While the Natural Approach was designed primarily for beginner general ESL, its core principles can be adapted to the Business English context. Let’s explore how, focusing on adult professionals:
Key Tenets of the Natural Approach (Krashen):
- Focus on Comprehensible Input: Language is acquired through understanding messages, not rote grammar study.
- Low-Anxiety Environment: Reducing stress aids learning, as a tense student won’t take in information.
- Output When Ready: Learners speak when they feel comfortable, not forced into production early on.
- Emphasis on Meaning: The goal is real-world communication, not just grammatical perfection.
Applying the Natural Approach to Business English
Stage 1: Input-Heavy Immersion
- Authentic Materials: Use real-world texts: short business articles, company reports, industry podcasts, instructional videos with clear visuals, etc.
- Prior Knowledge Activation: Ask about learners’ industries in their L1. This primes them to map existing business concepts onto new English terms.
- Comprehensibility is Key: Start at their current level +1. Use visuals, gestures, simpler synonyms to make the input understandable.
Stage 2: Focus on Core Business Functions
- Tasks, Not Grammar Rules: Instead of teaching present perfect tense, have them analyze past project timelines and discuss what DID/DIDN’T work.
- Scenario-Based: Give a case study problem, have them read proposals for solutions, then vote and justify their choice (building persuasive language).
- Gradual Increase in Complexity: Start with email etiquette, move to brief presentations, then perhaps mock negotiation for high-stakes language.
Stage 3: Learner-Led Production (When Ready)
- Choice Matters: Let them choose the focus: write an email draft to correct, propose agenda topics for role-played meeting, etc.
- Non-Threatening Feedback: Focus on communicative success. Did the message get across? Grammar tweaks come later, in context of their own output.
- Collaboration: Pair learners with slightly stronger skills for peer editing, support for more complex tasks.
Adaptations for Business Professionals
- Respect Their Time: Don’t waste it with childish activities found in beginner textbooks. Content must feel relevant to justify the investment.
- Needs Analysis is Vital: If they’re all in finance, different input sources are needed vs. a marketing team.
- Motivation is Assumed: Adults generally CHOOSE this training. Your job is to maintain engagement, not create it from scratch.
Challenges & Considerations
- “Silent Period” May be Short: Pros may be impatient to speak. Offer low-stakes output options early, to honor this.
- Error Tolerance is Tricky: Some errors impede clarity in business. Find a balance between the Natural Approach’s leniency and the need for professionalism.
- Can’t Avoid Grammar Entirely: Explicit teaching of certain structures may be needed IF they’re high frequency in business speech.
The Natural Approach is a TOOL, Not Dogma
A purist Natural Approach likely won’t suffice for Business English. But its emphasis on meaningful input, reduced anxiety, and a focus on function can be a powerful foundation, adapted alongside more targeted grammar instruction and practice as needed.