ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

METHODS
PPG215
Semester 1, 2014/2015
Outline
Methodology vs Approach vs Method vs
Technique

The Grammar Translation Method
The Direct Method
The Audio Lingual Method
Methodology
What is methodology?

Pedagogical practices in general,
including theoretical underpinnings and
related research
how to teach
(Brown, 2007)
Approach
What is approach?

Theoretical beliefs about the nature of
language and language learning, and the
applicability of both to pedagogical
settings
(Brown, 2007)
Method
What is method?

A generalized set of classroom
specifications
Concerned mainly with teacher and
student roles and behaviours in the
classroom
(Brown, 2007)
Technique
What is technique?

The various exercises, activities, or tasks
used in the language classroom to
achieve the learning objectives
(Brown, 2007)
The Grammar Translation Method
Main objective:
To be able to read literature written in TL

Students need to learn:
grammar rules
vocabulary
The Grammar Translation Method
Focus
grammatical rules
memorization of vocabulary
translations of texts
written exercises
The Grammar Translation Method
Major characteristics
Focus is on learning grammar rules with detailed
explanation
Apply rules in translating passages from TL into L1
Classes taught in L1; very little active use of TL
Vocabulary taught in form of lists of isolated
words
Read difficult classical texts early
Little or no attention given to pronunciation
(Prator and Celce-Murcia, 1979)
The Grammar Translation Method
Teachers role
T is authority in classroom
Interaction mainly from T to students;
mostly teacher-talking time
T provides correct answers; very important for
students to get correct answer
The Grammar Translation Method
Students role
Followers do as T says so they can learn what T
knows
Memorize vocabulary
Passive; little student initiation
Little student-student interaction


The Grammar Translation Method
Advantages
Effective way to apply grammar and sentence
structure
Few demands on teachers
Least stressful for students
Does not need teachers with near native speaking
ability

The Grammar Translation Method
Disadvantages
Wrong idea of what language is
Less learners motivation
Learners do not produce their own sentences
Very little oral practice
Extensive use of memorization

The Grammar Translation Method

1. Translation of a
literary passage
2. Reading
comprehension
questions
3. Antonyms/synonyms
4. Deductive
application of rule

5. Fill-in-the-blanks
6. Memorization
7. Use words in
sentences
8. Composition
Useful classroom techniques:
The Grammar Translation Method
1. Translation of a literary passage
Translate reading passage from TL into L1

2. Reading comprehension questions
Answer questions in TL based on understanding of
passage
The Grammar Translation Method
3. Antonyms/synonyms
Search for antonyms/synonyms in passage from
given set of words

4. Deductive application of rule
Present grammar rules with examples;
learners apply rule using different examples

The Grammar Translation Method
5. Fill-in-the-blanks
Fill in blanks with vocabulary items or grammar
items, e.g., prepositions

6. Memorization
Memorize TL vocabulary lists with their L1
equivalents

The Grammar Translation Method
7. Use words in sentences
Create sentences using new vocabulary learnt

8. Composition
Write about topic in TL based on reading passage
The Direct Method
Learning a second language (L2) should be more
like learning a first language (L1)
A lot of oral interaction
Spontaneous use of the language
No translation between L1 and L2
Little or no analysis of grammatical rules
The Direct Method
Principles (Richards and Rodgers, 2001:12):
1. Classroom instruction exclusively in TL
2. Only teach everyday vocabulary and sentences
3. Build up oral communication skills progressively;
organized around Q&A between T and Ss in small groups
4. Teach grammar inductively
5. Teach new items though modeling and practice
6. Teach concrete vocabulary through demonstration,
objects, and pictures; abstract vocabulary through idea
association
7. Teach speech and listening comprehension
8. Emphasizes on correct pronunciation and grammar
The Direct Method
Advantages
An effective way to get learners to use the TL
communicatively
The Direct Method
Disadvantages
Needs small class size
Learners must be highly motivated
Teachers must be talented
Teachers need to be proficient in the TL / to have
the ability of a near native speaker
The Direct Method

1. Reading aloud
2. Q&A exercises
3. Students to self-
correct
4. Conversation
practice

5. Fill-in-the-blank
exercise
6. Dictation
7. Paragraph writing
Useful classroom techniques:
The Direct Method
1. Reading aloud
Students take turns reading sections of a passage
aloud; at the end of each students turn, teacher
uses gestures, pictures, realia, or examples to
explain meaning.

2. Q&A exercise
Exercise conducted only in TL. Students are asked
Qs and answer in full sentences to practise
grammatical structures.


The Direct Method
3. Students to self-correct
Teacher repeats what a student has just said,
using a questioning voice to signal to student that
something was wrong with it.

Teacher repeats what the student said, stopping
just before the error, so that student knows that
the next word is wrong.

The Direct Method
4. Conversation practice
Teacher asks students questions in TL, which
students have to understand in order to answer
correctly.

5. Fill-in-the-blank exercise
Similar to technique in GTM , except all items are
in TL and no application of explicit grammar rule.

The Direct Method
6. Dictation
Teacher reads passage three times. 1
st
time at
normal speed, students just listen. 2
nd
time reads
phrase by phrase with pauses for students to write
what they have heard. 3
rd
time at normal speed,
students check their work.

7. Paragraph writing
Students write a paragraph in their own words;
may use reading passage in lesson as model.

The Audio Lingual Method
An oral-based approach

Drills students in the use of grammatical
sentence patterns

Primary objective: students attain
conversational fluency in foreign languages

The Audio Lingual Method
Main characteristics:
New material presented in dialogue form

Focus on mimicry, memorization of set phrases,
and overlearning;
language learning is habit formation

Use repetitive drills to teach structural patterns
The Audio Lingual Method
Main characteristics (cont.):
Little or no grammatical explanation

Uses a lot of tapes, language labs and visual aids

Pronunciation is very important;
teacher as role model
The Audio Lingual Method
Main characteristics (cont.):
Very little use of L1 in class

Errors are corrected immediately

Structural patterns are manipulated

Spoken language comes before written language
The Audio Lingual Method
Advantages
First method to have a theory

Allows students to master TL quickly

Possible to teach large group of language learners

Emphasis on sentence production, grammatical
structures and development of oral ability
The Audio Lingual Method
Disadvantages
Students are only able to reproduce what is taught,
not create something new and spontaneous
Monotonous and mindless sentence pattern drills
Decreases motivation
Students are unable to transfer skills acquired
through ALM to real communication outside the
classroom, i.e., lack language competence
Teacher dominates the class
The Audio Lingual Method

1. Dialogue memorization
2. Backward build-up
(Expansion) drill
3. Repetition drill
4. Chain drill
5. Single-slot substitution
drill
6. Multiple-slot
substitution drill

7. Transformation drill
8. Question-and-answer
drill
9. Use of minimal pairs
10. Complete the
dialogue
11. Grammar game
Useful classroom techniques:
The Audio Lingual Method
1. Dialogue memorization
Students memorize dialogue through mimicry; Ss
take role of one person and T takes the other.
Practise dialogue, then switch roles.

2. Backward build-up (Expansion) drill
T breaks down long line of dialogue into parts. Ss
repeat last phrase of line, and expands backward
(following Ts cue) part by part.


The Audio Lingual Method
T: Repeat after me: post office.
Ss: Post office.
T: To the post office.
Ss: To the post office.
T: Going to the post office.
Ss: Going to the post office.
T: Im going to the post office.
Ss: Im going to the post office.
The Audio Lingual Method
3. Repetition drill
Teacher as model. Students repeat after teacher.

4. Chain drill
T begins chain by greeting/asking S a question. S
responds, then turns to S next to him/her and
greets/asks a question. Second S responds, and
then turns to next S.


The Audio Lingual Method
5. Single-slot substitution drill

T: I am going to the post office.
Ss: I am going to the post office.
T: She.
Ss: She is going to the post office.
T: They.
Ss: They are

The Audio Lingual Method
6. Multiple-slot substitution drill
Similar to single-slot substitution drill, except T
gives cue phrases (instead of single word).

7. Transformation drill
Students transform sentence pattern given by T.
Statement Question;
Affirmative Negative;
Active voice Passive voice

The Audio Lingual Method
8. Question-and-answer drill
T asks questions, Ss answer.
To give practice in answering questions.

9. Use of minimal pairs
ship/sheep; cot/lot; hat/had
Ss told the difference between the two, then
practise saying them.

The Audio Lingual Method
10. Complete the dialogue
T removes some words from a dialogue Ss have
learnt. Ss fill in the blanks.

11. Grammar game
Any game to get students to practise a grammar
point.