METHODOLOGY ESSAY

Name:
Camila Gonzlez
Valentina Riquelme.
Teacher:
Gabriela Sanhueza.
Subject:
English as a foreign language methodology
Date:
December 03rd, 2014

Methodology essay

Over the time, the methodology that teachers have applied with their students to
teach has changed in order to enhance learning. Thus, we as future teachers
should be aware of what methodology means. Furthermore, Tamura (2006)
declares that methodology is a tool that helps teachers to work proficiently by
empowering and facilitating the process of teaching. Methodology is a concept
that must be associated to certain questions that are present in an educational
context, such as: What to teach? (That means the knowledge, skills and habits
that the learner has to acquire by the end of the lesson), what are the aims of
teaching? (It facilitates the process of achieving the main goal), and How to
teach? (All the instruments that a teacher employs to accomplish the aim). The
answers to these questions make the study of methodology a science and
these are directly related to planning lessons, since according to Spratt, M;
Pulverness, A; Williams, M (2005) a lesson plan help teachers to think what
they are going to teach and how they are going to teach it. And, they
mentioned that it guides us before, during and after the lesson. Based on what
we have mentioned before; methodology plays an important role in pedagogy,
that is why we are going to show our own valid definition of that concept in order
to understand it clearly; moreover, we are going to discuss the relevance of
planning lessons and why is it even more important for novice teachers.
First of all, we are going to clarify what methodology means. As far as we are
concerned, methodology is a set of rules and principles that involve theoretical
and practical parts of a discipline: in our case teaching and pedagogy.
Methodology is a conductive procedure followed by a structured process in
which approaches, methods and techniques are mixed and work together in
order to improve pedagogy. In addition to this, its purpose attempts to find
solutions to problems that students usually may have during the process of
teaching and learning. Before we built a valid definition about the topic we were
conscious about some concepts that Brown (2001) considered important and
defined as; for instance, approach: theoretically well-informed positions and
beliefs about the nature of languages and the applicability of both to
pedagogical settings. Methods: a generalized set of classroom specifications
for accomplishing linguistic objectives. Techniques: any of a wide variety of
exercises,

activities

or

tasks

used

in

the

language

classroom.

Curriculum/syllabus: designs for carrying out a particular language program.

Once we connected those terminologies, we can assume that our definition is a
valid one. On one hand, we have a clear conviction that methodology is a
science, for it has an object of study. On the other hand, its main goal refers to
create the best atmosphere in the lesson and in that way to achieve
communication in the class, participation of students and at the same time
make students capable of understanding the language.
Secondly, there are many compelling reasons of why it is necessary to plan. As
we have said before, planning is a very useful tool to organize what is going to
take place during the lesson; simultaneously it is helpful at the moment of
avoiding improvisation, to save time; as well as to be prepared to confront some
issues that could affect the educational process. According to Harmer (2007),
planning is essential for learners because it is evidence that shows that the
teacher has devoted time to thinking about the class; but also it is essential for
teachers because a plan gives the lesson a framework, an overall shape.
However, planning a lesson is not an easy issue and as Harmer (1998) declares
this involves the thinking of specific learners, the syllabus, time limits, what the
teacher wants

their students to learn, what the teacher thinks the

learners might do in order to achieve the main aim, etc. Nonetheless, there is a
controversial issue that affects teachers once they start to design a lesson plan,
that issue is the lack of time that teachers have at the moment of checking
tests, preparing aids for the lesson and also, for planning.
Finally, there are many experienced teachers that do not need to plan the whole
lesson, since experience has made them almost perfectly know what does a
lesson means, the time required to perform the activities, what they and the
students should say and do, which may be the problems presented by the
students with some kinds of exercises, when move to the next activity or to
repeat some explanation, etc. On the contrary, novice teachers has not yet
acquire all the characteristics named above, so it is crucial for them to have
something to rely on when teaching, besides it is vital that they are able to
distinguish what they are doing well and what they should improve in order to
fulfill the aims of the class. Many authors have suggested some ideas of
teaching models and lesson shapes with the purpose of have a guideline.as a

recommendation, Harmer (1998) presented the PPP model, this lesson plan
model follows a predictable order (presentation, practice, production) and
maybe is the most useful for novice teacher because of its easy and simple
procedure. Another one is the ESA model designed by Harmer (1998), its
procedure is engage, study and activate.
To sum up, as future teachers we should have a clear idea of methodology and
what it implies. At the moment of design a lesson plan we have to be aware of
its aim, the shape and the kind of techniques and activities for a particular group
of learners, taking care to the context in which students are to design
appropriate activities for them. It is important to mention that every teacher
needs their personal aims in order to make his or her lesson more challenge,
based on their students personal, in order to create a better atmosphere at the
moment of teaching or learning.

References
-Brown (2001) Teaching by principles.

-Harmer (2007) Planning lessons, Chapter 12

-Harmer (1998) How to teach English, Chapter 4, Longman
-Tamura (2006) Concepts on The Methodology of Teaching English
-Spratt, M; Pulverness, A; Williams, M (2005) The TKT Course