Grammar Translation method
-1880 (beginning of the 19th century)-mid 20th
century; Karl Ploetz (1819-1881); The Prussian
Method.
Approach-Behaviourism, Structural view, Learning,
Product-oriented theory.
Design- Objectives:
to be able to read literature in L2; translate L1 to
L2 and vice versa; proficiency achievement in L2
writing and reading.
Syllabus: translation of literary texts; vocabulary
and grammar based lessons on passages.
Activity types: translation; reading
comprehension; memorization of vocabulary;
identification of synonyms, antonyms, cognates,
deductive application of grammar rules.
Teacher Roles: authority; has all control; assign
tasks;
Student roles: possessive role; read and write; no
control over content; memorize; answer-usually
written.
Material Roles: textbooks; prepared passages with
grammar and vocabulary exercises.
Procedures- reading comprehension questions,
instructions given in L1, little L2 use for
communication, teacher not fluent in target
language.
Direct Method
-the end of 19 century-end 20th century;
th
Francois Gouin (1880), Alexander von Humboldt;
Natural Method, Phonetical Method, Reform
Method, Anti-Grammatical Method.
Approach-Primarily speech-language, learning
language involves culture; acquisition of
vocabulary by L2 speaking, communication is
purpose; learning by self-correction.
Design- objectives: oral communication and
thinking in L2; direct association making between
meaning and L2.
Syllabus: situations and topics, not usually
linguistic.
Activity types: use L2 exclusively; inductive
grammar, much speaking, dictation.
Student roles: answer and ask; use L2 to
communicate as if in real life situations;
Teacher roles: direct class activities; demonstrate,
not explain or translate; give a choice to self-
correction.
Material roles: text, plays, dialogues with
demonstration of meaning, objects in class.
Procedures-reading outloud, Q and A, dictation,
instructions in L1, showing pictures for
understanding, repetition.
Situational Approach
-late 1940s-1060s; Harold Palmer and
A.S.Hornby (1920-1930s); Oral Approach.
Approach-structuralism; speech-basis;
behaviorist habit-learning theory; inductive
learning.
Design-Objectives: to teach 4 basic language
skills; grammar and pronunciation accuracy;
basic structure-fundamental to reading and
writing skills.
Syllabus: structural syllabus and a word list,
Activity types: use of concrete pictures, objects
with actions and gestures, repetition, dictation,
drills.
Student role: to listen and repeat, respond to
questions and commands.
Teacher roles: as a model, setting up situations
Material roles: textbook, visual aids.
Procedures-move from oral sentence use to
automatic use in speech, reading and writing.
Oral practice is important.
 Audio-lingual method
-1050s-post WW2 period; Leonard Bloomfield,
Skinner,Robert Lado; Army method, Repetition,
Auditory, Listen and Repeat method, New key.
Approach- behaviourism+srtructural linguistic
theory+contrastive analysis+otal procedures,
language learning is habit formation.
Design-Objectives:good sound perception,
accurate pronunciation, accurate grammar,
ability to respond quickly.
Syllabus: linguistic syllabus,key items of
phonology,morphology,syntax. Language skills
teaching order- listening, speaking, reading,
writing. Entirely orally first, written assignments
withheld from learners in early stages.
Activity types: dialogues, drills (grammar
practice; individual drilling; substitution drills)
Student roles: skilled training technique to
produce correct responses (imitation), little
control because they are reactive, they don’t
initiate interaction, they should form habits and
overlearn, student role has been likened to that
of a parrot.
Teacher roles: central and active, models target
language, controls direction and pace of
learning, monitors and corrects learner’s
performance, drill leader.
Material roles: teacher oriented, taped
recordings, textbooks, scripts (reading,writing).
Procedures- first dialogues, mimicry and
memorization, inductive teaching of grammar,
accurate pronunciation is stressed from the
beginning, limited and controlled vocabulary.
Silent Way
-Caleb Cattegno (1963)
Approach: structural approach, inductive process
Design-objectives: near-native fluency and
pronunciation
Syllabus: structural syllabus-lessons are planned
around vocabulary and grammatical items
Skills/Language: vocabulary is central
Student Role: developing independence, autonomy,
responsibility
Teacher Role: to teach, to test, to get out of the way
(remain silent)
Materials Role: colored rods, color-coded wall
charts, pointer, writing exercises, Fidels, CUISINAIRE
RODS, color=pronunciation, used to elicit and
practice language
Procedures- teacher talk, modeling a word, phrase,
sentence, eliciting learner responses
Lesson Plan:teacher instructs students to utter the
word; student utterance; other students correct
utterance.
Total Physical Response (TPR)
-1970s; James Asher; TPR
Approach: structuralism, imperative, stimulus-
response view, "trace theory"of psychology
Design-Objectives: teach oral proficiency
Syllabus: sentence-based syllabus with primary
grammatical and lexical criteria
Skills/Language: listening linked to physical
activities
Student Role: listeners and performers,
monitor and evaluate own progress
Teacher Role: active and direct role, provide
opportunities for learning, give commands
Materials Role: teachers voice, actions,
gestures; pictures, realia, slides, word charts
support teaching points
Procedure: imperative drills, role plays, slide
presentations, physical props
Lesson Plan: establish meaning+demonstrate
physical action+students imitate+write down
the action+repeat and practice.