The Silent Way

The Silent Way is the name of

a method of language
teaching devised by Caleb
Gattegno. It is based on the
premise that the teacher
should be silent as much as
possible in the classroom, but
the learner should be
encouraged to produce as
much language as possible.
INTRODUCTION
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The Silent Way

Thinking Reviewing Reviewing

About The The The
Experience Principles Technique
and The
Materials

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NO. Observations Principles

1 The teacher points to five blocks of color without The teacher should start with something
saying anything. The blocks of color represent the the students already know and build from
sounds of five English vowels. that to the unknown. Languages share a
number of features, sounds being the
most basic.

2 The teacher points again to the five blocks of color. The teacher should give only what help is
When the students say nothing, the teacher points necessary.
to the first block of color and says /a/. Several
students say /a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, /o/ as the teacher
points to the other four blocks
3 The teacher does not model the new sounds, but Language is not learned by repeating after
rather uses gestures to show the students how to a model. Students need to develop their
modify the sounds. own 'inner criteria' for correctness—to
trust and to be responsible for their own
production in the target language.

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NO. Observations Principles

4. Students take turns tapping out the sounds. Students' actions can tell the teacher
whether or not they have learned.

5. One student says, 'A esquerda to help another. Students should learn to rely on each other
and themselves.

6. The teacher works with gestures, and sometimes The teacher works with the students while
instructions in the students' native language, to the students work on the language
help the students to produce the target language
sounds as accurately as possible.

7. The students learn the sounds of new blocks of
color by tapping out the names of their
classmates.
The teacher makes use of what students
already know. The more the teacher does for
the students what they can do for
themselves, the less they will do for
themselves
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NO. Observations Principles
8. The teacher points to a rod and then to three Learning involves transferring what one knows
blocks of color on the sound-color chart. The to new contexts.
students respond, 'rod.'
9. The teacher points to the words 'a' and 'rod' on Reading is worked on from the beginning but
the word chart. follows from what students have learned to
say.

10. The teacher sits down at the table and is silent. Silence is a tool. It helps to foster autonomy
After a minute, a girl points to a rod and says, 'A or the exercise of initiative. It also removes
rod.' the teacher from the center of attention so
he can listen to and work with students. The
teacher speaks, but only when necessary.
Otherwise, the teacher gets out of the way so
that it is the students who receive the
practice in using the language.

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 Students should be
able to use the
language for self-
expression – to
express their
thought, perceptions,
The Objectives and feelings.
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 • Learners are expected to
develop independence, autonomy,
and responsibility.

• Learners are expected to

interact with each other and
suggest alternatives to each
other.

• Learners must give the teacher

their attention. Learner-
The Learner Roles attention is a key to learning.
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 • The teacher should be silent as much as possible
in the classroom to encourage the learner to
produce as much language as possible.

• The teacher should give only what help is

necessary

• The teacher uses gestures, charts, and

manipulates in order to elicit and shape student
responses and so must be both facile and

Teacher Roles creative as a pantomimist and puppeteer.

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 • This method is based on the premise
that teacher should be silent as much as
possible and the learners should
encourage to produce language as much
as possible.

• The method emphasizes the autonomy

of the learner.

• Evaluation is carried out by observation,

and the teacher may never set a formal
test
Characteristics
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 The teacher constantly
observes the students. When their
feelings interfere, the teacher tries
to find wars for the students to
overcome them.
The teacher works with the
students to help them overcome the
negative feelings which may interfere
with their learning.
The students are encouraged
throughout each lesson to cooperate
with one another, it is hoped that a
Students’ Feeling relaxed, enjoyable, learning
environment will be created.
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 • This method makes students
feel comfortable

• The students can be active in

the class

• Students can improve their

vocabulary from their speaking

• Increase student’s confidence

in their study

Advantages • Students become independent

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 • The students do not understand
the materials. Because the
teacher is less explain

• No repetition and no answer by

the teacher, it will be
meaningless for students

• The students cannot easier to

Disadvantages catch the materials. Because
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 Silence can be used to help
students correct their own
errors.
Teachers can remain silent when a
student makes a mistake to give
them time to self-correct; they
can also help students with their
pronunciation by mouthing words
without vocalizing, and by using
certain hand gestures.
When teachers do speak, they
tend to say things only once so
Teacher Responds that students learn to focus their
attention on them.
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The Technique and Materials

Sound- Color Teacher’s Silent Peer Correction Rods

Chart

Self- Correction Word Chart Fidel Chart Structured

Gestures Feedback

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 The chart contains
blocks of color, each
one representing a
sound in the target
language. The teacher,
and later the students,
points to blocks of the
Sound- Color color on the chart.

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Sound- Color Chart

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 The teacher just
gives just as much
help as is necessary
and then is silent.
Teacher’s
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 Students are
encouraged to help
another student when
he or she is
experiencing
difficulty.
Peer
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 Rods can be used to
provide visible actions
or situations for any
language structure, to
introduce it, or to
enable students to
practice using it .

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Rods

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 Some of the particular
gestures of the Silent Way
could be added to this list.
Fore example, in this class
observed, the teacher put his
palms together and then
moved the outwards to signal
to students the need to
Self- lengthen the particular vowel
they were working on.
Correction
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 The teacher, and later
the students, points to
words on the wall charts
in a sequence so that
they can read aloud the
sentences they have
spoken.
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Word Chart

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 The teacher, and later
the students, point to
the color- coded Fidel
charts in order that
students associate the
sounds of the language
with their spelling.
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Fidel Chart

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 Students are invited
to make observations
about the day’s lesson
and what they have
learned.
Structured
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ANY QUESTIONS ?
Kalle Persson
+1 23 987 6554
kalle@email.com
www.fabrikam.com