Approaches

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Approaches Methods in Language Instruction

• CH 21 TESOL other resources
• READ 656
• Dr. Schneider

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OUTLINE

• 1) History of Language Teaching (LT)
• 2) Nature of approaches to LT
• 3) Major trends in 20th century
• 4) Alternative approaches
• 5) Trends in the 21 century

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History of Language Teaching

• Concerns of past teaching trends lead to
  current/new approaches
• The shift in language learner populations and
  their needs from the 19th and early 20th century
  to today has lead to different LT approaches
• In the 19th early 20th century, only the
  children of the rich received instruction in
  several languages
• The most frequently taught languages then were
  Latin (church) and Old Greek (church, philosophy)
• Neither of these languages were spoken by the
  general population for daily communication gt
  DEAD LANGUAGES

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History of Language Teaching

• The most common teaching method for those
  languages taught in private settings or in
  boarding schools run by clergymen was the GRAMMAR
  TRANSLATION METHOD
• As the term indicates, the purpose for learning
  these dead languages was to translate old texts
  into the students L1 from L2 into L1
• The purpose was not learning to speak, read and
  write these languages for personal communication
  purposes. Today, Language Learning has this
  purpose, not to learn to translate from one into
  the other language.(unless you become a
  professional translator)

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History of Language Teaching

• Since public schools required foreign languages
  other than Latin and Greek to be taught (mainly
  French and English in Europe and Spanish in the
  US), all children in public schools, not just the
  privileged ones were to learn FL
• In Europe, this has been a trend since the
  1930s/40s.
• In the US, this became particularly important
  during the SPUTNIK SHOCK in the 60s when the
  Russians and not the Americans landed the first
  shuttle in space.
• It was not until then that the US education
  system realized the need for FL instruction for
  as many students as possible. GLOBAL
  MARKETABILITY drove the shift

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History of Language Teaching

• WHAT NECESSITATED A SHIFT TOWARDS DIFFERENT
  TEACHING STRATEGIES/
• A different purpose for learning another language
• A political shift towards global marketability
• Increased knowledge about how we learn (brain,
  individual differences in learning styles,
  emotions, learning disabilities)
• A change in educational laws
• Global political events demand an expansion
  toward different languages Russian (Sputnik,
  Cold War), chemical sciences (German),
  Imperialism (French, Dutch), War in the Near and
  Far east (Hebrew, Arabic)

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History of Language Teaching

• For overview of approaches within a timeline, see
  p. 184-186
• Categories
• Methods name and founders, characteristics,
  teacher and student roles, error treatment in the
  classroom and degree of use today

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Nature of language teaching approaches

• Approaches differ in the way they see L2
  identical or similar or different from L1
  learning
• Currently, approaches are favored that provide a
  native-language learning-like environment and
  have learning in communicative contexts as main
  emphasis communicative competence and
  performance
• There is a difference between LANGUAGE LEARNING
  and LANGUAGE ACQUISITON (Krashen)

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Nature of language teaching approaches

• Every L2 learner is thought to have an innate
  Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that allows
  him/her to learn languages
• Chomsky refers specifically to a universal
  grammar innate to individuals because they can
  produce an unlimited amount of language samples
  with a limited amount of language features
  available per language

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Nature of language teaching approaches

• Brain research in the late 20th century allows
  educators to adapt instruction to maximize
  efficient learning based on students unique
  brain-wirings
• Brain research has also identified Language tasks
  that are predominantly located in the right or
  left hemisphere (see Saville-Troike, 2006)

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Major trends in 20th century

• 1) Grammar Translation Method (described in
  history part)
• 2)The Direct Approach
• 3) Natural Approach
• 4) Audio-Lingual Method
• 5) CALLA Cognitive Academic Language Approach

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20th century trends Direct Approach

• Founder(s) anti-translation method educators
• Introduced in late 19th cent., early 1920s
• Characteristics no L1 allowed, vocabulary and
  grammar taught inductively, indirectly in context
  and through fill in the blank exercises small
  group work, grammar instruction peripheral
  student centered topics

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20th century trends Direct Approach

• Teacher/student roles teacher models in context
  using L1 only teacher elicits students
  self-correction
• Errors students are corrected esp. for correct
  pronunciation and grammar
• Today outdated but fill-in the blank exercises
  are still common in FL//SL classes

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20th century trendsNatural Approach

• Founder(s) Krashen Terrell
• Introduced in early 1980s
• Characteristics L2 learning processes L1
  learning silent period respected, learning in
  meaningful context emphasized over grammar no
  explicit instruction common are situational
  games and problem-solving
• Errors tolerated, accepted and expected,
  accuracy not key corrections are made by
  restating in correct form no explicit
  instruction student is to pick up correct forms
  implicitly

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20th century trends Natural Approach

• Teacher-student roles T is in control, models
  and encourages imitation in communication-based
  activities, relaxed learning environment as in L1
  acquisition period S generates meaning out of
  context L2 use only to copy natural learning
  environment, authentic materials films,
  magazines, flyers
• Today common

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20th century trendsAudiolingual Approach

• Founder(s) Charles Fries
• Introduced in 1940s
• Characteristics based on behaviorist view of
  language learning only L1 is used, listening
  precedes speaking, reading and writing Language
  Laboratories key feature in which students repeat
  communicative phrases after native speaker model
  on tape
• Materials used audio-tapes (later video tapes,
  too)
• Errors corrected, expected and tolerated

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20th century trendsAudiolingual Approach

• Student/Teacher rolesT models and students
  repeat entire phrases and sentences in contextual
  situations after teacher and in role plays
• Today still used in parts, listening labs
  replaced today by multi-media computer material
  that offers oral and visual as well as
  kinesthetic-tactile keyboard responses from
  students

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20th century trends CALLA

• Founders Chamot OMalley
• Started in early 1980s
• Characteristics main goal is that students reach
  communicative competence in L2 in meaningful
  context only
• Student/Teacher Role like Natural Approach
• Errors accepted, expected, tolerated and
  corrected indirectly when misunderstandings occur
• Today infused into FL/SL instruction

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Alternative Approaches

• Common approaches
• 1) Total Physical Response
• 2) The Silent Way
• 3) Community Language Learning
• 4) Suggestopedia
• 5) Whole Language
• 6) Multiple Intelligences
• 7) Neurolinguistic Programming
• 8)Competency-based language learning

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Alternative Approaches Total Physical Response

• Founder(s) Asher
• Introduced in early 70s
• Characteristics learner responds orally while
  using entire body in informal learning
  environment
• Comprehension precedes speech and writing
• Sentenced-based
• Grammar, vocab are taught through context cues

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Alternative Approaches Total Physical Response

• ERRORS tolerated, expected, only major ones that
  lead to miscommunication corrected all
  correction in context
• Teacher/student roles T plans and directs
  activities, S observes and volunteers through
  action, not actual lang. production, only when
  ready
• Today still used esp. while learners are in
  silent period of absorbing new L

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Alternative Approaches The Silent Way

• Founder(s) Caleb Gattegno
• Introduced in 1970s
• Characteristics lessons planned around
  grammatical structures and vocabulary themes
  teacher remains as silent as possible and
  facilitates students access of L1 knowledge to
  apply to L2 by using color-charts, items and
  Cuisenaire rods
• Error treatment accepted and corrected through
  modeling with tools (e.g., grammar

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Alternative Approaches The Silent Way

• Teacher/Student roles students model what
  teacher models, silent, receptive learning
  allowed because focus is understanding the
  linguistic structures of L2
• Today partially used in Peace Corps or other
  settings where no common language is available

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Alternative Approaches Community Language
Learning

• Founder(s) Charles Curran
• Introduced in 1950s
• Characteristics based on a counseling model in
  which learners give support to each other in
  solving a problem also referred to as
  humanistic approach because learners feelings
  and pre-knowledge is used for L2 learning L1 and
  L2 are used oral-based focusing on fluency
  rather than accuracy

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Alternative Approaches Community Language
Learning

• Teacher/Student roles info is shared in L1 and
  translated into L2 by teacher, student repeats
  and shares info in L2 with another student
• Today rarely used because of translation issue

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Alternative Approaches Suggestopedia

• Founder(s) Bulgarian Psychiatrist Lozanov
• Introduced in 1970s-80s
• Characteristics puts learner in relaxed,
  yoga-like state with calming music (Baroque) and
  soothing environment (plants)
• Teacher/Student roles teacher reads in L1 and L2
  and learners absorb information, implicitly take
  in L2 vocab and structure, no explicit
  reflections allowed

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Alternative Approaches Suggestopedia

• Errors not corrected at all, tolerated
• Today sometimes used in initial stages where L1
  and L2 can be used

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Alternative Approaches Whole Language

• Founder(s) Kenneth Yetta Goodman, Frank Smith
• Introduced in 1980s
• Characteristics no explicit instruction, all
  instruction in L1 comprehension precedes all
  learning, every content presented in context
  through which student implicitly picks up
  detailed feature and patterns of L2 WHOLE to
  PART or TOP-to BOTTOM processing of L

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Alternative Approaches Whole Language

• Teacher/Student roles T supports, models but
  does not teach directly students learn through
  observation, personal trial error (invented
  spelling, writing) cooperative learning,
  authentic literature
• Errors tolerated, indirectly corrected without
  explanations
• Today still in use

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Alternative Approaches Multiple Intelligences

• Founder(s) Gardner Goleman
• Introduced in 1990s
• Characteristics intelligences go beyond
  academics, including music, art, kinesthetics,
  and social-emotional intelligence/maturity and
  allow students to learn with all learning
  channels and develop interpersonal and
  intrapersonal skills through explicit practice in
  a social curriculum intelligences can be
  learned, are not a genetic gift only

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Alternative Approaches Multiple Intelligences

• Teacher/Student roles teachers (1) awakesn
  intelligence, amplify strengths, teach with and
  for these strong intelligences in small groups,
  discussions, transfer new info to outside world
  individualized learning through project work
  similar to gifted talented projects (student
  choice, multisensory, research-based, theme-based
• Errors noted and corrected in context of
  individuals intelligences
• Today used widely in schools that allow for such
  individualization

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Alternative Approaches Neurolinguistic
Programming

• Founder(s) Grindler Bandler
• Introduced in mid 70s
• Characteristics is a set of general
  communication techniques originally used by
  therapists to improve rapport with clients. The
  world is perceived through 5 senses and this
  perception is reflected in the language we use
  training includes imaginary positioning into
  contexts allow dreams to come true in L2
  envision place you want to be and what you want
  to do

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Alternative Approaches Neurolinguistic
Programming

• Teacher/Student roles T asks students to
  envision a situation in which they experience a
  sentence using only L2. Students respond to T
  questions while imaging eating sth. T gives
  language structure and S repeat it several times
  while being encouraged to feel the situation as
  real.
• Errors corrective feedback, not explicit, errors
  tolerated, seen a part of learning
• Today for adult learning used

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Alternative Approaches Compentency-Based
Language Teaching

• Founder(s) Auerbach
• Introduced in 1970s
• Characteristics teach work-related L2 language
  needs response to standards movement in US
  topics, job-related, interviews outcomes made
  explicit and are assessed
• Teacher/Student roles S follow T instruction in
  L2 and practice under guidance
• Errorsnoted and explicitly corrected to reach
  outcome
• Today mainly for adult ELLs

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21 Century trends

• 1) Communicative Language Teaching
• 2) Cooperative Language Learning
• 3) Content-Based Instruction
• 4) Task-Based Instruction

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21 Century Trends Communicative Language
Teaching

• Founder(s) Wilkins, Widowson (Brit.)
• Introduced in 1960-70s in GB
• Characteristics systematic attention to
  communicative functions and struc-tures of L2
• Teacher-student rolesT helps S in any way that
  motivates learning specifies lang. that
  students are to use S struggles his way into
  L2 through communicative practice of presented
  structures in contextual settings

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21 Century TrendsCooperative Language Learning

• Founder(s) Dewey, Piaget, Vygotzky-based
• Introduced in 1960/70s
• Characteristics collaborative learning group
  approach transferred in to L2 learning all
  L2-based pair-think, share activities,
  roundtables
• Teacher-student roleS work in cooperative groups
  to reach commonly set goal by T

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21 Century TrendsContent-Based Instruction

• Founder(s)
• Introduced in 1980s
• Characteristicslearning most successful if
  content is meaningful gt topics must be
  student-centered in L2 learning by doing using
  authentic materials
• Teacher-student role S work in teams guided by
  teacher to assure learner-centered activities in
  L2

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21 Century TrendsTask-Based Language Teaching

• Founder(s)
• Introduced in 1980s-90s
• Characteristicsfocus on process of L2 learning
  rather than product real, meaningful
  communication topics sequenced from less to more
  challenging
• Teacher- student roleT offers comprehensible
  input so that S can practice in meaningful
  context towards an explicitly set task

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References

• Richards, J. Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and
  methods in language teaching. Cambridge Language
  Teaching Library. New York, NY Cambridge
  University Press.