THE ORAL APPROACH

AND
SITUATIONAL LANGUAGE TEACHING

DR. MUNTHIR SHAKIR

Introduction
Situational language teaching is a term not commonly used
today, but it is an approach developed by British applied
linguists in the 1930s to the 1960s, and which had an impact on
language courses which survive in some still being used today
(Richards & Rogers, 1986). The Oral Approach and Situational
Language Teaching relied on the structural view of language.
Both speech and structure were seen to be the basis of language
and, especially, speaking ability.
Vocabulary control
The Vocabulary was seen as an essential component for reading
proficiency. The second emphasis was on reading skills.

Grammar control
The interest was focus on the grammatical content of a language course.
It has been believed that an analysis of English and a classification of its
principal grammatical structures into sentence patterns (or situational
tables) could be used to assist learners to internalize the rules and
sentence structures.
Approach
Theory of language
The Structural view of language is the view behind the Oral Approach and
Situational Language Teaching. The speech was viewed as the basis of language
and structure as being at the heart of speaking ability.

Theory of learning
Teaching is behaviourism, addressing more the processes, than the conditions of
learning. It includes the following principles;
1. Language learning is habit-formation.
2. Mistakes are bad and should be avoided, as they make bad habits.
3. Language skills are learned more effectively if they are presented orally first,
then in written form.
4. The meanings of words can be learned only in a linguistic and cultural context.
Design
Objectives
1. Teach a practical command of the four basic skills of a language,
through the structure.
2. Accuracy in both pronunciation and grammar.
3. Ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations.
4. Automatic control of basic structures and sentence patterns
The syllabus
Situational Language Teaching used a structural syllabus and a word
list, where the structures are always taught within sentences, and
vocabulary is chosen according to how well it enables sentences
patterns to be taught. Example by Frisby about the typical structural
syllabus around which situational teaching was based:

Lesson Sentence pattern vocabulary

1st lesson This is………………….. book, ruler, pencil, board, desk,
That is ………………………..
2nd lesson These are ……………………. chairs, pictures, copybooks,
Those are…………………………. rulers, pictures

3rd lesson Is this…………………………..? watch, box, pen,

Is that………………………….?
Types of learning and teaching activities
Situational Language Teaching employs a situational approach to presenting new
sentence pattern and drill-based manner of practicing them. By situation
(Pittman) means the use of:
❖ Concrete objects (realia)
❖ Pictures
❖ Actions gestures can be used to demonstrate the meanings of new
language items
The role of instructional material
Situational Language Teaching is dependent upon:
Textbook: Contains organized lessons planned about different grammatical
structures.
Visual aids: They are produced by the teacher or commercially produced. They
consist of wall charts, flashcards, pictures and so on.
Learner roles
In the initial stages, the learner is required simply to:
Listen and repeat what the teacher says.
Respond to questions and commands
Teacher roles
In the presentation stage, the teacher serves as a model (setting up situations)
Then he becomes like the skilful conductor.
procedure
The typical procedure in Situational Language Teaching includes :
Procedures that move from controlled to the freer practice of structures.
Procedures that move from oral use of sentence patterns to their automatic use
in speech, reading and writing.

A typical situational Language Teaching lesson would start with stress and
intonation practice. Then the main body of the lesson might consist of:
pronunciation
Revision (to prepare for new work if necessary)
Presentation of new structure or vocabulary
Oral practice (drilling)
Reading of material on the new structure, or written exercises.
Activity Representing the Method
Class with the Oral Approach Method
First activity: The students should say sentences representing that they can see in the
pictures. They have to say immediately what the pictures represent.

Example: The student said:

Second activity: The teacher will show some images to the
Yesterday it was sunny and today it’s raining. student and the teacher will say the action that is happening in
the pictures. The students have to repeat that at least 2times.
There is a book and there are two students.
She was eating noodles.
They were cooking fruit.
Advantages
• Suitable for introduction to the language.
• Oral production without risk.
• An accessible method for teachers if they have a good
curriculum.
• It is a method that does not require many resources
• It is a good method if we use it in teaching
pronunciation or vocabulary
• Its strong emphasis on oral practice, grammar and
sentence patterns conform to the intuitions of many
practically-oriented classroom teachers.
Disadvantages
1. A boring teacher who is not sure about he's teaching.
2. The learner has no control over the content of
learning. He is required simply to listen and repeat
what the teacher says and to respond to questions and
commands.
3. This method does not account for the fundamental
characteristic of language namely the creativity and
uniqueness of individual sentences.