SUMMARIZE : COMMON METHOD OF TEACHING ENGLISH FOR

SPECIFIC PURPOSE

ASSESMENT

Name : Andi Sulastri Sofyan

NPM : 2014-88-203-029

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MUSAMUS
MERAUKE
2017

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 COMMON METHOD OF ESP

1. Grammar - translation method

At the height of the Communicative Approach to language learning in the 1980s

and early 1990s it became fashionable in some quarters to deride so-called "old-fashioned"
methods and, in particular, something broadly labelled "Grammar Translation". There were
numerous reasons for this but principally it was felt that translation itself was an academic
exercise rather than one which would actually help learners to use language, and an overt
focus on grammar was to learn about the target language rather than to learn it.

As with many other methods and approaches, Grammar Translation tended to be

referred to in the past tense as if it no longer existed and had died out to be replaced world-
wide by the fun and motivation of the communicative classroom. If we examine the
principal features of Grammar Translation, however, we will see that not only has it not
disappeared but that many of its characteristics have been central to language teaching
throughout the ages and are still valid today.

The Grammar Translation method embraces a wide range of approaches but,

broadly speaking, foreign language study is seen as a mental discipline, the goal of which
may be to read literature in its original form or simply to be a form of intellectual
development. The basic approach is to analyze and study the grammatical rules of the
language, usually in an order roughly matching the traditional order of the grammar of
Latin, and then to practise manipulating grammatical structures through the means of
translation both into and from the mother tongue.

The method is very much based on the written word and texts are widely in
evidence. A typical approach would be to present the rules of a particular item of grammar,
illustrate its use by including the item several times in a text, and practise using the item
through writing sentences and translating it into the mother tongue. The text is often
accompanied by a vocabulary list consisting of new lexical items used in the text together

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with the mother tongue translation. Accurate use of language items is central to this
approach.

Generally speaking, the medium of instruction is the mother tongue, which is used
to explain conceptual problems and to discuss the use of a particular grammatical structure.
It all sounds rather dull but it can be argued that the Grammar Translation method has over
the years had a remarkable success. Millions of people have successfully learnt foreign
languages to a high degree of proficiency and, in numerous cases, without any contact
whatsoever with native speakers of the language (as was the case in the former Soviet
Union, for example).

There are certain types of learner who respond very positively to a grammatical
syllabus as it can give them both a set of clear objectives and a clear sense of achievement.
Other learners need the security of the mother tongue and the opportunity to relate
grammatical structures to mother tongue equivalents. Above all, this type of approach can
give learners a basic foundation upon which they can then build their communicative skills.

Applied wholesale of course, it can also be boring for many learners and a quick
look at foreign language course books from the 1950s and 1960s, for example, will soon
reveal the non-communicative nature of the language used. Using the more enlightened
principles of the Communicative Approach, however, and combining these with the
systematic approach of Grammar Translation, may well be the perfect combination for
many learners. On the one hand they have motivating communicative activities that help
to promote their fluency and, on the other, they gradually acquire a sound and accurate
basis in the grammar of the language. This combined approach is reflected in many of the
EFL course books currently being published and, amongst other things, suggests that the
Grammar Translation method, far from being dead, is very much alive and kicking as we
enter the 21st century.

Without a sound knowledge of the grammatical basis of the language it can be

argued that the learner is in possession of nothing more than a selection of communicative

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 phrases which are perfectly adequate for basic communication but which will be found
wanting when the learner is required to perform any kind of sophisticated linguistic task.

2. Direct method
Teachers should value students’ talk. Acquisition of a good oral
proficiency is of paramount importance in foreign language learning process.
Creating a communicative environment encourages students to get engaged in
the target language, and enhances their oral language development. The
teacher should be aware of his/her potential in the Direct Method as it will
positively influence language development of students.

3. Communicative language teaching

As the language theories underlying the Audiolingual method and the Sitiuational
Language Teaching method were questioned by prominent linguists like Chomsky (1957)
during the 1960s, a new trend of language teaching paved its way into
classrooms. Communicative Language Teaching(CLT), which is an approach to the teaching
of second and foreign languages, emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate
goal of learning a language. It is also referred to as “Communicative Approach”. Historically,
CLT has been seen as a response to the Audio-Lingual Method (ALM), and as an extension or
development of the Notional-Functional Syllabus. Task-based language learning, a more
recent refinement of CLT, has gained considerably in popularity.

The theories underlying the audiolingual method and the situational language teaching
were widely criticized during the 1960s. Noam Chomsky, for instance, rejected the structuralist
view of language and demonstrated that there is a distinction between performance and
competence. The goal of the linguist is to study the linguistic competence native speakers are
endowed with. He also showed, rightly, that structuralism and behaviorism were unable to
account for one fundamental aspect of language, namely the creativity and uniqueness of
individual sentences. A child is able to produce an infinite number of sentences that s/he has
never encountered. This makes the factors of imitation, repetition and habit formation weak
arguments to account for any language learning theory.

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A shift towards communicative proficiency

The increasing interdependency between the European countries necessitated a need for a greater
effort to teach adults the principal languages of the continent. New goals were set in language
teaching profession:

 The paramount importance of communication aspects of language.

 The increasing interest in meaningful learning.
 The growing centrality of the learner in teaching processes.
 The subordinate importance of structural teaching of language.

Notional / functional dimension of language

Applied linguists and philosophers addressed another fundamental dimension of language: the
functional and communicative potential of language. The speech act theory showed that we do
something when we speak a language. We use language ( cf Halliday 1975)

 to get things,
 to control behavior,
 to create interaction with others,
 to express personal feelings,
 to learn,
 to create a world of imagination,
 to communicate information.

Besides applied linguists emphasized a teaching of language based on communicative proficiency

rather than mastery of structures. instead of describing the core of language through traditional
concepts of grammar and vocabulary, they (Van Ek & Alexander, 1975; Wilkins, 1976) attempted
to show the systems of meaning underlying the communicative use of language. They described
two kinds of meanings.

 Notional categories: concepts such as time, sequence; quantity, location, frequency.

 Functional categories: requests offers, complaints, invitation …

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In other words, a “notion” is a particular context in which people communicate. A “function” is a
specific purpose for a speaker in a given context. For example, the “notion,” of shopping requires
numerous language “functions,” such as asking about prices or features of a
product and bargaining.

One language competence or numerous competences?

For Chomsky the focus of linguistics was to describe the linguistic competence that enables
speakers to produce grammatically correct sentences. Dell Hymes held, however, that such a view
of linguistic theory was sterile and that it failed to picture all the aspects of language. He advocated
the need of a theory that incorporate communication competence. It must be a definition of what a
speaker needs to know in order to be communicatively competent in a speech community.
Later Canale and Swaine (1980) described four dimensions of communicative competence.

 Grammatical competence: refers to what Chomsky calls linguistic competence.

 Sociolinguistic competence: refers to an understanding of the social context in which
communication takes place (role relationships, shared beliefs and information between
participants …)
 Discourse competence: refers to the interpretation of individual messsage elements in terms
of their interconnectedness and how meaning is represented in relationship to the entire
discourse or text.
 Strategic competence: refers to the coping strategies that participants use to initiate terminate,
maintain, repair and redirect communication

Learning theory

According to the the communicative approach, in order for learning to take place, emphasis must
be put on the importance of these variables:

 Communication: activities that involve real communication promote learning.

 Tasks: activities in which language is used to carry out meaningful tasks supports the learning
process.

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  Meaning: language that is meaningful and authentic to the learner boosts learning.

Acquiring or learning?

Stephen Krashen later advocated in his language learning theory that there should be a distinction
between learning and acquiring. He sees acquisition as the basic process involved in developing
language proficiency and distinguishes this process from learning. Acquisition is an unconscious
process that involves the naturalistic development of language proficiency while learning is the
conscious internalization of the rules of language. It results in explicit knowledge about the forms
of language and the ability to verbalize this knowledge. Learning according to Krashen can not
lead to acquisition.

Syllabus

Communicative language teaching syllabus organizes the teaching according to the notional and
functional categories of language rather than according to its structures.It concentrates on the
following:

 Interactions: using language to communicate,

 Tasks: using language to perform meaningful tasks
 Learner: putting the learner’s interests, needs in the forefront.

Merits of CLT

There are many advantages in teaching according to the communicative approach:

 CLT is a holistic approach. It doesn’t focus only on the traditional structural syllabus. It takes
into consideration communicative dimension of language.
 CLT provides vitality and motivation within the classroom.
 CLT is a learner centered approach. It capitalizes on the interests and needs of the learner.
 In a world where communication of information and information technology have broken new
considerable ground, CLT can play an important role in education.

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Criticism

 Notional syllabus was criticized as merely replacing one kind of list, namely a list of
grammatical structures, with another list of notions and functions.
 The various categories of language functions are overlapping and not systematically graded
like the structures of the language.
 The communicative approach focuses on the use of language in everyday situations, or the
functional aspects of language, and less on the formal structures. There must be a certain
balance between the two.It gives priority to meanings and rules of use rather than to grammar
and rules of structure. Such concentration on language behavior may result in negative
consequences in the sense that important structures and rules would be left out.
 The approach relies extensively on the functional-notational syllabus which places heavy
demands on the learners.
 A major principle underlying this approach is its emphasis on learners’ needs and interests.
This implies that every teacher should modify the syllabus to fit the needs of the learners.
 The requirements are difficult. Not all classrooms can allow for group work activities and for
teaching aids and materials.
In spite of its critics, CLT has gained widespread acceptance in the world of language study. CLT
can succeed, as long as teachers don’t completely reject the need for the structure provided by
grammar. Teachers must strive for moderation and shouldn’t neglect the merits of other methods.
CLT, in the hands of a balanced teacher, can bring new life and joy to the classroom. Its vitality
makes it an important contributor to language learning approaches

4. Task-based language teaching

Learners learn to communicate by communicating.
The most effective way to teach a language is by engaging learners in real language use in
the classroom. Scenarios that reflect real-world language use are set up by designing tasks
– discussions, problems, games and so on – which require learners to use language for
themselves. A task is an activity in which a person engages in order to attain an objective,
and which necessitates the use of language. Using language is a means to an end: by
understanding language input and by producing language output i.e. by interacting with

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 other people in real-life situations through the use of language, the goals that the learner
has in mind can be (better) achieved.

5. ESP teaching

ESP assesses needs and integrates motivation, subject matter and content for the teaching
of relevant skills.

The responsibility of the teacher

A teacher that already has experience in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL),
can exploit her background in language teaching. She should recognize the ways in which
her teaching skills can be adapted for the teaching of English for Specific Purposes.
Moreover, she will need to look for content specialists for help in designing appropriate
lessons in the subject matter field she is teaching.

As an ESP teacher, you must play many roles. You may be asked to organize courses, to
set learning objectives, to establish a positive learning environment in the classroom, and
to evaluate student s progress.

a. Organizing Courses

You have to set learning goals and then transform them into an instructional program with
the timing of activities. One of your main tasks will be selecting, designing and organizing
course materials, supporting the students in their efforts, and providing them with feedback
on their progress.

b. Setting Goals and Objectives

You arrange the conditions for learning in the classroom and set long-term goals and short-
term objectives for students achievement. Your knowledge of students' potential is central
in designing a syllabus with realistic goals that takes into account the students' concern in
the learning situation.

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 c. Creating a Learning Environment

Your skills for communication and mediation create the classroom atmosphere. Students
acquire language when they have opportunities to use the language in interaction with other
speakers. Being their teacher, you may be the only English speaking person available to
students, and although your time with any of them is limited, you can structure effective
communication skills in the classroom. In order to do so, in your interactions with students
try to listen carefully to what they are saying and give your understanding or
misunderstanding back at them through your replies. Good language learners are also great
risk-takers , since they must make many errors in order to succeed: however, in ESP
classes, they are handicapped because they are unable to use their native language
competence to present themselves as well-informed adults. That s why the teacher should
create an atmosphere in the language classroom which supports the students. Learners must
be self-confident in order to communicate, and you have the responsibility to help build
the learner's confidence.

d. Evaluating Students

The teacher is a resource that helps students identify their language learning problems and
find solutions to them, find out the skills they need to focus on, and take responsibility for
making choices which determine what and how to learn. You will serve as a source of
information to the students about how they are progressing in their language learning.

 The responsibility of the student

What is the role of the learner and what is the task he/she faces? The learners come to the
ESP class with a specific interest for learning, subject matter knowledge, and well-built
adult learning strategies. They are in charge of developing English language skills to reflect
their native-language knowledge and skills.

 Interest for Learning

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 People learn languages when they have opportunities to understand and work with
language in a context that they comprehend and find interesting. In this view, ESP is a
powerful means for such opportunities. Students will acquire English as they work with
materials which they find interesting and relevant and which they can use in their
professional work or further studies. The more learners pay attention to the meaning of the
language they hear or read, the more they are successful; the more they have to focus on
the linguistic input or isolated language structures, the less they are motivated to attend
their classes.

The ESP student is particularly well disposed to focus on meaning in the subject-matter
field. In ESP, English should be presented not as a subject to be learned in isolation from
real use, nor as a mechanical skill or habit to be developed. On the contrary, English should
be presented in authentic contexts to make the learners acquainted with the particular ways
in which the language is used in functions that they will need to perform in their fields of
specialty or jobs.

 Subject-Content Knowledge

Learners in the ESP classes are generally aware of the purposes for which they will need
to use English. Having already oriented their education toward a specific field, they see
their English training as complementing this orientation. Knowledge of the subject area
enables the students to identify a real context for the vocabulary and structures of the ESP
classroom. In such way, the learners can take advantage of what they already know about
the subject matter to learn English.

 Learning Strategies

Adults must work harder than children in order to learn a new language, but the learning
skills they bring to the task permit them to learn faster and more efficiently. The skills they
have already developed in using their native languages will make learning English easier.
Although you will be working with students whose English will probably be quite limited,
the language learning abilities of the adult in the ESP classroom are potentially immense.
Educated adults are continually learning new language behaviour in their native languages,

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since language learning continues naturally throughout our lives. They are constantly
expanding vocabulary, becoming more fluent in their fields, and adjusting their linguistic
behaviour to new situations or new roles. ESP students can exploit these innate
competencies in learning English.

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