Critique of Language Teaching Methods: Approaches, Techniques, and Learning Styles

1. Chapter 2 A Critique of Methods and Approaches in Language Teaching Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

2. Setting the Stage • Two concepts: • Content-based instruction • Teachers provide practice in academic skills and tasks common to mainstream classes • Interactive instruction • Involves active engagement between teacher and student which results in language production and the development of complex thinking skills Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

3. Methodology & Definitions • Methodology – a system of principles, practices, and procedures applied to any specific branch of knowledge • Pedagogy – the art or profession of teaching • Approach – a set of theoretical principles • Method – a procedural plan for presenting and teaching the language • Technique – strategies for implementing the methodological plan Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

4. Learning Styles • A learning style is an approach a learner uses to learn a new language: • Analytical-global • Sensory preferences • Intuitive/Random and Sensory/Sequential Learning • Orientation to closure • Competition-cooperation Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

5. Traditional Behaviorist Methods • Three methods most common to foreign language teaching prior to the 1970’s: • Grammar Translation Method • Direct Method • Audiolingual Method (ALM) Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

6. Traditional Behaviorist Methods • Grammar-translation method • Characteristics: • Outline of grammatical structure/ vocabulary list • Completion of exercises/translation • Conversation about language • Interactive or content-based applicability • None Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

7. Traditional Behaviorist Methods • Direct Method • Characteristics • Students listen to language in large quantities without translation • Grammar rules taught w/ inductive methods • Use of realia, pictures • Interactive or content-based applicability • Discourse, Q&A exchanges with the teacher in target language Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

8. Traditional Behaviorist Methods • Audiolingual Method (ALM) • Characteristics • Emphasis on spoken rather than written lang. • Follows sequence of listening , speaking, reading, and writing • Interactive or content-based applicability • Students learn through stimulus response pattern drills, memorization of dialogues • Teacher always corrects errors Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

9. Rationalist and Mentalist Methods • Cognitive Anti-Method • Characteristics • Controlled by learner rather than teacher • No linguistic, grammatical analysis • No error correction • Interactive or content-based applicability • Students acquire language globally • Students actively engaged in problem solving & critical thinking Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

10. Rationalist and Mentalist Methods • Cognitive-Code Method • Characteristics • Moves from the known to the unknown • Promotes creative use of the language • Understanding of rule system • Learning should be meaningful • Interactive or content-based applicability • Direct association of target language words and phrases with objects and actions Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

11. Functional Approaches • Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) • Characteristics of Instructional Model: • Topics from major content subjects • Development of academic language skills • Explicit instruction of learning strategies • Interactive or content-based applicability • Content is primary focus of instruction • Academic language skills emerge from content Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

12. Functional Approaches • Total Physical Response (TPR) • Characteristics • Understanding developed through body movement • A listening-speaking approach • Principles of contiguity, frequency, feedback • Interactive or content-based applicability • Students listen and react • Teacher can vary commands according to theme or topic “hold hands” Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

13. Functional Approaches • Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) • Characteristics • Uses storytelling to utilize/expand vocab. • Students hear, see, act out, retell, revise, rewrite • Intensive use of L2; little error correction • Interactive or content-based applicability • High level of interaction • Focus is on communication of content Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

14. Functional Approaches • Natural Approach • Characteristics • Focuses on communicative competence rather than on grammatical perfection • Offers opportunities to acquire rather than learn language • Emphasizes acquisition of vocabulary; modification and improvement of grammar • Interactive or content-based applicability • Due to emphasis on language acquisition Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

15. Humanistic Approaches • Community Language Learning • Characteristics • Teacher has passive role • Cooperative learning community • Low anxiety/free expression • Five learning stages • Interactive or content-based applicability • Independent stage marked by active engagement w/ real-life language • Teacher can direct conversations towards content Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

16. Humanistic Approaches • The Silent Way • Characteristics • Teacher is silent while students speak • Use of color charts, Cuisenaire rods • Learners responsible for what they learn • Interactive or content-based applicability • Limited interactive instructional strategies • Language not used for real-world purposes Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

17. Humanistic Approaches • Suggestopedia • Characteristics • Low-anxiety, relaxed environment • Based on principles of infantilization, pseudopassivity • Interactive or content-based applicability • Limited interactivity between students and teachers as all materials are pedagogically prepared • Not always adaptable to K-12 settings Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

18. Humanistic Approaches • Rassias Method • Characteristics • Short and intensive • Low anxiety atmosphere w/free expression • Techniques are theatrical, creative and energized • Interactive or content-based applicability • Components of method are interactive and can be content-based Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

19. What is Language? • Sociocultural Theories • Participants interact through language and other communicative signs to build their sense of being a person, to build knowledge about the world, and their relationships to each other and the world. Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

20. What is Language? • Sociolinguistics • Focuses on the variety of language used in human social life. • Differences occur across social classes, race, gender, ethnicities, generations and regions. • Language can be studied within a specific speech community or as it occurs in cross-cultural communication Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

21. What is Language? • Status of the Language Variation: Status of the Speaker • Negative consequences can occur when one uses a stigmatized variety of a language (Ebonics, Chicano English) or a lower status language (Native American) Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

22. What is Language? • Language as Dynamic & Changing vs. Static and Monolithic • Bilingual education has been viewed as a transitional method to replace L1 • Additive vs. subtractive bilingualism • Additive – no displacement of L1 • Subtractive – L1 replaced by L2; L1 is discouraged Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU

23. What is Language? • Language is defined not only by its structure, but by its use to symbolize, represent and create knowledge, identify, legitimize and control. Marjorie Hall Haley PhD - GMU