Discover The Natural Approach To Language Teaching

Introduction

For those who are not familiar with the Natural Approach to language teaching, this blog post covers everything you should know about this approach: what it is, the theory it is grounded on, how it works, its similarities with previous language teaching methods, its merits, and its drawbacks.

So, let’s get the ball rolling!

What is the Natural Approach?

Theory of language

Krashen and Terrell view communication as the primary function of language and adhere to a communicative approach to language teaching, focusing on teaching communicative abilities rather than sterile language structures.

What really distinguishes the Natural approach from other methods and approaches are its premises concerning the use of language and the importance of vocabulary:

• Language is viewed as a vehicle for communicating meaning and messages.
• Vocabulary is of paramount importance as language is essentially its lexicon!

This means that language acquisition cannot take place unless the acquirer understands messages in the target language and has developed sufficient vocabulary inventory. In fact, it should be easier to reconstruct a message containing just vocabulary items than one containing just the grammatical structures.

Theory of learning

Krashen grounded the Natural approach on a number of learning tenets.

The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis

Krashen makes a distinction between acquisition and learning.

• Krashen defines acquisition as developing competence by using language for real communication. It is a natural way of developing the ability to speak a language, paralleling first language development in children, and refers to an unconscious process that involves the naturalistic development of language proficiency through under­standing language and through using language for meaningful com­munication.
• Learning, however, refers to formal knowledge of a language. It is the process in which conscious rules about a language are developed. It results in explicit knowledge about the forms of a language and the ability to verbalize this knowledge. Formal teaching is necessary for “learning” to occur, and the correction of errors helps with the development of learned rules.

The Monitor Hypothesis

Conscious learning can function only as a monitor or editor that checks and repairs the output of the acquired system. The Monitor Hypothesis states that we may use learned knowledge to correct ourselves when we communicate, but that conscious learning has only this func­tion. Three conditions limit the successful use of the monitor:

1. Time. Sufficient time for a learner to choose and apply a learned rule.
2. Focus on form. Focus on the correctness or on the form of the output.
3. Knowledge of rules. Knowing the rules is a prerequisite for the use of the monitor.

The Natural Order Hypothesis

The acquisition of grammatical structures proceeds in a predictable order. Certain grammatical structures or morphemes are ac­quired before others in the first language acquisition of English, and the Natural Order Hypothesis claims that the same natural order is found in second language acquisition.

It is also believed that errors are signs of naturalistic developmental processes. Similar developmental errors occur in learners during acquisition (but not during learning) no mat­ter what their native language is

The Input Hypothesis

The Input Hypothesis relates to acquisition, not to learning, and states that people acquire language best by understanding input that is slightly beyond their level of competence.

Krashen refers to this by the formula L +1 (where L+1 is the stage immediately following L along some natural order.)

Comprehension is achieved through linguistic and extralinguistic context clues including knowledge about the world, the context of the situation, etc. Comprehension precedes the emergence of speaking as fluency appears only as a result of the provision of sufficient comprehensible input.

By comprehensible input, Krashen means the utterances that learners understand based on linguistic and extralinguistic context and which consist of a sort of simplified code.

He contends that when there is such comprehensible input, language acquisition proceeds successfully. Krashen also claims that when there is enough of such comprehensible input, L+1 will usually be provided automatically.

Affective Filter Hypothesis

There are three types of emotional attitudinal factors that may affect acquisition and that may impede, block, or freely pass necessary input for acquisition. These are motivation, self-confidence, and anxiety. Acquirers with a high affective filter are less likely to develop competence.

The Natural Approach vs the Direct Method

Although The Natural approach and the Direct Method (also called the natural method) share some features, there are important differences. Like the direct method, the natural approach is

” believed to conform to the naturalistic principles found in second language acquisition. Unlike the direct method, however, it places less emphasis on teacher monologues, direct repetion,and formal questions and answers, and less focus on accurate production of target language sentences.”

Richards and Rodgers, 1986:129

Teaching According to the Natural Approach In a nutshell

Teaching according to the Natural Approach involves the following principles:

• Teaching according to the Natural approach focuses on communicative abilities.
• One of its objectives is to help beginners become intermediate.
• Vocabulary is considered prior to syntactic structures.
• A lot of comprehensible input must be provided.
• Use of visual aids to help comprehension.
• The focus is on listening and reading. Speaking emerges later.
• Reducing the high affective filter by
  • focusing on meaningful communication rather than on form.
  • providing interesting comprehensible input
• The techniques used in this approach are often borrowed from other methods and adapted to meet the requirement of the approach. These include:
  • Total Physical Response command drills
  • The Direct Method activities mime, gestures, and context are used to elicit questions and answers.
  • Communicative Language Teaching group work activities where learners share information to complete a task.

Applying the Natural Approach in Practice

Applying the natural approach in practice requires a different approach to teaching. Here are some tips on how to apply the natural approach in language teaching:

1. Emphasize Communication

Incorporate activities that encourage communication in the language, such as role-playing, discussions, and storytelling.

2. Use Authentic Materials

Incorporate authentic materials, such as books, podcasts, and videos, that are interesting and relevant to the learners.

3. Provide Input at the Right Level

Provide input that is just above the learner’s current level of comprehension, and gradually adjust to their understanding.

4. Use Visuals and Gestures

Incorporate visuals and gestures to aid in understanding, especially for beginners.

Advantages and disadvantages of the natural approach

The Benefits of the Natural Approach

The natural approach to language teaching has numerous benefits for language learners. Here are just a few:

1. Focus on Communication
   The natural approach emphasizes communication over accuracy. The focus on communication encourages learners to use the language in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them. This leads to increased motivation and engagement in the learning process.
2. Immersion in the Language
   Immersing learners in the language exposes them to the language in a natural setting. This leads to a more authentic and meaningful learning experience. Learners are able to pick up on the nuances of the language (e.g., tone, rhythm, and intonation) that are difficult to learn through traditional methods.
3. Reduced Anxiety
   The natural approach to language teaching can reduce anxiety in learners. By focusing on communication and understanding, rather than on grammatical correctness, learners feel less pressure to be perfect. This creates a more relaxed and enjoyable learning environment.
4. Improved Pronunciation
   The natural approach places a strong emphasis on pronunciation. By listening and repeating the language, learners are able to develop a more natural accent and pronunciation.

Drawbacks of the Natural Approach

Some potential disadvantages of the natural approach to language teaching include:

• It may not provide enough focus on grammar and syntax, which can be important for some languages.
• Learners may struggle to stay motivated and focused without a more structured approach.
• It may not be suitable for learners who prefer explicit instruction and clear guidelines.
• It may be challenging to practice speaking and receive feedback without a teacher.
• It may be difficult to assess progress and measure language proficiency without standardized assessments.

Conclusion

The Natural Approach belongs to a tradition of language acquisition where the naturalistic features of L1 acquisition are utilized in the L2 acquisition. It is an approach that draws a variety of techniques from other methods and approaches to reach this goal which is one of its advantages. But the originality of this approach does not lie in these techniques but in the emphasis on activities based on comprehensible input and meaningful communication rather than on only grammatical mastery of language.

References

To read more on the Natural Approach and other methods:

Richards, J. C. & Rogers, T. S. (1986). Approaches and methods in language teaching: A description and analysis. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.). New York: Longman

Others sources:

Wikipedia: The Natural Approach