HCMC University of Education Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)

Department of English- ELT Module 1

A BRIEF ‘METHODICAL’ HISTORY OF LANGUAGE TEACHING

 Phase 1: Traditional Approaches (up to the late 1960s)
 Phase 2: Classic Communicative Language Teaching (1970s to 1990s)
 Current Trends In Communicative Language Teaching

I. SOME BASIC CONCEPTS:

METHODOLOGY: A general term for the study of the teaching of languages encompassing many methods, procedures
and techniques and based on certain theoretical frameworks.

APPROACH: A set of beliefs based on certain theories of learning and theories of language. e.g. the aural-oral approach,
the cognitive code approach, the communicative approach etc.

METHOD: A term to refer to the way a language is taught and the principles behind the procedures used. e.g. The Audio-
Lingual Method ( a specific set of procedures), The Direct Method etc.

TECHNIQUES: Specific procedures used to accomplish an immediate objective e.g. concept questions, oral drills, dialogue-
building etc.

The Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (Richards, Platt and Weber, 1985) sums up these definitions as:
=> Different theories about the nature of language and how languages are learned (the approach) imply different ways
of teaching language (the method) and different methods make use of different kinds of classroom activity (the
technique).

II. APPROACHES AND METHODS:

Approaches= theories about the nature of language & language learning
- how language components/items
- how people use language
- how people acquire knowledge
Difference approaches => different methods

In this course, four major methods will be analysed:

1. Grammar-Translation Method
2. Direct Method
3. Audio-lingual Method
4. Communicative Lang. Teaching
…
=> The following approach is usually the reaction to the previous one.

QUESTIONS
1- What is another name for GTM? Why does it have this name?
2- When did it come into being?
3- State its purposes.

I. Introduction
GTM was also called since it was languages, Latin and Greek.

Beginning at century, it was used in the teaching of Latin and Greek.

II.Aims:
- to help Ss and appreciate L2 literature,

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 - to make Ss more familiar with the of L1 through studying Gr. of L2
 they can speak and write L1 better,
- Ss become /

III. EXPERIENCE

IV. OBSERVATIONS & PRINCIPLES

V. REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES

1. Goals
Be able to read in L1
• Develop ss’ mind
Techniques:
Learn gram. rules + vocab. & good mental exercises
2. Roles of T. & Ss
• Traditional: T =
Ss=
3. Teaching/learning process
A. the passage aloud
B. the passage into the native language
C. the new vocabulary
D. and answer questions

Ask and answer questions:

1. Qs: information contained within the reading passage.
2. Qs: based on their understanding of the passage.
3. Referential Qs: Qs related to their own experience.

E. Practice on new vocabulary

1. a list of new vocabulary into the native language.
2. Antonyms/synonyms
3. : the similarities of two languages

F. Practice on grammar: Deductive application of grammar rules

a. Statements of grammar rules
b. Application of the rules in language expression: fill-in-the-banks

G. Homework:
1. the vocabulary with the native language translation
2. the translation of the reading passage into the native langue
3. the grammar rules
4. a composition

4. Interaction
Most of the time: T  Ss
Ss  Ss = NO

5. Ss’ feelings: No principles

6 & 7 Language & culture

• Literary language
• Vocab. = gram.

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 • Reading & writing, no spoken & listening skill, no pronun.
• Culture: Literature + fine arts

8. Role of L1: L1 for translating text; for instructions

9. Evaluation
• Written tests: translation
• Questions for comprehension, Qs for applying gram. Rules

VI. TYPICAL TECHNIQUES

• of a lit. passage
• Reading comprehension Qs
• /synonyms
• Cognates
• Deductive application of rule
• Fill-in-the-blanks
•
• Use words in sentences
•

SUMMARY
Content & Characteristics:
1. Classes are taught in the , with little active use of the target language.
2. Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words.
3. Long, elaborate explanations of the intricacies of grammar are given.
4. provides the rules for putting words together, and often
focuses on the form and inflection of words.
5. Reading of text is begun early.
6. Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.
7. Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the
mother tongue.
8. Little or no attention is given .

Questions for discussion & application:

1. What are the underlying theories of linguistics & lg. learning for the GTM? Justify your answer.
2. Why can most VN lrs. do written tests well but their listening & speaking skills are not good?
3. Although this method is traditional, many VN teachers still prefer it. Give specific examples to explain their
preferences.
4. Describe some teaching situations in which you may use GTM.
5. What are the contributions of GTM to modern language teaching?
6. Ask Reading comprehension questions (Finding information in a passage, making inferences and relating
to personal experience) for these short texts:
- Beaches are filled with plastic bags, pieces of glass and cigarettes butts. This makes the sea
polluted and endangers sea plants and animals.
- When she opened the envelop and read the letter, she found she had won the first prize: £ 5,000!
She wondered whether to spend it or save it.
- Mr. Smith hates getting up early. He loves to stay in bed late. During the week he gets up at 8
o’clock but at weekends he sometimes stays in bed until 10
- After you retire, you can learn new things such as a foreign language or painting. You also have
more time for hobbies. In addition, young people respect you more and take your advice more
seriously. Therefore, old age has some advantages.

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SOME QUESTIONS FOR REVISION (MIDTERM):
1. Discuss the differences between Behaviorism and Mentalism and their application in language teaching
and learning.
2. Discuss how the Affective Factors and Acquisition and Learning are applied to language teaching.
3. Explain the two forms of motivation and their application in language teaching.
4. What is “base line talk”? What is modified speech? What should be borne in mind when modifying base
line talk to address non - native speakers?
5. What are the five names of the adjusted speech for first language and its features? State its features. //
What are some different names of the adjusted speech for first language acquisition and what are its
features?
6. List four characteristics of good language learners that you think are important for their success in
language learning. Support your answer with your own learning experience.
7. Discuss how languages are taught according to behaviorist view.
8. Discuss the role of behaviorism and cognitivism in the teaching and learning of a language.
9. How would you modify the following input to address a group of pre-intermediate learners:
a. The livelihood of each species in the vast and intricate assemblage of living things depends on the existences of
other organisms; this interdependence is sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious.
b. Positive stress, as it is known, can spur us on to greater heights by increasing awareness which, in turn, helps us
to lead a fuller, more satisfying life.
c. Drivers often have an over-inflated opinion of their own driving abilities and think that most other people on the
road fall well below their own high standards.
d. “For employees whose jobs involve sitting at a terminal or word processor entering data or typing reports, the
location of the computer is of no consequence.”
e. “A 24-year-old bank clerk has begun a week-long stay in a “microflat’ specially constructed in a shop window
on London’s Oxford Street.”
10. Discuss the essential factors for acquisition to take place.
11. Distinguish between learning and acquisition and tell what the teacher should do to help the sts acquire
the target language.
12. What are the principles and implication of Mentalism in language teaching and learning?

MIDTERM TEST (2B)

Date: 14th April, 2013
Time limit: 60 minutes

BRIEFLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss the importance of problem solving activities and patterned drills in language teaching. (2 pts)
2. Write down the rules/ patterns that you, as the teacher, show your students when teaching them the following
sentences as well as three good examples to help the students correctly induce these structures: (2 pts)
a. Hard as he worked, he never earned enough money.
b. The reason for this is the manufacturers have to include a lot of vitamins to satisfy the law.
3. Discuss the values of teacher talk in English Language Teaching. What are some characteristics of this kind of
adjusted speech? How would you modify the following baseline talk to a group of elementary students? (1 pt)
The Eden Project shows the importance of plants and how we depend on them for the air we breathe, the
clothes we wear, and for our food and medicine.
4. In what ways do the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) and the Direct Method (DM) supplement each other?
(1.5 pts)
Questions 5 and 6 are based on the following passage:
These days most people, especially young girls like to look slim. Our grandparents’ tastes were different
from ours but nowadays nobody seems to enjoy looking at fat people. The only thing that is wrong with
this is what a friend of mine said to me the other day: “I don’t mind eating these foods if they help me
to lose weight but why do they taste so awful?” The reason for this is the manufacturers have to include
a lot of vitamins to satisfy the law, so the only sensible advice I could give my friend was: “Eat normal
food, but eat less”.
5. Make 2 factual questions, 1 inferential question, and 1 referential question for the short text above. (1 pt)
6. How would a teacher of the Direct Method show the meanings of these words: slim, lose weight? Comment on
this way of teaching vocabulary in terms of its advantages and disadvantages. (1.5 pts)

THE END 

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 ELT Methodology - Module 1 Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)

THE DIRECT METHOD (DM)

QUESTIONS
1. What is the underlying theory of the DM?
2. When & Why did the DM come into being?
3. State its basic rule.

I. INTRODUCTION
– At the turn of century, this method became widely known.
nd
– By , advocates believed that 2 lg. learning should be more like
.
– basic rule: , no ; meaning is conveyed directly in
through use of demonstrations and visual aids.

DIRECT METHOD: ASSUMPTIONS

1. Second language learning must be an of first language learning.
2. Knowing a language was being able to it.
3. Printed word: from second language learner for as long as possible.
4. The learning of skills should be avoided.

II. AIMS
- to help lrs. use in commu.

III. EXPERIENCE

IV. OBSERVATIONS & PRINCIPLES

1. The teacher places a big map of the united States in the front of the classroom.


2. At the beginning of the class, the teacher asks students to read aloud a passage about the United States
geography first and he points to a part of the map after each sentence is read.
 will be developed through the practice with speaking.


3. Then the teacher uses the target language to ask students if they have any question. If the students have
some, they are asked to use the target language to ask the teacher, too.
 is prohibited.

4. The teacher answers the students’ questions by drawing on the blackboard or giving examples.
No &

5. The teacher asks questions about the map in the target language and the students are asked to reply in a
full sentence in the target language, too.
Ask students to in the as quickly as possible.

6. The teacher encourages his students to ask questions about the map.


7. The teacher will work with students on their wrong pronunciation, and he will also help them to correct
grammar errors by asking them questions to let them choose.


8. The students are asked to practice using prepositions in the lesson by filling in blanks because the teacher
won’t directly teach explicit grammar rules to them.
 be taught inductively.

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 ELT Methodology - Module 1 Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)

9. In order to develop students’ writing abilities, the teacher dictates a paragraph about the geography of the
United States.
 is an important skill.

10. All of the lessons of the week involve the geography of the United States.
Syllabus focus on

11. A proverb is used to discuss in the classroom in order to help students learn how speakers of that
language live.
Learning

V. REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES

1. Goals: Be able in L2.

To do this, Ss should learn to think in L2.

2. Roles of T. & Ss
Ss = less passive
T – ss: like partners (T. directs)

3. Teaching/learning process
- Means of : L2
- Presenting meanings using .
- Ss use L2 a great deal.
- Situational syllabus: based on .
- taught inductively.

4. Interaction T  Ss
St  T
Ss  Ss

5. Ss’ feelings No principles

6 & 7 Language & culture

• language, not written
• Vocab. & gram. of everyday speech, Vocab > gram.
• & people of the target lg. community
• occurs from the start.
• Pronun. paid much attention to from start.

8. Role of L1 No L1 at all

9. Evaluation
• Not focussing on .
• Communicating in both & written skills.

10. T’s response to ss’ errors

• Employing :
- say the correct word
- stop right away & use Or Q. for ss to self-correct.

VI. TYPICAL TECHNIQUES:

•
Students take turns reading. At the end of each student’s turn, the teacher uses gestures, pictures, realia,
examples, or other means to make the meaning clear.

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 ELT Methodology - Module 1 Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)

• Q – A exercise
- only in target language
- Students ask questions and answer in full sentences

• Getting ss to
- by asking them to make a choice
- using a questioning voice
- stopping before the error

• Conversation practice
- Teacher asks students some questions in the target language
- questions contained a particular grammar structure (T→S; S→S)

• exercise
- all the items are in the target language
- no explicit grammar rules would be applied

• Dictation
- Teacher reads the passage 3 times
- normal speed
- phrase by phrase with pausing long
- normal speed again

• Paragraph writing

VII. SUMMARY
This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation approach in an attempt to
integrate more use of the target language in instruction.
1. Lessons were conducted exclusively in L2.
2. Only simple vocabulary and sentences about everyday activities were taught.
3. Oral communication skills were developed on the basis of the question- and-answer exchanges between
teachers and students in small, intensive classes.
4. Grammar was taught inductively, that means rules are generalized from the practice and experience with
the target language.
5. New teaching points were introduced orally.
6. Concrete vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects and pictures
e.g : - teacher says to students : “Look at my face. I am smiling,” to show the meaning of the word
“smile” (demonstration)
- teacher points to his eyes and says: “here are my eyes” (real object)
- teacher shows a picture of a river and says: “ this is a river” (picture)
Abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas:
e.g to teach the word: lazy, the teacher says: “Nam is a lazy boy. He does nothing all day. He only eats and
sleeps.”
7. Both speaking and listening comprehension were taught.
8. Great attention was given to correct pronunciation.

=> These principles are seen in the following guidelines for teaching oral language :
- Never translate: demonstrate.
- Never explain: act
- Never make a speech: ask questions
- Never imitate mistakes: correct
- Never speak with single word: use sentences
- Never speak too much: make students speak much.
- Never use the book: use your lesson plan.
- Never jump around: follow your plan.
- Never go too fast: keep the pace of the students

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 ELT Methodology - Module 1 Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)

- Never speak too slowly: speak normally.

- Never speak too quickly: speak naturally.
- Never speak too loudly: speak naturally.
- Never be impatient: take it easy.

VIII. MERITS & DEFECTS

The weakness in the Direct Method is its assumption that a second language can be learnt in
exactly the same way as a first, when in fact:

L1 LEARNERS L2 LEARNERS

No command of another language before learning Have command of another language before
the target language learning the target language

Immature  mother tongue is not fixed Mature  mother tongue is fixed

Recognises and copes with reality through the Recognises and copes with reality through the
target language mother tongue, not the target language

High contact-frequency with the target language Already know that all things have names
to learn that all things have names

QS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Why is this method not popular in Vietnamese high schools?
2. Describe some teaching situations in which you may use the DM.
3. Is this method appropriate for teaching in International schools? Why?
4. Compare the Grammar Translation Method with the Direct Method. How do they supplement each
other?

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HCMC University of Education Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)
Department of English
ELT – Module 1

Questions
1. When & Why did the ALM come into being?
2. State its basic approach & differences compared with DM.
3. What is the ALM’s point of view in developing learners’ fundamental communicative skills?

I. INTRODUCTION:
– In the first half of the 20th century, the DM did not take hold in the U.S. as it did in Europe.
– Two reasons:
1. Native speaking Ts were easily found in Europe but not in U.S. & Ss in Europe had more oppor. to use oral
skills.
2. U.S ed. institutions believed that reading approach was more useful than an oral approach.

Then WW2 broke out, the U.S. was thrust into a worldwide conflict.
 need for Americans to be orally proficient in lgs. of both their allies & enemies.
soldiers needed to learn foreign languages for military purposes. Therefore this method was also called Army
Method .

This method came into being in early years of WW2.

- widely used in the United States and other countries in the 's and 's.
- still used in some programs today.
- an approach
- focusing on
- having a strong theoretical base in (structural) &
(behaviorism - lg. is a set of habit established by constant practice - reinforcement)

Structural syllabus
• A syllabus in which form the central organizing feature.
• A structural syllabus proceeds from grammatical structure to more
grammatical structure.

e.g.: Present Simple -> Present progressive -> Comparatives -> Simple past -> Past progressive

II. EXPERIENCE
“As we enter the classroom … native lg. is uttered.”
“ After she acts out the dialogue … This time …
understand all that I am saying”.
“Now she has the whole class repeat… or phrase
begins and ends in the sent.”
“After the Ss have repeated the dialogue several times,
… all the girls take Sally’s”.
“She then initiates a chain drill … The last st directs
the greeting to the T.”
“Finally the T selects two ss … some time this week”.
“The T moves next to …. the cue”.
“ The T. begins by reciting a line . … in the picture in
the appro. slot in the sent.”.
“A similar procedure … to elicit the use of ‘they’.
- T introduces a dialogue.
- Only L2 in class.
- T introduces the situation & models the dialogue in
L2.
- T. conducts choral repetition.
- T. uses a back- chaining technique/ backward build-
up/expansion drill.
- T conducts choral repetition drill (T= model, Ss=
mimic)
- T – whole class
- group - group
- T conducts a chain drill around the class.
- pairs of ss. perform the dialogue in the front.
- Teacher conducts a substitution drill, using cues.
- Teacher conducts a substitution drill, using
pictures.
- T conducts a single-slot substitution drill using real
situations in class. (Sub. pronouns)

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“Finally, the T. increases the complexity … other - T conducts a multi-slot substitution drill using real
times naming a location”. situations in class. (Sub. Pronouns + locations)
“ The substitution drills are followed … move on to a - T conducts a transformation drill.
Q-A drill”. (Affir. Sent.  Yes/No Q)
“ The T holds up one of the pictures …to respond very - T conducts a Q - A drill, using actions & e.g.
quickly, without pausing” (Yes/No Q  Yes
T  whole class
T  indi. ss)
“The Ss are able to keep up the pace … to the café’, - T conducts a Q - A drill, using actions & e.g.
the class answer”. (Yes/No Q  No
T  whole class
T  indi. ss)
“Very good’, exclaims the T … until his pro. is closer - T conducts a Q - A drill, using actions & e.g.
to her own.” (Yes/No Q  Yes + No
T  whole class
T  indi. Ss
correcting ss’ pronun.)
“ For the final few minutes … Class dismissed”. - Dialogue practice:
- T reads once.
- Ss role-play the dialogue in chorus.

Comments
• Both & worked hard.
• Ss listened & spoke only in quickly & fluently.
• T is tired from but pleased.

Next classes
1. the dialogue
2. the dialogue by adding a few more lines.
3. the new lines & introduce new vocab.
4. Work on inductively: no rules given.
5. Pro. drill using .

Minimal pairs

/p/ /f/ /i:/ /I/

• pin fin sheep ship
• peel feel bean bin
• pail fail eat it
• pine fine seat sit
• harp half leek lick
cheek chick

6. A & expanding game

7. applying knowledge in L2 with real -life situations.

III. THEORY OF LEARNING

Behaviorism, including the following principles:
• language learning is
• are bad and , as they make bad habits
• are learned more effectively if they are presented , then in written form
• the of words can be learned only in a linguistic and cultural context.

A. Objectives
Some of the objectives of the audio-lingual method:
• pronunciation and grammar
• ability to quickly and accurately in speech situations
• knowledge of sufficient to use with grammar patterns

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 B. The syllabus
Audio-lingualism uses a

C. Types of learning techniques and activities

• dialogues
• drills

D. Procedure
A typical procedure in an audio-lingual course:
• Students
• Students of the dialogue.
• Certain or may be changed in the dialogue.
• Key from the dialogue serve as the basis for pattern drills of different kinds.
• The students practice in the pattern drills.

IV. OBSERVATIONS & PRINCIPLES

V. REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES

1. Goals
• Be able to communicate in L2.
To do this, Ss should L2 without stopping to think in order to form new habits.
2. Roles of T. & Ss
• T: an orchestra leader, director, controller, model provider
• Ss: imitators, following T’s directions, responding accurately & rapidly
3. Teaching/learning process
- Means of instructions:
- New vocab. & gram. patterns: presented thru .
- : learnt thru imitation & rep
- : conducted upon patterns in dialogs.
- taught inductively.
- Ss’ are reinforced.
- Cultural info.: in dialogs & by T.
- Reading & writing: work.

4. Interaction (T directs)
T  Ss
Ss  Ss
St – St

5. Ss’ feelings No principle

6. Language & culture

• influenced by linguistics.
• is emphasised.
• complexity of speech: .
• & lifestyle of people of target lg. community.

7. Areas of Lg. & Lg. skills

• L  S  R  W; L & S > R & W
• Pronun.: taught from start, using minimal pairs & lg. labs.
• V < sound system & gram. patterns

8. Role of L1 No L1 at all

9. Evaluation
• -point tests.
(each Q on test focuses on only one point of lg. at a time.)

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10. T’s response to ss’ errors
• Errors are at all costs.
(T stops St right away & corrects him/her.)

VI. Typical Techniques

• Dialog Memorization (Students memorize an opening dialog using mimicry
• Backward Build-up (Expansion Drill) (Teacher breaks a line into several parts, students repeat each
part starting at the end of the sentence and "expanding" backwards through the sentence, adding each
part in sequence)
• Repetition Drill (Students repeat teacher's model as quickly and accurately as possible)
• Chain Drill (Students ask and answer each other one-by-one in a circular chain around the classroom)
• Single Slot Substitution Drill (Teacher states a line from the dialog, then uses a word or a phrase as a
"cue" that students, when repeating the line, must substitute into the sentence in the correct place)
• Multiple-slot Substitution Drill (Same as the Single Slot drill, except that there are multiple cues to be
substituted into the line)
• Transformation Drill (Teacher provides a sentence that must be turned into something else, for example
a question to be turned into a statement, an active sentence to be turned into a negative statement, etc)
• Question-and-answer Drill (Students should answer or ask questions very quickly)
• Use of Minimal Pairs (Using contrastive analysis, teacher selects a pair of words that sound identical
except for a single sound that typically poses difficulty for the learners - students are to pronounce and
differentiate the two words)
• Complete the Dialog (Selected words are erased from a line in the dialog - students must find and insert)
• Grammar Games (Various games designed to practice a grammar point in context, using lots of
repetition)

VII. MERITS & DEFECTS

SUMMARY:
In the ALM classroom:
 Correct of the teacher is the focus.
 Correct is expected.
 Correct is given attention to.
 Correct is stressed
 No instruction is given.
 Only the target language is used in the classroom.
 Ss are expected to produce language with few errors
 Accuracy is more emphasized than Fluency (Form is more important than Meaning)

Questions:
1. Do you think drills or other forms of repetitive practice should play any role in language teaching?
2. Why is it true that learners taught with the ALM are well-trained parrots? What techniques are used to achieve
this purpose?
3. Discuss why Vietnamese learners are afraid of making errors in the classroom and consequently become
reluctant in classroom participation.
4. Point out some similarities between the DM and the ALM.
5. What are minimal pairs? What is their use in the ALM? Work out 10 pairs (5 pairs for consonant sounds, 5 for
vowel sounds).
6. Describe four techniques of the ALM do you like to use in your future teaching situations? Justify your choice.
7. Why is it true that ALM requires a lot from both the teacher & students?

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HCMC University of Education Lecturer: Bui Tri Vu Nam (MA)
Department of English ELT1

Questions
1. When & Why did the CLT come into being?

2. What is the goal of CLT?

I. INTRODUCTION:
Late & early , a shift from a linguistic structure-centred approach =>
.
(lrs could produce correct sent. but could not use them appropriately => Commu. Competence = knowing
& how to say to whom.)
 Teaches the language needed to express and understand different kinds of functions
 Also emphasizes the processes of communication.
e.g. - using language appropriately in different types of situations
- using language to perform different kinds of tasks, e.g. to solve puzzles, to get information, etc.
- using language for social interaction with other people.

SOME DEFINITIONS:
Forms & Functions:

II. EXPERIENCE

III. OBSERVATIONS & PRINCIPLES

IV. REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES

1. Goals Be able to appropriately.

To do this, Ss need + social knowledge (relationship b/t
speakers, contexts,…)

2. Roles of T. & Ss T:
Presentation/ Pre- stage:
, controller, , motivator …
Practice/ While-stage:
facilitator, , participant, ,…
Production/ Post-stage:
, corrector.
Ss:
- communicators.
- in classroom.

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3. Teaching/learning - Ss use L2 a lot.
process - a lot of : games, role-plays, info. gap activities,
prob. solving tasks.
- use of
- a lot of
- Truly communicative activities have three features:

4. Interaction (T establishes situations)

T  Ss
Ss  Ss (group work)
St – St (pair work)
TTT < STT
5. Ss’ feelings • Ss are
• Ss have
• Ss feel thanks to group work.

6. Language & culture • + + functions. (different forms –

same func.; same form – diff. func.)
•
• : everyday lifestyle of people of target lg.
community & non-verbal comm.

7. Areas of Lg. & Lg. • Func. > (functional syllabus; simple  complex forms)
skills • Ss learn at discourse level. (cohesion & coherence)
• are taught right from beginning + integrated.

8. Role of L1 • Judicious use of

• is used most of the time
( presenting, giving instructions, during comm. activities)

9. Evaluation • accuracy +
• T can informally evaluate ss’ performance during group work.
• (fml) an having a real communicative function.
10. T’s response to ss’ • Errors of are tolerated during fluency-based activities.
errors • T. notes ss’ errors & deals with them with an accuracy-
based activity.

* INFORMATION GAP EXERCISE

Ask your partner to find out the missing information, then report back to your class. Remember to use
the past tense correctly.
Student A Student B
Prince Albert was German, and they married in London in Prince Albert was German, and they married in
1840. ___________ ____ (Where?) in 1840.
Soon after they married, they visited the French
Soon after they married, they visited the French king, Louis king, Louis Philippe. They visited him in (When?).
Philippe. They visited him in 1843.
Unfortunately, Prince Albert died in 1861when he
Unfortunately, Prince Albert died in 1861 when he was only was only_____________ (How old?)
42.

Queen Victoria was terribly unhappy, and she never

lived in London again. She lived in Windsor and
Scotland. She loved Scotland because __________
(Why?).
She died in 1901. She was _________ (How old?).
Queen Victoria was terribly unhappy, and she never
lived in London again. She lived in Windsor and
Scotland. She loved Scotland because she often went
there on holiday with her family.
She died in 1901. She was 81.

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* Information gapes – Choice – feedback:
Activities that are truly communicative, according to Morrow (in Johnson and Morrow 1981), have three features
in common: information gap, choice, and feedback.
 An information gap exists when one person in an exchange knows something the other person does not.
 In communication, the speaker has a choice of what she will say and how she will say it. If the exercise is
tightly controlled so that students can only say something in one way, the speaker has no choice and the
exchange, therefore, is not communicative.
 True communication is purposeful. A speaker can thus evaluate whether or not his purpose has been
achieved based upon the information she receives from his listener. If the listener does not have an
opportunity to provide the speaker with such feedback, then the exchange is not really communicative.

*Linguistic variation/ authentic materials:

 Newspaper headlines / articles
 Short stories / novel extracts / film review
 Advertisement / reports / fax / memos / leaflets / company profiles/ maps/ photos
 Postcard / notes / diaries/ messages
 Songs/ radio broadcast / recorded announcements / mono talks / dialogs / discussion/ news / films /
instructions

* Types of questions

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATION QUESTIONS

* Comprehension Qs = Display Qs= Questions that the questioner knows the answer.
E.g. Where is Hanoi?
Is Paris in France?
* Conversation Qs = Referential Qs= Qs that the questioner doesn’t know the answer.
E.g. Where is your hometown?
Is your family big?
=> What to do with these two types of Qs?
Usually the comprehension questions are display questions. They make the text remote and rather boring.
Referential questions involve individuals but do not keep the class moving together. When these 2 kinds of questions are
combined, the lesson develops with every one involved, and individuals personally involved.

IV. TYPICAL TECHNIQUES

• Use of
• sentences
• game
• strip story
• Role play

V. MERITS & DEFECTS

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QUESTIONS & TASKS:
Task 1: Which of statements below characterize CLT?
1. People learn a language best when using it to do things rather than through studying how language works and
practicing rules.
2. Grammar is no longer important in language teaching.
3. People learn a language through communicating in it.
4. Errors are not important in speaking a language.
5. CLT is only concerned with teaching speaking.
6. Classroom activities should be meaningful and involve real communication.
7. Dialogs are not used in CLT.
8. Both accuracy and fluency are goals in CLT.

Task 2: The following are the statements used to make an apology. Which forms seem to be appropriate to teach
the students of these levels: elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate and advanced? Explain your grading.
- I’m awfully sorry, I’m late. The traffic was terrible.
- I’m not quite sure how to put this, but….
- I’ve got a bit of an apology to make, you see….
- I’m afraid I’ve got something to tell you….
- I apologized for my being late for class….
- I’ve got a confession to make….
Task 3: Describe the following utterances in terms of their grammatical form and their communicative function
a- We should leave for the concert soon.
b- Excuse me. Is there a supermarket near here?
c- Could you tell me the way to the nearest bus station, please?
d- I wonder if you could lend me your dictionary, I’m doing my home work.
e- Would you like me to get it for you?
f- See you sometime soon, I hope.
g- Put everything in front of you.
Pour ¼ cup of milk in each cup.
Add food coloring to every cup,…

Task 4: For each of the following activities, name the technique and explain whether it mirrors the three
features of a truly communicative activity or not.
1. Sit in small groups. Choose one of the sports below. Describe the sport but don’t mention its name. Let the other
students guess which sport you are talking about.
skiing tennis golf sailing badminton

2. Work in pairs. Complete the following dialog and practice it.

Tom: So where you? We for an , but then we to have lunch
you.
Mike: I to help my move of her . Tom:
was her ?
Mike: Right round the . Just minutes away from .

3. Here are two apartment ads. They do not give very much information. Choose one and make up at least 5
questions to ask the house owners on the phone.

Beautiful apartment, walk to campus. Call 555-2009 Two-bedroom apartment. $500. good location.
for more information. Call 555-1828.

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 4. Work with a partner. Use the cues given in the box.
A: What tine does the movie start?
- concert 8 p.m /10.30 p.m.
B.: 7.30 pm
- play 7 p.m. / 9.00 p.m.
A: And when does it end?
- game show 09 a.m. / 11.am.
B: 10 o’clock.

5. Practice saying these pairs of words or sentences.

a) lip – leap b) hit – heat c) live – leave d)
Look at that ship / sheep. e) They bit / beat him.
6. Make a survey by asking at least 3 students in your class what they like or don’t like eating (or
drinking).
7. Fill in the missing words.
a) Tom is older Richard.
b) This book is not good that.
8. Make the following sentences plural.

a) A rose is a flower.
b) A table is a piece of furniture.
9. What are the names of the three tenses you have learned so far?
10. Put these sentences in the correct order.
Finally, bake it in the oven for 20 minutes.
To make a cake, you need five eggs, some flour, some sugar, and a little butter.
Then, break the eggs and mix them well.
…
11. Learn the dialog by heart and say it before class.
12. Go around the class and ask five classmates about what their family members are doing
for the time being. Then report back to the class.
1- father
2- mother
3- elder / younger brother
4- elder / younger sister

Task 5: Qs for discussion

1. Work in groups and find out what benefits Vietnamese learners of English could get if they were taught by
CLT.
2. Discuss the problems / difficulties Vietnamese teachers and students might face when following CLT in their
teaching and learning situations.
3. List three forms used to express the function of advising at three levels of elementary, intermediate and
advanced (i.e. one form for one level). Explain your answer.
4. Is there any significant difference in the goal between the Audio-Lingual Method and the Communicative
Approach? Use your own words to justify your answer.
5. Why do some language teachers in our country still hesitate to employ the more advanced methods of teaching?
6. Are you in favour of the idea that all errors should be corrected?

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SOME QUESTIONS FOR REFERENCE:
1. Discuss the importance of drills (of all kinds) in ALM and suggest how the drawbacks of drills are
overcome by CLT.
2. Describe two techniques of the Direct Method you like to employ in your future teaching situation,
and then explain your choice.
3. State how the Direct Method and Grammar Translation Method supplement each other. (2pts)
4. Describe the following utterances in terms of their grammatical form and their communicative
function.
a. Nice weather, isn’t it?
b. I definitely will not talk to him again.
c. I am wondering if you are kind enough to give me a lift.
d. Does 7 o’clock work for you?
5. For each of the following activities, name the technique and explain whether it mirrors the three
features of a truly communicative activity or not. (2pts)
[a] Go around the class and find out who ... ? [b] Fill each gap with one word.
1 often eats in restaurants 1 I always ask ___ steak when we eat __.
2 eats quite a lot of sweet things 2 What do you usually have __ lunch?
3 eats ready-prepared food 3 It's a good idea to warm __ before you start
4 cooks big meals at home running.
5 enjoys eating 4 Who do you get ____ with best in your family?

6. Suggest two shortcomings of the Audio Lingual Method and state how these weaknesses are overcome
by Communicative Language Teaching.
7. Describe the following utterances in terms of their grammatical form and their communicative
function.
 Will you close that window, please?  Peter will never go back to this shop.
 Have I made myself clear?  Sally, you have been quite silent!
 You can say that again.  Sorry! I can’t agree with you there.
 Work harder or you will fail the exam.  I won’t eat at this restaurant again!

8. List 5 linguistic forms you can use for ONE of the functions you have identified. Which would you
teach to beginners? To intermediates? To an advanced class? Explain your choice. (2 pts)

Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following passage:

Yesterday the government announced that road pricing may be introduced in many major cities next
year and on all major UK routes within the next ten years. Motorists would then have to pay to use the
roads that take them to work, on holiday, or even to their children’s schools, in an attempt to reduce
the number of cars on our roads.
9. Make 2 factual questions, 1 inferential question, and 1 referential question for the short text above.
10. How would a teacher of the Direct Method show the meanings of these words: motorist, attempt?

Questions 11 and 12 are based on the following passage:
These days most people, especially young girls like to look slim. Our grandparents’ tastes were
different from ours but nowadays nobody seems to enjoy looking at fat people. The only thing
that is wrong with this is what a friend of mine said to me the other day: “I don’t mind eating
these foods if they help me to lose weight but why do they taste so awful?” The reason for
this is the manufacturers have to include a lot of vitamins to satisfy the law, so the only
sensible advice I could give my friend was: “Eat normal food, but eat less”.
11. Make 2 factual questions, 1 inferential question, and 1 referential question for the short text above.
12. How would a teacher of the Direct Method show the meanings of these words: slim, lose weight?
13. Choose a grammar point in the text and illustrate how it should be taught in GTM/ should be taught
deductively.
GOOD LUCK