Underlying approach:
Direct Method
Procedures
Underlying rationale
Mainly speaking
Both communication and
accuracy stressed
A grammatical syllabus.
Audio-lingual method
Procedures:
Mimicry, memorization,
repetition
Mainly speaking
No grammar explanations
Underlying rationale:
Language is speech, not writing; language is a set of habits; teach the language,
not about the language.
Procedures
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2012
Underlying rationale
emphasis on
accuracy
emphasis on
fluency
grammatical
syllabus
communicative
activities
use of L1
oral skills
written skills
Student-centred, teacher as
facilitator
Occasional reactive focus on
form
Grammartranslation
Direct
method
Audiolingualism
()
T
B
L
T
But in fact, these represent theoretical models: rarely if ever in fact taught in
their pure forms, but useful in providing a picture of different trends and
orientations in the history of ELT.
A post-method era?
2. Some evidence that method is not the critical variable in successful teaching
Communicative
Ding: Text tasks
memorization and imitation:
practices
ofon
successful
The
Reactive
focus
form
Chinese learners of English (2007)
Group and pair work
Student autonomy
And
yet
methods
are
alive
and
kicking!
Extensive reading
Assumption
must
grow out ofinstruction
theory
How far doesthat
thispractice
overview
of task-based
correspond with:
Ideology
and political
correctness
a) The general
direction
of methodology courses in teacher training programs in
this
country?
A clear basis for teacher-training programs
b) Actual practice, as demonstrated by teachers observed in classrooms in this
2. THE PRESENT
country?
Objections
task-basedorthodoxy
instruction (Carless, 2009: 66). It is
TBLT is the dominant method:
An to
emerging
promoted
in teacher-preparation
courses,
the Littlewood,
literature 2007).
It
doesnt work
so well in the Asian
contextconferences,
(Carless, 2007;
Ellis: Task-based
Language
Learningminimal
and Teaching
(2003)
Interactive
communicative
tasks produce
language
(Seedhouse, 1999)
Leaver
Willis: Task-Based
Instruction
In Foreign
Language Education:
Opposition
on&practical
and theoretical
grounds
(Swan, 2005)
Practices and Programs (2004)
Most teachers, if asked, say they teach an eclectic method (Bell, 2007)
A personal view
A pedagogy
2. Not limited to one correct view of what language is and how language is
learnt.
Principled
The main principle is the optimalization of learning: the teacher will choose
those procedures that in his/her view lead to the best learning by students.
Localized
Anything goes?
he/she can justify it, based on the principles and considerations listed
previously.
Not to tell the teacher to use a specific method, but rather to provide
4. Personal recommendations
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2012
Samples: How many (non-obvious) things can you find in common with your
partner, that you didnt know before?
Design a profile of the kind of teacher you would like to teach your child English.
Divide the characteristics into necessary, desirable, unnecessary.
Because: these activities help students learn to be fluent speakers, give them
opportunities to practise language they know, are interesting and fun, help to
strengthen group relationships
Grammar exercises
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
OR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Sample: How would you you translate these items? Or would you present them
through pictures? Other ways?
a man
a computer
very
go
only
young
a thing
think
big
an apple
Because: this is the easiest, quickest and often most accurate as a way in to
vocabulary meanings; it reflects students intuitive strategies; it saves time for
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2012
7
use of the item in English contexts; it acknowledges and respects the students
L1; there is research support for use of L1 in vocabulary teaching (Laufer, 2008)
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2012
Game-like procedures
Because: game-like activities are fun and motivating, increase attention and
participation, contribute to a positive classroom climate; prevent discipline
problems; encourage playful use of language (Bell, 2012)
TO SUMMARIZE
We can and should learn from the various methods, from professional and
research literature, from colleagues and students, from conferences
This dissonance should be faced and solved by releasing teachers from the
pressure to use TBLT and sanctioning their right to teach the way they believe is
best for their students learning.
Bell, D. M. (2007). Do teachers think that methods are dead? ELT Journal, 61(2),
135-143.
Carless D.. (2009). Revisiting the TBLT versus P-P-P debate: Voices from Hong
Kong. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching, 19, 4966
Clarke, M. A., Davis, A., Rhodes, L. K., & Baker, E.. (1996). Creating coherence:
High achieving classrooms for minority students [Final report of research
conducted under U.S. Department of Education, OERI. Achieving Classrooms for
Minority Students (HACMS), Field Initiated Studies Program]. Denver, Colorado:
University of Colorado at Denver.
Kumaradavadivelu, B. (2001).
Quarterly, 35(4), 537-560.
Laufer, B., & Girsai, N.. (2008). Form-focused instruction in second language
vocabulary learning: A case for contrastive analysis and translation. Applied
Linguistics, 27(4), 694-716.
Prabhu N. S.. 1990. There is no best method - why? TESOL Quarterly, 24 (2),
161-76.
Sowden, C. (2007). Culture and the good teacher in the English language
classroom. ELT Journal, 61 (4), 304-310.
Walters, J., & Bozkurt, N. (2009). The effect of keeping vocabulary notebooks on
vocabulary acquisition . Language Teaching Research, 13(4), 403-423.
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2012