Second/Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies

Presented by: Li Shengxi Luan Lei Ma Huan Ye Min MA 03

Outline
. Introduction . The Grammar-Translation Method . The Direct Methods . Audio-lingual Method . Communicative Language Teaching . Other Teaching Methods . Summary

. Introduction
i. What Is Teaching Method?
Teaching method is a way of teaching a language which is based on systematic principles and procedures, i.e., which is an application of views on how a language is best taught and learned.

ii. Seven Teaching Methodologies

The Grammar-Translation Method
The Direct Methods Audio-lingualism

The Situational Language Teaching

Communicative Language Teaching Humanistic Approaches Task-based Teaching

. The Grammar-Translation
Method
i. Background The grammar-translation method of foreign language teaching is one of the most traditional methods, dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was originally used to teach 'dead' languages (and literatures) such as Latin and Greek, and this may account for its heavy bias towards written work to the virtual exclusion of oral production.

ii. The Principal Characteristics

Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue. Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists. Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided. Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the course of study. Little attention is paid to the content of texts. Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences. Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

iii. Drawbacks
No class time is allocated to allow students

to produce their own sentences. There is often little contextualization of the grammar The type of error correction can be harmful to the students learning processes.

II. The Direct Method

i. Background: a reaction to the grammartranslation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction.

ii. The Principal Characteristics

Only use the target language in class. The learner should be actively involved in using the language in realistic everyday situations. Students are encouraged to think in the target language. First speaking is taught and then only reading and writing.

iii. Drawbacks
L2 should be learned in way in which L1 was acquired - by total immersion technique. It rejects use of the printed word - but this objection is illogical since L2 learner has already mastered his reading skills. Later disciples of Direct Method took it to extremes and refused to speak a single word of English in lessons. Also Direct Methodists failed to grade and struc-

ture their materials adequately - no selection, grading or controlled presentation of vocabulary and structures.

iv. Strategies Using Direct Method

Q & A: The teacher asks questions of any nature

and the students answer. Dictation: The teacher chooses a grade appropriate passage and reads the text aloud. Reading Aloud: Students take turn reading sections of a passage, play or dialog out loud. Getting Students to Self-Correct: The teacher should have the students self-correct by offering them a choice between what they said and the proper pronunciation. Map Drawing

III. Audiolingual Method

i. Background
This method is based on the principles of behavior psychology. It adapted many of the principles and procedures of the Direct Method, in part as a reaction to the lack of speaking skills of the Reading Approach.

ii. The Method Characteristics

Dependence on mimicry and memorization of set

phrases Teaching structural patterns by means of repetitive drills No grammatical explanation Learning vocabulary in context Use of tapes and visual aids Focus on pronunciation Immediate reinforcement of correct responses

iii. Strategies
Dialog Memorization
Backward Build Up Transformation Drill Complete the Dialog Dictation

Flashcards

. Communicative Language
Teaching
i. Background
The communicative approach could be said to be the product of educators and linguists who had grown dissatisfied with the audio-lingual and grammar-translation methods of foreign language instruction. The origins of Communicative Language Teaching are to be found in the changes in the British languages teaching tradition dating from the late 1960s. Interest in and development of communicative-style teaching mushroomed in the 1970s; authentic language use and classroom exchanges where students engaged in real communication with one another became quite popular.

ii. The Principal Characteristics

Learner-Centered

The role of the instructor in CLT is quite different from traditional teaching methods. In the traditional classroom, the teacher is in charge and "controls" the learning. In CLT the teacher serves as more of a facilitator, allowing students to be in charge of their own learning.

 Communication
Language is used for communication. For this reason, CLT makes use of communication to teach languages. CLT emphasizes real-life situations and communication in context. While grammar is still important in the CLT classroom, the emphasis is on communicating a message.

 Social Context
CLT also stresses social and situational contexts of communication. In CLT, students learn about language in social contexts, such as the difference between speaking with an elder and a peer.

iii. CLT and Multimedia

Multimedia is an ideal way to teach language using CLT as the theory. It allows for realistic simulations of communicative situations. Many such programs are games, such as "A la rencontre de Philipe" or "Who is Oscar Lake?". They place the learner in a situation in which understanding basic communication, and social and cultural contexts are vital to advancing in the game.

. Other Teaching Methods

linguistics as language teaching respecting the integrity of learners, allowing for personal growth and responsibility, taking psychological and affective factors into account, and representing whole person learning. The roots of humanism in language teaching are various. One central one is the discovery-learning movement.

i. Humanism is described in applied

Characteristics
(take that of the Silent Way as an example) The students have to be fully alert to make the most of what the teacher says to play the major part in the learning. Various aids are used as simple pointers, or to make shapes, helping the learners deduce the meanings for themselves. The method has many traditional aspects, including use of traditional structural syllabuses.

ii. Task-based Teaching

Task-based teaching has become a subject of keen contemporary interest, and different taskbased approaches exist today. One underlying principle holds for all the approaches to place the emphasis firmly on activities or tasks that learners do in class. One thing should be mentioned is that, there are a number of features that will make tasks more or less difficult. So that we can progressively give our learners tasks where there are more and more things to think about, and consequently less and less attention available for form.

. Summary
i. Comparison of Different Teaching Method
Figure 1. Teacher & Learner Roles in Different Teaching Methods Method Situational language Teaching Audio-lingualism Teachers Roles Context Setter Error Corrector Language Modeler Drill Leader Learners Roles Imitator Memorizer Pattern Practicer Accuracy Enthusiast

Communicative Language Teaching

Total Physical Response Community Language Learning The Natural Approach

Needs Analyst Task Designer

Commander Action Monitor Counselor Paraphraser Actor Props User

Improviser Negotiator
Commander Action Monitor Collaborator Whole Person Guesser Immerser

Suggestopedia

Auto-hypnotist Authority Figure

Relaxer True-Believer

ii. What's Now, What's Next?

The future is always uncertain, and this is no less true in anticipating methodological directions in second language teaching than in any other field. Some current predictions assume the carrying on and refinement of current trends; others appear a bit more science-fiction-like in their vision. However, the future of L2 teaching methodologies, as yet not fully explored, is associated with what might be called a cognitive approach to language learning. Perhaps this cognitive, or informationprocessing approach is where the future lies.