d language learning appears to pass through predictable stages, i.e. transitional forms. Why such and other natural orders exist at all is still a mystery; however, from a pedagogical point of view, it is sufficient for one to be aware of its existence.
"The major implication of the Natural Order is not that we teach along the Natural Order, beginning with those structures shown to be acquired early. In fact, the available evidence strongly suggests that we should not use a grammatical syllabus at all, no matter what it is based on!" (Krashen, 1987, p. 36). Perhaps, after all, the Natural Order is more flexible than the hypothesis purports it to be... or perhaps the Natural Order Hypothesis rests on rather flimsy ground.
As the organizer of acquisition and learning products, this proposed process is believed by Krashen to structurally guide the apprehension and retention of linguistic knowledge. If one is to conform to the Natural Order Hypothesis, then one acquires language by advancing one step (however defined--and, actually, not defined by Krashen either quantitatively or qualitatively) at a time beyond the already acquired. The researcher symbolizes this concept thus: i + 1, where i is the current input (or interlanguage), and 1 is the following or sequential structural or conceptual step. Let us note, however, that Krashen speaks of acquiring such steps, rather than learning them. The Hypothesis proposes that the focus is on meaning--on the what is said rather than on the how it is said.
This additive process is fostered by extralinguistic contexts and clues. By trying to understand the meaning of a message, one acquires structures and concepts subconsciously (Note that Krashen never mentions unconscious processes). In this perspective, communicative speech occurs when the acquirer feels ready for it (Krashen does not explain whether the speaker's perception need meet reality). Accuracy is said to develop with increase in...