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Natural Approach

Natural Approach: Naturalistic Language Acquisition in A Classroom

Puying Peng

Michigan State University


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Introduction

The natural approach, published in 1983, developed by Terrell and Krashen is one

of the second language learning acquisition methods, which had a wide influence in

teaching language in the USA and all around the world. Main features and application

of this approach will be discovered and discussed in this article.

Discovering Natural approach

Background

Natural approach originally created in 1977 by Terrell, a Spanish teacher in

California who wished to develop a style of teaching based on the findings of

naturalistic studies of second-language acquisition. After the original formulation,

Terrell worked with Krashen to further develop the theoretical aspects of the method.

Terrell and Krashen published the results of their collaboration in the 1983 book The

Natural Approach. It is a method of language teaching developed by Stephen Krashen

and Tracy Terrell in the late 1970s and early 1980s and based on Krashen's theory of

second language acquisition, the Five Hypothesis.


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1. The Acquisition/Learning Hypothesis is the natural way. Acquisition is the

natural way, unconscious understanding language and using it for meaningful

communication. Learning process in which conscious rules about the language are

developed. Requires formal teaching and does not lead to formal teaching.

2. The Monitor Hypothesis: conscious learning can function as a monitor or

editor that checks and repairs the output of the acquired system. Conditions to

monitor time, focus on forms, knowledge of rules.

3. The Natural Order Hypothesis. Based on SLA (Second Language

Acquisition), Brown and other studies (1978). Certain grammatical structures or

morphemes are acquired before others. Errors are signs of naturalistic developmental

processes.

4. The Input Hypothesis: People acquire language best by being exposed to

input that is slightly above their exposed to input that is slightly above their current

level of competence (i+1 formula). Clues that based on situation, context, and extra

linguistic information, make comprehension possible.


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5. The Affective Filter Hypothesis: Krashen considered the learner’s emotional,

learner’s emotional state as a FILTER that passes, impedes or blocks the INPUT

necessary to acquisition. Three kind of affective or attitudinal variables: motivation,

self-confidence and anxiety (fear of embarrassment, etc.)

Definition

According to Terrell and Krashen, the Natural Approach is designed to develop

basic communication skills.

It aims to foster naturalistic language acquisition in a classroom setting, and

places decreased importance on conscious grammar study and explicit correction of

student errors. Efforts are also made to make the learning environment as stress-free

as possible. In the natural approach, language output is not forced, but allowed to

emerge spontaneously after students have attended to large amounts of

comprehensible language input.

Features

1. Naturally.
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It can help second language learners learning naturally. The learners will be

able to product and pick up the grammar by themselves when they are ready. Come

from baby talk (age1-8).

2. Suit for beginning L2 leaners.

The goal of the approach is aimed at the goal of basic personal

communication skills (listening, conversations).

3. Maximize opportunities for comprehension.

Largely input, especially focus on vocabularies.

4. Focus on meaning, not on form.

“Language is a vehicle for communicating meanings and messages. Acquisition

can take place only when people understand messages in the target language”

---Krashen & Terrell

Emphasize influence over than accuracy.

5. Speech production comes slowly and is never forced.


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The most noteworthy characteristic is its advocacy of a “silent period,”

where preproduction can begin.

6. The teacher does not correct errors.

How to use it in a classroom

1. Curriculum design

According to Terrell and Krashen, the teaching through output natural stages is:

1. Yes or no response;

2. One- word answers, lists of words;

3. Short phrases, complete sentences.

Which can be considered as possible objectives achieved scaffolding and can be

used in backwards designing the curriculum.

2. Class Activities

Pointing, handing objects, writing or drawing, standing, walking, sitting down for
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advanced learners: like listening and reading tasks that learners order pictures, follow

written instruction or maps.

3. Techniques

Using like TPR, pictures, slides, body language, audio-visual aids (video).

So, the Natural Approach adopts techniques and activities from different sources

but uses them to provide comprehensible input.

Merits and Demerits

Merits:

A relaxed second language environment, comprehensible enhanced. Students can

acquire language by teacher naturally input without correction and pressure anxiety.

Reliable as it can be widely used. Especially the teacher input part, which can be

achieved with various activities and techniques.

No grammar instructions as always focus on meaning, as regard language is a

tool for communication.


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Demerits:

May limited classroom in its ability to be interesting and engage all students. It is

teacher centered in the language input part, teacher’s classroom setting, and

curriculum design mainly decide the production of student acquisition.

It is not that suitable for higher-level second language learners as it focuses on

naturally acquisition of language. Otherwise, higher-level second language learner

who has already acquired enough basic communication skills may need more

organized input about writing.

The method rarely concerns about correctness. It may take second language

learners a lot of time to realize and correct the errors by themselves. In addition,

without correction the errors may end to serious misunderstand and failed

communication.
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Demo – Natural Approach Application

Teaching theme: personal interesting/hobby.

Objectives:

I can recognize and express Chinese words: 喜欢,画画.

I can express my like/dislike.

I can ask one’s interesting/hobby by using Chinese sentence ” 你喜欢…吗?”

I can construct answers sentence“我(不)喜欢…”to response question sentence”

你喜欢…? ”.

Teaching techniques: slides

Teaching activities: Ask and answer, smile paint.

Teaching flow as below:


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Students successfully produced short and easy conversation about personal

interesting or hobbies.

Conclusion

The Natural Approach rejects the formal grammatical organization of language to

teach. It is always delivering a language in target language and focus on listening and

speaking skills to communicate. It emphasizes comprehensible and meaningful

practice activities, techniques rather than production of grammatically perfect

utterances and sentences. It can be widely use in novice low and young second
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language learners’ classroom.


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