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Methods of teaching (1) 9/11/2021

In this lecture we are going to identify the main teaching methods that are
currently used in the literature in teaching English as a foreign language. We try to
make a distinction between an approach , a method and technique . A clear
distinction should be made between these interrelated terms:

1-The approach is general assumptions, theories , hypotheses about language

, about language learning and about language teaching which may function
as reference point for the methods and the techniques that are going to be
used in the classroom. So, the approach is wider than a method, it is basically
concerned with assumption about language, what is language , what are the
characteristics of language, what aspects of language should be taught, What
aspects of language should be focused upon and etc….. We have theories
about language ,

we have structural theory, functional theory , relational theory and etc….

We have theories about learning like for example: behaviorism , cognitive
theory and etc… We have also theories about language teaching how
teaching should be tackled in general . Now these theories may function as
reference point for the methods and for classroom techniques.

2- Method : it is an overall plan, it is a systematic way which tries to call the

assumptions down to earth . It is an overall plan for applying the approach
to classroom setting. So, the method should be consistent with the
approach .

3- The technique
It is classroom activities . What is done in the classroom in order to
actualize the method , in order to represent a specific method . For
example , in audio lingual method we pattern practice technique , we use
repetition drills , we use techniques . These drills are technique , In the
notional functional approach we use information gap activities, we use
tasks . These activities represent the notional functional approach . These
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techniques should be consistent with the method adopted and the method
adopt should represent approach.

So, the relation between approach, method and technique is hierarchical .

Let us say that we have three main approaches in language teaching:

1- The oral-aural approach
2- The notional functional approach
3- The communicative approach

We can classify method into :

1- Form based
2- Function based
3- Task based

Form based
In form based, the emphasis based on form rather than on notions and
functions or tasks . The methods that subsume under this category focus on
form , focus on teaching structures of language in different ways using
different techniques .

function based
This approach places emphasis on meaning, on teaching language
functions rather than form . The emphasis here on teaching language in
action . It focused on how the context is sensitive to teaching language . so
the emphasis is placed on teaching language functions and how these
function are formally realized.
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In communicative approach, emphasis is placed on English as a means of

communication . We have a strong form of the communicative function ‫الي‬
‫ جماعة هذا الفورم يريدون يلغون القواعد نهائيا‬and we have a weak form of the
communicative approach. In the strong form of communicative approach,
emphasis is placed on how language used in communication . No emphasis
is placed on form . Emphasis here is placed on fluency rather than accuracy
, emphasis is placed on how to get the message across whether the form
used is accurate or not . Emphasis is placed whether the message
understood or not regardless of the accuracy of the form that convey the
message , this is the strong form of communicative approach. The weak
form of the communicative approach tries to make balance between form
and function, so , both forms and functions are taught and the emphasis is
placed on fluency and accuracy . Emphasis is placed not only on whether
the message understood or not but also on how the message conveyed .
Emphasis is placed on form and meaning .

Another classification, we have

Learned centered approach , learning centered approach and teacher
centered approach.
In learned centered approach, emphasis is placed on learner , emphasis is
placed on strategies, language learning strategies, language learning styles,
how the learner learns a language, what is going in his mind when learning
a language , so the emphasis is placed on the learner himself, the
strategies he used and the motivation he has and etc…..

In the learning centered approach, the emphasis is not placed on the

learner or the teacher, the emphasis is on the teaching learning process
itself. The emphasis here is on how teaching and
process as a cognitive activity takes place. So, the emphasis here is on the
teaching learning process itself.
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The last one is teacher centered approach: In this approach , the emphasis is
placed on teacher and the teacher is the core of the teaching learning process .
we have to design methods and techniques that can easily be used by teacher
when teaching a language, so the emphasis is placed on the teacher rather than
the learner

Finally, we have post method , The emphasis is placed on the assumption

that there is no unique method that is applicable to all learners and to all
teachers in all teaching learning situations , So, there is no unique method,
So, what is applicable to a given classroom may not be applicable to
another, what is useful for teaching a given activity or skill may not be
successful in teaching another .This means that a method which is useful
with a specific group of people may not be successful with teaching the
same material with other group of learners . So, there is no unique
method and the teacher is left to select what is appropriate in this lecture ,
what is suitable to his learners , what is applicable to the situation in which
he teaches.

Now let us start with oldest methods

When we are talking about a method we should take into a consideration
the following things:
The assumptions
The rationale (the reasons for adopting this method)
The principles of this method or approach
The techniques that are commonly used
The role of the teacher
The role of the learner
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First of all , we have Grammar translation method

In this method, emphasis is placed on teaching grammar and translation.

This is the oldest method in foreign or second language teaching . The
learner is taught the major grammatical categories such as subject, verb,
object and etc.. emphasis on tenses extra extra , active , passive , direct,
indirect . This is one face of the coin. The other face of the coin is to give
students passages to be translated from or to native language or the target
language . this method has been used in teaching dead languages
especially Greek and Roman. Emphasis is placed on writing rather than on
speaking because the languages is dead . So , there is no use in talking in
Latin or in Greek, we need to translate the books are written in Latin or
Greek to natural languages . They focus on dead languages because they
started to teach Greek and Latin as foreign languages . This method is
transmitted in teaching English as a second language. The learner is given
a list of grammatical categories such as tenses, direct indirect, extra extra .
Probably the translation deemphasized but emphasis is placed on form
rather than on meaning or the communicative use of language.

The role of the learner

The learner is a passive recipient , his job is only to translate to use
language for communication not to do any activity . The major activity that
is used is translation . Another activity is the memorization of a list of
words . The learner is given a list of words to be memorized and to be used.

The rationale behind this method is that Greek and Latin are dead
languages and if we apply this into English , we rarely communicate with
foreigners . We badly need to translate books from English to Arabic . we
need to understand books in physics in geography, in history written in the
target language . So we don’t need to communicate in the target language ,
we to understand what is written . Emphasis here is placed on written
aspects of language .
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The audio lingual method

It is the most important method of teaching English until now

Why we call it audio lingual method : it is called audio lingual method because it
emphasized on listening and speaking rather than reading and writing.

It can be seen as a reaction against grammar translation method because

listening and speaking were completely neglected in grammar translation
approach . It emphasized the teaching of form rather than meaning . in this point ,
it is indirect contrast with direct method . The direct method is a method which
makes direct contact between two things between linguistic item and things they
refer to … door, ball, wall . Emphasis is placed on teaching words and their
meaning and emphasize the direct connection between linguistic item and things
they refer to With complete elimination of the native language. Native language
should be avoided at all costs. Simply because the teacher of direct method were
mainly native speakers and they don’t know the native language in the context in
which they teach the foreign language . The audio lingual method was a reaction
these two methods , they emphasize the importance of the teaching of structures
in which are neglected in the direct method and it focuses on teaching listening
and speaking which were neglected by grammar translation approach .

The rational for audio lingual approach

1-In audio lingual approach , language is basically as a means of
communication. Therefore, the communicative use of language should be
highlighted. But communication is understood as the manipulation of
forms .

Principles of audio lingual method

1- The main principles is that teaching should emphasized the teaching of
form especially the linguistic structures . Emphasis on form rather than
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meaning . Meaning is only used for manipulation of grammatical

structure .

As far as is concerned , the audio lingual method is concerned with aural

oral approach(general principles about language. In other words , audio
lingual method is based on aural oral approach .The aural oral approach
is based on structural linguistic as far as the theory of language is
concerned. It is based on behaviorally theory as far as language learning
is concerned

The audio lingual method tries to make use of two important things ,
the structural approach to linguistic study as far as language is
concerned and on behaviorism . So,
according to the structural approach , each language has a unique
structure and this structure can be identified , can be dismantled into
sub levels , each level should be taught on its own . This why emphasis is
placed on identifying the speech sounds . So, we have exercises on
teaching pronunciation and the manipulation of the grammatical
structure. There are so many activities that will help learners to
manipulate the grammatical structures , how can these structures
reintroduced by the use of dialogues . So, the audio lingual method
introduces grammatical structure , first in the conversation or in a
dialogue is expected to be done by two or more students to the extent
of over learning this dialogue. This dialogue is expected to be learned
through repetition . The new grammatical structure which is in
introduced in the dialogue is going to be isolated and practiced. In each
unit , we have specific grammatical structures and the review lexical
items . This new structure is introduced first in the dialogue is going to
be done by two or more students . They memorize this dialogue which
includes the structure and consideration and the new vocabulary items
. After students memorize the dialogues , is structured , identified , is
singled out and practiced in oral practice activities . In oral practice
activities , we have different types of drills like repetition drills ,
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substitution drills and extra extra….. These drills are used to learn the
grammatical students (how) to the extent of leering.
The same structure is reintroduced in the reading skills . So, each
reading passage exemplifies the structure under consideration such as
present continuous. All sentences in reading section have present
continuous . The reading section here is used to exemplifies again the
structure under consideration . In writing skill or writing assignment ,
the same structure is going to be introduced again in order to be
manipulated in writing …….. . In fact we are teaching structure .
In audio lingual method , the structures are emphasized and taught
through listening to the dialogue by saying the dialogue by doing oral
practice exercise by doing reading tasks writing.

According to audio lingual method , learning is additive in each lecture ,

in each unit new things are taught and practiced so that at the end of
the course , you will have a good asset of linguistic structures to be used
.

The role of the learner

The learner is passive recipient , this job is only to do different types of
drills (listening drills , reading skills and manipulation drills repetition.
He/she no right to use different ways to express himself and different
tasks that are not suggested by the teacher . So, the teacher is the
master of the situation.

An important point here is that native language is not completely

eliminated like the oral approach . Native language can be used in
classroom in order to save time ………. Especially when the teacher
teaches abstract words . For example , if I want to teach the meaning of
(victory, democracy ,) I give students their meaning directly ‫بدون ما اطولها‬
. Emphasis is placed on what is different , what is found in the native
language and what is not used in the target language .
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The role of the learner

The teacher is the master of the situation . The teacher

should be sure of pronunciation of every single word . He should
correct immediately any error or a mistake that may be committed
by

Main Objectives
The main objectives are different types of drills such as repletion drills,
substitution drills and extra extra.

Total Physical Approach ‫ايمان سمنر‬

In this approach, the learner responds to the teachers’ orders using the
part using the whole body ( stand up , clap , raise your hand and extra
extra ).This approach based on assumptions that language can be learnt
by using their entire body or by doing types of movements by responding
physically to the learner’s orders. For example : I am going to ask Ahmed
to clap, put your hand on your shoulder, the learner is going to answer by
making some movements . We have linguistic response and we have
physical responsible . In physical approach, learners using their body to
answer the question that are asked by the teacher.
The question here is that emphasis placed on meaning based or form
based?
‫ الجواب‬The teacher is after teaching form through comprehending the of
meaning of these forms. The meaning of these forms are understood
through performing actions .This method was criticizes because it is only
suitable to the beginners.