Historical overview of language teaching methodology

European PROFESSIONALISM - School Concepts in Europe

Grammar-translation Direct Method Audiolingual/audiovisual Cognitive Approach Communicative Methods

method Method
- Community Language
Learning
- The Silent Way
- Suggestopedia
- Total Physical Response
th th th
Origin 18 and 19 century End 19 century 1950s 1960s 1970s – 1980s

Linguistic basis Greek and Latin Based on natural Based on research in Cognitive approach to Functional-notional theory
translation, written, acquisition of first linguistics and psychology psychology; Chomsky
formal, literary language, association from 1930s – 1950s. (Universal Grammar), Piaget
language rules from psychology, Structuralism, contrastive (holistic approach: language
independent language linguistics (comparison of acquisition dependent on
system first and foreign language) cognitive development)
Behaviourism (input –
output)
Focus Linguistic knowledge, Spoken language Spoken language (being Acquire language to interact Free to speak, learning by
learning rules by heart able to speak) in everyday with the environment, doing, using language in
situations, model structured discourse cultural context, active use
sentences, of language
listening/speaking before
reading/writing, automatic
use of model sentences
Role of first Translation from first First language is not Taught in target language Taught in target language Minimal use of first

www.european-teachers.eu
Historical overview of language teaching methodology
European PROFESSIONALISM - School Concepts in Europe

Grammar-translation Direct Method Audiolingual/audiovisual Cognitive Approach Communicative Methods

method Method
- Community Language
Learning
- The Silent Way
- Suggestopedia
- Total Physical Response
language language into foreign used. Taught solely in language, maximum use of
language and vice- in target language. target language
versa. Taught mainly in
first language.

Learning Teacher-centered Teacher facilitates Teacher controls learning Teacher creates stress-free, Learners are involved in
environment learning process, process relaxed environment, learning process which
speaks target language encourages learner to use the teacher facilitates
without any accent language
Error correction Focus on accuracy Focus on accuracy. Focus on accuracy. Model Focus on accuracy Content come before
Every error is Errors are corrected, sentences are to be used Structures should be used as accuracy (especially in
corrected, no room for focus on correct correctly and reformulated, models, being creative with speaking). Apart from
creativity, focus on pronunciation only very limited opportunity language is only possible linguistic aspects,
reproducing accurate to use the language when using the given assessment focuses on
model sentences structures situational use of the
language

www.european-teachers.eu