Natural learning is also known as Unschooling (mainly in America) and Informal Learning (mainly in England). Natural learning is the Australian term. Other terms include ‘self-directed learning’ and ‘delight-led learning’.

The terms are often used interchangably although there may be some subtle differences to purists. For example strict ‘unschoolers’ would consider other home educators not to be ‘unschooling’ if they had text books in the home, others would consider textbooks fine as long as they were used as resources rather than as curriculum material.