What is The Natural Approach?
The Natural Approach was developed by Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen in 1977. It is based on the communicative view of language with particular emphasis in presenting the language as a set of messages that can be understood.
The Natural Approach is based on the following beliefs:
- Language acquisition is the only way to gain competence in a second language and is fundamentally different from language learning.
- Grammar is acquired through experience in a predictable order based on age and experience.
- Little is gained by trying to force learning them in another order. It works best as a monitor or editor to what language has been acquired.
- People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence.
- The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition. (The affective filter hypothesis)
