10 Language Teaching Approaches

Grammar Translation
1. Instruction is given in the native language of the students.
2. There is little use of the target language for communication.
3. Focus is on grammatical explaining.
4. There is early reading of difficult texts.
5. A typical exercise is to translate sentences from the target language into the
mother tongue.
. A result of this approach is usually an ina!ility on the part of the student to
use the language for communication.
". The teacher does not have to !e a!le to spea# the target language.
Direct Approach
$. %o use of the mother tongue is permitted.
&. 'essons !egin (ith dialogues and anecdotes in modern conversational style.
1). Actions and pictures are used to ma#e meaning clear.
11. *rammar is learned inductively.
12. 'iterary texts are read for pleasure and are not analy+ed grammatically.
13. The target culture is also taught inductively.
14. The teacher must !e a native spea#er or have nativeli#e proficiency in the
target language.
Reading Approach
15. ,nly the grammar useful for the reading comprehension is taught.
1. -oca!ulary is controlled at first .!ased on fre/uency and usefulness0 and
then expanded.
1". Translation is once more a respecta!le classroom procedure.
1$. 1eading comprehension is the only language s#ill emphasi+ed.
1&. The teacher does not need to have good oral proficiency in the target
language.
Audio-lingualism
2). 'essons !egin (ith dialogues.
21. Imitation and memori+ation are used2 !ased on the assumption that language
is ha!it formation.
22. *rammatical structures are se/uenced and rules are taught inductively.
23. 3#ills are se/uenced4 listening2 spea#ing5reading2 (riting postponed.
24. 6ronunciation is stressed from the !eginning.
25. -oca!ulary is severely limited in initial stages.
2. A great effort is made to prevent learner errors.
2". 'anguage is often manipulated (ithout regard to meaning or context.
2$. The teacher must !e a proficiency only in the structures2 voca!ulary2 etc. that
he or she is teaching since learning activities and materials are carefully
controlled.
Oral-situational
2&. The spo#en language is primary.
3). All language material is practiced orally !efore !eing presented in (ritten
form .reading and (riting are taught only after an oral !ased in lexical and
grammatical forms has !een esta!lished.0
31. ,nly the target language should !e used in the classroom.
32. 7fforts are made to ensure that the most general and useful lexical items are
presented.
33. *rammatical structures are graded from simple to complex.
34. %e( items .lexical and grammatical0 are introduced and practiced
situationally.
Cognitive
35. 'anguage learning is vie(ed as rule ac/uisition2 not ha!it formation.
3. Instruction is often individuali+ed8 learners are responsi!le for their o(n
learning.
3". *rammar must !e taught !ut it cam !e taught deductively .rules first8
practice later0 and9or inductively .rules can either !e stated after practice or
left s implicit information for the learners to process on their o(n.0
3$. 6ronunciation is de:emphasi+ed8 perfection is vie(ed as unrealistic and
unattaina!le.
3&. 1eading and (riting are once again as important as listening and
4). -oca!ulary instruction is once again important2 especially at intermediate
and advanced levels.
41. 7rrors are vie(ed as inevita!le2 to !e used constructively I the learning
process.
42. The teacher is expected to have good general proficiency in the target
language as (ell as an a!ility to analy+e the target language.
Affective humanistic
43. 1espect is emphasi+ed for the individual .each student2 the teacher0 and for
his or her feelings.
44. ;ommunication that is meaningful to the learner is emphasi+ed.
45. Instruction involves much (or# in pairs and small groups.
4. ;lass atmosphere is vie(ed as more important than materials and methods.
4". 6eer support and interaction are vie(ed as necessary for learning.
4$. 'earning a foreign language is vie(ed as a self:reali+ation experience.
4&. The teacher is a counselor or facilitator.
5). The teacher should !e proficient in the target language and the student<s
native language since translation may !e used heavily in the initial stages to
help students feel at ease8 later it is gradually phased out.
Comprehensive based
51. 'istening comprehension is very important and is vie(ed as the !asic s#ill
that (ill allo( spea#ing2 reading2 and (riting to develop spontaneously over
time2 given the right conditions.
52. 'earners should !egin !y listen to meaningful spec# and !y responding
nonver!ally in meaningful (ays !efore they produce any language
themselves.
53. 'earners should not spea# until they feel ready to do so8 this results in !etter
pronunciation than if the learner is forced to spea# immediately.
54. 'earners progress !y !eing exposed to meaningful input that is =ust one step
!eyond their level of competence.
55. 1ule learning may help learners monitor or !ecome a(are of (hat they do2
!ut it (ill not aid their ac/uisition or spontaneous use of the target language.
5. 7rror correction is seen as unnecessary and perhaps even counterproductive8
the important thing is the learners can understand and can ma#e themselves
understood.
5". If the teacher is not native spea#er2 appropriate materials such as audio tapes
and videotapes must !e availa!le to provide the appropriate input for the
learners.
Communicative
5$. It is assumed that the goal of language teaching is learner a!ility to
communicate in the target language.
5&. It is assumed that the content of a language course (ill include semantic
notions and social functions2 not =ust linguistic structures.
). 3tudents regularly (or# in groups or pairs to transfer .and2 if necessary2
negotiate0 meaning in situations in (hich one person has information that the
other.s0 lac#.
1. 3tudents often engage in role play or dramati+ation to ad=ust their use of the
target language to different social contexts.
2. ;lassroom materials and activities are often authentic to reflect real:life
situations and demands.
3. 3#ills are integrated from the !eginning8 a given activity might involve
reading2 spea#ing2 listening2 and also (riting .this assumes that learners are
educated and literate0.
4. The teacher<s role is primarily to facilitate communication and only
secondarily to correct errors.
5. The teacher should !e a!le to use the target language fluently and
appropriately.
Tas-based
. It involved learners in using language for purposes (hich go !eyond merely
practicing the language in order to learn it.
". It also has a context from (hich the purpose for language emerges.
$. The purpose and context stimulate the learners to do something through
language.
&. The purposeful activity leads to(ards to a product.
"). It encourages learners to ma#e a pu!lic presentation of their (or#.
"1. The process gives learners more responsi!ility and choice for (hat they
present.
"2. 6u!lic presentations are follo(ed !y language analysis activities (here the
students focus on accuracy in language after completion of a tas#.
>hich of these approaches do you hope (ill have more influence on your teaching in
future?
>hat strategies (ill you use to ma#e your teaching more effective and meaningful?