The Natural Approach

Macarena López C.
 History

 The Natural Approach was developed by

Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen, in 1983
based on the theory of Second Language
Acquisition: language acquisition is the only
way to get competence in a second
language.
 The Natural Approach
 Foreign languages are learned the way the
mother tongue is learned: by being exposed
to the language (listening, reading) and by
using it in a natural way.
 The Natural Approach

Objectives

 Develop basic personal communication skills.

 It is focused on meaning not on form.

Syllabus
 Communicative
 The Natural Approach
Techniques and Activities

 The NA adopts techniques and activities from different sources

but uses them to provide comprehensible input which is
presented in the target language using mime and gesture. (TPR)
 Learners start to talk when they are ready. Encourages the
“Silent Period”.
 Emphasizes listening and reading. Pair-and group work
 Students respond in any way that shows they have understand
the input
 Grammar is taught accidently
 The Natural Approach

There are three generic stages identified in the

approach:

1. Preproduction - developing listening skills

2. Early Production - students struggle with the
language and make many errors which are
corrected based on content and not structure
3. Extending Production - promoting fluency
through a variety of more challenging activities.
 The Natural Approach
Advantages Disadvantages

 Learners speak right away.  Students will "emerge" at

 Students grow accustomed
to the ew language.
different times.
 It is hard to determine which
forms of language input will be
"comprehensible" to the
students.
Personal Opinions
 Bibliography

 Class Handout, Chapter 4, page 65.

 http://www.stanford.edu

 http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk.

 http://www.sil.org/lingualinks/languagelearning/wa
.
Thanks!!!