Chapter - II - INFLIBNETshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/4359/7/07_chapter 2.pdf · It...
Transcript of Chapter - II - INFLIBNETshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/4359/7/07_chapter 2.pdf · It...
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Chapter 2
Methods and Approaches of English Language Teaching
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Methods of English Language Teaching
2.2.1 Grammar Translation Method
2.2.2 The Direct Method
2.2.3 Audiolingualism
2.2.4 Counseling – Learning
2.2.5 Situational Language Learning
2.26 The Silent Way
2.2.7 Suggestopedia
2.2.8 Total Physical Response
2.3 Approaches of English Language Teaching:
2.3.1 Communicative Language Teaching
2.3.2 Competency-Based Language Teaching
2.3.3 Content-Based Instruction
2.3.4 Cooperative Learning
2.3.5 Lexical Approach
2.3.6 Multiple Intelligences
2.3.7 The Natural Approach
2.3.8 Neurolinguistic Programming
2.3.9 Task-Based Language Teaching
2.3.10 Whole Language
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3.1 Synthetic Phonics Method
3.1.1 ICT Based Synthetic Phonics Method
3.1.2 Importance of ICT Based Synthetic Phonics Method
4. Summary
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2.1 Introduction: If we survey methods and approaches of English
Language Teaching we can see that the History of English (1840-2010)
Language Teaching in the last hundred and seventy years is characterized by
number of effective ways of language teaching. Every method and every
approach has something new to offer. Every one of them has his own merits. The
age-old Grammar Translation Method reflected a scholarly view of language and
language study. It dominated the language teaching from the 1840s to the 1940s
all over the world. It had such a long run that with some changes it is still used in
some parts of the world – particularly countries where English language teachers
with fine teaching skills are in short supply.
The early applied linguists such as Henry Sweet (1845-1912)* Otto
Jespersen (1860-1943) and Harold Palmer (1877-1949) elaborated principles
and theoretically accountable approaches to the design of language teaching.
From the 1940s various attempts have been made to conceptualize the nature of
methods and to find relationship between theory and practice within the method.
American applied linguist Edward Anthony proposed one such scheme
in 1963. He identified three levels of conceptualization and organization. He
terms them as approach, method and technique.
Note: * Henry Sweet’s reputation as the man who taught Europe phonetics wasreflected even in the literature. The main character ‘Prof. Henry Higgins’ ofGeorge Bernard Shaw’s play ‘My Fair Lady’ has touches of Henry Sweet.
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Language teaching specialists such as Marcel, Predergast and Gouin
did a lot to promote alternative approaches to language teaching. They did not
get widespread attention. From the 1880s Henry Sweet in England, Wilhelm
Vietor in Germany, and Paul Parssy in France gave the intellectual leadership to
the reformist ideas of language teaching.
Henry Sweet (1845-1912) argued that sound methodological principles
should be based on a scientific analysis of language and a study of psychology.
He set forth principles for the development of teaching method. These included
1. Careful selection of what is to be taught
2. Imposing limits on what is to be taught
3. Arranging what is to be taught in terms of the four skills of listening,
speaking, reading and writing.
4. Grading materials from simple to complex.
In Germany the renowned scholar Wilhelm Vietor (1850-1918) used
linguistic theory to language teaching. His view was that training in phonetics
would enable teachers to pronounce the language accurately. Speech patterns,
rather than grammar, were the fundamental elements of language. He criticized
Grammar Translation Method and elaborated the use of new science of
phonetics.
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‘The principles put forth by the reformers provided the theoretical
foundations to the scientific approach of the study of language and learning of
language – the discipline of applied linguistics. The reform movement led to
natural method and gradually led to the development of the Direct Method.
The Direct Method was quite successful in private language schools
but failed to consider the practical realities of the real classrooms.
The most active period in the history of approaches and methods was
from the 1950s to the 1980s. (1) First the Audiolingual Method and the Situational
Method came up. They were later replaced by communicative approach. During
the same period The Silent Way, the Natural Approach, The Total Physical
Response was also used for language teaching by some. In the 1990s Content
Based instruction, Task-Based Language Teaching, Competency-Based
Instruction were also used for teaching.
Cooperative Learning, Whole Language Approach, Multiple
Intelligences are also part of this Method Era.
Mainstream language teaching opted for Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) as the basis for language teaching methodology in the 1980s
and it continues to be considered the most plausible basis for teaching of English
Language in the globalization period.
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An approach of Language Teaching has a common core set of
theories and principles for teaching. Variety of interpretations are possible while
applying these principles. It does give flexibility and freedom while applying them.
The different approaches can be summarized as below:
1. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
2. Competency-Based Language Teaching
3. Content-Based Language Teaching
4. Cooperative Learning
5. Lexical Approach
6. Multiple Intelligences
7. The Natural Approach
8. Neurolinguistic Programming
9. Task-Based Language Teaching
10.Whole Language
A method contains instructional design, detailed specification of
contents, roles of teachers and learners. The teaching procedures and
techniques are elaborated. Hence the methods are best learned through training.
The teacher’s role is to follow the method and apply it according to the rules.
There is not much scope for interpretation. The different methods are
summarized here.
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1. Grammar Translation Method
2. Direct Method
3. Audio Lingualism
4. Counseling-Learning
5. Situational Language Teaching
6. The Silent Way
7. Suggestopedia or Desuggestopedia
8. Total Physical Response
2.2 Methods of English Language Teaching
2.2.1 Grammar Translation Method: Grammar Translation Method or GTM
has been used by language teachers for many years. At one time it was called
the Classical Method since it was used in the teaching of the classical languages,
Latin and Greek. It was also referred as the Prussian Method in the United
States. It is a way of studying a language first through detailed analysis of its
grammar rules, followed by application of these rules to the task of translating
sentences and texts into and out of target language. It dominated European and
Foreign language teaching from the 1840s to the 1940s. (10) Even today in many
places it is used in some form or the other. The main features of this method are
as follows:
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1. The first language is maintained as the reference system in the acquisition of
the second language.
2. Reading and writing are the focus; not much attention is given to speaking or
listening.
3. Vocabulary selection is based mainly on the reading texts. Words are taught
through dictionary study, bilingual word list and memorization.
4. Much of a lesson is devoted to translating sentences into and out of the target
language. This focus on the sentence is the distinctive feature of the method.
5. Students are expected to attain high standards in translation. Accuracy is
emphasized.
6. Grammar is taught deductively. A syllabus is followed to teach grammar in an
organized and systematic way.
7. The student’s native language is the medium of instruction.
In the mid and late nineteenth century, opposition to Grammar Translation
Method developed in the European countries. This was called as Reform
Movement. This lead to the development of new ways of teaching languages.
2.2.2 The Direct Method: Since the GTM was not very effective in preparing
students to use the target language communicatively the Direct method
progressed. The Direct Method has one very basic rule. No translation is
allowed. The Direct Method receives its name from the fact that meaning is to be
conveyed directly in the target language through the use of demonstration and
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visual aids, with no recourse to the student’s native language. It was introduced
in France, Germany, and United States by the end of the nineteenth century. In
the United States it was referred to as the Berlitz Method. Eventually many other
countries also experimented with this method. The main principles of this method
can be cited as below:
1. Classroom instruction was conducted exclusively in the target language
2. Only everyday vocabulary and sentences were taught
3. Oral communication skills were built in a carefully graded progression
organized around question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and
students in small intensive classes.
4. Grammar was taught inductively
5. New teaching points were introduced orally.
6. Concrete vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects and pictures;
abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas
7. Both speech and listening comprehension were taught
8. Correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasized.
The direct method was quite successful in private language schools,
where paying clients had high motivation and the teachers were with the English
mother tongue background. But it failed to deliver in the public schools. It
required teachers who were native speakers or had that level of fluency. It was
mainly dependent on the teacher’s skill and not so much on the text book. Many
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teachers were not proficient enough in the language. At times simple, brief
explanation of the students’ native language would have helped in the
comprehension. The strict adherence to avoid the use of native language was
counter productive.
The direct method can be regarded as the first Language Teaching
Method to have caught the attention of teachers and language teaching
specialists. It marked the beginning of the “methods era”.
2.2.3 The Audiolingual Method: The combination of structural linguistic theory,
contrastive analysis, aural-oral procedures, and behaviorist psychology led to the
Audiolingual Method. The term Audiolingualism was coined by Professor Nelson
Brooks in 1964. It changed the language teaching from an art into a science. The
method was widely adopted in United States and Canada. There are many
similarities between Situational Language Teaching (described in 2.2.5) and
Audiolingualism. Audiolingualism has strong ties to linguistics and behavioral
psychology. It reached its peak in the 1960s.
Audiolingualism was criticized on two counts. The theoretical
foundation was attacked as being unsound in terms of language theory and
learning theory. Practitioners found that it fell short of expectations. The skills
acquired failed to be transferred outside the classroom situation. The MIT linguist
Noam Chomsky(2) rejected the structuralist approach as well as the behaviourist
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theory of language learning. He argued that sentences are not learned by
imitation and repetition but generated from learner’s underlying competence.
Temporary relief was accepted in cognitive code learning. The lack of an
alternative to Audiolingualism led to a period of adaptation, innovation and
experimentation.
2.2.4 Counseling – Learning: It is a process based method in which language
content is often secondary. This method is relatively underdeveloped in the
domain of language theory and the learning principles. It is different from theories
found in second language acquisition text books. The atmosphere of the
classroom is a crucial factor It has no language syllabus as such. Learners select
content for themselves by choosing topics they want to talk about. These are
then translated into the target language and used for interaction and language
practice.
It did not succeed in attracting the support of mainstream language
teaching.
2.2.5 Situational Language Learning and Oral Approach: This refers to an
approach developed by British applied linguists from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Palmer, Hornby and other British applied linguists evolved systematic principles
of selection, gradation, and presentation.
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The oral approach was the accepted British approach to English
language teaching by the 1950s. It is described in the standard methodology text
books of the period. In the 1960s Australian George Pittman and his colleagues
developed influential set of teaching materials based on this method. There were
widely used in Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific territories. The main
characteristics of the approach were as follows:
1. Language teaching begins with the spoken language. Material is
taught orally before it is presented in the written form.
2. The target language is the language of the classroom.
3. New language points are introduced and practiced situationally
4. Vocabulary selection procedures are followed to ensure that an
essential general service vocabulary is covered.
5. Items of grammar are graded following the principle that simple
forms should be taught before complex ones.
6. Reading and writing are introduced once a sufficient lexical and
grammatical basis is established.
The third principle became a key feature and the term situational
Language teaching came in practice.
2.2.6 The Silent Way: The silent way is the name of the method of language
teaching devised by Caleb Gattegno. It is based on the principle that the teacher
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should be silent as much as possible in the classroom but the learner should be
encouraged to produce as much language as possible. The learning hypotheses
can be stated as follows:
1. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than
remembers and repeats what is to be learned.
2. Learning is facilitated by accompanying (mediating) physical objects.
3. Learning is facilitated by problem solving involving the material to be learned.
Silent way materials consist mainly of a set of coloured rods, colour-
coded pronunciation and vocabulary wall charts, a pointer and reading/writing
exercises, all of which are used to illustrate the relationships between sound and
meaning in the target language. The pronunciation charts called “Fidels” have
been devised for a number of languages and contain symbols in the target
language for all of the vowel and consonant sounds of the language. The
innovations in Gattegno’s method are the ways in which classroom activities are
organized and the indirect role of the teacher. Gattegno believed that to teach
means to serve the learning process rather than to dominate it. Proponents of the
Silent Way claim its principles are far reaching, affecting not only education, but
the way one perceives the living of the life itself.
2.2.7 Suggestopedia: Suggestopedia is also known as Desuggestopedia. It is a
method developed by the Bulgarian psychiatrist – educator Georgi Lazanov.
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Suggestopedia is a specific set of learning recommendations derived from
Suggestology. The most conspicuous feature of suggestopedia is the centrality of
music and musical rhythm to learning. It also gives importance to the decoration,
furniture and arrangement of the classroom and the authoritative behaviour of the
teacher. The emphasis on memorization of vocabulary pairs – suggests a view of
language in which lexis is central. Lexical translation rather than contextualization
is stressed. According to Lozanov and others to make better use of our reserved
capacity, the limitations we think need to be desuggested. The application of the
study of suggestion to pedagogy eliminates the feeling that one cannot be
successful or the negative association. The student’s mental reserves are
stimulated.
2.2.8 Total Physical Response: Total Physical Response (TPR) is a language
teaching method built around the coordination of speech and action. It attempts
to teach language through physical (motor) activity. It is developed by James
Asher, Professor of Psychology at San Jose University, California. It draws on
developmental psychology, learning theory, and humanistic pedagogy and also
on language teaching procedures prepared by Harold and Dorothy Palmer in
1925. The acquisition of second language by an adult is a parallel process to a
child’s first language acquisition. A baby spends many months listening to the
people around it long before it even says a word. The child has the time to try to
make sense out of the sounds it hears. No one tells the baby that it must speak.
The child chooses to speak when it is ready to do so.
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Learners in Total Physical Response have the primary roles of listener
and performer. They listen attentively and respond physically to commands given
by the teacher. They are encouraged to speak when they feel ready to speak –
that is, when a sufficient basis in the language has been internalized. The
teacher plays an active and direct role in Total Physical Response. Teacher has
to provide “the raw material for the cognitive map” that the learners will construct
in their own minds. Asher stressed that TPR should be used in association with
other methods and teachniques. Practitioners of TPR agree that it is compatible
with other approaches to teaching.
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2.3 Approaches of English Language Teaching:
2.3.1 Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Communicative
Competence is the main goal of this approach and interdependence of language
and communication is most important. The use of language by the learner in a
range of contexts is emphasized. This approach encourages active learner
involvement in a wide range of tasks and strategies for communication. Speaking
and listening in real settings is emphasized.
CLT appeared at a time when language teaching-learning in many
parts of the world was ready for a fundamental change. It brought a new
humanistic approach to teaching. It received the sanction and support of leading
applied linguists, language specialists, publishers as well as institutions such as
the British Council.
Since its inception CLT has passed through different phases. In its first
phase, a primary concern was the need to develop a syllabus that was
compatible with the notion of communicative competence. This led to proposals
for the organization of syllabuses in terms of notions and functions rather than
grammatical structures.
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In the second phase CLT focused on procedures for identifying
learners needs. This resulted in proposals to make needs analysis an essential
component of communicative methodology. In the third phase CLT focused on
the kinds of classroom activities that could be used as the basis of a
communicative methodology, such as group work, task-work, and information-
gap activities.(3)
There are five core characteristics that underlie current applications
of communicative methodology.
1. Appropriateness: Language use reflects the situation of its use and must be
appropriate to that situation depending on the setting, the roles of
participants, and the purpose of the communication. Thus learners may need
to be able to use formal as well as casual style of speaking.
2. Message Focus: Learners need to be able to create and understand
messages, that is, real meanings. Hence the focus on information sharing
and information transfer in CLT activities.
3. Psycholingustic Processing: CLT activities seek to engage learners in the use
of cognitive and other processes that are important factors in second
language acquisition.
4. Risk Taking: Learners are encouraged to make guesses and learn from their
errors. By going beyond what they have been taught, they are encouraged to
employ a variety of communication strategies.
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5. Free Practice: CLT encourages the use of “holistic practice” involving the
simultaneous use of a variety of sub-skills, rather than practicing individual
skills one piece at a time.
In the present scenario it may be said that CLT continues in its
“classic” form as is visible in the huge range of course books and other teaching
resources based on principles of CLT. In addition, it has influenced many other
language teaching approaches and methods that subscribe to a similar
philosophy of language teaching.
2.3.2 Competency-Based Language Teaching (CBLT):The focus on this
approach is on the outcome of learning rather than methods of teaching. It draws
on contemporary theories of language and second language acquisition as a
basis for teaching proposal; It emerged within mainstream education and was
later applied to second language teaching. It is an application of the principles of
Competency-Based Education to language teaching. This approach was widely
adopted by the end of the 1970s, particular as the basis for the design of work
related and survival oriented language teaching programs for adults.
Auerbach(4) identifies eight key features for CBLT.
1. A focus on successful functioning in society: The goal is to enable students to
become capable of coping with the demands of the world.
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2. A focus on life skills: Students are taught those language skills required by
the situations in which they will function.
3. Task – or – performance-centered orientation: The emphasis is on behaviour
rather than knowledge. What counts is what students can do as a result of
instruction.
4. Modularized Instruction: Language learning is broken down into manageable
and immediately meaningful parts. Objectives are broken into narrowly
focused sub-objectives so that both teachers and students can get a clear
sense of progress.
5. Specified Outcomes: Students know exactly what outcomes are expected of
them. Outcomes are specified in terms of behavioral objectives.
6. Continuous and ongoing assessment: Program evaluation is based on test
results and is considered objectively quantifiable.
7. Demonstrated mastery of performance objectives: Rather than the traditional
paper-and-pencil test, assessment is based on the ability to demonstrate pre-
specified behaviours.
8. Individualised, student-centered instruction:
Australian Migrant Education program one of the largest providers of
language training to immigrants in the world has applied this program since the
mid-1970s. Since then it has undergone number of reorientations.
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Thus CBLT has been embraced by the large sections of ESL
profession. It has criticisms both practical and philosophical. The teaching
typically focuses on behaviour and performance rather than on the development
of thinking skills.
2.3.3 Content-Based Instruction: Krahnke(5) defines ‘content-Based
Instruction (CBI)’ as follows. “It is the teaching of content or information in the
language being learned with little or no direct or explicit effort to teach the
language itself separately from the content being taught”.
Content-Based approach has been widely used in a variety of different
settings since the 1980s. Besides applications in ESP (English for Social
Purposes), EOP (English for Occupational Purposes) it is widely used in K-12
programs for ESL (English as second language) in university foreign language
programs. It advocates claim that it leads to more successful program outcomes
than alternative language teaching approaches. Critics say that most language
teachers have been trained to teach language as a skill rather than a content
subject.
2.3.4 Cooperative Language Learning: Cooperative Language Learning
(CLL) is part of a more general instructional approach also known as
collaborative learning (CL). It makes maximum use of cooperative activities
involving pairs and small group of learners in the class-room. The early twentieth
century U.S. educator John Dewey is credited with promoting the idea of building
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cooperation in learning into regular class-rooms on a regular and systematic
basis. It was more developed in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s as a
response to the forced integration of public schools. Educators were concerned
that traditional models of classroom learning were teacher fronted and favoured
majority students. They believed that minority students might fall behind higher-
achieving students. It is viewed as learner-centered approach to teaching. In
language teaching its goals are :
1. To provide opportunities for naturalistic second language
acquisition through the use of interactive pair and group activities.
2. To provide teachers with a methodology that can be applied in a
variety of curriculum settings
3. To enable focused attention to particular lexical items, language
structures, and communicative functions through the use of
interactive tasks.
4. To provide opportunities for learners to develop successful learning
and communication strategies
5. To enhance learner motivation and reduce learner stress and to
create a positive affective class climate.
CLL is thus an approach that crosses both mainstream and second
and foreign language teaching.
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2.3.5 Lexical Approach: A Lexical approach in language teaching is
derived from the belief that the building blocks of language learning and
communication are not grammar, functions, notions but lexis that is words and
word combinations. The role of lexical units has been stressed in both first and
second language research. These have been referred by many different labels.
Materials and teaching resources to support lexical approaches in language
teaching are of at least four types.
Type 1: It consists of complete course packages including texts, tapes
teacher’s manuals.
Type 2: This consists of collections of vocabulary teaching activities
Type 3: This consists of “printout” versions of computer corpora collections
packaged in text format.
Type 4: These are computer concordancing programs and attached data sets
to allow students to set up and carry out their own analyses. These are
typically packaged in CD-ROM form or can be downloaded from the
internet.
The status of lexis in language teaching is enhanced by recognition of
multiword units in language learning and communication. However, it still lacks
the full characterization of an approach or method. It remains to be demonstrated
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how a lexically based theory of language and language learning can be applied
at the levels of design and procedure in language teaching.
2.3.6 Multiple Intelligences (MI): The philosophy behind Multiple Intelligences is
that human intelligence has multiple dimensions which need to be acknowledged
and developed in education. Traditional IQ or intelligence tests are based on a
test called Stanford-Binet, founded on the idea that intelligence is a single,
unchanged, inborn capacity. M.I. movement is based on the work of Howard
Gardener(6) of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Teachers have always known that their students have different
strengths. For instance some students are better visual learners than aural
learners. They learn better when they are able to read new material rather than
simply listen to it. It has been estimated that for up to 25 percent of the
population, the mode of instruction does make a difference in their success as
learners.
The work of Howard Gardner on MI has been influential in language
teaching circles. Gardner has theorized that individuals have at least eight
distinct intelligences that can be developed over a lifetime. These are stated
here:
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1. Logical/mathematical – the ability to use numbers effectively to see abstract
patterns, and to reason well.
2. Visual/spatial – the ability to orient oneself in the environment, to create mental
images, and a sensitivity to shape, size, color.
3. Body/kinesthetic – the ability to use one’s body to express oneself and to solve
problems.
4. Musical/rhythmic – an ability to recognize total patterns and a sensitivity to
rhythm, pitch, melody.
5. Interpersonal – the ability to understand another person’s moods, feelings
motivations and intentions.
6. Intrapersonal – the ability to understand oneself and to practice self-discipline.
7. Verbal/linguistic – the ability to use language effectively and creatively.
8. Naturalist – the ability to understand and organize the patterns of nature.
The idea of MI has attracted the interest of many educators as well as
the general public schools that use MI theory encourage learning that
goes beyond traditional books, pens. There is no syllabus as such
either prescribed or recommended in respect to MI based language
teaching.
The MI classroom is one designed to support development of the
‘whole person’ and the environment and its activities are intended to enable
students to become more well rounded individuals and more successful learners
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in general. Some linguistic activities are as follows: student speeches, story-
telling, debates, journal keeping, small and large group discussions, work sheets,
word games, listening to cassettes or talking books etc. The literature on MI
provides a rich source of classroom ideas and can help teachers think about
instruction in their classes in unique ways.
2.3.7 The Natural Approach: Tracy Terrell, a teacher of Spanish in
California outlined a proposal for language teaching called ‘The Natural
Approach.
Stephen Krashen an applied linguist at the University of Southern
California joined hands with Tracy Terrell and published a book ‘The Natural
Approach’ in 1983. This contains theoretical sections prepared by Krashen and
sections on implementation and class-room procedures by Terrell.
Krashen and Terrell see communication as the primary function of language and
their approach focuses on teaching communicative abilities
The implications for language teaching. These are
1. As much comprehensible input as possible must be presented.
2. Whatever helps comprehension is important. Visual aids are useful, as is
exposure to a wide range of vocabulary rather than study of syntactic structure.
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3. The focus in the classroom should be on listening and reading; speaking
should be allowed to “emerge”.
4. In order to lower the affective filter, student work should centre on meaningful
communication rather than on form; input should be interesting and so contribute
to a relaxed classroom atmosphere.
Thus in conclusion like communicative language teaching the Natural Approach
is evolutionary rather than revolutionary in its procedure.
2.3.8 Neurolinguistic Programming: Neurolinguistic Programming NLP is
a set of general communication techniques, NLP practitioners generally are
required to take training in how to use the techniques in their respective fields.
NLP technique was first developed by John Grindler (a phychologist) and
Richard Bandler (a student of linguistics) in the mid 1970s. They were essentially
interested in discovering how successful communicators achieved their success.
They developed NLP as a system of techniques therapists could use in building
rapport with clients, helping them achieve goals and bring about personal
change.
The neuro part of NLP is concerned with how we experience the world
through our five senses and represent it in our minds through our neurological
processes. The linguistic part of NLP is concerned with the way the language we
use shapes as well as reflects our experience of the world. If we change the way
we speak and think about things, we can change our behaviour. We can also use
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language to help other people who want to change. The programming part of
NLP is concerned with training ourselves to think, speak and act in new and
positive ways in order to release our potential and reach those heights of
achievement which we previously only dreamt of.
In conclusion NLP is not a teaching method but it is a humanistic
philosophy based on popular psychology. It is believed that if language teachers
adopt and use the principles of NLP they will become more effective teachers.
2.3.9 Task-based Language teaching: Task-based Language Teaching
(TBLT) is basically a theory of learning rather than a theory of language. It is a
logical development of Communicative Language Teaching. The principles
involved are:
1. Activities that involve real communication are essential for language learning
2. Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote
learning.
3. Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning process.
TBLT proposes the notion of ‘task’ as a central unit of planning and
teaching. Nunan 1989 gives the definition “The communicative task is a piece of
classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating,
producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is principally
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focused on meaning rather than form. The task should also have a sense of
completeness, being able to stand alone as a communicative act in its own right”.
Tasks have long been part of the mainstream language teaching
techniques. TBLT, however, offers a different rationally for the use of tasks as
well as different criteria for the design and use of tasks. The dependence on
tasks as the primary source of pedagogical input in teaching distinguishes it from
other language teaching approaches.
2.3.10 Whole Language: The term whole language was created in the 1980’s
by a group of U.S. Educators concerned with the teaching of reading and writing
(the teaching of literacy). In the 1990s it became popular in the U.S. as a
motivating way of teaching language art skills to primary school children. It is
designed to help children and adults learn a second language in the same way
that children learn their first language.
Whole language is said to be personalized, self directed, pluralistic.
The teacher is seen as a facilitator and active participant in the learning
community. The teacher creates a climate that will support collaborative learning.
The learner is a collaborator, collaborating with fellow students, with the teachers
and with writers of texts. The whole language movement is not a teaching
method but an approach to learning that sees language as a whole entity. Each
language teacher is free to implement the approach according to the needs of
particular classes.
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3.1 Synthetic Phonics Method:
Human speech has evolved over thousands of years. Writing systems
are relatively recent. Different writing systems (scripts) have been invented in
different parts of the world at different times in History. As a matter of fact the
number of ‘writing systems’ are fewer as compared to the ‘speech system’. The
writing system like the traditional Chinese writing system represents a whole
word with a single symbol. Such writing systems are called logographies.
Reading in a logographic system is slow and laborious. The writing systems that
use a symbol to represent a phoneme are called alphabetic writing systems.
They are more efficient but vary in complexity. The ‘regular’ alphabetic systems
make language easier to learn. In such type of system the letter-phoneme
correspondence is very close. A good example of this is phonemic orthography
of Serbian. It is described as “write as you speak and read as is written”. Finnish,
Spanish are also extremely regular. Similar is the case with many Indian
languages using Devanagari. English is regular to some degree. Many words in
English are ‘irregular’ or ‘exception’ words and are not spelled the way they
sound. English therefore is an example of a complex orthography. The forty five
phonemes are expressed with twenty six letters.
There are 45 phonemes in the English language and that the 26 letters
in English can represent the 45 phonemes in about 350 ways. This poses a
problem for the teacher trying to help children to learn to read English text.
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There are two major approaches to teaching children the alphabetic
principle of English language: analytic and synthetic phonics.
Analytic phonics: For many years analytic phonics has formed part of
the early years reading programme. Teaching starts at the whole word level. It
involves a look and say approach. It is generally taught in parallel with graded
reading books.
Synthetic phonics: It is generally taught before children are introduced
to books or reading. It involves teaching small groups of letters very rapidly and
children are shown how letter sounds can be co-articulated to pronounce
unfamiliar words.
Synthetic Phonics – refers to an approach to the teaching of reading in
which phonemes (sounds) associated with particular graphemes (letters) are
pronounced in isolation and blended together (synthesized). For example,
children are taught to take a single syllable word such as cat apart into its three
letters, pronounce a phoneme for each letter in turn /k, ae, t/ and blend the
phonemes together to form a word. Synthetic phonics for writing reverses the
sequence. Children are taught to say the word they wish to write, segment it into
its phonemes and say them in turn for example /d, o, g/ and write a grapheme for
each phoneme in turn to produce the written word., dog.
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3.1.1 ICT Based Synthetic Phonics Method:
In this method the use of Information and Communication
Technologies makes the teaching learning process an interactive process.
Synthetic Phonics Method of teaching English is in the audio-visual form in a
multimedia program. The digital content helps the process in multiple ways.
1. The interactive method is interesting to the beginner learner of the language.
2. The method is engaging because of the visual effect
3. The pace can be decided by the pace of the learner’s capabilities.
4. The sounds and the letter correspondence (graphemes – phonemes
correspondence) can be repeated for the learners as is necessary
5. The blending and the segmenting process is explained by the audio visual
impact
6. The games are based is such a way that they enrich all the four skills of
language learning word recognition, spelling ability, reading comprehension
and listening comprehension.
3.1.2 Importance of ICT Based Synthetic Phonics Method:
The importance of English language as a language for global
communication has been established beyond doubt. Hence demand for English
language instructions are expected to go up with time. A large number of people
do not have English as their mother-tongue. Truly capable English language
teachers or instructors are difficult to find and match the required number of
demand. It is for this reason that the ICT Based Synthetic Phonics Method will
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play a key role. Interactive instruction through a multimedia like use of computer,
DVD, internet can reach to for many places and for many people in today’s
electronically interconnected world. The ICT based Synthetic Phonics Method
studied in this research will have a broader application in future.
4. Summary:
Every method and every approach of teaching of English have their
own merits. Every method and every approach has something new to offer.
Growth of English as a world language (EWL) has led to greater diversification in
the contexts and situations in which it is learned and used. English no longer
belongs to a few countries like U.K. or U.S.A. It is a necessary resource for
global communication. Hence throughout the globe it is learnt as EWL (English
as world language) and not as EFL (English as a foreign language) or ESL
(English as a second language).
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References
1. Jack Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers (2001) Approaches and Methodsin Language Teaching .Cambridge University Press
2. Noam Chomsky(1966) Linguistic Theory, Chomsky Selected Readings.London Oxford University Press Pg. no 152-159.
3. Prabhu N.S(1987) Second language Pedagogy, Oxford:Oxford UniversityPress
4. Auerbach E.R(1986) Comptency-based ESL: One step forward or twosteps back? TESOL Quarterly 20(3): Pg. No 411-430.
5. Krahnke K.(1987) Approaches to syllabus Design for Foreign LanguageTeaching. New York Prentice Hall.
6. Gardener H. (1993) Multiple Intelligences: The Theory and Practice, NewYork: Basic Books.