Stephen Krashen's Monitor Model is a theory of second language acquisition that suggests that there are two ways in which people acquire a second language: through "acquisition" and through "learning."
According to the model, acquisition is an unconscious process that is similar to the way in which a child learns their first language. It occurs when the learner is exposed to the language in a natural way, through authentic communication with native speakers or through immersive experiences such as living in a country where the language is spoken. Acquisition is thought to be more effective for language learning because it involves the natural processing of language, which leads to the internalization of the rules and conventions of the language.
On the other hand, learning is a conscious process that involves the explicit study of grammar rules and vocabulary. It is similar to the way in which a student might study a foreign language in a classroom setting. While learning can be useful for some aspects of language acquisition, such as understanding the structure of the language or preparing for a language exam, it is generally not as effective as acquisition for achieving fluency in a second language.
According to Krashen's model, the "Monitor" is a conscious process that is used to edit and correct language production when the learner is in a formal setting or when they are trying to communicate with people who are not familiar with their level of proficiency in the language. The Monitor is thought to be less effective for language acquisition because it relies on explicit knowledge of the language rather than on the internalized knowledge that is acquired through natural processing.
