An Introduction to Audio-Lingual Method

• Based on behaviorist ---certain traits of humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement—correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback.• Within the context of the language lab;• No explicit grammar instruction, mainly pattern-drill exercises

Teacher: There's a cup on the table ... repeatStudents: There's a cup on the tableTeacher: SpoonStudents: There's a spoon on the tableTeacher: BookStudents: There's a book on the tableTeacher: On the chairStudents: There's a book on the chair…

Example

The product of three historical circumstances

• drew on the work of American linguists such as Leonard Bloomfield, behaviourist psychologists such as B.F. Skinner ;

• a strong focus on oral language;• the outbreak of World War II (army

method )

Fall from popularity

• The losing scientific credibility of behaviourist psychology;

• The arising of Chomsky and his attack on structural linguists.

• “Audio-lingual methodology seems to banish all forms of language processing that help students sort out new language information in their own minds.” (Jeremy Harmer,2001)