Complied & Adapted by
Ajaan Rob Hatfield, M.Ed.
Introduction
Natural Approach:
Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell
developed the "Natural Approach" in
the early eighties (Krashen and Terrell,
1983), based on Krashens’ theories
about second language acquisition.
This acquisition-focused approach sees
communicative competence progressing through
three stages:
(a) aural comprehension,
(b) early speech production, and
(c) speech activities, all fostering "natural"
language acquisition, much as a child would learn
his/her native tongue.
Following an initial "silent period",
comprehension should precede production in
speech, as the latter should be allowed to emerge
in natural stages or progressions.
Background Historical Context
 70’ was a fruitful era in second language
research.
 Noam Chomsky explain a new theory of
language (Acquisition and Learning)
 Innovate methods for language teaching
 Community Language Learning. Charles Currant
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(1972)
Suggestopedia. Lozanov (1979)
The Silent Way. Caleb Gattegno (1972)
Total Physical Response. James Asher (1977)
The Natural Approach
Overview
In the Natural Approach the teacher
speaks only the target language and class
time is committed to providing input for
acquisition.
Students may use either the language
being taught or their first language. Errors in
speech are not corrected; however
homework may include grammar exercises
that will be corrected.
Goals for the class emphasize the
students being able use the language "to
talk about ideas, perform tasks, and solve
problems." This approach aims to fulfill the
requirements for learning and acquisition,
and does a great job in doing it.
Its main weakness is that all classroom
teaching is to some degree limited in its
ability to be interesting and relevant to all
students.
The Natural Approach
Combines
L2 Acquisition
theory
Curriculum
During
Learning
Process
Focused on
Spoken
Production
Krashens’ theories of second language
acquisition, and his five hypotheses.
“Acquisition
requires
meaningful interaction in
the target language natural communication - in
which speakers are
concerned not with the
form of their utterances
but with the messages
they are conveying and
understanding.”
Stephen Krashen
The Acquisition/Learning Hypothesis
Language acquisition
(an unconscious process
developed through using
language meaningfully) is
different from language
learning (consciously
learning or discovering rules
about a language) and
language acquisition is the
only way competence in a
second language can
develop.
A learning theory should respond to
these two questions:
“What are the psycholinguistic and
cognitive processes involved in
language teaching?”
“What are the conditions that need
to be met in order for these learning
processes to be activated?”
Stephen Krashens’ Monitor Theory,
which is based on The Natural
Approach, answers both questions by
distinguishing between the
“acquisition” and “learning” processes,
and by describing the type of input the
learners receive, which should be at
their level, interest, of sufficient
quantity, and in low-anxiety contexts,
and these are the conditions.
Tracy D. Terrell (Natural Approach),
and James Asher (Total Physical Response)
are examples of methods based on this
learning theory.
Charles A. Curran’s Counseling
Learning and Caleb Gattegno’s Silent Way
also focus on this learning theory, but they
focus primarily on the conditions more than
in the processes. Their concern is directed
to the atmosphere of the classroom, and
they seek for motivation, confidence and
security within the students.
Theory of Language
The essence of language is meaning.
Vocabulary not grammar is the heart of
language.
It emphasised “Comprehensible Input”,
distinguishing between ‘acquisition’ – a
natural subconscious process, and ‘learning’ –
a conscious process. It is argued that learning
cannot lead to acquisition. The focus is on
meaning, not form (structure, grammar).
“The best methods…
are therefore those that supply
'comprehensible input' in low anxiety
situations, containing messages that
students really want to hear.
These methods do not force
early production in the second
language, but allow students to
produce when they are 'ready',
recognizing that improvement
comes from supplying
communicative and comprehensible
input, and not from forcing and
correcting production." Stephen
Krashen
Theory of Language
Natural Approach:
Reflecting the cognitive psychology and
humanistic approach prominent in the field
of education at that time, the Natural
Approach shifted the culture of the language
classroom 180 degrees and brought a sense of
community to the students by their sharing of
the experience of learning the same language
together.
Theory of Learning
“Language
acquisition does not
require extensive
use of conscious
grammatical rules,
and does not require
tedious drill.”
Stephen Krashen
The Natural Order Hypothesis
Grammatical
structures are
acquired in a
predictable order
and it does little
good to try to learn
them in another
order.
Input Hypothesis
People acquire
language best
from messages
that are just
slightly beyond
their current
competence: i+1
The Monitor Hypothesis
Conscious learning
operates only as a
monitor or editor that
checks or repairs the
output of what has
been acquired.
The Affective Filter Hypothesis
The learner's
emotional state can
act as a filter that
impedes or blocks
input necessary for
language acquisition.
Design: Objectives / Syllabus
Objectives
Designed to give
beginners/ intermediate learner
communicative skills. Four broad
areas; basic personal
communicative skills
(speaking/listening); academic
learning skills (oral/written)
Syllabus
The syllabus for the
Natural Approach is a
communicative syllabus. Based
on a selection of communicative
activities and topics derived from
learner needs
Types of learning techniques and activities
Comprehensible
input is presented
in the target
language, using
techniques such
as TPR, mime and
gesture.
Group techniques
are similar to
Communicative
Language Teaching.
Learners start to talk
when they are ready.
Learner roles:
Focused on meaningful and vocabulary
Should not try and
learn language in the
usual sense, but
should try and lose
themselves in
activities involving
meaningful
communication.
Meaningful Vocabulary
Teacher roles:
Teachers should provide "comprehensible input“ (I+1)
The teacher is the
primary source of
comprehensible input.
Must create positive
low-anxiety climate.
Must choose and
orchestrate a rich
mixture of classroom
activities.
Roles of materials
The world of relia rather than
text books. Visual aids are essential
like schedules, brochures,
advertisement, maps, books of level
appropriate to the learners.
Procedure
These are the steps to follow in planning
a lesson using the communicative or natural
approach to second-language teaching:
Presentation of a situation or context through
a brief dialogue or several mini-dialogues,
preceded by a motivational activity relating the
dialogue to learners’ experiences and interest.
This includes a discussion of the functional
and situational roles, settings, topics at the level of
formality or informality that function or situation
demands.
Procedure / Process
Brainstorming or
discussion to establish
the vocabulary and
expressions to be used to
accomplish the
communicative intent.
Includes a framework or
means of structuring a
conversation or exchange
to achieve the purpose of
the speakers.
Questions and answers
based on the dialogue
topic and situation:
Inverted, wh- questions,
yes/no, either/or and
open-ended questions.
Procedure / Process
Study of the basic
communicative
expressions in the
dialogue or one of the
structures that exemplifies
the function, using
pictures, real objects, or
dramatization to clarify
the meaning.
Learner discovery of
generalizations or rules
underlying the functional
expression or structure,
with model examples on
the chalkboard,
underlining the important
features, using arrows or
referents where feasible.
Procedure / Process
Oral recognition and
interpretative activities
including oral production
proceeding from guided to
freer communication
activities.
Oral evaluation of
learning with guided use
of language and
questions/answers, e.g.
"How would you ask your
friend to
________________? And
how would you ask me to
_______________?"
Procedure / Process
Reading and/or
copying of the
dialogues with
variations for
reading/writing
practice.
To complete the
lesson cycle, provide
opportunities to
apply the language
learned the day
before in novel
situations for the
same or a related
purpose.
Conclusion
The Natural Approach adopts techniques and
activities from different sources but uses them to provide
comprehensible input.
Language Acquisition
Language Processing
The use of the term ‘Natural Approach’
rather than ‘Method’ highlights the
development of a move away from
‘method’ which implies a particular set of
features to be followed, almost as to
‘approach’ which starts from some basic
principles which are then developed in the
design and development of practice in
teaching and learning.
It is now widely recognized that the
diversity of contexts requires an informed,
eclectic approach.
To quote Nunan:
“It has been realized that there
never was and probably never will
be a method for all, and the focus in
recent years has been on the
development of classroom tasks and
activities which are consonant with
what we know about second
language acquisition, and which are
also in keeping with the dynamics of
the classroom itself”. (Nunan 1991:
228)
Summary of The Natural Method
Instructional
Strategies
Curriculum
Acquisition
Teacher
Motivation
Classroom
Learning
Environment
Theory of language
The Communicative view of language is the
focus behind the Natural Approach. Particular
emphasis is laid on language as a set of messages
that can be understood.
Language is a vehicle for communicating
meanings and messages
Communicative approach
The focus on meaning not form
Vocabulary is stressed (Lexicon)
Formula I + 1
Theory of learning - The Natural Approach is
based on the following tenets:
Language acquisition (an unconscious
process developed through using language
meaningfully) is different from language
learning (consciously learning or discovering
rules about a language) and language
acquisition is the only way competence in a
second language occurs.
(The acquisition/learning hypothesis)
Grammatical structures are acquired in a
predictable order and it does little good to try to learn
them in another order.(The natural order hypothesis)
People acquire language best from
messages that are just slightly beyond their current
competence: i+1(The input hypothesis)
Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or
editor that checks or repairs the output of what has
been acquired. (The monitor hypothesis)
The learner's emotional state can act as a
filter that impedes or blocks input necessary for
language acquisition.
(The affective filter hypothesis)
Design: Objectives
Specific objectives
depend on learners’
needs, skills and level.
Syllabus
Typical goals for
language courses or
particular needs and
interest of students
topics and situations
Learners’ Roles
Processor of
comprehensible input.
Pre-production stage
Early production stage
Speech emergent phase
Learner to learner
interaction encourage in
pair & small group
Guesser - Immerser
Teachers’ Roles
Primary source of
comprehensive input
Creates atmosphere learner centered
Facilitator - Orchestrate
classroom activities
Edu-actor – props user
Types of learning
techniques and
activities
Comprehensible input is
presented in the target
language, using techniques
such as TPR, mime and
gesture.
Group techniques are
similar to Communicative
Language Teaching.
Learners start to talk when
they are ready.
Procedure
The Natural Approach
adopts techniques and
activities from different
sources but uses them
to provide
comprehensible input.
Language is a tool for
communication
Language function over
Linguistic form
Comprehension before
production - task
Assessment
Communicative
effectiveness. Fluency
over accuracy. Task
oriented.
No error correction unless
errors interfere with
communication
References:
 Cook, V. website
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http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/Krashen.htm
Krashen, S. (1985) The Input Hypothesis. London: Longman
Krashen, S. & Terrell, T.D. (1983), The Natural Approach, Pergamon
Nunan, David (ed) 2003 Practical English LanguageTeaching
McGraw Hill.
Nunan, David 1989 Designing Tasks for the Communicative
Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in
language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
http://www.tprstories.com/ijflt/