BACKGROUND

1977 – Tracy Terrell NATURAL

APPROACH

NATURALISTIC
PRINCIPLES

1983 – Krashen and Terrell published The Natural Approach.

 The Natural Approach was identified with
“traditional” approaches to language teaching.

“based on the use of language in communicative

situations without recourse to the native language,
without reference to grammatical analysis, grammatical
drilling, or a particular theory of grammar”
NATURAL Naturalistic language
or DIRECT learning in young children
METHOD

• Naturalistic principles
• Emphasis on exposure or input
• Emotional preparedness for learning
NATURAL • Language learners hear before they try to
APPROACH produce language
• Written and other materials are used as a
source of comprehensible input
 APPROACH
Theory of Language
• Example of the communicative approach.

• Earlier methods, such as the Audiolingual Method, are rejected.

• The importance of vocabulary is stressed.

• Language is a vehicle for communicating meaning and messages.

• Language learning is a mastery of structures by stages “I+1”.

• Messages are considered of primary importance.

• Grammatical structures do not require explicit analysis or

attention by the teacher, by the language learner or in teaching
materials.
 Theory of Learning
The design and procedures in the Natural Approach are based on these principles

• There are two ways of developing

THE ACQUISITION
competence in a second or foreign
/ LEARNING
language: ACQUISITION and
HYPOTHESIS LEARNING.

• We may call upon learned knowledge to correct

ourselves when we communicate, but that
THE MONITOR conscious learning has only this function.
HYPOTHESIS • Three conditions limit the successful use of the
monitor: time, focus on form and knowledge of
rules.

THE NATURAL • The acquisition of grammatical

ORDER structures proceeds in a predictable
HYPOTHESIS order.
 • It explains the relationship between the input and
language acquisition and it involves four main issues:
• It relates to acquisition, and not to learning.
• People acquire language best by understanding
input that is slightly beyond their current level
THE INPUT of competence (I+1).
HYPOTHESIS • The ability to speak fluently cannot be taught
directly; rather, it “emerges” independently in
time.
• If there is a sufficient quantity of
comprehensible input, I+1 will usually be
provided automatically.

• The learner’s emotional state or attitude is

seen as an adjustable filter.
THE • There are three kinds of affective or
AFFECTIVE attitudinal variables related to second
FILTER language acquisition:
• Motivation
HYPOTHESIS • Self-confidence
• Anxiety
These five hypothesis have obvious implications for language
teaching

1. As much as comprehensible input as possible must be presented.

2. Whatever helps comprehension is important.

3. The focus in the classroom should be on listening and reading;

speaking should be allowed to “emerge”.

4. In order to lower the affective filter, student work should center on

meaningful communication rather than on form.
 DESIGN
TYPES OF LEARNING AND
OBJECTIVES THE SYLLABUS TEACHING ACTIVITIES

• The Natural Approach There are two points of • Emphasis on presenting

is for beginners and is view: comprehensible input.
designed to help them • They list some typical • Minimize stress.
become intermediates. goals for language • When learners are ready,
courses and suggest the teacher provides
which of these goals comprehensible language
• Specific objectives and simple response
depend on learner are the ones at which opportunities.
needs and the skill and the Natural Approach
• There is a gradual
level being taught. aims. progression.
• Charts and pictures serve
• It is important to • “the purpose of a as the focal point for
communicate to language course will questions.
learners what they can vary according to the • Acquisition activities are
expect of a course as needs of the students emphasized.
well as what they and their particular • Pair or group work may be
should not expect. interests” Krashen and employed.
Terrell (1983: 65) • Borrowed techniques
from other methods: TPR,
Direct Method, CLT.
 THE ROLE OF
LEARNER ROLES TEACHER ROLES INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

• The learner is seen as a The teacher… The primary goal of

processor of materials is…
comprehensible input.
• …is the primary source
• Learners’ roles are seen to
of comprehensible input
change according to their in the target language. • … to make classroom
stage of linguistic • …creates a classroom activities as
development: atmosphere that is meaningful as possible
• Pre-production stage. interesting and friendly. by supplying the
• Early-production stage. • …must choose and extralinguistic
• Speech-emergent phase. orchestrate a rich mix of context.
• Learners have four kinds of classroom activities.
responsibilities:
• Provide information • …is responsible for • … to promote
about their specific collecting materials and comprehension and
goals. designing their use. communication.
• Take an active role in • …has a particular
ensuring responsibility to
comprehensible input. communicate to
• Decide when to start • Pictures and other
students the visual aids are
producing speech and
when to upgrade it. assumption, essential, because they
• Decide with the teacher organization and supply the content for
the amount of time to be expectations of the communication.
devoted to them and method.
complete and correct
them independently.
 PROCEDURE
 Start with TPR commands.

 Use TPR to teach names of body parts and to introduce numbers and
sequence.

 Introduce classroom terms and props into commands.

 Use names of physical characteristics and clothing to identify members of

the class by name.

 Use visual to introduce vocabulary and to continue with activities requiring

only student’s names as response.

 Combine use of pictures with TPR.

 Combine observations about the pictures with commands and conditions.

 Using several pictures ask students to point to the picture being described.
 CONCLUSION
 The Natural Approach belongs to a tradition of language teaching
methods based on the observation and interpretation of how learners
acquire first and second languages in nonformal settings.

This method rejects the formal (grammatical) organization of

language as a prerequisite to teaching.

There is a focus on comprehension and meaningful communication

as well as the provision of the right kinds of comprehensible input
provide the necessary conditions for successful classroom second
language acquisition.

The Natural Approach is evolutionary.

It is a method that emphasizes comprehensible and meaningful

practice activities, rather than production of grammatically perfect
utterances and sentences.