There’s just no doubt about it, teachers of multilingual learner children want nothing but the very best for their students. And while one curriculum always seems to be working to “one-up” the other, the natural language acquisition approach always seems to come out on top! Why? Because this preferred method encourages newcomer students to learn English like they learned their heritage language—through immersion, play, and discovery.
Let’s take a closer look at why teachers are all talking about the natural approach, and what we mean by ‘natural English language acquisition’:
Play is the Gateway to Fluency: In the world of elementary-school-aged children, play is serious business. It's how they make sense of the world, express themselves, and develop fundamental skills like introducing themselves, greeting a friend, taking turns, and engaging in reciprocal conversation. By participating in imaginative and social play, children naturally engage in conversation, storytelling, and problem-solving moments that build their linguistic repertoire.
Stories: Another of the most delightful activities for children is listening to stories that are read aloud. This practice introduces a wide array of vocabulary, syntax, and narrative forms. The informal and interactive nature of listening to stories read aloud, as well as eventually participating in the reading and telling of stories greatly contributes to language development.
The Power of Immersion: Immersion into English songs, chants, poems, actions, and more provide children with unfiltered exposure to the language's nuances, idioms, and cultural context. This type of exposure often leads to a more instinctive absorption of English, similar to how students naturally interact in their first language.
Why Other Approaches May Fall Short: Grammatical and highly structured language instruction can unintentionally place stress on children as they acquire a new language. The pressure to perform and achieve milestones can raise anxiety and overshadow the joy of learning. When it comes to acquiring English, the natural approach doesn’t turn the learning process into a checklist, potentially stifling the child's creativity in the process. Rather than creating a high stress environment, the natural language approach should serve as a motivator to provide a space where children can naturally learn, grow, and absorb English without unnecessary constraints.
Giving Language Back to the Children: By implementing the natural approach to English language acquisition, we not only enable our students to learn English more authentically but also maintain a sense of joy and agency in their learning processes. As you advocate for this approach to be used in your own school, know that you are striving to empower children to be lifelong language learners who appreciate the beauty and power of communication. Isn't that what we ultimately want for the next generation?
Are you ready to include the natural approach to English acquisition in your classroom next year?
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