Grammar-Translation Method

Theory of language

• it is possible to find native language equivalents for all target language words

• important for students to learn about the form of the target language

• students should be conscious of the grammatical rules of the target language

• literary language is superior to spoken language

Theory of learning

• fundamental purpose of FL learning is to be able to read its literature

• an important goal is for students to be able to translate

• communication is not a goal of learning

• learning is facilitated through attention to similarities between the TL and the native language

• deductive approach to grammar

• language learning is good mental exercise

• there is one correct answer

Syllabus

• grammar-driven

Activities

• primary skills to be developed are reading and writing

• committing of vocabulary, paradigms to memory

• translation

• no attention to pronunciation or oral production

Role of teacher

• “knower”; authoritarian

• uses L1

Direct Method

Theory of language

• language is viewed primarily as speech rather than writing

• vocabulary is emphasized over grammar; although work on all four skills occurs from the beginning, oral communication is seen as basic; reading and writing exercises are based on what the students practice orally first

• native language is not used in the classroom; when teacher introduces a new target language word or phrase, its meaning is demonstrated through the use of realia, pictures, pantomime;

• pronunciation receives attention from the beginning

Theory of learning

• grammar should be taught inductively; avoidance of explicit grammar rules

• the purpose of language learning is communication; therefore, a great emphasis is put on questions and answer activities

• students learning better through self-correction

Syllabus

• situational

Activities

• Q & A

• opportunities for “real-life” conversational practice

• spoken before written

Role of teacher

• demonstration rather than translation or explanation

Audiolingual Method

Theory of language

• language is composed of structural building blocks (sounds, syllables, morphemes, words, sentences, phrases)

• particular parts of speech occupy particular slots in sentences; in order to create new sentences, students learn which part of speech can go into which slot

• language forms do not occur by themselves; they occur in context

• native language and target language have separate systems; they should be kept apart so that students’ native language interferes as little as possible with target language

• speech is more basic than writing

• the “natural order” (i.e. the order in which children learn) is listening, speaking, reading, writing

• each language has a finite number of patterns; pattern practice helps students to form habits which enable them to use the patterns.

• language cannot be separated from culture

Theory of learning

• language learning is a process of habit formation; the more often an item is repeated, the stronger the habit formation and the greater the learning

• it is important to prevent learners from making errors; errors lead to bad habits, and should be immediately corrected by the teacher

• positive reinforcement helps the students to develop correct habits

• students should “overlearn,” i.e. learn to answer automatically with no analysis

• the major objective of language teaching should be the acquisition of structural patterns; students will learn vocabulary afterward.

• the learning of a FL should be the same as the acquisition of the native language; we do not need to memorize rules in order to use our native language; the rules necessary for target language use will be figured out or learned through induction

• contrastive analysis will reveal those areas where native language habits need to be replaced by target language habits

Syllabus

• grammar-driven, but structural — not by traditional Latinate categories

Activities

• memorize dialogs

• drills based on dialog (repetition, substitution, transformation)

• spoken before written; in sum, learn good habits; emphasis on accuracy (native-like speech)

Role of teacher

• provides correct model of native language for mimicry

• reinforces good habits; punishes bad habits