History of language teaching

1
History of language teaching

• According to the learners needs.
• Change of skills.

Reading and Writing
Speaking and Listening
2

• 18th 19th century Modern languages were taught
  using the same basic procedures that were used
  for teaching Latin
• GRAMMAR RULES-LISTS OF VOCABULARY-SENTENCES FOR
  TRANSLATION.

3
19th century innovations

• Increasing demand for oral proficiency in foreign
  languages as Europeans travelled.
• Marcel (1793-1896) child language learning.
  Reading
• Prendergast (1806-1886) Childrens use of
  situational cues to interpret utterances and
  memorized phrases and routines in speaking.
  First structural syllabus.
• Gouin (1831-1896) Children language. Use of
  gestures and actions.

4
The Reform Movement (around XXth century)

• New ideas discussed in books, articles,
  pamphlets...
• Specialists sought new ideas and advocated
• The study of the spoken language.
• Phonetic training.
• The use of dialogues to introduce conversational
  phrases and idioms.
• An inductive approach to the teaching of grammar.
• Avoidance of the mother tongue.

5
The Reform Movement

• Henry Sweet (1845-1912)
• The Practical Study of Languages
• Careful selection of what is to be taught.
• Imposing limits on what is to be taught.
• Four skills listening, speaking, reading and
  writing.
• Grading materials from simple to complex.

6
General considerations of the Reform Movement
(Sweet, Viëtor).

• The spoken language is primary.
• Include phonetics in teaching and teachers.
• Learners should hear the lang first, before
  seeing it in written form.
• Sentences should be taught in meaningful
  contexts.
• Grammar should be taught inductively.
• Avoid translation. Use mother tongue to clarify.

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The Direct/Natural Method (until 1920s)

• Sauveur (1826-1907) in Europe Berlitz in the
  USA Berlitz Method (commercial lang schools)
• Classroom instruction in Target lang.
• Learning based on everyday vocabulary
  sentences.
• Small and intensive classes.
• Oral communication skills in graded progression.
  Communicative exchanges between student-teacher.
• Grammar taught inductively.
• Use of demonstration, objects and pictures in
  class.

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Principles of the Berlitz school

• Never translate demonstrate.
• Never explain act.
• Never make a speech ask questions.
• Never imitate mistakes correct.
• Never speak with single words use sentences.
• Never use the book use your lesson plan.
• Never go too fast keep the pace of the student.
• Never speak too slowly speak normally.
• Never speak too quickly/loudly speak naturally.
• Never be impatient take it easy.

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1923 A study concluded that

• No single method could guarantee successful
  results.
• Conversational skills were impractical in view of
  the restricted time.
• Limited skills of the teachers.
• Irrelevance of conversational skills for average
  American students.
• 1940s Audiolingualism, etc.

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Issues to form a method

• What goal? What skills?
• What language content?
• How organize, sequence and present a lesson?
• Role of native language?
• What techniques and activities work best?
• How is SLA accomplished?

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THE GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD (1840s-1940s)

• Learn a language to read its literature.
• Grammar Translation To know the target language
  grammar rules (syntax and morphology) and
  translate according to the native language.
• Reading and writing are the major focus.
• Learning of vocabulary based on bilingual word
  lists, dictionary and memorization.
• Accuracy is emphasized.
• Grammar is taught deductively.
• The students native language is the medium of
  instruction.

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Memorize (learn by heart) this list

• Performance
• Task
• Lechery
• Outcome
• To mar
• Bonfire
• Anon
• Primrose way

• Actuación
• Tarea
• Lujuria
• Resultado
• Estropear
• Hoguera
• Luego
• Caminito de rosas