Question

What does the Natural Order Hypothesis suggest about language acquisition?

• A. Learners should be taught grammar in a specific order.
• B. Learners acquire language structures in a predictable order, regardless of teaching method.
• C. Learners should focus on vocabulary before grammar.
• D. Learners acquire language structures randomly.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Learners acquire language structures in a predictable order, regardless of teaching method.

The Natural Order Hypothesis suggests that language learners acquire grammatical structures in a predictable sequence, irrespective of the order in which they are taught. For instance, in English, learners typically acquire '-ing' before past tense forms. So if that is how people learn naturally, there is no point in teaching past tense forms first.