The Natural Approachin Language Teaching

Theory of Language Theory of Learning

Presenter: Zabihullah Alimyar

The essence of language is meaning. The essence of language is meaning. Vocabulary, not grammar is the heart Vocabulary, not grammar is the heart

of language.of language. Emphasise “Comprehensible Input”.Emphasise “Comprehensible Input”.The Communicative view of language is

the focus behind the Natural Approach.

Particular emphasis is laid on language as a set of messages that can be understood.

Language is a vehicle for communicating meanings and messages

Communicative approachThe focus on meaning not form.Vocabulary is stressed (Lexicon)Formula I + 1

Reflect the cognitive psychology and humanistic approach prominent in the field of education.

This Approach shift the culture of the language classroom 180 degrees and brought a sense of community to the students by their sharing of the experience of learning the same language together.

The Communicative view of language is the focus behind the Natural Approach.

Particular emphasis is laid on language as a set of messages that can be understood.

Language is a vehicle for communicating meanings and messages

Communicative approachThe focus on meaning not form.Vocabulary is stressed (Lexicon)Formula I + 1

Theory of Learning• The monitor model is the The monitor model is the centre of Krashen’s second centre of Krashen’s second language learning theory, language learning theory, late late 1970s 1970s • Distinguish between Distinguish between ‘acquisition’ -- a natural ‘acquisition’ -- a natural subconscious process, subconscious process,

and ‘learning’ – a and ‘learning’ – a conscious conscious process.process.

Theory of Learning

Krashen’s Theory Five Hypotheses

The Acquisition- Learning HypothesisAcquisition is the “natural”

way, understanding and using language for meaning full communication.

No grammatical rulesLanguage learning not to

make mistake, teacher correct once they are found

Acquiring language is successful and longer lasting than learning.

The Natural Order HypothesisGrammatical structures

are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.

Input HypothesisPeople acquire

language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence: i+1

The Monitor HypothesisConscious learning

operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired.

The Affective Filter Hypothesis

The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary for language acquisition.

Quick Review for The Natural MethodTheory of learning - The Natural Approach is

based on the following tenets:Language acquisition (an unconscious process

developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules about a language) and language acquisition is the only way competence in a second language occurs. (The acquisition/learning hypothesis)

Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.(The natural order hypothesis)

People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence: i+1(The input hypothesis)

Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired. (The monitor hypothesis)

The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary for language acquisition. (The affective filter hypothesis)

References:Cook, V. website

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/Krashen.htm Krashen, S. (1985) The Input Hypothesis. London: LongmanKrashen, S. & Terrell, T.D. (1983), The Natural Approach, PergamonNunan, David (ed) 2003 Practical English LanguageTeaching

McGraw Hill.Nunan, David 1989 Designing Tasks for the Communicative

Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressRichards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in

language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

http://www.tprstories.com/ijflt/