BASIC THEORY OF THE NATURAL APPROACH
A. Theory of Language
The primary function of language is for communicating meanings and messages. The Natural Approach focuses on teaching communicative abilities. The Natural Approach is different with other methods of language teaching, such as the Audiolingual Method. Audiolingual Method viewed grammar as the central component of language. The Natural Approach emphasizes the primacy of meaning and the important of vocabulary.
B. Theory of Learning
Krashen and Terrell make continuing reference to the theoretical and research base claimed to underlie the natural approach.
1. The Acquisition/Learning Hypothesis
It claims that there are two distinctive ways of developing competence in a second or foreign language. First, acquisition refers to unconscious process that involves the naturalistic development of language proficiency through understanding language and through using language for meaningful communication. Second, learning refers to a process in which conscious rules about a language are developed.
2. The Monitor Hypothesis
It claims that we may call upon learned knowledge to correct ourselves when we communicate (conscious learning).
3. The Natural Order Hypothesis
It claims that the acquisition of grammatical structures proceeds in a predictable order.
4. The Input Hypothesis
It claims to explain the relationship between what the learner is exposed to of a language (the input) and language acquisition. It involves four main issues:
a. The hypothesis relates to acquisition, and not to learning.
b. People acquire language best by understanding input that is slightly beyond their current level of competence.
c. The ability to speak fluently cannot be taught directly, rather it “emerges” independently in time, after the acquirer has built up linguistic competence by understanding input.
d. Comprehensible input refers to utterances that the learner understands based on the context in which they are used as well as the language in which they are phrased.
5. The Affective Filter Hypothesis
There are three kinds of affective or attitudinal variables related to second language acquisition.
a. Motivation: Learners with high motivation generally do better.
b. Self-confidence: Learners with self-confidence and a good self-image tend to be more successful.
c. Anxiety: Low personal anxiety and low classroom anxiety are more conductive to second language acquisition.
These five hypotheses have obvious implications for language teaching:
a. As much comprehensible input as possible must be presented.
b. Whatever helps comprehension is important.
c. The focus in the classroom should be on listening and reading; speaking should be allowed to “emerge”.
d. In order to lower the effective filter, student work should center on meaningful communication rather than on form.
e. Input should be interesting and so contribute to a relaxed classroom atmosphere.
C. Objectives
The Natural Approach “is for beginners and is designed to help them become intermediates”. It has the expectation that students will be able to understand the speaker of the target language and to convey their requests and ideas. However, since the Natural Approach is offered as a general set of principles applicable to a wide variety of situations, specific objectives depend on learner needs and the skills (reading, writing, listening, or speaking) and level being taught.
D. Syllabus
Krashen and Terrell (1983) approach course organization from two points of view:
1. First, they list some typical goals for language courses and suggest which of these goals are the ones at which the Natural Approach aims. They list such goals under four areas:
ü Basic personal communication skills: oral (e.g. listening to announcement in public place)
ü Basic personal communication skills: written (e.g. reading and writing personal letter)
ü Academic learning skills: oral (e.g., listening to lecturer)
ü Academic learning skills: written ( e.g., taking notes in class)
2. Second point of view holds that “the purpose of a language course will vary according to the needs of the students and their particular interest.” In setting communication goals, the Natural Approach instructors expect the students to deal with a particular set of topics in a given situation. The Natural Approach instructors do not organize the activities of the class about a grammatical syllabus. From this point of view, it is difficult to specify communicative goals that necessarily fit the needs of all students. Content selections should aim to create a low affective filter by being interesting and fostering a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, should provide a wide exposure to vocabulary that may be useful to basic personal communication, and should resist any focus on grammatical structures. The necessary grammatical structures are automatically provided in the input.
E. Activity Types
Learners remain silent during the first stage. This does not mean they are inactive. What they do in this stage is to understand the teacher talk that focuses on objects in the classroom or on the content of pictures. Students are only expected to respond to teacher commands without having to say anything. The purpose of the beginning stage is not to make students perfect but to help them proceed to the next stage.
When students feel ready to produce speech, the teacher asks questions and elicits one word answers. This is the second stage where the teacher asks yes/no questions, either- or questions, and wh-questions that require single word utterances. Students are not expected to use a word actively until they have heard it many times. Pictures, charts, advertisements are utilized to proceed to the third stage where acquisition activities are emphasized (e.g., group work and whole class discussion).
F. Learner Roles
Learners’ roles change according to their stage of linguistic development. In the pre-production stage, students participate in the language activity without having to respond in the target language. In the early-production stage, students respond to either-or questions, use single words and short phrases, and use fixed conversational patterns. In the speech-emergent stage, students involve themselves in role play and games, contribute personal information and opinions, and participate in group problem solving.
Learners have four kinds of responsibilities in the Natural Approach classroom:
1. Provide information about their specific goals so acquisition activities can focus on the topics and situations most relevant to their needs.
2. Take an active role in ensuring comprehensible input. They should learn and use conversational management techniques to regulate input.
3. Decide when to start producing speech and when to upgrade it.
4. Where learning exercises (i.e., grammar study) are to be a part of the program, decide with the teacher the relative amount of the time to be devoted to them and perhaps even compete and correct them independently.
G. Teacher Roles
There are three crucial roles for the Natural Approach teacher. Firstly, the teacher is the primary source of input that is understandable to the learner. It is the teacher that attempts to maintain a constant flow of comprehensible input. If s/he maintains students' attention on key lexical items or uses context to help them, the students will 'naturally' be successful. Secondly, the teacher creates a friendly classroom atmosphere where there is a low affective filter. Thirdly, the teacher chooses the most effective materials and employs a rich mix of classroom activities.
H. Roles of Materials
The primary goal of materials in the Natural Approach is to make classroom activities, and to promote comprehension and communication. The materials should help the acquirer to understand, by fostering real communications among the learners. Materials come from the world rather than from textbooks. Pictures and other visual aids are essential, because they supply the content for communication. They facilitate the acquisition of a large vocabulary within the classroom. Other recommended materials include schedules, brochures, advertisements, maps, and books at levels appropriate to the students.
