Articles

HOW TO … exploit the language teaching methods available (Part B)

Details: Category: Featured Columnists; Published on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 13:24

This is the second article concerning the exploitation of the language teaching methods available.

In the previous article we examined the Grammar Translation method, the Direct Method and the Audio-Lingual method.

In this article we will examine the Silent way, Suggestopedia and Community Language Learning.

GUIDE QUESTIONS	THE SILENT WAY	SUGGESTOPEDIA	COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING
1. What is the major aim of the method?	The learners learn the language for self expression. Thoughts, perceptions and feelings	The learners learn the language for everyday communication in a relaxing and stress-free environment	The learners learn the language for everyday communication and they take responsibility for their own learning and how they learn. Mutual trust between learners and teacher is vital
2. What are the teacher’s and the learners’ roles in teaching/learning?	The teacher is a technician or engineer. He works with the students and the students work on the language	The teacher is the authority and the learners trust him. They must feel secure so they may be spontaneous and less inhibited	The teacher’s role is to be a counselor. He takes care of his learners in their effort to learn the new language. At the beginning the student is dependant on the teacher and gradually they switch roles
3. What are the major features of the teaching/learning process?	The teaching of sounds is first and situational learning is very important. Practice is vital and feedback on how they learn is also important	Comfortable seating, relaxed atmosphere, music and soft lighting help learners absorb the new language as it guided by the teacher and the ‘whole brain’ is activated. Peripheral learning through posters which are changed every week is vital and translation is also acceptable	All starts with the students using their first language and the teacher helping them to say them in the new language. Recordings of what is told are used for the learners to listen and practice further.
4. What are the major interaction patterns during the teaching/learning process?	The teacher is active but silent. When he speaks, it is to give clues but not to model the language. Pair work is also vital so they can learn from each other	The teacher initiates interaction even from the beginning of the course. Students respond verbally and non verbally and pair / group work is encouraged	The whole group is seated in a circle and the interaction changes according to needs and willingness. Building up a relationship is a key point for this method
5. How is the learner’s psychology viewed in this method?	Students are asked how they feel and a relaxing learning atmosphere is a need	A great deal of attention is given to students’ feelings since relaxation and positive learning atmosphere are vital for this method	A great deal of attention is given to students’ feelings since security is of primary importance depending on which stage the learner is in
6. How is language and culture viewed?	Native culture is inseparable from their language	The culture which students learn concerns the everyday life of native speakers	According to Curran ‘language is for developing creative thinking. Culture is integrated with language’
7. Which language areas are emphasized in this method?	Sounds and pronunciation, structures and the four skills. Emphasis is given on the melody of the new language	Vocabulary is heavily emphasized, grammar focuses on structures but communications is the aim and the utmost learning point	The learners ‘shape’ the syllabus. They decide what they need to learn and what they do not. The most important skills are understanding and speaking the language
8. What is the role of the learner’s mother tongue?	Translation is not allowed but it may help in giving instructions and during the feedback at the end of the lesson	Translation is used to make the meaning of a dialogue clear but the aim is to use less of the first language as the course proceeds	Translation is acceptable especially during the early stages of learning since it provides the security needed for the learners to develop
9. How are errors treated during the teaching/learning process?	Since the learners are encouraged to explore language, errors is an inseparable part of learning. Self correction is encouraged	At beginning levels there is no correction by the teacher. Form errors are dealt with separately later in the course	The teacher repeats correctly what the learner had said and this is done in a non threatening way
10. How is language assessed / evaluated in this method?	No formal tests are introduced. However, the teacher constantly checks and helps the learners express themselves	In class assessment is encouraged as opposed to traditional formal exams	Formal tests and self-evaluation are both acceptable

Adapted from Gattegno, Caleb. 1972, Madsen, Harold 1980, Lozanov, Georgi 1982

Biodata
Akis Davanellos has been a school owner and Practitioner Teacher for twenty three years and he holds an MA in ELT from the University of Warwick. He has written a number of articles in local and international journals and he has worked for international and local publishing companies presenting professional and commercial seminars and courses. He has also been involved in forthcoming book evaluations and piloting. He is the initiator and the main materials designer of the IGUANA PROJECT publishing house, the initiator of the Iguana Project Educational Support System for schools (I.P.E.S.S.). He has also developed the
‘e-enilikes’ method for adult education and various e-learning programs for distant learning.

Great new costomer Bonus Bet365 read here.