Methods of English Language Teaching in India:

From Primary to Higher Level

R Rajeshwari

ABSTRACT
This article aims to describe the methods of teaching English in India as a second language,
which have been propounded till date for providing classroom instruction to enhance the
second language skills of Indian learners at all levels (adults as well as children). It
describes how different methods can be put to best use at different levels of learners, i.e.
different ‘learning stages’. It is based on teaching CBSE students of all classes as well as
adult learners of English. It shows how all the methods hold their own unique place in
second language teaching. It also shows how all these methods are closely interwoven
and are being followed (to some extent) in our school curriculum.

Keywords: Second language teaching methods; Methods of teaching English in India.

Introduction once the learner has attained basic language

proficiency.
Since the post-method period, there has
been a steady resistance to the use of any People acquire their first language when
one method in second language teaching. subjected to environs that facilitate language
A combination of methods is encouraged. learning. However, when it comes to second
This article aims at presenting a language, a debate arises on whether an
combination of methods that have been individual method or methods or no methods
propounded till date, and how they can be should be followed for teaching the language.
helpful in the course of second language In a multi-lingual country like India, all
teaching. It is proposed that these methods languages (native languages/English) are
be seen as a continuous process of growth, taught as academic subjects in schools, and
with the methods playing a unique role in mostly in a similar manner. Generally, a
the trajectory of a learner ’s second student in India knows three languages, viz.
language development. Each method the mother tongue, Hindi, and English. In this
contributes in creating a naturalistic essay, let us see how the different methods
environment at consecutive levels for the to learn the second language benefit the
second language learner. For example, a students at different stages of the learning
bilingual word list can be used during the process. As Larsen-Freeman and Anderson
initial stages, whereas communicative (2011) state, the methods could be replaced
language teaching can be used at a later by the methodological inventions to facilitate
stage of the second language teaching class, language learning.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 62, No. 6, November-December 2020 25

Methods repetition by the students. It has been proven
that spoken form precedes written language.
All the methods which have been followed Just as a child learns the first language
till today in SLT, like grammar translation, (speaking) through exposure, audio-
audiolingualism, silent way, Suggestopedia lingualism serves a similar purpose of
(Desuggestopedia), and so on, possess a subjecting learners to the atmosphere of the
unique place in the language teaching/learning language. Pronunciation could be corrected
process. To understand this, let us divide the without importance given to errors. This
classroom teaching process of the students into method, which could improve the speaking
learning stages, beginning from primary level and reading skills of the students, is followed
to higher levels. For convenience, we will in the primary classes in our schools. The
assume the primary level to correspond to the most important fact to be remembered is that
primary class children of the school. However, the students do not have to face the real world
we can see that all methods hold an important after this stage. This is just the beginning.
place in different stages of teaching and
learning, and hence can be applied to language Suggestopedia/Desuggestopedia
learners of all ages. We can see how the pattern
of teaching and the pedagogical syllabi of Ideally, suggestopedia could be resorted to
CBSE–NCERT correspond to a number of at the initial phase of a language teaching
these methods. class. If the target students are young,
suggestopedia could be followed along with
Total Physical Response TPR, which could be effective. If the target
Total Physical Response (TPR) holds the first students are adults, it could prove more
place in the stages of learning. As a child fruitful at this stage, but not independently.
learns the first language by listening, TPR It could be combined with audiolingualism.
follows the same process. The teacher uses Students need time to understand (desuggest
imperatives and performs the same actions their limitations) that learning is possible
herself. Students repeat and act accordingly even through music and that understanding
(Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011). the culture of the second language is
Students are subjected to the environs of the important. Savignon (2007) has emphasised
TL. This method helps create awareness of the importance of culture in language studies:
the language and provides necessary “Interest in teaching culture along with
exposure to the target language. It improves language has led to the emergence of various
the listening skills of the students. This integrative approaches.” The Russian scholar
method is best suited at the primary level Saphonova (1996) has introduced a
when children begin their second language sociocultural approach to teaching modern
classes. The physical activity involved keeps languages that she describes as ‘‘teaching for
them enthusiastic. intercultural L2 communication in a spirit of
peace and a dialogue of cultures’’ (p. 62). In
Audiolingualism addition to the grammatical, discourse, and
strategic features of language use in the L2
This method believes in formal drills and
26 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 62, No. 6, November-December 2020
curriculum, Saphonova places particular Students understand the content of prose/
emphasis on the development of poetry well if they are taught the difficult
sociocultural competence (Savignon, 2007). words/phrases through their NL. They
participate in the discussions because they
According to Larsen-Freeman and Anderson feel comfortable. “The first language is
(2011), suggestopedia is now called maintained as the reference system in the
desuggestopedia, to reflect upon the acquisition of the second language” (Stern
importance placed on desuggesting 1983 cited in Larsen-Freeman and Anderson,
limitations on learning. They have quoted 2011). The importance of first language in
Lozanov and Miller to establish the role of teaching the second language has been
desuggesting in a language class. The established repeatedly. When students learn
students are helped to desuggest their mental a second language, they establish a
limitations. This is accomplished by correlation between the target language and
dramatisation/role playing, singing, and their first language. Larsen-Freeman and
dancing. Students are given roles and names Anderson (2011) have quoted Paradowski
according to the TL culture. In an Indian (2007), who observes that the Council of
classroom, wherein children come from Europe encourages plurilingualism, and that
various cultures, it is important to honour the teachers should take advantage of learners’
cultures and make them adapt to the culture proficiency in the first language to render
of the TL. This method can help in turning instructions in the target language. Mahboob
the heterogeneity of an Indian classroom into and Lin express a similar observation. “One
a homogeneous environment to facilitate of the most consistent findings in the NNEST
effective language teaching and learning. (non-native English speakers in TESOL)
Grammar-Translation Method literature is that both students and teachers
find the NNESTs’ (and other teachers)
The second language is taught by translating proficiency in the students’ vernacular as a
texts into the native language of the students. positive and useful resource…. If these
It texts believed that this method is useful in findings are indeed valid, then one might ask:
making the learners proficient in the grammar why is it that ELT teacher education programs
of the NL, but not proficient in the TL. and teacher educators do not train the teachers
During this fourth phase of second language in judicious and pedagogically appropriate
learning, TL can be taught through translation uses of local languages in the classrooms?”
into NL when teachers are dealing with (Mahboob & Lin, 2016)
words/sentences, as well as the use of Teaching the nuances of the language
grammar. The purpose of translation is to inculcates confidence in students. Under the
overcome the errors committed due to guise of making language learning easy for
interference of the NL at the time of learning. students, researchers and teachers should be
This method inculcates error-free speaking on guard that they are not making the future
and writing. path difficult for the learners.

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 62, No. 6, November-December 2020 27

The NCERT grammar workbooks (classes IX Direct Method
and X) provide exercises in the context of By this stage, students are expected to have
the outside world. There are other publishers entered the medium level of the learning stage.
whose grammar books follow this pattern in Once the teacher starts reducing dependency
lower classes. Thornbury (2002) has provided on the NL for certain structures of the TL, the
tips for grammar instruction and shown its teacher should follow the direct method,
importance in language teaching/learning. A wherein the TL is taught directly and meaning
review of Thornbury’s book by Parrott and is conveyed through demonstrations and visual
Swan (2001) foregrounds the importance of aids. Direct method was initially called the
imparting second language education through natural method as it did not depend on
grammar. Parrott and Swan (2001) have translation, grammar, or dictionaries. Direct
quoted others, while reviewing Thornbury’s method could be followed with some
book, to provide evidence of this fact. modifications, such as restricting the use of the
“Where are we now, on the theoretical swings NL. The teacher can encourage students to use
and roundabouts? A brief glance round the a dictionary, which will give meanings of words
fairground (see for instance the papers in from TL to TL (instead of TL to NL). This will
Doughty and Williams (1998)) suggests the enhance vocabulary. As the learners have been
following state of affairs: given instructions through GTM, reported
speech and passive voice can be taught directly.
1. It is all right in general to teach grammar. We The direct method was modified so that
have noticed once again that adults learning language could be taught communicatively.
foreign languages through unstructured This can be pursued through texts as well as
exposure do not get all their grammar right. And grammar. Teaching grammar beforehand will
recent experiments have established that render finer results, as it establishes confidence,
instruction does make a difference to accuracy thus enhancing the students’ speaking skills. By
(Long 1983; Doughty 1991). this stage, students are expected to have gained
sufficient knowledge and confidence to
2. There is less agreement about how to teach
communicate in the language.
it. Giving explicit rules, which used to be a
Bad Thing (it involved ‘teaching about Errors should be analysed, categorised,
language’ rather than ‘teaching language’) is corrected, and explained to the learner.
now probably OK if it relates to a point that Otherwise, there will be recurrence of the error
comes up in the context of communicative in the future. Depending on the skill a particular
activity. This leads to ‘consciousness-raising’ learner is taking more time to imbibe, any of
and ‘noticing’, which in turn lead to the methods could be repeated at any point of
‘restructuring of the learner’s internal time. There is no rigidity in the linearity of the
grammar’, and these are all Good Things. methods, as every learner is different.

Once the concept is clear to the learners, Methods – Separate identities or are they
dependency on the NL should be slowly interwoven?
reduced. From the above discussion, one might have the

28 Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 62, No. 6, November-December 2020

impression that these methods are traditional teaching course. This is already happening
pedagogical instruments, which should be in India, as we have English-medium schools
followed in a language class. This is not where students study all subjects (science,
completely true. We are trying to amalgamate geography, and so on) in English, although
the methods of a language class with the this method presupposes existing knowledge
syllabus of the students, trying to understand of the language. Hence, in our SLT strategy,
how the four skills of LRSW can be developed. we expect this method to be followed at this
stage.
The earlier methods were teacher-centric. The
following methods are student-centric so that Task-Based Language Teaching
students gain confidence in using the
language. Task-based language teaching and problem-
solving fall under the analytical syllabi
Communicative Language Teaching (instead of the synthetic syllabi) as given by
Wilkins. This facilitates language learning as
Communicative language teaching is the need arises. However, this assumes that
important, as people should understand what the students have prior knowledge of the
to speak and when. This shows that CLT language. Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
presumes that students have preliminary (2011) have quoted Candlin and Murphy,
knowledge of the language, which should be “The central purpose we are concerned with
worked upon to achieve communicative is language learning, and tasks present this
results. Hence, CLT could form a part of in the form of a problem-solving negotiation
language teaching at this learning stage, i.e. between knowledge that the learner holds and
after the students have learnt the linguistic new knowledge” (Candlin and Murphy cited
and functional aspects of the language. In in Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011).
addition, classroom activities could be
conducted, keeping in mind not only the Following this method can enhance the
linguistic and functional aspects, but also the analytical skills of the learners. Although
communicative aspects. TBLT has been associated with teaching the
language in a communicative way, if tasks
The questions at the end of the chapters in are introduced to teach the forms of the
the CBSE syllabus facilitate this kind of language, both fluency and accuracy could
learning. For example, in the middle and be tackled simultaneously.
higher classes, students have a ‘think and
answer’ section, which goes beyond the The tasks are given to the students in a group
content of the chapter. There is diary writing, in this method. However, Prabhu (1987)
in which students imagine themselves as one observes that students should do problem-
of the characters in the story and write. solving in TBLT by themselves and with the
Dialogue writing includes real-life situations. help of the teachers, but not in a group or by
interacting with other learners. For Prabhu,
Content-Based Instruction these tasks are the inputs for learning, hence
This is one of the best methods of a language his method is in consonance with the

Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol. 62, No. 6, November-December 2020 29

comprehensible input hypothesis of Krashen. Krashen, S.D. (1982). Principles and
Krashen (1982) places importance on the practice in second language acquisition.
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but Swain (1985) observes that it is not only
comprehensible input, but also Larsen-Freeman, D. & Anderson, M. (2011).
comprehensible output, which plays an Techniques and principles in language
important role in language learning. teaching. (Third ed). Oxford: Oxford
According to Long, interaction also plays an University Press.
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along with student interaction with the local languages in english language
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feedback, it could result in successful Widodo (Eds.). English language teaching
language teaching and learning. today linking theory and practice.
Conclusion Switzerland: Springer International
Publishing.
The process of learning stages can be applied
to learners of any age. Depending on the Parrott, M. & Swan, M. (2001). Review. How
target learners – their age, existing knowledge to Teach Grammar by S. Thornbury. ELT
of the language, and so on, the methods and Journal, 55(2).
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be exposed to all methods and they Savignon, S. J. (2007). Beyond
themselves would ‘build’ their own methods communicative language teaching: What’s
or decide what principles they would use in ahead?. Journal of Pragmatics, 39, 207-220.
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all the facts that were considered by those competence: Some rules of comprehensible
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We need a basis for building our own environment. In: S. Gass & C. Madden
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References
R Rajeshwari, PhD Scholar, English and
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second language Foreign Languages University, Lucknow.
acquisition and second language learning.
U.S.: Pergamon Press Inc. Email: rajeshwaribgr@gmail.com

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