Aida Flor Renau

GT, DM and Audiolingual Method

First, the Grammar-Translation Method is one of the most traditional methods (dates
back to 18th and 19th century). It was used in the teaching of the ‘dead’ languages
(i.e. Latin and Greek), involving little or no spoken communication.
The goal of this method is to learn a language in order to be able to read its literature
and benefit from intellectual development. Moreover, its main focus is reading and
writing. The grammar was taught deductively and the vocabulary was taught by
reading texts.
The advantage of this method is that there are few demands on teachers and the
disadvantages that language was not used for interaction because the reading
comes first, or that there was no theory from linguistics, psychology or educational
theories.

Second, the Direct Method dates back to the late 19th-early 20th century and it was
the outcome of a reaction against the Grammar-Translation method. It receives its
name from the fact that meaning is to be connected directly to the target language,
without going through the process of translating into the students’ native language.
The vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects and pictures, and
association of ideas. The oral communication skills were organised in
question-and-answers exchanges between teachers and students in small, intensive
classes. Moreover, the grammar was taught inductively.
The advantage of this method is that it is successful in private language schools with
highly motivated students, and the disadvantages are that it required teachers who
were native speakers or with a native-like fluency in the FL, it is dependent on
teachers’ skills (not all could follow the method), and it is counterproductive (not
using the L1).
 Aida Flor Renau

Finally, the Audiolingual Method has its origins in World War II when the United
States entered into war and there was a need for people to learn FLs rapidly for
military purposes. The Army method consisted of a Native speaker (source of
phrases and vocabulary), 10 hours a day, six days a week (intense) and small
classes with excellent results. To add more, the objectives of this method were
listening comprehension, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.
The learning and teaching activities were dialogues (repetition and memorisation),
and drills (after dialogue to practice grammar). Language was learnt by presenting it
in spoken form before written form, and meaning was learnt in a linguistic and
cultural context.
The disadvantage of this method is that it was unable to transfer what was learnt in
the classroom to the real world and the learning experience was conceived as
boring and unsatisfying.

UNIT 1

In this unit I’ve learned that the components of a method are the approach, the
design, and the procedure.
This unit is also a focus on the methods of the XXth century such as:
- The Grammar-Translation Method: to learn a language in order to be able to
read its literature and benefit from intellectual development.
- The Direct Method: meaning is to be connected directly to the target
language, without going through the process of translating into the students’
native language.
- Audiolingualism: to learn FLs rapidly for military purposes.