Methods summarised

Method Main Principles behind the method

Technique?
Grammar- Reading and writing was more important, rather than speaking. There was a lot of
Translation drilling. Deductive teaching. Exercises such as gap-filling, false cognates, antonyms
and synonyms, composition and memorisation. Use of grammar charts.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Teacher’s give instructions in L1. They give long explanations of grammatical forms.
Students translate sentences from L2 into L1.

Technique?
No L1. Think always in L2. Inductive teaching. Exercises range from reading aloud,
Direct Method dictation and self-correction was encouraged.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Students cannot express themselves, they have to follow models.
Teacher is always in control. Students have to form habits by imitation.

Technique?
Teaching through drills (repetition, imitation and modelling). Dialogue memorisation.
Audio-Lingual Use of minimal pairs. Correction happened on the spot.
Method
Students’ / Teachers’ roles?
Students cannot use L1. Teachers use choral and individual repetition. Back-chaining
in drills. Teacher needs to give positive reinforcement through praising students.

Technique?
Teaching using physical movement and commands or orders. Suitable for young
TPR learners.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Teacher gives a command and students need to follow without speaking. Then
students pass on these commands to their peers.

Technique?
Use of music, relaxation techniques. Building a good rapport with students and lowing
Suggestopedia the affective filter. Learning through playing.
Classroom seating arrangement. L1 is permitted. Learning is fun. No error correction
on the spot. Charts and posters are used in the classroom.
Students’ / Teachers’ roles?
Teacher creates a pleasant environment for students to learn.
Teacher includes all the skills when teaching in a relaxed zone.

Alastair Grant – Delta 1

 Technique?
Learning is driven by need.
TBL Teaching using real materials students may encounter in real life. Problem-solving
exercises. Focus is on meaning and real-life tasks. Students are not limited to use
information.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Students learn in the classroom the same way they learn outside it. They perform
tasks using as much as language as needed. Teacher’s role is a facilitator and resource.

Technique?
Syllabi depend on whether is content or language driven. Grammar is a resource for
CBL / CLIL communicating content. Lexis is central in integrating language and content.
Scaffolded learning. Activating schemata.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Students negotiate meaning. They have to notice the language they’ll be using and
process it consciously and intuitively.

Technique?
The Silent Way Developed by Gattegno. Use of Cuisenaire rods and Fidel charts. No error correction.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Students are encouraged to speak as much as they can without paying attention to
errors. They correct each other and learning happens in that way.

Technique?
Dogme No use of coursebooks and light material as real as possible to provoke a class
discussion and language would emerge in that discussion.
Authentic tasks.

Students’ / Teachers’ roles?

Teacher engages the class by presenting a topic or question to get students talk.
Conversation is a way for teachers to assess students’ needs directly as
communication happens in real time.

Alastair Grant – Delta 1