The reform movement and the natural methods

The grammar translation method was not very convincing so, in the mid and late nineteenth century, researchers started to look for another method of teaching. The most representative linguists of that time were Paul Passy in France, Henrry Sweet in England, and Wethlem Vietor in Germany. Although they often differed in the procedures for teaching, in general they believe that:

1. The spoken language is primary and that this should be reflected in an oral-based methodology
2. The findings of phonetics should be applied to teaching and to teacher training
3. Learners should hear the language first, before seeing it in written form
4. Words should be presented in sentences, and sentences should be practised in meaningful contexts and not be taught as isolated, disconnected elements.
5. The rules of grammar should be taught only after the students have practised the grammar points in contexts that is, grammar should be taught inductively.
6. Translation should be avoided, althought the mother tongue could be used in order to explain new words or to check comprehension (Richards and Rogers 1986:8)

The above principles reflect the beginning of applied linguistics that brand of language study concerned with the scientific study of second and foreign language teaching and learning (Richards and Rogers 1988: 8)

At the same time these ideas were developing, there was an interes in "Developing principles for language teaching out of naturalistic principles of language learning, such as are seen in first language acquisition. This led to what have been termed natural methods.