Jill Stewart writes in an article titled Krashenburn,
“… he promoted traditional immersion-style teaching, such as explaining the rules clearly and correcting student errors, as well as emphasizing grammar and conversation.”
This one phrase alone, talking about Krashen’s switch from traditional grammar teaching to a communicative methodology, spells the author’s complete ignorance of how language is learned. They are so sure that if you just explain the rules of a foreign language, or even of the student’s native language, that the student will apply those rules, especially if errors are corrected. To call that immersion style teaching is to display massive ignorance.
In addition, the article is loaded with ad hominem remarks and characterizations. Krashen’s response to his critics includes his mantra of the last few years: the problem with education in this country is poverty. I would alter that by saying, “Poverty, stupid.”
Krashen is way too nice to these people. Lisa Delpit is one of the academics criticizing Krashen and I love Delpit’s book Other People’s Children. Nevertheless, like so many people who have no grasp of linguistics, she misses completely how we learn language.
Oh well, nothing’s changed except that tprs is sweeping the country. If it dominates before I die, I will be sure to not let anyone who opposed it (not questioned it, but opposed it) off the hook, just as I won’t let anyone who ever voted Republican off the hook when the truth about Republicans finally comes out.