Second Language

Teaching Methods

Prepared by : Heydari
 Outline
Ⅰ.Introduction
Ⅱ.The Grammar-Translation Method
Ⅲ. The Direct Methods
Ⅳ. Audio-lingual Method
Ⅴ.Communicative Language Teaching
Ⅵ. Other Teaching Methods
Ⅶ. Summary
 ⅠIntroductio.
. n
i. What Is Teaching Method?
Teaching method is a way of teaching a
language which is based on systematic
principles and procedures, i.e., which is
an application of views on how a
language is best taught and learned.
ii. Seven Teaching Methodologies

 The Grammar-Translation Method

 The Direct Methods
 Audio-lingualism
 The Situational Language Teaching
 Communicative Language Teaching
 Humanistic Approaches
 Task-based Teaching
 Ⅱ.The GrammaTranslation
Method
i. Background
The grammar-translation method of foreign
language teaching is one of the most tradi-
tional methods, dating back to the late nine-
teenth and early twentieth centuries. It was
originally used to teach 'dead' languages
(and literatures) such as Latin and Greek,
and this may account for its heavy bias to-
wards written work to the virtual exclusion
of oral production.
 ii. The Principal Characteristics

 Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue.

 Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word
lists.
 Elaborate explanations of grammar are always
provided.
 Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the
course of study.
 Little attention is paid to the content of texts.
 Often the only drills are exercises in translating
disconnected sentences.
 Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.
 iii. Drawbacks

 No class time is allocated to allow students

to produce their own sentences.
 There is often little contextualization of the
grammar
 The type of error correction can be harmful
to the students’ learning processes.
 II. The Direct Method
i. Background: a reaction to the grammar-
translation approach in an attempt to integrate
more use of the target language in instruction.

ii. The Principal Characteristics

 Only use the target language in class.
 The learner should be actively involved in using
the language in realistic everyday situations.
 Students are encouraged to think in the target
language.
 First speaking is taught and then only reading
and writing.
 iii. Drawbacks
 L2 should be learned in way in which L1 was ac-
quired - by total immersion technique.
 It rejects use of the printed word - but this objec-
tion is illogical since L2 learner has already mas-
tered his reading skills.
 Later disciples of Direct Method took it to extremes
and refused to speak a single word of English in
lessons.
 Also Direct Methodists failed to grade and struc-
ture their materials adequately - no selection,
grading or controlled presentation of vocabulary
and structures.
 iv. Strategies Using Direct Method
 Q & A: The teacher asks questions of any nature
and the students answer.
 Dictation: The teacher chooses a grade appro-
priate passage and reads the text aloud.
 Reading Aloud: Students take turn reading sec-
tions of a passage, play or dialog out loud.
 Getting Students to Self-Correct: The teacher
should have the students self-correct by offering
them a choice between what they said and the
proper pronunciation.
 Map Drawing
 III. Audiolingual Method
i. Background
This method is based on the principles
of behavior psychology. It adapted
many of the principles and procedures
of the Direct Method, in part as a re-
action to the lack of speaking skills of
the Reading Approach.
 ii. The Method Characteristics
 D e p e n d e n c e on mimicry and memorization
of set phrases
 T e a c h i n g structural patterns by means
of repetitive drills
 N o grammatical explanation
 L e a r n i n g vocabulary in context
 U s e of tapes and visual aids
 F o c u s on pronunciation
 I m m e d i a t e reinforcement of correct
responses
 iii. Strategies

 Dialog Memorization
 Backward Build Up
 Transformation Drill
 Complete the Dialog
 Dictation
 Flashcards
 Ⅳ. CommunicativeLanguage
Teaching
i. Background
The communicative approach could be said to be the product
of educators and linguists who had grown dissatisfied with
the audio-lingual and grammar-translation methods of foreign
language instruction.
The origins of Communicative Language Teaching are to be
found in the changes in the British languages teaching tradi-
tion dating from the late 1960s. Interest in and development
of communicative-style teaching mushroomed in the 1970s;
authentic language use and classroom exchanges where
students engaged in real communication with one another
became quite popular.
 ii. The Principal Characteristics
 Learner-Centered
The role of the instructor in CLT is quite differ-
ent from traditional teaching methods. In the
traditional classroom, the teacher is in charge
and "controls" the learning. In CLT the teacher
serves as more of a facilitator, allowing stu-
dents to be in charge of their own learning.
•Communication
Language is used for
communication. For this
reason, CLT makes use
of communication to
teach languages. CLT
emphasizes real-life situ-
ations and communica-
tion in context. While gra-
mmar is still important in
the CLT classroom, the
emphasis is on communi-
cating a message.
• Social Context
CLT also stresses
social and situational
contexts of communi-
cation. In CLT, stu-
dents learn about
language in social
contexts, such as the
difference between
speaking with an
elder and a peer.
 iii. CLT and Multimedia
Multimedia is an ideal way to teach lan-
guage using CLT as the theory. It allows for
realistic simulations of communicative situ-
ations. Many such programs are games,
such as "A la rencontre de Philipe" or "Who
is Oscar Lake?". They place the learner in a
situation in which understanding basic com-
munication, and social and cultural contexts
are vital to advancing in the game.
Ⅵ. Other TeachingMethods
i. Humanism is described in applied
linguistics as ‘language teaching respecting
the integrity of learners, allowing for per-
sonal growth and responsibility, taking
psychological and affective factors into
account, and representing “whole person
learning”’. The roots of humanism in lan-
guage teaching are various. One central
one is the ‘discovery-learning’ movement.
 Characteristics
(take that of the Silent Way as an example)
 The students have to be fully alert to make
the most of what the teacher says to play
the major part in the learning.
 Various aids are used as simple pointers, or
to make shapes, helping the learners de-
duce the meanings for themselves.
 The method has many traditional aspects,
including use of traditional structural sylla-
buses.
 ii. Task-based Teaching
Task-based teaching has become a subject of
keen contemporary interest, and different task-
based approaches exist today. One underlying
principle holds for all the approaches – to place
the emphasis firmly on activities or tasks that
learners do in class. One thing should be men-
tioned is that, there are a number of features that
will make tasks more or less difficult. So that we
can progressively give our learners tasks where
there are more and more things to think about,
and consequently less and less attention available
for form.
 Ⅶ . Summary
i. Comparison of Different Teaching Method
Figure 1. Teacher & Learner Roles in Different Teaching Methods

Method Teacher’s Roles Learner’s Roles

Situational language Context Setter Imitator
Teaching Error Corrector Memorizer
Audio-lingualism Language Modeler Pattern Practicer
Drill Leader Accuracy Enthusiast
Communicative Language Needs Analyst Improviser
Teaching Task Designer Negotiator
Total Physical Response Commander Commander
Action Monitor Action Monitor
Community Language Counselor Collaborator
Learning Paraphraser Whole Person
The Natural Approach Actor Guesser
Props User Immerser
Suggestopedia Auto-hypnotist Relaxer
Authority Figure True-Believer
 ii. What's Now, What's Next?
The future is always uncertain, and this is no less
true in anticipating methodological directions in
second language teaching than in any other field.
Some current predictions assume the carrying on
and refinement of current trends; others appear a
bit more science-fiction-like in their vision.
However, the future of L2 teaching methodologies,
as yet not fully explored, is associated with what
might be called a ‘cognitive approach to language
learning’. Perhaps this cognitive, or information-
processing approach is where the future lies.