This is reprinted from 2008:
When we teach isolated “activities” that are connected to teaching certain grammatical concepts, we are not teaching wholistically. Yet, language is learned wholistically, if Krashen is right. And Krashen is right.
Doing such “activities” without providing a steady stream of uninterrupted L2 in our classes is like planting flowers in pots. The flowers that emerge are often weak and colorless, because their roots are often too dry and separate, unlike the rich vibrancy that results in properly tended (L2) gardens, where the roots can mingle in a natural way, and get plenty of rain and sun in a natural setting.
When language is presented all at once, as in a big garden, and not in pieces/activities, as in flower pots, then the roots can go much deeper into the ground, and intertwine. Deep unconscious connections can be made, as the roots of a real garden can intertwine, strengthening everything. The mind, unfettered, can learn the langauge in this rich mass of tangled roots, effortlessly, because the real language can penetrate much deeper into the mind of the student, resulting in authentic learning.