Language Teaching Methods
What is a method?
• Approach: language description, learning
theory
• Design: objectives, syllabus, activities, roles
of teachers/learners/materials
• Procedure: classroom application (Richards and Rodgers, 2001: Ch. 2)
-> underlying theory + practical techniques
-> actual practice tends to be eclectic
The Audiolingual Method• Approach
– structuralism + behaviourism• Design
– dialogues & drills (pattern practice)• Procedure
– main focus = accurate oral performance• Never translate• Hear, speak, read, write • Immediate error correction
The Communicative Approach - 1
• Approach– communicative competence +
cognitive/affective views• Design
– “strong” (“using to learn”) vs. “weak” (“learning to use”) versions (see R & R: 155)
– part-skill vs. whole-task (Littlewood, 1992)– problem-solving, information gap activities,
games, role plays, simulations, project-work
The communicative approach - 2
• Procedure (“weak” version)
– pre-communicative -> communicative activities (Littlewood, 1981; cf. Littlewood 2004)
– “learner-centred” (Nunan, 1999)
Other methods1. The Silent Way 2. Suggestopedia3. Counselling/Community Language
Learning4. Total Physical Response5. The Natural Approach
Conclusion
• The “post-method condition” (Kumaravadivelu)– “…in order to help our learners learn, it is
not ‘the latest method’ that we need, but rather a fuller understanding of the language classroom and what goes on there.” Allwright & Bailey (1991: xviii)
• Assignment topic no. 2
SEMINAR
1. What reasons are there for studying language teaching methods?
2. What main advantages and disadvantages do you see each of the following as having:
1. The Audiolingual Method2. The Communicative Approach (weak or
strong)
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