ‘comprehensible’ means in the first place. If you’re a beginner, it can be challenging to find content that’s at the right level for you. Often, you may find yourself unable to understand much. Also, input is great but output is important too. If you can understand Spanish perfectly well but can’t speak it, what’s the point? Start speaking from day-one. Repeat the same basic words and phrases until you start to form more complex sentences.
With these disadvantages in mind, it makes sense to blend CI with traditional learning methods into a kind of supercharged language learning cocktail. The beauty of CI is that it can be integrated into language learning in so many different ways. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, here are some examples of how you can use CI to accelerate your language acquisition journey:
Use flashcards with visual cues just like I showed you with the ‘erizo’ example
Read books in your target language that you’ve already read in your native language. When you already know the plot, you’re more likely to understand what’s going on
If you’re a beginner, look up YouTube videos that are made specifically with comprehensible input. As you improve, you can watch YouTube videos made for native speakers like travel vlogs or tutorials
Watch storytelling videos online. While these are usually made for children, they can be super helpful
Comprehensible input is an incredible tool to have in your language learning arsenal. Incorporating a balance of CI and traditional learning methods (like flashcards and grammar study) can get you speaking, reading, and writing much faster. Remember, language learning is a journey – enjoy every step of the way!
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