A Natural Approach to language learning

Poppy and Buddy tools are designed to complement the Natural Approach to language learning. The Natural Approach is a modern and science-backed method of acquiring a second language, developed by linguists Tracy Terrell and Dr Stephen Krashen.

Language acquisition is an unconscious process, where ability develops naturally through the use of language in meaningful ways. The Natural Approach focuses on input, understanding, and meaningful communication in a relaxed environment. It doesn’t promote strict grammar lessons or rigid rules that are typical of formal teaching, but builds on the simple, everyday activity of reading books.

At Poppy and Buddy, we've been guided by these principles when creating exciting bilingual adventures for preschoolers. When children are read to, they're relaxed and receptive to the words they hear and see. The more stories and words they are exposed to, the more language they unconsciously acquire and the more proficient they become. There is no formal teaching or testing – no boredom or resistance to learning. Only engaging stories, stimulated minds, and fun games – whether on their own or snuggled up together with you.

Why Poppy and Buddy tools work

  1. Stories

    Poppy and Buddy embark on captivating adventures that reflect the words and situations children encounter in their daily lives. By incorporating elements like colours, numbers, and shapes, our stories describe the world around them. We've carefully woven these familiar words and situations into engaging plots that will captivate young readers and leave them eager to explore what lies on the next page.

  2. Illustrations

    The words we use closely follow the art. This helps children make strong, meaningful connections between the words and images they see on the page and the words they hear.

  3. Audio

    Every Poppy and Buddy story includes a free, Read-Along audio narration. To ensure an authentic and engaging experience, we handpicked native-speaking children instead of adults to record the audio. By involving children in the narration, we create a learning and playful atmosphere where young readers feel like they're reading with a friend. This camaraderie fosters active listening which facilitates faster acquisition of words and language concepts, such as sentence structure.

  4. Repetition

    Sentence structure is repeated throughout each Poppy and Buddy adventure. This naturally reinforces the correct sentence structure without the need to ‘teach’ grammar.