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    POST METHOD ERA

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    26 views10 pages

    Post Method Era

    Uploaded by

    Aleja Vergara

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    INTRODUCTION In the century spanning the mid-1880s to the mid-1980s, the language teaching profession ‘was involved in what many pedagogical experts would call a search. That search was for a single, ideal method, generalizable across widely varying audiences, that would successfully teach students a foreign language in the classroom. Historical accounts of the profession tend, therefore, to describe a succession of methods, each of which is more or less discarded in due course as a new method takes its place. I will comment on “the changing winds and shifting sands” (Marckwardt, 1972, p. 5) of that history momentarily; but first, we should try to understand what we mean by method What is a method? More than three decades ago, Edward Anthony (1963) gave us 4 definition that has quite admirably withstood the test of time. His concept of method ‘was the second of three hierarchical elements, namely, approach, method, and technique. ‘An approach, according to Anthony, was a set of assumptions dealing with the nature of language, learning, and teaching. Method was defined as an overall plan for systematic presentation of language based on a selected approach. It followed that techniques were specific classroom activities consistent with a method, and therefore in harmony with an approach as well. Some disagreement over Anthony's definition can occasionally be found in the litera- ture. For Richards and Rodgers (1986), method was an umbrella term to capture redefined approaches, designs, and procedures. Similarly, Prabhu (1990) thought of method as both classroom activities and the theory that informs them, Despite these and a handful of other attempted redefinitions (see Pennycook, 1989), we still commonly refer to methods in terms of Anthony's earlier understanding. For most researchers and practicing teachers, a method is a set of theoretically unified classroom techniques thought to be generaliz~ able across a wide variety of contexts and audiences. Thus, for example, we speak of the ° [is 1 bats Atiotngiat Method, the Ditet Method, and ofthe Silent Way or Supgesiopeia alas meted METHODS: A CENTURY-OLD OBSESSION Ironically th whole concep of separate methods is no longer cent sse in language leaching practice Geo Kumaravadely, 1994 amongothes) Infact iabiomid 10805 HH Stem (985, p. 251) lamented our “century-o obsession,” our prolonged preoccupation Ivith methods tat has been increasingly unpenctive and misguided" as we vainly searched forthe ltimate method tht would serve athe inal newer. "That search might be said to have begun around 1880 with Pango Goui’s pub leaion of The Ar of Teaching and Leaning Foreign Languages (1880), in which his Series Method was advocated. This ae followed a the tn of he century bythe Dict Method of Charles Berlitz The Avdiongual Method of the Ine 1940s and the so-called (Copatve-Code Learning Method ofthe early 1960s followed. Ten, in a bust f iano ‘ation, the “spirited seventies” ike o eer to the, brought ws what David Numan (98) termed the “designer” methods: Commanity Languisge Learning, the Silent Wo Suagestopedi, Total Physical Response, and others. This ater lary was not unlike an tatler period ia the fl of psychatherapy which burgoned with pedro reds” of therapy: some of the “designe” terms of tht era were T group encounter group, anal- cal Gestalt, marathon group conjoint fam, sack chen-centered andnarcoss heaps, ‘ei narcosis, iochomotherapy td analyte pychobilogy ‘Why are methods oo linger the lesions four langage teaching joumey ehrough ‘ime? Our requiem fr methods might ist four possible causes of demise: | Methods ae to prescriptive assuming too mach abou context before the comet has even fen identified, They are therefore enerpeneralized nthe potential application wo practical siatons ‘Geneily, methods are quite distinctive atthe early, beginning stages ofa language ‘sours and tater indstnguishable fom each ocr at ater stages. nthe fist fw {daysof Community Language Learning ls, for example the students watess@ unique set of experiences in ther mallee of trnslted language whispered in ther cars, But, within a mater of weeks, sich classrooms can bok ike any eter Icamercetered cuca 3. Teves onoe hough th mato could be epic ested hy sini ‘quantfcation to determine which ane is "best" We have wow discovered that Something as al and intuitive a language pedagogy cannot exer be 9 clearly ‘erie by empirical validation 4. Methods te laden with what Peaaycook (1989) eerted to a5 “interested owes” — the qus-pltialo moroenary agendas of thse proponenis, Recent ‘srk inthe power and polos of English anguoge teaching ee. especialy, Pennycook, 184% olefin, 1995; an Holliy. 194) he demonstrated tht tod fen the cetions ofthe powerful “cete” become weiss of inguistic impels (Phillipson, 192) targeting the dsempowered perpen: Davi Numan (1991. 228) summed it pricey thas been realise that there never was and probably never wil be a me ‘hod forall and the focus in resent years as beea onthe development of Engh Language echng nthe “Posse” Ea ‘lasroom tasks an aetives which ate consonant wth what we know shout secon! Ianguageaeinon, and which are alain Keeping ith the dynamics ofthe clascoom itl, ‘PRINCIPLED APPROACH ‘And so, a: we ly ort the mato that have become xo flint un ent decades, ‘what assurance do we have today of the viability of ur Language teaching proestion? “Through the 1970s aint the eay 19805, thee was a ood deal of hoopla about the “designe” maths. Ee hough hey were nol widely adopted stan of practice ey were nevertheless symoie of profession at least partly cayght wp in 2 mad sramble Toimventa new method when te very concept of method was eroding unde ur fet We ‘ido needanew method. We needed nsteat 0 get on withthe bsines Fung OXF ‘ppoach wo ngage teaching and of designing eflecive tasks und cbs formed by that spprnach By te cod ofthe 1980, such an appcoch was clearly becoming evident in twoching pacts werk. We hd iar some profound lessons from our pst wanderings. We Fad learned to make enlightened choices of teaching pact hat wer solidly rounds inthe est of what we ew abou econ language leaving and teaching. We hada ‘enough esearch on leaning ad eaching as mull of cortex that We wore indeed forming an nerd approach o language pedagogy OF course, we had notes a theoretical mountanto by any means mich esis aillemsine-toeguentonet san investigated Traub clea from the forepsing that, as “enlightened” teaches, we ca thinkin terms ofa numberof posible methodoogical ~ ot, shall We sy, pedgogical ~ options ‘oar dips for ailering cane to prialr contexts Our appro — or theory of Tanguage and language luring ~ therefore takes on pest importance. One's pprose language teaching isthe theoretical ational that undetes everything that happens athe lasso tis the cumulative Body’ of krowledge and pps that enables teachers 2s "echncins” inthe elssoom. to diagnos the ned of student, to teat students with succesful pddgogia techniques. and oases the outcome of thos ements. "An ppreach to languige pedagogy tous et of sul principles "et in ste" is infact dynamic compas of energies within a eacher that changes (ex shouk change ifone iss growing teacher with continued expecence in earning and caching. Thesis fartoo mach that we dono know collectively about ths proces, and thee ae foo many ew esearch findings pouring in, to seu tha a eacer can conde asset that he of ‘he knows everthing that needs tobe known abou language ad langutge leaning. (Oneteachers approach may; ofcourse differon various ase fromthato caleagve, ‘even of “exper inthe fel who difer among themselves. There ae to reasons for Nation ac the aprcuch oe: (1) an apeouch is by dftion dynamic and therefore Subjecto some "Uakeving” ab resultof one’s observation ad experience: and 2) esearch insecond language sequistion and pedagogy almost alnays yeks ndings that are subject, toierpretaton rather than giving conclusive evidence "The ineracton between ons approach nd clasoom practice isthe bey to dyna teaching. The bestcacrs ate able take calculated sks inte clasfoom a ew stadeat need are pereived innovative pedaogical techniques are attempied, andthe follow-up {ssestnent ek an observed jadgment on tei effeciener Initial inspiration for sich imvaion comes en the proach evel, ba he fandack that aches gather om actual implementation ten reshapes sod movies their overall understanding of what lemin fand teaching ae — whi, im tar, may ge Fe 10 new insight aod more innovative Psibiitis, apd the eye comtines [iz dats oe TWaive PRINCIPLES | wou lk suggest that viable cue approaches to language teaching “principe ‘a tat there i perhaps a late umber of general research based principle on Which ‘lasroom practices grou Thetelve peineipls tha isan delne in tisection (ae Brown, 19a, foracomplee discussion with defiatons and example) are an inexbausive numberof whit woud assert tobe relatively widely accepted thoetical assumptions about cond language scqulstion. Tete sometimes dlagrcrent in their ltepettion and ther application inthe elon, but hey nevertheless compte a body Of eons ‘which Tew would dispute as ental to most language acgustion comets. They are ely ammrized ber | avrommary ficient second language leursig inoles a timely movement of the cont! of afew language forms nthe somatic processing o relatively unlimited numberof anguage forms Overanalsinglangsge thinking to mach abot forms, an consciously Inger ‘ng on aes of language al teat impede this gradation to automatic 2. MEANINGFUL LEARNING “Meaningful learning will od toward better long-term retention than rote Iain. Ot mong many examples of meaningul earning i ound in content-centered approaches to language teaching. 2. THe ANTICIPATION OF REWARD man bing ar universally riven tat. ortehav,”by the anticipation of some se of reward tangible or ltngile, short-term lng tha wl ene result ofthe Iehavor. Although ng-term success in lnguage earning requires a mere intnsc mvive (Gee 4 belon) the power of ianedite rewards in wlnguage clan is undeniable, One of the ass of the eacher st create opportunities forthose memet-by-moment rads hat can Keep classrooms Interesting. oc exch. 4. TANS MOTHATION Sometimes, renard.diven behavior is dependent on earnestly amiistred by someone else maivation. Buta mere ponerflcatezory of rend isone Which sinins- cally driven within the leuner. Wea beavio stems fom neds, ans, ods Within ‘ones the Behavior ise asthe potential tobe sl evading In sucha cones, ete fly administered reads are urmecessy: learners ae ely to miata the behavior Ieyond the inmate presence of eae, areata dhe tes. 5. STRATEGIC mvESTMENT Successful mastery of the second language willbe, to large extent, he result of learner's own personal “investment” of ine efor, and attention to the second language inthe form ofan idle tery of srategies for comprehenng and pring te newage, 6. uncusce £60 Ashman beings kar o se second language, they develop a new mode of thinking, {cong and acting asecond deni. The new Language ep,” aetna with he second langage canciily create withthe leaner scr of fri efensveness, anda rasng of inhibins, Engh Language echng nthe “Posse” Ea 7. seumconnosnce ‘The eventual success tat earners atin in a tsk spray factor ofthc belc tat they lndoed ae rully capable of accomplishing the ak Self-staom, test lol sel estaom, Hist he rots of vena iinment 8. RISK TAKING Succesfl language lamers i thelist appraisal of themels as vulnerable beings det capable of accomplishing tks, ante wing to become “gamblers in the game of lemguaze to atompt to produc and to interpret language tha it beyond thei absolute corny 9. THE LANGUAGE-CULTURE CONNECTION ‘Whenever you tech language, you also tach complex systom of cultural customs sales and ways of thinking, fesing, and ating 10, THe Narve LANGUAGE ExFECT “The ative langage of leaves will be a Bighlysigifeant system on which learners Wil ely to predict the tape languge system. Alunough Ut ative syst will ecreise bot faciitatng and itertring pone end negative taser effects onthe prodtion and comprehension ofthe new language, the interfering fects are key tobe the most He nvreancunce Secondlaguuge lames tendo gothnoughasysematicorquasisystematedevelopental proces asthe progres ofall competene in the tet ngage, Soecosfal interne ‘development is partly a factor of ling feedback frm ates. Teachers in language “lass can provide such feedback, bu more smpoctan, ca help learhers o generate theron feedback ouside of he language classroom. 12. communtcarve COMPETENCE ‘Given that communicative competence isthe goal of nguage claro. nstaction needs o pot toward allo its compacts cezanizatonal, pragmatic strates, and Ps- ‘Somotore, Communicative gos te es achieved by giving de steton to langage ise not sae, o Bercy and not accacy, othe lagged contexts nt fosters’ event need to apply elas lari heretofore aneteare contexts inthe rel world [DiAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND ASSESSMENT {A peiaciped approach wo language teaching encourages the lnguage teacher to engage in ‘carefully erated process of diagnosis, treament, and assessment enables ws inal twaccoun for communicative and siwatonl needs anticipated among designated arcs, ‘a! diagnose appropriate crcl treatment fr tone specie leas in their dsine tive context and fr thei particular gal Ic elps us then to devise effective pedagogial ‘objetives which hive taken ito acsoant al he context varies in lnsroom. A Sound, compretensiv approach underlies the creation of sto eng experiences that ace appropriate, given spesii context and parposes, for relizing exblihed objectives Tronablos wacker ostsoss what wont ight and what Went wrong ia sso, that 19 systematically eve the acsompishment of carcular objectives, And itasssts them i revising actives, lessons, materi and cuca [ia 1 brats pincnosis ‘Thefrstphaseofthedignosticstage of language pedagogy begins withcuricularplans and conoes a an ongoing mnlorngprocen inte carom, Language cucu call for sn Ina stay of what Richard 190 calls situational” nods o he content ofthe caching. Siuationa ness include consideration ofthe country ofthe estitation, te socioeconomic 'nd edational background ofthe stents the speci purposes the sens ise in leaning stngusge, and instill constr that are imposed o accu, Some of he twelve pincipe cited earl come ino playin slang station ned: ‘+ Istanguageprofceney perceived by student as intisiilly motivating? {+ Towshar ext wll te Language in question involve students in wresting swith "new entity” and therefore imply ngage go abe? ‘+ Whats the olationip ben the tage language ad the mane cals of the stents? A host of cher etucaionsl,sciologial and adisisaive peiciples come to bear in specifying situational needs these ate at 3 Fe. ‘The second pase of euvicular development is spied by the specication of linguistic ~ somtimes calle "commnictve”~ needs the specific langege forms an fuetons hat should be programmed int’ course of sud. ete agin certain pieples of euning and teaching inform our cic + Powe reap ung cones nga “+ How shold interangungesytematiciy and variation aft curiclm designe? 4+ What do suis of coneastv anal imertanguage sad communicative competence tll us about the sequensing of igus forms and functions ‘carci? ‘+ Hon can he curicuum realize the peicipte of authenticity? Ot equalimponace inthe planing sages of language course isthe specie lagna Licassessment af each stent up ete a progr. Once couses hve bea curetlly panned ih pedagosical options intricately woven i, how ean eahers anor dmins- ttre bese diagno slots nd ars, carefully elicng langge pron std ompretension om he pst of every stent? Hom shuld howe esas be messed nd asessdin Sich a Way thatthe language course ean be either sigh o reall ode ied to meet the neds ofthe pariculr sient who happen to heim ones ass this ‘None of these complex gestions can be awed with the linguage teaching poe sions recently intered methods! The ericial impor of the diagnose hase of language oaresprecises my consideration of methods tha re prepckaged for divert all learners One ofthe principal elds of inguiry i the profession tay this very sage of diagnosis, hat of more adequately pinpointing laren ngwsic nts as hey eter program of stn. ‘TREATMENT, ‘One maybe tempi to think of eam asthe appropriate stage forthe aplisstion of ‘methods- One canst nd poople ruin, for example thatiadiagnostic phase discovered Tcomers honed «great dal of pyc activity, ite metalingiic explanation, ond a sronaly dete teacher. den surly Total Pysial Response (TPR) i the teament Engh Language echng nthe “Posse” Ea that should he offered. The problem with his conlison tha itis over generalize’ ant ‘mach oo resricive. Cera earners can indeed benefit frm occasional des of TPR like" techniques, but ceria the ermpleiy ofthe second language acquisition process \vasrants a mulple-Ueatmeat, maliphase approach 1 a language couse. The prtciples tha collectively under the method as we Knew them provide a few valid eoreates of an ‘gph to diagnosis and eaten, but single meth covers fr to mre 3 Band of passbilitistosufice fora whole curiealum. ‘Second language "weatmens” may bo thought of s couse of study of, bate, St of lewning experiences, designed oat learner neds exposed by diagnostic assesment, Forsch reatmens the profesion offers an extraordinai arge numberof options Com sider, jst a start the hit oight language teaching techniques eatgorzed by Crookes tnd Chaudron (1991, 52-34, angi fom cortolled (ils dialogs read loud, splay quesionlaness, et semicontoled (ferential qustonanswes ced raves information pop astites, et.) 0 free (role-play, problem solving interviews, ‘cussions, ee). Consider as well an abundance of wholoas, group Work, and pair ‘work ctiite at our disposal. Ths, just eke a lok athe mountain of extbooks ad ther mails repeseted at amar lnguage teaching conference! I ste teachers ask 1

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