The Natural Approach

Stage 1 Preproduction - Children understand but do not verbalize language. They

may respond not verbally.
Stage 2 Early Production - Children begin to produce familiar words or short
phrases.
Stage 3 Speech Emergence - Children have a limited vocabulary and respond in
short phrases or sentences. Students begin to use dialogue and can ask simple
questions
Stage 4 Intermediate Fluency - Children begin to make complex statements, state
opinions, ask for clarification, share their thoughts, and speak at greater length.
Stage 5 Advanced Fluency - Students have developed some specialized content-
area vocabulary and can participate fully in grade-level classroom activities.
Techniques:
Stage 1
• Use of visual aids and gestures
• Slow speech emphasizing key words
• Do not force oral production
• Write key words on the board with students copying them as they are
presented
• Use pictures and manipulatives to help illustrate concepts
• Use multimedia language role models
• Use interactive dialogue journals
• Encourage choral readings
• Use Total Physical Response (TPR) techniques
Stage 2
• Engage students in charades and linguistic guessing games
• Do role-playing activities
• Present open-ended sentences
• Promote open dialogues
• Conduct student interviews with the guidelines written out
• Use charts, tables, graphs, and other conceptual visuals
• Use newspaper ads and other mainstream materials to encourage language
interaction
• Encourage partner and trio readings
Stage 3
• Keep on using the same strategies of stages 1 and 2
• Model standard structures of the language
• Ask WH questions
• Make the students to participate in duet, pair and choral reading activities.
• Write and illustrate riddles
• Use explanations and two-step directions
• Avoid public correction