Learning English

Learning English Communicative Language Teaching

Okanjo Tostuto Y500 Kohii Y400 --------- Y 900

sumimasen!

Tenets of CLT • Focus on using language rather than on knowing about language • Language is presented in a context • Input is modified • Focus on meaning of language rather than on form • Mistakes are welcomed and not always corrected • Authentic materials are introduced • Interactive • Pair and group work • Four skills and four systems.

A brief history of ELT pedagogies Grammar translation method • focus on grammar and vocabulary • focus on written texts chosen because they present particular grammatical patterns • focus on accuracy • teachers use learners’ L1 to deliver the lesson • Learners do exercises rather than tasks and activities • Learners will often be preparing for a test rather than to use the language to communicate. (Still prevalent in many classrooms throughout the world.)

Audio-lingual method • Derived from Skinner’s theories of language learning • Behaviourist • Developed by US army (Korean war) • Instruction in L2 • Drilling, accuracy, correct pronunciation, question/response, oral before written, ‘over-learning’.

Content-based teaching • Subjects are taught through the target language (e.g. history) • Focus on meaning and communication rather than on accuracy • Many hours of exposure • Content provides meaningful and comprehensible input. (Much ‘bilingual’ teaching follows this approach.)

‘Fringe methods’ • The Silent Way • Suggestopedia (Small classes) • Community Language Learning (Must know L1 and L2) • Total Physical Response (Young Learners)

Current pedagogies • Task-based learning • Lexical approach • EAP/ESP • Immersion

‘Post Method’ era What does this mean? What does it imply in terms of choosing teaching approaches? What does Brown suggest is more useful than ‘methods’?

Dictation

Learning English