FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

According to the Natural Order Hypothesis, how are grammatical structures acquired?

1. In an unpredictable fashion

2. In a predictable order

3. At different rates for different individuals

4. Only through formal education

The correct answer is: In a predictable order

The Natural Order Hypothesis, proposed by Stephen Krashen, suggests that language acquisition follows a specific sequence or order. This means that certain grammatical structures are learned by language learners in a consistent and predictable manner, regardless of their first language or the context in which they are learning. For instance, some grammatical forms, such as the present continuous tense, are typically acquired before more complex structures, such as the perfect tense. The predictability of this order is significant for educators, as it implies that language instruction can be tailored to align with this natural progression, aiding in more effective learning and retention. Understanding this pattern helps teachers to design their curriculum in a way that meets learners where they are in their language development, fostering environments that effectively support language acquisition based on the natural sequence of grammatical structure learning.