The Natural Approach Approaches

1
The Natural Approach Approaches Methods in
Language Teaching

• Complied Adapted by
• Ajaan Rob Hatfield, M.Ed.

2
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.

3

• 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.

4
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
  (1972)
• Suggestopedia. Lozanov (1979)
• The Silent Way. Caleb Gattegno (1972)
• Total Physical Response. James Asher (1977)
• The Natural Approach

5
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.

6

• 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.

7
The Natural Approach
Combines
L2 Acquisition theory
Curriculum
During
Learning Process
Focused on
Spoken Production
8
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

9
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.

10
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?

11

• 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.

12

• Tracy D. Terrell (Natural Approach), and James
  Asher (Total Physical Response) are examples of
  methods based on this learning theory.
• Charles A. Currans Counseling Learning and
  Caleb Gattegnos 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.

13
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).

14
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

15
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.

16
Theory of Learning

• Language acquisition does not require extensive
  use of conscious grammatical rules, and does not
  require tedious drill. Stephen Krashen

17
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.

18
Input Hypothesis

• People acquire language best from messages that
  are just slightly beyond their current
  competence i1

19
The Monitor Hypothesis

• Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or
  editor that checks or repairs the output of what
  has been acquired.

20
The Affective Filter Hypothesis

• The learner's emotional state can act as a filter
  that impedes or blocks input necessary for
  language acquisition.

21
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

22
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.

23
Learner rolesFocused 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
24
Teacher rolesTeachers should provide
"comprehensible input (I1)

• 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.

25
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.

26
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.

27
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.

28
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.

29
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 _______________?"

30
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.

31
Conclusion

• The Natural Approach adopts techniques and
  activities from different sources but uses them
  to provide comprehensible input.
• Language Acquisition
• Language Processing

32

• 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.

33
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)

34
Summary of The Natural Method
Curriculum
Instructional Strategies
Acquisition
Teacher Motivation
Classroom Learning Environment
35

• 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

36

• 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)

37

• 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 i1(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)

38

• 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

39

• 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.

40

• 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

41
References

• Cook, V. website http//homepage.ntlworld.com/viv
  ian.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/