THE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE TEACHING according to Diane Larsen-Freeman
All the aspects involving teaching languages imply the use of different techniques or theoretical aspects which convey in the learning process. Teachers often use the best for each situation and I daresay it is very difficult to find “purity” in any of these approaches as, nowadays, we are used to diversifying our sources; therefore, it is quite interesting finding out which are the principles behind the exercises we normally do in class
Do you apply any of these principles or do these exercises in class?. Tick the items you usually follow and sum up in the end.
Suggestopedia
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers make students forget their barriers and infantilise them.
B.Characteristics: comfortable surrounding, posters around, new identities, linking learning to music dramatisations, games, songs.
C.Interaction: Teacher studentteacher but communication begins with the teacher.
D.Language: Vocabulary leads to explicit grammarspeaking communicativelyreadingwriting.
E.Class language: native language translation of dialogues and progessive use of English during the course.
F.Evaluation: performed in class.
G.Errors: teacher´s correction later on during the lesson.
1. Peripherical learning (posters)
2. Positive suggestions: optimistic teacher and relaxing atmosphere.
3. Visualisation (closing their eyes)
4. Choose a new identity.
5. Roleplays (pretended situations).
6. Texts presentation:
*Teacher´s reading (1st concert being played)
*Students close their eyes (2nd concert being played).
*Primary activation (reading in groups or pairs using different moods)
*Secondary Activation (singing, dancing, dramatizations and games).
The audiolingual method
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers use English thinking about the contrast with the students´mother tongue.
B.Characteristics:Dialogue imitation & repetition drills.
C.Interaction: Teacher students
D.Language: grading everyday speech in this order: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
E.Class language: English
F.Evaluation: Only one point at a time.
G.Errors: teacher´s predict through contrast with Spanish.
1. Dialogue memorisation or short conversations/ students take roles in turns.
2. Expansion drills (breaking drills in parts)
3. Repetition drills.
4. Chain drills.
5. Single slot substitution drills (teacher gives the clue).
6. Traformation drills.
7. Question and answer drill (quick questions)
8. Minimal pairs (contrasted selections)
9. Complete the dialogue (erase selected words).
10. Grammar games
The communicative approach
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers are managers who establish situations (advisors, monitors, co-communicators, negotiators of meanings).
B.Characteristics:information gap where there is choice and feedback, authentic materials and small groups.
C.Interaction: Teacher initiate communication among students.
D.Language: Forms and functions. All for skills from the beginning.
E.Class language:always target language.
F.Evaluation: accuracy and fluency (integrative test)
G.Errors: are tolerated.
1. Authentic materials.
2. Scrambled sentences.
3. Language games.
4. Picture of strip stories with predictions.
5. Roleplays.
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers are managers who establish situations (advisors, monitors, co-communicators, negotiators of meanings).
B.Characteristics:information gap where there is choice and feedback, authentic materials and small groups.
C.Interaction: Teacher initiate communication among students.
D.Language: Forms and functions. All for skills from the beginning.
E.Class language:always target language.
F.Evaluation: accuracy and fluency (integrative test)
G.Errors: are tolerated.
1. Authentic materials.
2. Scrambled sentences.
3. Language games.
4. Picture of strip stories with predictions.
5. Roleplays.
The direct method
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers communicate in target language.
B.Characteristics: Situations and topics, deductive grammar, visual introductions.
C.Interaction: Teacher directed interaction.
D.Language: Spoken, everyday speech, history, geography and daily lives.
E.Class language: Only English.
F.Evaluation: Oral exam or write a paragraph about something they have studied.
G.Errors: self-correction when possible
1. Reading aloud
2. Question and Answer exercises
3. Self-correct: Choose the correct answer/Repetition/Stop before the error.
4. Conversation practice with grammar structure teacherstudent and studentstudent.
5. Fill in the blanks deducting grammar.
6. Dictation (3 times repetition)
7. Map drawing: listen and draw as instructed.
8. Paragraph writing with a model composition or by heart.
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers communicate in target language.
B.Characteristics: Situations and topics, deductive grammar, visual introductions.
C.Interaction: Teacher directed interaction.
D.Language: Spoken, everyday speech, history, geography and daily lives.
E.Class language: Only English.
F.Evaluation: Oral exam or write a paragraph about something they have studied.
G.Errors: self-correction when possible
1. Reading aloud
2. Question and Answer exercises
3. Self-correct: Choose the correct answer/Repetition/Stop before the error.
4. Conversation practice with grammar structure teacherstudent and studentstudent.
5. Fill in the blanks deducting grammar.
6. Dictation (3 times repetition)
7. Map drawing: listen and draw as instructed.
8. Paragraph writing with a model composition or by heart.
The grammar translation method
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers represent the traditional authority in the class.
B.Characteristics: translation, grammar rules, memorisation
C.Interaction: Teacher student
D.Language: literary, vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing
E.Class language: native ss language, not the target language
F.Evaluation: written tests, translation, grammar
G.Errors: teacher´s correction
1. Translation into Spanish
2. Reading Comprehension questions
3. Antonyms/synonyms
4. Cognates
5. Deductive grammar
6. Fill in the gaps
7. Vocabulary memorisation
8. Use new words in sentences
9. Topic compositions or precis
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers represent the traditional authority in the class.
B.Characteristics: translation, grammar rules, memorisation
C.Interaction: Teacher student
D.Language: literary, vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing
E.Class language: native ss language, not the target language
F.Evaluation: written tests, translation, grammar
G.Errors: teacher´s correction
1. Translation into Spanish
2. Reading Comprehension questions
3. Antonyms/synonyms
4. Cognates
5. Deductive grammar
6. Fill in the gaps
7. Vocabulary memorisation
8. Use new words in sentences
9. Topic compositions or precis
The silent way
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Students are the center of attention
B.Characteristics: Sounds through colour charts, situations involving grammar structures once at a time, self-exploration, asking about what they have learned, learning even while sleeping etc...
C.Interaction: Teacher is quiet forcing situations and giving clues.
D.Language: Pronunciation, melody and structures are built while learning according to the students´needs.
E.Class language: native ss language while correcting and feedback used to build up the language.
F.Evaluation: all the time, steady progress.
G.Errors: self-correction
1. Sound-colour charts.
2. Teacher´s silent, only speaking as a last resort.
3. Peer correction; students help each other without competition.
4. Rods .
5. Self-correction gestures (fingers, hands...)
6. Word charts.
7. Fidel charts.
8. Structured feedback: observations about learning.
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Students are the center of attention
B.Characteristics: Sounds through colour charts, situations involving grammar structures once at a time, self-exploration, asking about what they have learned, learning even while sleeping etc...
C.Interaction: Teacher is quiet forcing situations and giving clues.
D.Language: Pronunciation, melody and structures are built while learning according to the students´needs.
E.Class language: native ss language while correcting and feedback used to build up the language.
F.Evaluation: all the time, steady progress.
G.Errors: self-correction
1. Sound-colour charts.
2. Teacher´s silent, only speaking as a last resort.
3. Peer correction; students help each other without competition.
4. Rods .
5. Self-correction gestures (fingers, hands...)
6. Word charts.
7. Fidel charts.
8. Structured feedback: observations about learning.
The total physical response method
PRINCIPLES
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers enjoy like children.
B.Characteristics: Making commands with a model.
C.Interaction: studentteacher student...
D.Language:grammatical structures and vocabulary are emphasied over other language areas. They listen to commands, speak and, the end of the process is writing and reading.
E.Class language: native ss language only when introducing the explanation of the method.
F.Evaluation: Command and perform.
G.Errors: teacher´s correction of really important errors.
1. Using commands to direct behaviour.
2. Role reversal: students become teachers and the other way round.
3. Action sequence (everyday activities broken into action sequences).
TYPICAL EXERCISES
A.Teachers enjoy like children.
B.Characteristics: Making commands with a model.
C.Interaction: studentteacher student...
D.Language:grammatical structures and vocabulary are emphasied over other language areas. They listen to commands, speak and, the end of the process is writing and reading.
E.Class language: native ss language only when introducing the explanation of the method.
F.Evaluation: Command and perform.
G.Errors: teacher´s correction of really important errors.
1. Using commands to direct behaviour.
2. Role reversal: students become teachers and the other way round.
3. Action sequence (everyday activities broken into action sequences).