History

of Language
Teaching Methods
A lecture course by
Dr. Poór Zoltán
 Topic 1

Basic terms and

fundamental problems
of foreign language
teaching
 Language Teaching is …
… common sense;

… craft,

… science;

… art;
According to Kodály:
A musician needs

ears
hands
brain
heart
 Discuss in groups of 3
 Why / what for do you think
a language teacher needs …

… ears?

… hands?

… brain?

… heart?
 Language teaching is …
… very pragmatic, but
–systematic;
–coherent;
–relevant;

 You
need
–knowledge(s):
• explicit
• implicit

–skills: procedures
 Reasons for studying
the History
of Language Teaching Methods
 Raising awareness of the past and
present and offering a view on the
development;
 Opening perspectives on the
‘wisdom’ of he language teaching
profession;
 Outlining criteria to evaluate new
methods;
The first scientific (academic) book
on Language Pedagogy

The Practical Study of Languages:

A Guide for Teachers and Learners.
by Henry Sweet
London, Dent, 1899
 Best-known methods in L.T. (1)

 Grammar-Translation Method > 2000

 Direct Method > 100

 Reading Method > 80

 Intensive Method > 60

 Best-known methods in L.T. (2)

 Audio-Lingual Method > 55

 Audio-Visual Method > 40

 Community Lang. Learning > 40

 Mentalist / Cognitive Method > 35

 Best-known methods in L.T. (3)

 Total Physical Response (TPR)> 35

 Silent Way > 30

 Suggestology/Suggestopedia > 30

 Communicative Approach > 25

 Some basic notions
 L1 || L2 …. (Ln)

 Basic language skills

 Basic dilemmas in L.T.

 13 indices (indexes) to describe a

method

 The hierarchy of the method-concept

 Language 1
 First language

 Native language

 Mother tongue (Parents’ tongues)

 primary

 stronger
 Language 2 … Language (n)
 Second language

 Non-native language

 Foreign language

 secondary

 weaker
 Bilingualism

L1 + L2 … + L(n)
don’t make up
bilingualism
 Basic language skills I.
‘sound’ ‘letter’
(Auditive) (Visual)

Passive Listening Reading

Active Speech Writing

 Basic language skills II.
Listening Reading simplex
skills

Speech Writing simplex

skills

Interpretation Translation complex

skills
 Basic language skills III.
Comprehension Listening and
(L1 or L2) reading

Communication Speech and

(L1 or L2) writing

Mediation Interpretation
(L1  L2) and translation
 Basic dilemmas in L.T.
To use of L1 v/s not to use L1
(Yes or no?)

Awareness v/s intuition

(Learn or acquire?)

Forms v/s functions

(Know the code or communicate?)
 13 essential features
to describe a method
(1-3)

Basic dilemmas

1. L1 v/s L2 only
2. Awareness v/s intuition
3. Forms v/s functions
 13 essential features
to describe a method
(4-9)
Arranging language content
4. Pronunciation …
5. Grammar (structures) …
6. Vocabulary …
7. Usage (Pragmatics) …
8. All skills v/s one skill …
9. Role / amount of translation …
… in the L.T. process.
 13 essential features
to describe a method
(10-13)

Teaching style

10. Student participation

11. Classroom control

12. Error-correction

13. Feedback
Hierarchy of the method-concept
(1)

 Step(item, technique)
–reading aloud
–”Fill in the gap”
–”Repeat what you hear”
–… etc.
lépés
Hierarchy of the method-concept
(2)

 Process

–Dialogue exploitation
–Standard dictation
–… etc.
eljárás
Hierarchy of the method-concept
(3)
 Method
– A finite number of steps (algorhythm) in
which the language content and classroom
teaching form are originally entwined to
ensure the necessary didactic phases for
learning and acquisition during the whole
process.
 Preparation
 Presentation
 Explanation
 Practice
 Application
 … etc.
PPP (Presentation–Practice–Perform) Methodologies

módszer
Hierarchy of the method-concept
(4)
 Language Teaching Theory

– A language teaching method or

approach which contains
scientifically congruent elements
(theories) of Linguistics, Psychology
and Language Pedagogy.

– e.g.:
Structuralism + Behaviorism = Audio-Lingualism

Nyelvtanítási elmélet
 Language Teaching Theories
1 2 3 4

Linguistics Phonetics Structu- Trans- Macro-

ralism formative linguistics
Gene-rative
Grammar

Psychology Asso- Behavio- Cognitive Socio-Psy-

ciative rism psy- chology
Psy- chology
chology
Language Direct Audio- Mentalist Commu-
Pedagogy Method Lingual Approach nicative
Method Approach
 The Direct Sciences
of Foreign Language Education
(1)
1. WHO Personality of the teacher
The teacher’s stage
 Art of speech, appearance and personification,
interaction, communication, culture and tact

1. WHOM Personality of the student

c.f. Pedagogical Psychology

1. WHAT Pedagogical Grammar

 Lexicon, functions and scripts,
 cross-cultural phenomena
 The Direct Sciences
of Foreign Language Education
(2)
4. HOW Methodology
 Objectives, curricula, syllabuses
 Methods: processes and techniques
 Feedback: evaluation
 … etc.

4. WITH THE HELP OF WHAT

Technological (audio-visual)
background
 Realia, pictures, projected images,
 Audio-recordings, video-recordings
 Digital sources and tools (Information and
Communication Technology: ICT)
 … etc.
 Supportive / background sciences
to the history of LT ‘culture’
 History of Education and
Schooling (nevelés- és
iskolatörténet)
 History of Lingustics
(nyelvészet-történet)
 History of Psychology
(pszichológia-történet)
 Didactics (didaktika)
 Educational Research
(pedagógiai kutatás)
Related sciences in Language Pedagogy
‘The Three Sisters’

 Linguistics (Applied Linguistics)

 Psychology (Educational
Psychology)
 Theory of Instruction
(~Didactics) (FLT Methodology)
Content fields for language teachers
LT and LL are interdisciplinary
 Language
– Linguistics
 Applied Linguistics
 Language Learning
– Psychology
 Psycholingusitics
 Neurology
 Physiology of the brain
Content fields for language teachers
LT and LL are interdisciplinary
 Language Teaching
– Education
 History of Education
– Pedagogy
 History of LT
 Language Pedagogy
 LT Methodology
 Ethnomethodology
Content fields for language teachers
LT and LL are interdisciplinary

 Society
– Sociology
 Sociolinguistics
 History of Civilization
– Anthropology
– Geography
– Cultural Traditions
 The ‘machinery of changes’
in relation to LT methods and approaches
OLD GT GT DM DM
METHOD

INNER PHONE WORD STRUCTURA (STRUCT.)

CHANGES TICS FREQUENCY LISM BEHAVIOR
STUDIES DISCR.P.T
OUTER + INDUST + SCHOOL + WW II. + TECHN.
CHANGES RIAL REPORTS DEV.
DEVELOP. ON ACH. (LABS)

NEW DM RM IM AL
METHOD
 The ‘machinery of changes’
in relation to LT methods and approaches
OLD AL AL AL AL
METHOD

INNER AV TG PSYCHOL. COMM. GR

CHANGES DEVICES IN GRAMMAR HOLISTIC NOT.FUNC
FLT COGN. VIEWS COM.COMP.
METHOD. STRAT. SP.ACT.TH.
OUTER + + DEMAND + PSYCH.T + ‘GLOBAL
CHANGES RECREATIO FOR ESP INDIV.ISM VILLAGE’
NAL L. L. REV. CR. S INT.LANG.
NEW AV MM/CM CLL CA
METHOD SU, SW
(TPR)
 The ‘drama’ of LT (1)

 The object and environment or

topic
 The characters (‘dramatis
personae’)
 The process or stage
 The ‘drama’ of LT (2)
 WHAT?
– Nature of language
– Views on language
– Linguistics
 WHO?
– The ‘human factor’
– Views on learning and teaching
– Views on education
– Educational Psychology
 HOW?
– Views on language learning
– Ways in language learning
– FL learning and teaching methodology
Components of the process (1)

 LANGUAGE
– Rational / System
– Irrational / Habit(s)
– Natural activity
– Set of conventions
– Means of communication
Components of the process (2)
 LEARNER + TEACHER
– Age
– Maturity
– Aptitude
– Set Attitude
– Interests
– Empathy
– IQ
– Previous knowledge
Components of the process (3)

 LEARNING PROCESS
– Drive and motivation
– Repetition and extinction
– Transfer
– Inhibition