In addition to the
Grammar-Translation Approach, the Direct Approach, the Reading Approach, the
Audiolingual Approach, and the Oral-Situational Approach there are four other
discernible approaches to foreign language teaching that developed and were
widely used during the final quarter of the 20th century.
1. Grammar-Translation
Approach
2. Direct
Approach
3. Reading
Approach
4. Audiolingualism
(United States)
5. Oral-Situational
Approach (Britain)
6. Cognitive
Approach
7. Affective-Humanistic
Approach
8. Comprehension-Based
Approach
9. Communicative
Approach
However, before I present the features of
each approach, let us clarify some terminology that is crucial to this
discussion. What do we mean by the terms approach,
method, and technique?
1. Approach
- A set of correlative assumptions or viewpoint dealing with
nature of teaching and learning.
2. Method
- Synonymous to procedure; the procedure employed to
accomplish the lesson objectives.
3. Technique
- A teacher’s unique way, style, or art of executing the
stages of a method.
We
now look at each approach one by one.
1.
Grammar-Translation
Approach
It focused only on written skills of the
learners thus teaching through translation method under specified techniques of
deductive style.
a. Instruction
is given in the native language of the students.
b. There
is little use of the target language for communication.
c. Focus
is on grammatical parsing, i.e., the form and inflections of words.
d. There
is early reading of difficult texts.
e. A
typical exercise is to translate sentences from the target language into the
mother tongue (or vice versa).
f. The
result of this approach is usually an inability on the part of the student to
use the language for communication.
g. The
teacher does not have to be able to speak the target language.
2. Direct Approach
It focused more on spoken skills and
teaching inductively with no use of L1. However, it had its own flaws, e.g.,
trained teacher and other necessary equipment like realia, pictures were hard
to acquire in every situation.
a. No
use of the mother tongue is permitted (i.e., the teacher does not need to know
the students’ native language).
b. Lessons
begin with dialogues and anecdotes in modern conversational style.
c. Actions
and pictures are used to make meaning clear.
d. Grammar
is learned inductively.
e. Literary
text are read for pleasure and are not analyzed grammatically.
f. The
target culture is also taught inductively.
g. The
teacher must be a native speaker or have native like proficiency in the target
language.
3.
Reading
Approach
It is like Grammar Translation Approach
since it also stressed on written skills. But, it was flexible approach as far
as the teaching is concerned.
a. Only
the grammar useful for reading comprehension is taught.
b. Vocabulary
is controlled at first (based on frequency and usefulness) and then expanded.
c. Translation
is once more a respectable classroom procedure.
d. Reading
comprehension is the only language skill emphasized.
e. The
teacher does not need to have good oral proficiency in the target language.
4.
Audiolingualism
(United States)
It enhances the Direct Method Approach
and again depreciates the Reading Approach. Still, it demanded, as well, a
trained teacher. Else, it was more mimicry than fresh learning.
a. Lesson
begin with dialogues.
b. Mimicry
and memorization are used, based on the assumption that language is habit
formation.
c. Grammatical
structure are sequenced and rules are taught inductively.
d. Skills
are sequenced: listening, speaking – reading, writing postponed.
e. Pronunciation
is stressed from the beginning.
f. Vocabulary
is severely limited in initial stages.
g. A
great effort is made to prevent learner errors.
h. Language
is often manipulated without regard to meaning or context.
i. The
teacher must be proficient only in the structures, vocabulary, and others. That
(s)he is teaching since learning activities and materials are carefully
controlled.
5.
Oral-Situational
Approach (Britain)
A cousin of the Audio-Lingual Approach.
a. The
spoken language is primary.
b. All
language material is practiced orally before being presented in written form
(reading and writing are taught only after an oral base in lexical and
grammatical forms has been established).
c. Only
the target language should be used in the classroom.
d. Efforts
are made to ensure that the most general and useful lexical items are
presented.
e. Grammatical
structures are graded from simple to complex.
f. New
items (lexical and grammatical) are introduced and practiced situationally
(e.g., at the post office, at the bank, at the dinner table).
6.
Cognitive
Approach
It may be said to be a modern approach
for it views language learning to be a natural process. It centers on teaching
all four skills: in a natural process, it overlooks errors as inevitable
happening.
a. Language
learning is viewed as rule acquisition, not habit formation.
b. Instruction
is often individualized; learners are responsible for their own learning.
c. Grammar
must be taught but it can be taught deductively (rules first, practice later)
and/or inductively (rules can either be started after practice or left as
implicit information for the learners to process on their own.
d. Pronunciation
is de-emphasized; perfection is viewed as unrealistic and unattainable.
e. Reading
and writing are once again as important as listening and speaking.
f. Vocabulary
instruction is once again important, especially at intermmdiate and advance
levels.
g. Errors
are viewed as inevitable, to be used constructively in the learning process.
h. The
teacher is expected to have good general proficiency in the target language as
well as an ability to analyze the target language.
7.
Affective–Humanistic
Approach
It is actually a modification of
Cognitive Approach. Learning a foreign language is a process of self-realization
and of relating to other people.
a. Respect
is emphasized for the individual (each student, the teacher) and for his or her
feelings.
b. Communication
that is meaningful to the learner is emphasized.
c. Instruction
involves much work in pairs and small groups.
d. Class
atmosphere is viewed as more important materials or methods.
e. Peer
support and interaction are viewed as necessary for learning.
f. Learning
a foreign language is viewed as self-realization experience.
g. The
teacher ia a counselor or facilitator.
h. The
teacher should be proficient in the target language and the student’s native
language since translation may be used heavily in the initial stages to help
students feel at ease; later it is gradually phased out.
8.
Comprehension–Based
Approach
It tried to teach through a more natural
process, i.e., it offers a great deal of listening and does not force to
activate speaking from learner. In fact, it is a step forward on the Cognitive
Approach.
ü Language
acquisition occurs if and only if the learner comprehends meaningful input.
a. Listening
comprehension is very important and is viewed as the basic skill that will
allow speaking, reading, and writing to develop spontaneously over time, given
the right conditions.
b. Learners
should begin by listening to meaningful speech and by responding nonverbally in
meaningful ways before they produced any language themselves.
c. Learners
should not speak until they feel ready to do so; this result in better
pronunciation than if the learner is forced to speak immediately.
d. Learners
progress by being exposed to meaningful input that is just one step beyond
their level of competence.
e. Rule
learning may help monitors (or become aware of) what they do, but it will not
aid their acquisition or spontaneous use of the target language.
f. Error
correction is seen as unnecessary and perhaps even counterproductive; the
important thing is that learners can understand and can make themselves
understood.
g. If
the teacher is not native (or near-native) speaker, appropriate materials such
as audiotapes and videotapes must be available to provide the appropriate input
for the learners.
9.
Communicative
Approach
One fairly modern approach, it views
language learning more as a system thus revolving to teach as a system, i.e.,
authentic material and practical situation.
ü The
purpose of language (and thus the goal of language teaching) is communication.
a. It
is assumed that the goal of language teaching is learner ability to communicate
in the target language.
b. It
is assumed that content of a language course will include semantic notions and
social functions, not just linguistic structures.
c. Students
regularly work in groups or pairs to transfer (and, if necessary, negotiate)
meaning in situations in which one person has information that others(s) lack.
d. Students
often engage in role play or dramatization to adjust their use of the target
language to different social contexts.
e. Classroom
materials and activities are often authentic to reflect real-life situations
and demands.
f. Skills
are integrated from the beginning; a given activity might involve reading,
speaking, listening, and also writing (this assumes the learners are educated
and literate).
g. The
teacher’s role is primarily to facilitate communication and only secondarily to
correct errors.
h. The
teachers should be able to use the target language fluently and appropriately.
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