The Natural Approach is a language teaching method based on principles of natural language acquisition. It aims to help beginners become intermediate learners while enhancing communication skills through a focus on meaningful input. Key principles include using TPR activities, delaying speech production, creating a relaxed environment, and providing comprehensible input slightly above learners' levels. Techniques involve TPR, group work, games and role-plays to practice the target language while minimizing error correction. The goal is a communicative syllabus focusing on oral and written skills through a logical sequence emphasizing meaning, vocabulary and target language use. Potential weaknesses include passive learners during silent periods and uncertainty around error treatment and appropriate input levels.

1. Presented by: Younes TAIAPresented by: Younes TAIA
younes.taia@gmail.comyounes.taia@gmail.com
TEFL&ICT Master programTEFL&ICT Master program
The Natural Approach
University of Ibn-Zohr Methods and Techniques
FLSH Prof. Naima TRIMASSE
MA TEFL&ICT
Semester 2
References :
Jack C.Richards and Theodore S.Rodgers. Approaches and Methods in
Language Teaching: A description and analysis. Cambridge University
Press.

2. 
Outline
The theoretical background
Definition
Principles and foundations
TPR VS NA
Procedures and techniques
Learning process.
How does NA syllabus look like?
Strengths
Weaknesses

3. 
The Natural Approach is based on the
following assumptions.
► The Naturalistic view of Child Language Acquisition.
► James Asher’s TPR
► Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell ’s works on Second
Language Acquisition (SLA).

4. 
What is the Natural Approach?
The Natural Approach (NA henceforth) is a method of
foreign language teaching which aims to apply the principles
of natural language acquisition into classroom. It focus on:
►helping beginners to become intermediate.
►Enhancing communication skills.
►The primacy of meaning.

5. 
Underlying principles of NA
► Advocating the use of TPR activities.
► Delaying production until speech emerges.
► Learners should be relaxed as possible in classroom.
► Comprehensible input is crucial for triggering the acquisition of
language.
► Providing understandable input that is little beyond the learners’
level (i+1).

6. ► Gaining personal communication skills.
► The teacher is the source of the learners' input.
► Errors are tolerated at certain level providing, that they do not
hinder or block the meaning.
► meaning is paramount.
Underlying principles of NA

7. 
Does the NA have something to share
with TPR?
 Using TPR activities/learning through actions
- learning through imperative, interrogative and
command mood.
 The call for a “Silent period”
- like child language acquisition, second language learners
need a silent phase at which they receive
understandable input.

8. 
Procedures and Techniques
► TPR activities (commands and interrogatives).
► Group activities.
► Complex games, role-plays, open-ended dialogs, and
discussions.
► visual aids.
► Error correction should be minimised.
► Creating the ground for learners/ lowering the
affective filter.
► demonstrating using body language.
► delaying production until speech emerges.

9. Learning Processes

10. 
How does NA syllabus
look like?
► Communicative syllabus; mainly focusing on enhacing
skills both oral and written.

11. 
Strengths
► following a logical/ rationale order.
► attempting to reduce the learners’ inhibition.
► a heavy stress is on meaning and vocabulary.
► the use of target language.

12. 
Weaknesses
► The notion of “Silent Period”
► How does a teacher manage such silent class
effectively?
► Error treatment
► Learners are passive at certain level
► Little emphasis was given to grammar analysis.
► what type of input to provide.