Language Teaching Methods

• The language teaching profession sought a universal method applicable to diverse learners from the mid-1880s to the mid-1980s.
• Historically, the field has seen a succession of methods, each replacing the previous one.

Defining Method

• Edward Anthony defined method as the second of three hierarchical elements: approach, method, and technique.
• Approach involves assumptions about language, learning, and teaching.
• Method is an overall plan for language presentation based on an approach.
• Techniques are classroom activities aligning with a method and approach.
• Richards and Rodgers defined method as an umbrella term, including redefined approaches, designs, and procedures.
• Prabhu viewed method as both classroom activities and the theory behind them.
• A method is generally understood as a theoretically unified set of classroom techniques applicable across contexts.
• Examples of methods include the Audiolingual Method, the Direct Method, the Silent Way, and Suggestopedia.

A Century-Old Obsession

• Separate methods are not a central issue in current language teaching practice.
• From 1880, with Françoise Gouin’s Series Method, to the "spirited" 1970s, there was a search for the ultimate method.
• The 1970s introduced "designer" methods like Community Language Learning, the Silent Way, and Total Physical Response.
• Methods are no longer central due to being too prescriptive and overgeneralized.
• Methods are distinct at early stages but converge later in a language course.
• Empirical testing of methods to determine the "best" has proven unfeasible.
• Methods carry "interested knowledge," reflecting proponents' agendas and potentially linguistic imperialism.
• The focus has shifted to classroom tasks and activities that align with second language acquisition principles, and classroom dynamics.

A Principled Approach

• The focus has shifted to unifying approaches to language teaching and designing effective tasks informed by these approaches.
• Teaching practices worldwide are now based on enlightened choices grounded in research on second language learning and teaching.
• A teacher's approach is their underlying theoretical rationale, informing classroom decisions.
• It encompasses knowledge and principles that allow teachers to diagnose student needs, apply techniques, and assess outcomes.
• An approach is a dynamic composite that evolves with experience and new research findings.
• Variations in approaches occur due to their dynamic nature and the subjective interpretation of research findings.
• Dynamic teaching involves the interaction between one’s approach and classroom practice
• Teachers take calculated risks, innovate based on perceived student needs, and assess effectiveness.

Twelve Principles

• Current approaches to language teaching are "principled," based on research-backed assumptions.
• There are widely accepted theoretical assumptions central to most language acquisition contexts.

Automaticity

• Efficient learning involves moving language control to automatic processing.
• Overanalyzing and dwelling on rules hinder automaticity.

Meaningful Learning

• Content-centered approaches exemplify meaningful learning, leading to better retention than rote learning.

Anticipation of Reward

• The anticipation of short term rewards keeps classrooms interesting.

Intrinsic Motivation

• Intrinsic motivation, stemming from internal needs, is self-rewarding and sustains behavior beyond external factors.

Strategic Investment

• Language mastery results from a learner's investment of time and effort through individualized strategies.

Language Ego

• Learning a second language involves developing a new identity, the "language ego," which can cause fragility and defensiveness.

Self-Confidence

• Learners' belief in their ability to accomplish tasks influences their success partially.

Risk Taking

• Successful learners become "gamblers," willing to produce and interpret language beyond their certainty.

The Language–Culture Connection

• Teaching a language involves teaching cultural customs, values, and ways of thinking.

The Native Language Effect

• Learners rely on their native language system, which can positively or negatively affect target language comprehension.

Interlanguage

• Learners develop systematically towards target language competence.
• Feedback is crucial for interlanguage development inside and outside the classroom.

Communicative Competence

• Instruction should target all components of communicative competence: organization, pragmatics, strategy, and psychomotor skills.
• Teaching should focus on language use, fluency, authentic contexts, and real-world application.

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Assessment

• A principled approach involves diagnosis, treatment, and assessment.
• It accounts for learners' needs, diagnoses treatment, devises objectives, creates learning experiences, and evaluates outcomes.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis involves “situational” needs or the context for teaching.
• Situational needs include country, socioeconomic background, student purposes, and constraints.
• Key questions that are considered include how students perceive langauge proficiency, will students have ego related issues wrestling with a new identity and what is the relationship between the target language and the native culture of the students?
• Specifying linguistic needs, including language forms and functions to program into a course, is another phase.
• Key quesitons that are considered include to what extent are native langauge and target language contrasts important? How should interlanguage systematicity and curriculum affect curriculum and how can the curriculum realize the principle of authenticity?
• Student assessment upon entering a program is crucial for modifying courses to meet specific needs.
• Pinpointing learners' needs as they enter a program is a primary area of inquiry today.

Treatment

• Second language "treatments" are sets of learning experiences designed to target learner needs.
• The teaching tasks range from controlled, semicontrolled and free activities.
• Effective teaching requires carefully choosing techniques that promote a desired goal
• Techniques that seek to create intrinsic motivation (relevance, enthusiasm, clarity, choice, discovery, strategy development, autonomy, cooperation, reasonable challenge, feedback) are more likely to be effective.
• Principled maxims for teaching can focus teacher on sound classroom practices.

Assessment

• The field now emphasizes ongoing assessment of students' performance.
• Formative evaluation, techniques for performance-based assessment, portfolio development, oral production inventories, cooperative techniques, and authentic testing rubrics are used.
• Summative evaluation is an important component of a language program.
• Assessment batteries cover production and comprehension, include a range of tasks, are individualized, and emphasize communicative properties.

Conclusion

• "Methods" are not a relevant issue in the process of diagnosis, treatment, and assessing language learners.
• Effective teaching involves basing all activity on well-established principles like student need, learning style and affective traits.