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The proposal
In Krashen's 1982 account, i represents the learner's current competence and i+1 the next stage. Context and knowledge of the world help a person understand a message containing unfamiliar language. Krashen argued that understanding such input is central to acquisition.
A concrete example
Suppose you know the Spanish word gato and see a cat asleep while hearing ‘El gato duerme’. You may infer the message. The example illustrates support for meaning; it cannot establish that this verb is your measurable next developmental step.
What remains disputed
The theory makes a stronger claim than the practical observation that understandable material can help. Researchers also examine output, interaction, feedback and instruction. The formula does not give teachers a reliable calculation for a particular person's next structure.
Sources
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Cite this page
Jibber Jabber. "Krashen's input hypothesis." What Is Comprehensible Input?, updated 2026-11-09. https://whatiscomprehensibleinput.com/input-hypothesis/
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