Language Teaching Methods

Revisited
 Presentation overview
• The psychological tradition - key characteristics, strengths and weaknesses
of some of the more prominent methods
- Audio-lingualism
- Cognitive code learning

• The humanistic tradition - key characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of

some of the more prominent methods
- Community Language learning
- The Silent Way
- Suggestopedia

• The Second Language Acquisition Tradition - key characteristics, strengths

and weaknesses of some of the more prominent methods
• The Natural Approach
- Total Physical Response
 Task

• List the FLT methods you remember from your V

LPQ exam preparation. Share with a partner.
• In groups of 4, try to group them. Explain what
major classifying feature(s) you have chosen.
• which of these methods (elements of which
methods) do you resort to most often in
practice? Share with the group .
 The psychological tradition
• Points of departure:
- Psychological theories about learning
which were not devised specifically to
inform language teaching and learning
• Methods
- Audio-lingualism
- Cognitive Code Learning
 Audio-lingualism
• 1940s – 1950s
• Highly coherent an dwell-developed classroom
methodology
• Clear links between theory and practice
• Scientific base:
- Behaviourist psychology (Skinner)
Operant conditioning; learning = reinforced
stimulated consequences (responses)
Each language has different building-blocks, they
should be taught, not ‘about the language’
- Structural linguistics (Bloomfield)
 Audio-lingualism principles
1. Language is speech, not writing
2. A language is a set of habits
3. Teach the language, not about the
language
4. A language is what native speakers say,
not what someone thinks they ought to
say
5. Languages are different
 An audio-lingual lesson
1. Present the new language item to be learned, giving a clear demonstration of
its meaning, through non-verbal means.
2. Model the target patterns using a number of examples.
3. The whole class engages in mimicry-memorisation following the teacher's
model.
4. Progressive substitution drill with the whole class, followed by the class
divided into two, followed by individual responses.
5. Repeat the first 4 steps using negative versions of the target structure.
6. Repeat the first 4 steps using interrogative versions of the target structure.
7. Check for transfer using previously unrehearsed cues. Solicit both whole
class and individual responses.
- Clear and unambiguous presentation in the target language
- A set of procedures and methods for teachers
- Attacked by transformationalists – languages are learned through a set of
rules
 Cognitive code learning
• After the late 1950s
• Scientific base:
- Transformational grammar (Chomsky)
- Cognitive psychology
- Learning is a 2-way process between the environment and the
organism
- Language development is characterised by rule-governed creativity
- New knowledge should be linked to prior knowledge
- Learners should be encouraged to think and talk about how the FL
operates
- Language learning = rule seeking, problem-solving process
- The new langue items are taught both deductively and inductively,
where learners are supposed to formulate a rule
- Mistakes are admissible as they are part of the learning process
 The humanistic tradition
• Affective and emotional factors are crucial.
• Learners can be encouraged to adopt the
right attitudes, interests and motivation in
the target language and culture as well as
in the learning environment as the basis of
successful learning.
• If the affective factors are not right, no set
of techniques is likely to be successful.
Stevick’s Ideas about the functions
of a teacher
1. Cognitive: T imparts knowledge.

2. Classroom management: T is responsible for how the

effective time and space use and ss’ learning.

3. Practical goals: T has to give practical expression to the

L learning goals formulated by the society.

4. Personal or Interpersonal function: T is responsible for

setting the right tone and atmosphere in the classroom.

5. Warmth and enthusiasm: T has to radiate these.

Community Language Learning
• Curran
• Deal with learner’s anxiety in the first place
• T has to ensure there is a great eal of cohesiveness and
trust among the group members
• The learning cycle – the use of L1
• Recorded and then transcribed parts of the lesson as the
basis for further work
• Weaknesses:
- Can release both positive and negative emotions
- Ss may not be happy with the T’s low profile
 The Silent Way
• Gategno (1970s)
• Inner state of the learner – important
• Claims to be learner-centred
• T provides the minimum number of target language
models
• Ss work things out for themselves (from the very
beginning)
• Classroom techniques are not so different from the ones
employed in the ALM classes
• Innovative features:
- T is not the central figure
- Ss figure out and test their hypotheses about how
language works
 Suggestopedia
• Lozanov (1970s - release ss’ potential in a
state bordering on hypnosis)
• Yogic techniques of relaxation, rhythmic
breathing, listening to readings by the T,
synchronised to music
• Both proponents and attackers
 The Second Language Acquisition
Tradition
• Methods directly linked to research into the L1 and L2 acquisition
• Krashen’s views:
- The acquisition process (similar to what goes on in L1 acquisition)
- The learning process (conscious)
- The affective filter
- L1 acquisition:
Language is directed to what exists or is happening in a child’s
immediate environment. Comprehension happens through non-
verbal clues.
Language directed to young children is simplified and there is a lot of
repetition.
The focus is on meaning not form. The child acquires the form
subconsciously.
 The Natural Approach
• 1980s
• Comprehensible input – the most important element in language
acquisition
• Activities:
- Affective-humanistic: involve ss’ feelings, opinions, desires,
reactions, ideas and experiences, focus on meaning, aim at
lowering the affective filter
- Problem-solving: ss are involved in finding the correct answer to a
question, problem or situation
- Games: important acquisition activities providing comprehensible
input
- Content activities: focus on learning something else but the
language
Criticism: oversimplify L1 acquisition, mislead Ts to believe it is
possible to recreate in class the L` acquisition environment
 Total Physical Response
• Asher
• Based on L1 acquisition
• The child gets a vast amount of comprehensible input
before it is able to speak.
• There is a lot of physical manipulation and action
language accompanying early input.
• Key principles:
1. Stress comprehension rather than production at the
beginning levels of SL instruction.
2. Obey the ‘here and now’ principle.
3. Provide input to learners by getting them to carry out
commands.
 Communicative Language
Teaching
- Communicative intent; L is used in communicative activities; communication
is purposeful; authentic materials - used
• T – S interaction: T initiates situations that prompt communication, ss interact
with each other
• Ss’ feelings: ss express their individuality
• Views on language and culture:
- Knowledge of forms and meaning as well as functions;
- oral/aural skills receive most of the attention
- All 4skills are developed from the start;
- Culture is the everyday lifestyle of people who use the language;
• Role of ss’ MT:
- Can be used in the classroom, but the Fl is used as a vehicle for
communication
• Evaluation/assessment:
- Ss’ accuracy and fluency
• Ss’ errors:
-tolerated during fluency-based activities