Natural Approach

The Natural Approach is a language teaching method that is a "comprehension-based" approach that was developed as a modified version of the Direct Method. It is based on the view that language learners should first understand the language being learned by remaining silent before they attempt to communicate in that language. This approach emphasizes the vocabulary of a specific language more than its grammar because communication is its main objective (Terrell, 1977).

If learners do not feel pressure to produce the language until they feel at ease, their communication will then lead to the acquisition, and not merely the learning, of the language (Brown, 2007). Finally, when the learners are ready to speak, they may use either their L1s or their L2s, or a combination of both languages (Terrell, 1982). This approach to language learning encompasses the five hypotheses of Stephen Krashen's Monitor Model for second language acquisition (Gass & Selinker, 2001):

* The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
o People become proficient in second languages either by acquisition or by learning. Acquisition, which is considered implicit knowledge, occurs "naturally" with speakers' continued use of communication. Learning, which is considered explicit knowledge, occurs with the practice of grammatical rules of the language being learned.

* The Natural Order Hypothesis
o Certain grammatical structures of a particular language will be acquired before others, similar to the acquisition order in first language acquisition. For example, when learning English as a second language, the plural form will typically be acquired before the use of articles.

* The Monitor Hypothesis
o Communication begins with what the language learner has already acquired and then performs verification, or a "monitor," with what he or she has learned to make necessary corrections.

* The Input Hypothesis
o Language learners continue developing fluency by receiving input at slightly higher levels than what they have already acquired.

* The Affective Filter Hypothesis
o Language learners will acquire more input when they have a combination of low degrees of classroom anxiety and high degrees of motivation (Krashen & Terrell, 1983).


The Natural Approach has three main stages:

1. The learner remains silent and develops an understanding of the language by listening.
2. The learner begins to produce words and short phrases that usually have many errors. These errors, however, are not corrected.
3. The learner produces longer sentences and ideas. Few errors are corrected. (Brown, 2007)


As with many language learning methods, the Natural Approach demonstrates both strengths and weaknesses. One of the positive aspects of this language learning approach is that learners tend to feel less threatened if they do not have to speak immediately. Another positive aspect is that learners do not feel intimidated or embarrassed by repeated corrections as they are learning (Brown, 2007).

One of the negative aspects of this language learning approach is that each language learner may have a different period of time that he or she will require in the "silent" mode, which will create difficulty for the teacher in lesson planning. A second negative aspect is that because this approach is based on conversation, teachers are expected to know intuitively what language structures should be taught (Brown, 2007). Finally, a third negative aspect is the "vagueness" of the concept of i+1 in Krashen's Input Hypothesis (Gregg, 1986).