Jack Richards and Theodore Rodgers, based on Terrel and Krashens’ theories, affirm that the Natural Approach is an acquisition process that does not focus much on practice, but on exposure or input to the target language. The purpose of this theory is to enable students to acquire a second language. Its creators use the term “natural” because it has to do with the natural process of how children learn their first language. It is based on these five main hypotheses: the acquisition/learning, the monitor, the natural order hypothesis, the input and the effective filter.
The Acquisition is distinguished from Learning. Acquisition is the unconscious part of language. It is a natural process that focuses on transmission of a message, in other words, meaningful communication. On contrast, Learning has to do with conscious processes of language that is constructed by grammatical rules in order to verbalize the knowledge concerning these grammatical rules and forms.
The Monitor hypothesis supports that conscious learning works as a way to correct our mistakes when we create utterances in the learner language when communicating. It functions as an editor since the learner has been taught about grammatical structures of the language in vogue. It has been defended that it works well since the learner has enough time at his/her disposal; he/she focus on form to correct his/hers mistakes and on knowledge of rules.
The Natural Order claims that the structure of language, regardless of what your mother tongue is, follows a predictable “natural order”. As it was proved by studies, morphemes are learned first than other structures. Trial and error occur during language acquisition and naturalistic developmental process, but it does not occur in the learning.
The Input Hypothesis seeks to explain how a person acquires language and for this purpose Krashen suggests that acquiring a second language involves the ‘natural communicative input’, in other words, the form like children acquire their mother tongue. They use extralinguistic information, context and knowledge of the world around them as an attempt to make comprehension. It is relevant to point out that these processes do not happen all of a sudden.
The Effective Filter has to do with the learner emotional attitude toward language acquisition. There are three kinds of ‘effective variables’ that facilitate language acquisition which are: self confidence, motivation and anxiety. Krashen believes that people with low effective filter make the input possible, in addition, receive and seek it. It is possible because they “interact with more confidence” (pg.133). In contrast, people with high affective filter block or impede the input, preventing it.
In conclusion, the Natural Approach is not a method in which starts from the acquisition process and goes to the learning process. It was created to help beginners start the learning process of a desirable second language. It is an attempt to enable students to understand the speaker of the target language. This method is not based on grammar or syntax, but on meaning, and communication. If a learner creates a non grammatical utterance it does not matter. The purpose is to have in mind some lexicon that can make communication possible, even if it occurs in a primary way.
(Posted by: Denise Esteves)
Bibliography:
RICHARDS, Jack C; RODGERS, Theodore S. Approaches and methods in language teaching: a description and analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1995. 171p. ((Cambridge Language Teaching Library)) ISBN 052132558
Cf:http://books.google.com.br/books?id=FMN92YpbQdEC&pg=PA32&dq=the+natural+approach+Krashen&hl=pt-br&ei=0UzhTJK9IcKclgfXtKGXAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=3&ved=0CDkQ6wEwAg#v=onepage&q=the%20natural%20approach%20Krashen&f=false
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