The Net Hypothesis
Difference between finely tuned input and roughly tuned input
In finely tuned input, the speaker deliberately tries to include many examples of the student’s i+1. In roughly-tuned input, the speaker only attempts to make himself or herself understood. When this is accomplished, the speaker will automatically “cast a net” of structure that includes the acquirer’s i+1.
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Routines and Patterns
Routines and patterns are not acquired language and that they do not become acquired language. In some cases routines and patterns can influence acquisition just as “outside” input can. A memorized segment may contain structures that are eventually at the acquirer’s i+1.
Vocabulary Learning
Some conscious study of vocabulary helps to speed the acquisition process since the more words the students can recognize in an utterance the more comprehensible the input will be.
Teaching Process
- Classtime is devoted primarily to providing input for acquisition.
- The teacher speaks only the target language in the classroom. Students may use either the first or second language. Their errors are not corrected unless communication is seriously impaired.
- Homework may include formal grammar work. Error correction is employed in correcting homework.
- The goals of the course are semantic. Activities may involve the use of a certain structure, but the goals are to enable students to talk about ideas, perform tasks, and solve problems.
Teaching Methods
Pre-speech Activities
- Body action commands
First touch your nose, then stand up and turn to the right three times, put both hands on your shoulder.
- Prop commands
Pick up a pencil and put it under the book, touch a wall, go to the door and knock three times.
- Student questions
What is the name of the student with long brown hair? What is the name of the woman with short blond hair?
- Picture questions
There are two men in this picture. Two. One, two (counting). They are young. There are two young men. At least I think they are young. Do you think that they are young? Are the two men young? Or old? Do you think that they are young or old?
Early Production (One-Word Stage)
- Yes or no questions:
Does Brian have the picture of the boy with his brother? Is the boy tall? Is he wearing blue jeans?
- Either-or questions:
Is this a dog or a cat? Is this woman tall or short? Is Mary wearing a red or a green blouse?
- What questions:
What is this? What color is her skirt? What is he doing?
- Teacher talk:
Is there a woman in this picture? (Yes). Is there a man in the picture? (No). Is the woman old or young? (Young). Yes, she’s young, but very ugly- (Class responds no, pretty). That’s right, she’s not ugly, she’s pretty. What is she wearing? (Dress). Yes, she’s wearing a dress. What color is the dress? (Blue). Right, she’s wearing a blue dress. And what do you see behind her? (Tree). Yes, there are trees. Are they tall? (Yes). And beside her is a (dog). Yes, a large dog is standing to her right.
- Introduce of new vocabularies:
What do you see in this picture? (Man). Yes, there is a man. Where is he? (Beach). Yes, he is sitting on the beach. What is in front of him? (Students don’t know the word). That’s a sailboat. Is it large or small? (Small). Is it in the water or on the beach? (In water). Yes, it is floating (new word, use mime to explain) in the water. Can stones float? (No). Can people float? (Some). Right. If you know how to swim (new word, use mime), you can float.
Extending Production
- Open-ended sentence:
In this room there is a _____. I am wearing a _____. In my purse there is a _____.
- Open dialog
Where are you going? To the _____. What for? - To _____.
- prefabricated patterns
I like to _____. You like to _____. He likes to _____. she likes to _____.
Affective-Humanistic Activities
Affective activities attempt to involve students’ feelings, opinions, desires, reactions, ideas and experiences.
Student 1: Are you hungry? Student 2: _______________ Student 1: I think I’ll order a _____. How about you? Student 2: I’d prefer _____.
Advanced Dialog
Student 1: Guess what, _____? Student 2: I’m sorry, what did you say you did? Student 1: _______________. Student 2: Oh, really? When? (Where? Why? How long?) Student 1: _______________.
Situational Stimuli
You are a young girl who is sixteen years old. You went out with a friend at eight o’clock. You are aware of the fact that your parents require you to be at home at 11:00 at the latest. But you return at 12:30 and your father is very angry. Your father: Well, I’m waiting for an explanation. Why did you return so late? You: _______________. (Continue)
Effect of the Natural Approach
Children participating in the sorts of Natural Approach activities can acquire about 15 to 25 new (passive) lexical items per hour, while adults can often acquire up to 50 words per hour of Comprehensible Input.