Approaches to

language
teaching.

Grammar Translation

Antonyms/Synonyms
The instructor asks the students to find antonyms and
synonyms in the text. A similar
exercise could consist in asking a definition from the
students of certain words.
Goal: helps the students improve their vocabulary and
create connections between the words of each language.
Cognates
If the two languages share some similarities as regards
sounds, the students are taught
and required to memorize specific sound patterns. It is the
occasion for the teacher to
point out the cognates that look similar in the two
languages but whose meaning differs.
Goal: Facilitate learning by demonstrating the similarities
between the two languages

Deductive presentation of rules

Grammar rules are presented with examples and exceptions are pinpointed.
The rules are then to be used in different examples.
Goal: The learners acquire the structure of the target language. Using the rule
helps stimulate their deductive skills and makes them use it automatically.
Fill in the blanks
Sentences with words missing. The sentences are supposed to be completed
with a particular vocabulary item to be used or with specific grammatical
structures: in this case, phrasal verbs.
Goal: Helps practice grammar or retain the meaning of particular vocabulary.
Memorization
It can be lists of words with their translations or grammatical rules and verb
conjugations.
Goal: A good mental exercise and students retain grammatical rules.
Using words in sentences
The language learners to use the new lexical items in sentences.
Goal: To help memorization and make sure the meaning is well understood.
Composition
Either the teacher gives the learners a topic relating to the passage studied
that is to be written in the target language, or asks them to make a summary.
Goal: Develop writing skills.

Direct Approach

Reading approach

Types of teaching and Learning

activities

Skimming
Scanning
Extensive reading
Intensive reading

 Kinds of instructional experiences and materials

Reading aloudby the teacher is an important component of the struggling
readers literacy program. Teacher is as model in reading process and
students listen and respond to the teacher. Teachers should select stories,
poems, and informational texts to read aloud that help expand and strengthen
the background knowledge of their students.
Materials: storybooks, content materials, poetry, charts.
Choice: usually teachers choice.
Grouping format: usually whole group.
Purposes:
- To stretch students beyond their reading levels, particularly in content
areas under study; expand vocabulary; develop concepts.
- To expose students to varied forms of text (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
- To enlist varied forms of response (discussion, writing, drama, art,
movement, etc.)
- To study various genres, literary devices, writers craft.
Struggling readers benefit from listening, responding, and expanding their
knowledge, vocabulary, and concepts.

 Shared reading. Teacher leads and students participate. This is extremely valuable for the child who is
having trouble figuring out what reading is all about. The teacher reads a text while the student observes
and follows along silently. This method helps build reading fluency and comprehension.
Materials: primarily enlarged texts visible to students; may include content materials, storybooks, charts,
poems, songs.
Choice: usually teachers choice.
Grouping format: whole group or small group.
Purposes:
- To teach concepts about print and print conventions.
- To teach comprehension and interpretation.
- To analyze textual features: word study (e.g. phonics, word analogies, structural analysis)
Struggling readers benefit from highly visible demonstration of the reading process. Concepts and
conventions of print are made very accessible for them. Examination of textual features (letters, words,
and part of words) helps develop an understanding of the alphabetic principle and the nature of written
language.
Word study. Teacher leads and students participate. Word study fosters recognition of the individual
sounds of words and an understanding of the alphabetic principle and its application to reading and
spelling. Activities involve phonemic awareness, phonics, structural analysis, and the development of sight
vocabulary.
Atprekindergarten level: largely oral activities fostering phonemic awareness.
Atkindergarten level and above: phonics, structural analysis, and sight vocabulary.
Materials: core program, trade books, charts, environmental print.
Choice: usually teachers choice.
Grouping format: whole group or small group.
Purposes:
- To provide systematic, focused instruction at the word level.
- To provide additional support for students who need it.
Struggling readers benefit from focused instruction and direct experiences applying the alphabetic code
and sight vocabulary. The examination of textual features and linguistic patterns helps to support reading
and spelling.

Audiolingualism

The Dialogue
ALM activities are anchored in dialogues presented at the beginning of each teaching unit.
These dialogues, with carefully controlled vocabulary and grammar, present a familiar
sociocultural context and showcase specific grammatical patterns that will be the focus of the
unit. Students are often asked to memorize dialogues and perform them in front of the class.
Repetition Drills
To aid in dialogue memorization, students attempt to repeat exactly what the teacher says.
Since ALM is based on listening and speaking, the dialogue may be presented through listenand-repeat drills before students see the printed words in the textbook. Here is a typical
exchange:
Teacher: "Hi, Mark. How's it going?"
Students: "Hi, Mark. How's it going?"
Backward Buildup
In this type of imitation drill, the teacher models language segments to be repeated, starting at
the end of the sentence and working back, adding a chunk at a time until the entire phrase can
be repeated fluently. For example:
Teacher: "Classroom."
Students: "Classroom."
Teacher: "The classroom."
Students: "The classroom."
Teacher: "In the classroom."
Students: "In the classroom."
Teacher: "Is in the classroom."
Students: "Is in the classroom."
Teacher: "Troy is in the classroom."
Students: "Troy is in the classroom."

Substitution Drills
Students repeat sentences, making small changes based on substitutions. The following
substitution drill reinforces subject-verb agreement:
Teacher: "Mary is in the classroom."
Students: "Mary in the classroom."
Teacher: "The girls."
Students: "The girls are in the classroom."
Teacher: "The child."
Students: "The child is in the classroom."
Teacher: "I."
Students: "I am in the classroom."
For more advanced substitution drills, the teacher can supply multiple constituents for
substitution into the sentence, as in:
Teacher: "Alex has a red car."
Students: "Alex has a red car."
Teacher: "The brothers. Three blue kites."
Students: "The brothers have three blue kites."
Transformation Drills
ALM activities often involve manipulating structures in a systematic way. In transformation drills,
sentences are changed through the application of a grammatical rule. For example, students
may be asked to turn a statement into a question:
Teacher: "Sandra is in the classroom."
Students: "Is Sandra in the classroom?"
Teacher: "The girls are in the classroom."
Students: "Are the girls in the classroom?"
Teacher: "I am in the classroom."
Students: "Am I in the classroom?"

Chain Drills
The teacher starts a question-and-answer chain by asking one
student a question. That student answers and then turns to the
next student, asking the same question. One by one, students ask
and answer the question until all students have participated.
Teacher: "Hi, my name is Brooks. What's your name?"
Student 1: "I'm Yousef." (Turns to Student 2) "Hi, my name is
Yousef. What's your name?"
Student 2: "I'm Sofia." (Turns to Student 3) "Hi, my name is Sofia.
What's your name?"
Application and Extension Activities
ALM activities can be extended to achieve limited communicative
expression. Application activities might include responding to
open-ended drills, adapting the dialogue to new situations, using
language from the lesson as the basis for personal expression and
performing role plays that depart from the dialogue to some
degree.

Oral Situational Approach

Cognitive Approach

Relevant activities include review and

revision, class vocabulary bags,
using a scaffolding approach with
young learners, analysis and
discussion of language and topics,
inductive approaches and learner
training.

Affective Humanistic
Approach

Critical questioning
Role-playing
Simulations
Journaling
Silence
Reading materials
Reaction paperimmediate reaction to an issue
Reflection papera paper reflecting a process of change in thinking, valuing and behaving
Critical incidents
Service-learning activities
Process checksgive feedback about the process of the team and group dynamics
Sensory-based learning activitiesusing art, music, drama, or poetryeither well-known
pieces or allowing participants to create their own
Drawing
Singing
Paper mache or playdoughkeep participants hands active
Use of symbolscan be art, imagination, dreams, metaphors, etc.
Memory and imagination exercises
Improvisation (for example, customize a version of the game Pictionary and have small
groups enact a concept)
Case studies
Field trips
ROPES-type courses
Story-telling
Educational biographies
Challenging physical adventures

Comprehension Based
Approach

Communicative Approach

Pair work, group work, and role plays

work well. Also, interviews, games,
surveys and learning by teaching are
also good activities to carry out.