Methods of Teaching and Learning English

The Translation Method:The Translation Method is the oldest method of teaching and learning English. Even today it is widely used in Indian Schools. The method is often called the ‘The Grammar – Translation Method’ because it a method in which Grammar and translation are greatly emphasized.

Definition, Principles & Practices: The method of teaching in which the linguistic material is graded on a grammatical plan is called Grammar Translation method. It is a method in which grammar and translation predominate.

This method is based on the following 3 basic principles:1. Foreign phraseology can be best interpreted and understood when it is translated.2. This kind of interpretation and understanding helps assimilation of phraseology.3. The structure of a foreign language is best learned when is compared and

contrasted with the structure of the mother tongue.4. In any large language, word is the basic unit. Therefore understanding the

meaning of words helps comprehension of sentences.

The Classroom practice of this method is as follows:

1. The primary attempt of the teacher is to help his pupils understand the meaning of new words, phrases and sentences.

2. The meaning of English words, phrases and sentences is taught by means of word for word translation into the mother tongue of the pupils.

3. Learning of spellings, memorizing of rules of grammar deciphering the meaning of words and translating them into mother tongue become the main activities of the pupils.

Merits & Limitations:This method has been greatly criticized on various points of merits and limitations:Its Merits are as follows:

1. The method helps the pupils in getting mastery over vocabulary. Every word that is learnt is best understood because of its mother tongue equivalent.

2. This method is economical and easy to use. It does not require the paraphernalia suggested by other methods.

3. This method emphasizes reading ability and the reading ability enables the pupils enjoy the rich literature of English.

4. According to this method, the English Method is planned on the grammatical scheme. Such a scheme of planning the course is logical.

5. This method develops reasoning power because comparisons and contrasts are established between English and their Mother Tongue.

This method has the following limitations:1. In this method words and not sentences become units of teaching. We converse in

complete sentences. Teaching of isolated words does not develop communicative ability.

2. There is greater emphasis on translation. This whole-sale method of translation as a teaching method is futile because it helps only comprehension and not expression.

3. There is limited scope for correct expression of English words into the mother tongue. The exact meaning of words cannot e given. E.g.: Snow or ice or the articles.

4. This method prevents the pupil from thinking in English. He develops the habit of finding equivalents from his mother tongue. Because of this habit, spoken aspect of English Language remains neglected. The phonetic considerations like pronunciation, intonation and fluency are ignored.

5. This method fails to establish a direct bond between the pupils thoughts and expression because there is interferences of the mother tongue.

In this method the grammatical implications are dominant. The spellings, rules of grammar and translation become the chief activity. The learning process becomes dry and burdensome.

Your Progress:1. What is meant by the grammar translation method?2. What are the basic principles of the grammar translation method?3. What are the merits and limitations of the Grammar Translation Method?

The Direct Method:The direct method is evolved from the earlier translation. H. E Palmer was the chief exponent of this grammar. It aims at imparting a perfect command of a language by creating an ability to think in and speak English with good pronunciations.

Definition, Characteristics, Objectives and practice: The method in which English is taught directly is the direct method. It is a method which seeks to establish direct association between experience and expression and between English phraseology and it importance.Louis De Glane and Tomson and white define Direct Method by enumerating its characteristics. According to Louis De Glane, the direct method has 3 following characteristics:

1. This method establishes a direct association between experience and expression. This is done in 2 ways. First an association is established between a word and the object. Second the pupils are encouraged to think, understand and have ideas in English alone.

2. This method reserves no place for the use of the mother tongue because extensive use of the mother tongue becomes a hindrance and arrests the progress.

3. In this method, sentence becomes a unit of teaching and expression. Therefore speaking in complete sentences becomes the chief objective.

According to Tomson and White, there are 4 characteristics of the Direct Method:1. This method lays greater stress on the oral expression or speech. In this method,

oral teaching takes place before reading and writing. This oral teaching is done on the basis of controlled vocabulary and connected sentences.

2. With emphasis on oral expression comes maintenance of phonetic standards in speech. Therefore it provides for practice in good pronunciation and stress and intonation patterns.

3. In this method, grammar is taught inductively. There is no room for theoretical teaching of grammar. Grammar is taught for practical use i.e. a guide for correct expression.

4. This method gives no place for cramming of word meaning. The pupils are taught the practical use of words.

After having enumerated the characteristics of the Direct Method, the chief objective of the method are described as follows:

a) Everyone has a language sense. It is highly developed in case of the mother tongue. This method tries to create an instinctive and unerring language sense for learning of English.

b) This method aims at creating an ability to think in English. All attempts to translate English into the Mother tongue, think of an answer in the mother tongue and to translate it into English are discouraged.

c) Its main aim is to enable the pupils to use the English Language as soon as possible and with the same facility as the native speakers display.

d) This method aims at developing communicative abilities especially through speech for it is believed that fluency in reading and facility in writing follow fluency in speech.

After an insight into the theoretical aspects of this method the teachers should consider the practical utility, the very procedure to be followed.At first, the teacher should create a suitable English atmosphere in the class. This can be done by wishing the pupils in English, thanking them for their wish and by giving suitable instructions and introductions. The teacher should introduce the new words, phrases and structures in various ways. He might use audio-visual aids, create different situations provide learning experiences through facial expressions and actions. He arranges for different types of drills. The contents of the lesson are taught through oral work in English. There are questions and answers. Care is taken to see the pupils use correct pronunciations. In case of Grammar many examples are given to reinforce the rule without giving the definitions and rules. There is more stress on the functional grammar.

Merits and Limitations of Direct MethodDirect method enjoys the following merits

1) This method enables the pupils to think in English which is the best way to learn English.

2) There is little interference of the mother tongue. The rival speech sounds of the mother tongue and word to word translation have no place in this method.

3) The direct bond between words and their meanings, ample use of audio visual aids and controlled vocabulary make the mastery of spoken English easy.

4) This method lays the correct emphasis on the correct use of English Language.5) Grammar is taught inductively. There is no learning of rules by heart. Therefore

cramming is totally eliminated.6) This method emphasizes good pronunciation and better comprehension of oral

aspects of the language.

Direct Method suffers from the following limitations:1. As O Grady has pointed out, there is not enough writing not enough

progress in the type of writing there is not enough reading. It ignores abilities of reading and writing.

2. In this method, Grammar is taught inductively. There is no scope for formal grammar, so there is no systematic teaching of grammar.

3. Eradication of the mother tongue itself becomes a problem because not all the aspects and shades of English language can be taught directly.

4. It is an expensive method because it needs an ample use of audio visual aids.

5. This method requires able teachers who have good command over English to teach English directly. In fact this method failed due to lack of capable English Teachers.

6. This method brings large dividends only in small classes. It emphasizes oral work. So it is unsuitable for over crowded classes.

7. This method prescribes teaching of English like the teaching of the mother tongue. The pupils are born into a situation where it is spoken everywhere. There are ample opportunities to listen to it and use it. English is a foreign language and therefore there has to be some kind of distinction in its teaching.

8. Synthesis between the grammar – translation method and the direct method. For the practical teaching of English language, it will be useful to combine these two methods. For this kind of synthesis, the teachers will have to recognize the importance of oral work emphasized by the direct method and that of reading and writing emphasized by the grammar translation method. The pupils should achieve all these linguistic skills but the principle of the direct method viz Oral work and speech before reading and writing should be strictly followed. The pupils may be exposed to the knowledge of grammar but this knowledge should be practical and not theoretical. Teaching of grammar should not bore the pupils to tears. In case of vocabulary, p should have a good grounding in knowledge and meaning of words but they should know the practical use of words. Therefore sparring use of the mother tongue may be allowed. The use of the mother tongue should be the last method to bring home a point. These ideas on synthesis of two methods can be concluded with a remark from P.

Gurrey. He says “The Direct Method can be used in conjunction with any other method because it is properly ‘a’ method. It is principle.

Your progress:

What is meant by the Direct Method? What are the characteristics of the Direct Method? What objectives of teaching English are upheld by the Direct Method? What are the merits and limitations of the Direct Method? How can the Grammar translation method and the direct method be combined in

teaching of English?

Dr. West’s New Method

Dr. Michale West was the director of Education of Bengal. Later he was appointed as the professor of English at Dacca University. He made a careful study of teaching of English especially the Direct Method. He concluded that none of the methods were satisfactory. So he carried out a research on the method of teaching English in India. He devised his own method which comes as a reaction against the direct method and its limitations. His method is knows as ‘The New Method of Teaching English’.Dr. West believed that Indians needed a passive type of knowledge of English. Therefore, he attached great importance to reading.

Definition, Principles & Characteristics: This method which is based on the principles of priority of reading, separate provision of readers with select vocabulary and a judicious use of the mother tongue is called The New Method.Dr. West based his method on 2 psychological principles. They are as follows:

1. The child listens to the spoken English and understands it before he begins to speak and therefore oral work is the best preparation for reading.

2. Reading involves some kind of inner speech. So reading helps speaking. In this case, Dr. West remarks “Reading language is by far the shortest road of learning to speak and write it”.

This method has peculiar characteristics of its own .These characteristics emerge out of Dr. West’s convictions & research conclusions. They are as follows:

a) This method reorganizes the objectives of teaching English. According to Dr. West Indian pupils need most to be able of read English, then to write it & lastly to speak it & understand it when spoken.

b) This method stresses reading. This emphasis on reading seems logical because lg. To read English is easy & the pupil can begin early. Tg. to read is also easy & even lower grade trs. can do it with ease. All the stu.s can read simultaneously & so it is suitable for large size classes. Moreover acc. To Dr. West Indian pupils have fewer opportunities to express themselves in English. They can collect

information from various books & they have an easy access to the rich English Literature.

c) Reading is of various types. Acc. to Dr. West, “Trs. of English should be mainly concerned with the tg. of silent rdg.” For this method silent rdg. is the real rdg. because it develops the power of comprehension. It provides pleasure & creates a desire to read.

d) This method does attach importance to oral wk. but the oral wk. is viewed as a preparatory step for developing the art of silent rdg.

e) Dr. West believed that the pupils should get acquainted with the vocabulary commonly used by the writers & the ideal speaking vocabulary can be most easily learned. He classified the words into categories. 1st the structural word i.e. the words that we talk with or form words which make up the structure of the language. 2nd the context words i.e. the content words that we talk about. Most of the context words are nouns. Dr. West recommended a minimum speaking vocabulary of 1158 words, which are adequate for all ordinary subjects of conversation.

f) Dr. West a provided a series of Reader which contained interesting rdg. material which controlled vocabulary. These Readers are well-illustrated because of pictures. For testing the efficiency of the rdg. each Reader contained a test in comprehension. The series of Readers accompanied by Companions & composition books and supplementary Readers for pupils & trs. Hand books.

Merits & limitations of Dr. West’s New MethodMerits:It takes the typical Indian conditions into consideration. It is based on pragmatic philosophy of learning English. It has an utilization approach to the learning of English viz enrichment of oneself towards reading and the best equipment for pupils with lesser efforts. The arrangement of alphabets, the prescription of Readers and other books and the teacher’s handbooks are unique contributions to the teaching of English. This practice is followed even today.Another special contribution of the method relates itself to vocabulary. A well graded minimum vocabulary with its classification was the solid work done by Dr. West.

West’s New Method has been criticized on _______ and the following limitations are out.

This method lays more stress on reading than on speech. It believes that reading helps speaking. This belief is unpsychological. The child learns to speak a language first and reading and writing follow. Its hierarchy of objectives is unpsychological.

This method attaches undue importance to silent reading. No doubt silent learning is important for learning of a language but to put it above everything is not proper. In fact, loud reading is more beneficial for the beginners.

This method proved to be expensive because of a number of readers, companions, composition books and supplementary readers.

It was realized that the teachers would not complete the course in time because of the different types of readers.The graded vocabulary posed another problem. It became necessary to complete the whole book before starting a new book.Writing skill remained badly neglected.Oral work was not emphasized. It was looked upon as a presentation for silent reading.

Check your progress:

1. What is meant by Dr. West’s New method?2. Which are the two psychological principles of Dr. West’s new method?3. What are the characteristics of Dr. West’s New Method?4. What are the merits and limitations of Dr. West’s New Method?

The Structural ApproachThe Structural Approach is the outcome of the extensive researches made in the field of English as a foreign language. Theses researches were made at the University of London Institute of education.The basic principles and techniques of the structural approach and the direct method are more or less the same. There are many educationalists who think that it is the direct method with some additions and changes incorporated due to modern researches in the field. Definition, Principles & Characteristics: The phase ‘Structural Approach’ consists of 2 words viz Structural and Approach. In the field of education, approach has been defined as a set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature of language teaching and learning. An approach states a point of view, a philosophy and the article of faith. It describes the nature of subject matter to be taught. The second word of the phrase is Structural. The educationalists believed that Essential English is necessary for practical command over the language. What constitutes this essential English? After careful studies and experimental investigations the research workers concluded this essential English consists of about 275 language patterns. Theses language patterns are called Structures. The advocates of this approach maintain that mastery over the structures would result in practical command of English. Therefore the structural approach may be defined as an approach to teach English through well graded structures or language patterns.

The Structural Approach is based on the following principles:a) lg. A language is essentially the matter of habit information. If correct

lang. habits are created, they become second nature & the linguistic skills become quick & automatic. In case of English, the habit of arranging words in English standard sentence patterns or structure should be developed.

b) Speech is the most imp. & essential means of fixing all the ground in mastery of English. Therefore, the oral work should become the corner stone of all tg. lg. Process.

c) In the process of lang. lg., it is the pupils activity which is more imp. than trs. activity. Therefore the pupi9ls should be made to act, both mentally & physically.

Besides these principles, the structural approach follows the principle of lang. tg. Enumerated by H.E. Palmer, they are as follows:-a) Principle of selection: - The structures & content words are carefully

selected. This selection is determined by the objectives of the total course i.e. practical command of English & the age, mental capacities & average experiences of the pupil. Sometimes, a structure may have more than one meaning & use. Therefore the suitable meaning & use become the matter of selection. As stated earlier, 275 structures are selected.

b) Principle of gradation: - The structures selected for tg. & lg. Of English should be well graded. For this, maxims from ‘concrete to abstract’ may be followed.

c) Principle of teachability: -As far as possible structure should be demonstrated in life like situations. Such a demonstrations makes a structure teachable. For this situations tg. becomes a must.

d) Principle for opportunities for use: - The pupils should have many opportunities, for using the structures. It helps habit formation because of repetition & drilling work.

e) The principle of proportion: - This principle is applied to the number of structures & content words to be taught in each standard as well as the standard of attainment in each of the four Linguistic skills.

This approach is marked by its unique characteristic features. They are as follows:a) The approach seeks to teach the four lang. skills, viz. listening &

understanding, speaking reading & writing. It tries to maintain this order, Therefore it is a psychologically sound approach because it is the natural way of lg. Lang.

b) This approach emphasis ‘Ears before Eyes’, ‘Reception before Reproduction’ & ‘Speech before reading and writing’. The pupils are made to listen to English & repeat the new structure several times. Later, they are encouraged to form many sentence of their own. It is for this reason that it is called as Oral- Aural Approach.

c) This approach is often called ‘English through play way’ because the secret of lg. a lang. is not the speech alone but the action with the speech. It requires physical activities for lg. of English.

d) This approach makes a sentence a unit of tg. Pupils learn sentences couched in the form of structures. Therefore, they develop the ability to communicate in complete sentences.

e) Through this approach, pupils are made to attain mastery over an essential ability of 3000 content words. This vocabulary has been categorized into friends, the acquaintances & the strangers, i.e. there are three circles of vocabulary, First, the inner working circle, i.e. the friends, Second, the words are recognized but not admitted to the inner circle i.e. the acquaintances. Third the words in the outer circle pupils need not trouble to meet i.e. the strangers.

f) This approach recommends lang. before grammar i.e. the mastery of English lang. gets priority over the mastery of theoretical grammar. This means, it recommends ‘functional grammar’.

g) This approach is a highly learner centered approach. It takes the psychology of the learner into account. It makes the learner’s activities more important than the trs. activities.

Practice of Teaching through the Structural ApproachThere are 6 processes involved in the study of English as a foreign language. Let us think of them and see the activities conducted in the classroom.

a) Pupils learn to recognize and understand the spoken English word. So the teacher has to create a meaningful situation and use the structure in his own words and repeat it several times. This provides ear training for the pupils.

b) Pupils learn to pronounce the English structure or words by imitating. So the teacher has to undertake chorus and individual drilling. This develops speaking ability.

c) Pupils learn to recognize and pronounce the written English structure and content words. After sufficient, the teacher has to write the complete structure i. e a complete sentence on the blackboards and drilling is taken with the help of written symbols. This practice develops oral reading.

d) Pupils learn to write the structure in their notebooks. It develops writing skill.e) Pupils learn to use the English structures and content word correctly. The teacher

has to provide ample and frequent opportunities to use the structures in meaningful situations. This can be done through written and oral compositions.

f) Pupils learn to understand silent reading and comprehend the material.

Merits and Limitations of Structural ApproachThe Structural Approach has been credited with many merits which emerge from its characteristics mentioned earlier.

a) This approach is the most scientific psychological and educational approach because it follows the principles of language learning, makes the pupils the centre of the entire process and tunes the process of teaching to learning capacity.

b) In free India the new role has been assigned to English. This new role advocates learning of essential English and this approach precisely does this. Therefore this approach is suitable for the present school conditions in India.

c) The very idea of getting mastery over sentence patterns and formation of new sentences with the help of content words is a unique contribution to English language learning.

d) This process makes then pupils keen and active. It has opened up their lips. It has justified the truth of the famous Chinese proverb ‘Nothing can be taught, though everything can be learnt’.

In spite of these merits the approach suffers from certain limitations. They are as follows:

a) This approach is suitable for lower classes. It is not very useful in higher classes. b) It has been pointed out that the text books prescribed for various classes cannot be

taught through this approach.c) Poetry, compositions and theoretical grammar cannot be taught through this

approach.d) This approach is difficult to implement in India Schools because of over crowded

classes, fixed syllabus and traditional examination systems.e) This approach is expensive because it requires plenty of audio-visual aids.f) This approach requires skilful and imaginative teacher. In the hands of unskilled

and unimaginative teacher, it degenerates into a dull and mechanical process

Check your progress:13. What is meant by The Structural Approach?14. Describe the principles of the structural approach?15. What are the features of the structural approach?16. How can the structural approach be used for the six processes of language learning?17. What are the merits and limitations of the Structural Approach?

The Eclectic methoda) While teaching the teachers might combine different methods because they wish to

bring about balanced and proportionate development in English language learning. The combination or syntheses of the best points from different methods give rise to the eclectic method. In this method the best practices of each method are beautifully interwoven for assured achievement of objectives. Therefore it is matter of practice which requires teacher’s attitude to follow a difficult path for the good of his pupils. The structural approach is a new approach to teaching learning of English. It is not a method. The teachers of English can use one or more method within the structural approach. It has been very often remarked that within an approach there can be many methods. It is the philosophy or assumption that determines the procedure of presentation.

b) Let us see now how different methods can be used together with the structural approach which believes in mastery of structures. At teacher might take up a structure say This / That + is + proper + noun and translate every word of it, explain why the verb ‘is’ has been used and when to use ‘this’ and ‘that’. Finally the entire structure is translated into the mother tongue. This is a fateful implementation of the Grammar Translation method. Another teacher might write the structure in its complete form on the blackboard and ask the pupils to read it several times. He might ask them to read it silently and understand the situation. Such a teacher follows Dr. West’s New Method. Yet another teacher might choose to create a meaningful situation and present the structure directly without translating it. He might get the

structure grilled I finally proceed to questions and answers. This is the direct method put to use. Each of the 3 methods implemented herein has a distinctive procedure of its own but it lies within the Structural Approach.

c) No teacher of English can escape the Structural Approach because it has been accepted, text books are written according to it and has brought in good success. But in case of methods, a gainful blend or combination becomes necessary. Here are some suggestions. The teacher might translate a word or two when direct teaching of it I English becomes more difficult. But such a method should be reserved as the last method to clarify a point. From Dr. West’s New Method, emphasis on reading can be kept in mind but at the same time it place in the hierarchy of objectives should be considered. Its method for reinforcement viz supplementary readers or work books for pupils should be gainfully utilized. Teacher’s hand books should be prepared and used. In case of Grammar inductive method might be used. In the present conditions the direct method with the Structural Approach seems to be profitable. The ability to think in English, creating a direct bond between experience and expression and teaching of good pronunciation are the good points of the Direct Method. In case of the Structural Approach, meaningful situations a definite procedure to achieve objectives and teaching of functional grammar can be gainfully implemented.

Check your progress:18. What is meant by the Eclectic method?19. In what way can different methods be used within the structural approach?20. In what way can the practices of different methods be combined?

Devices of teaching learning EnglishStory Telling:In the lower classes, pupils have natural interest in listening to stories. The teacher can take an advantage of this natural interest and use it for teaching of stories.

The stories should be carefully selected. In the lower classes the pupils love animal stories. They love to see and hear animals behaving like people and talking to one another. They enjoy their tricks, intelligence and feelings. Therefore various fables like the fox and the crow, the monkey and the crocodile can be selected. In higher classes, pupils enjoy stories from the biographies of great people. Therefore, studies like Washington and his axe, Lord Buddha and the mother, Ram and the moon can be selected. The point is the pupil requirement should be criterion of selection.

Story telling is an art and the teacher must learn to improve this art by constant practice. The teacher could have a knack of powerful verbal expression. He would be able to create the picture before his pupil. He should be able to act every word of the story. He should modulate his voice as per the situation. He should use the actual dialogues and make gestures. The pupils love listening to the words full of sound. Therefore it is better

to say “The clock struck ding dong ding”. He point is that the teacher makes every attempt to captivate the attention of his pupils.

Story telling is not meant for its own sake. It should be conducive to teaching learning of English. Therefore the teacher should take some precautions. First, he should make ample use of structures and content words known to the pupils. Secondly, he should narrate the story in simple sentences, so that the pupils have no difficulties in understanding the story. Third he should make use of different pictures, while narrating a story. Finally after telling the story, the teacher should encourage his pupils to tell the same story to the class and see how far they can describe the different situations told in the story.

Story telling is a useful device for teaching learning of English. First it promotes auditory comprehension, provides an opportunity to listen to continuous speech or narration. Secondly it reinforces the structures and the content words. Third it provides them with an opportunity to speak continuously for a longer period. Thus story telling develops the linguistic skills. Fourth the natural interests of pupils can be gainfully utilized. Finally some stories conclude with a moral. Some stories present good ideas. It helps attitude formation among the pupils and good values are inculcated. It is for all these advantages that story telling is said to be a device par excellence.

Check your Progress:21. What should be the criteria for selection of stories?22. Why is story telling called an art?23. What precautions should be taken while narrating stories in English?24. What are the advantages of Story Telling?

Dramatization: - Dramatization or the acting of little plays is an effective device. It is not only a change from the routine teaching but also a method to teach English.

The teacher can select suitable extracts from the Readers for dramatization but there should be an element of drama in them. They should provide for some interesting action and play. Mere exchange of dialogues is not enough. Sometimes the readers do provide some conversational pieces. The objective of dramatization is to reinforce structures provide for conversational English and to create necessary background for effective learning. The selection of short plays also depends upon pupil’s interests, their age group and previous knowledge.

For dramatization, the teacher acts as the director. He should teach the actors to speak their dialogues properly; to modulate their voice, and he must give proper actions for acting their roles. He can explain the entire play and the mental set up of each character. Such instructions help them to play their roles and to appreciate the actions of the drama.

This device of dramatization is very useful in teaching learning of English. First, it creates a suitable atmosphere for learning of English. Second, it provides ample

opportunities for listening to colloquial English. The pupils can listen to dialogues and understand them. It promotes auditory comprehension. Third, it enables pupils to play different roles. Fourth, the pupils can use the colloquial language in their daily speaking. Fifth, pupils should be made to play a role in the dramas. Finally, pupils learn the at of appreciation.

Check your progress25. What should be the criteria for selections of English plays for pupils?26. In what way can the teacher direct the plays?27. In what way is dramatization useful for the learning of English?