Methods of Teaching Language Arts PDF

Methods of Teaching Language Arts An Overview of Language Teaching Approaches Learning Objectives a. Identify diverse methods used in teaching Language Arts. b. Explain the unique principles and techniques of each teaching method. c. Analyze the advantages and challenges associated with each...

Methods of Teaching Language Arts An Overview of Language Teaching Approaches Learning Objectives a. Identify diverse methods used in teaching Language Arts. b. Explain the unique principles and techniques of each teaching method. c. Analyze the advantages and challenges associated with each approach Methods of Teaching Language Arts 1. Grammar Translation 2. Direct Method 3. Audiolingual method 4. total physical response 5. community language learning 6. The silent way 7. Suggestopedia 1. Grammar Translation Method Classes are taught in the students’ mother tongue with little active use of the target language Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting the words together; instruction focuses on the form and inflection of words Little attention is paid to the content of texts Drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue, and vice versa Little or no attention is given to pronunciation 2. Direct Approach Was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction Lesson begins with a dialogue using a modern conversational style in the target language Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures The mother tongue is never used. There is no translation The preferred type of exercise is a series of questions in the target language based on the dialogue or an anecdotal narrative 2. Direct Approach (cont.) Questions are answered in the target language Grammar is taught inductively – rules are generalized from the practice and experience with the target language Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated much later after some oral mastery of the target language Advanced students read literature for comprehension and pleasure Literary texts are not analyzed grammatically The culture associated with the target language is also taught inductively Culture is considered an important aspect of learning the language 3. Audiolingual Method This is based on the principle of behavior Psychology Adapted many principles and procedures of the Direct Method New material is presented in the form of a dialogue Based on the principle that language learning is habit formation, the method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and overlearning Structures are sequenced and taught one at a time. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills Little or no grammatical explanations are provided; grammar is taught inductively 3. Audiolingual Method (cont) Skills are sequenced: listening, speaking, reading, writing and viewing Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context Teaching points are determined by contrastive analysis between L1 and L2 There is abundant use of language laboratories and other audio-visial materials There is an extended pre-reading period at the beginning of the course 3. Audiolingual Method (cont) Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation. Use of the mother tongue by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the students. Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent learner errors. There is a tendency to focus on manipulation of the target language and to disregard content and meaning. 3. Audiolingual Method (cont) Hints for using Audio-lingual Drills in L2 Teaching 1. The teacher must be careful to insure that all of the utterances which students will make are actually within the practiced pattern. 2. Drills should be conducted as rapidly as possibly so as to insure automaticity and to establish a system. 3. Ignore all but gross errors of pronunciation when drilling for grammar practice. 4. Use of shortcuts to keep the pace of drills at a maximum. Use hand motions, signal cards, notes, etc. to cue response. 3. Audiolingual Method (cont) Hints for using Audio-lingual Drills in L2 Teaching 5. should always be meaningful. If the content words are not known, teach their meanings. 6. Intersperse short periods of drill (about 10 minutes) with very brief alternative activities to avoid fatigue and boredom. 7. Don’t stand in one place; move about the room standing next to as many different students as possible to check their production. Thus you will know who to give more practice to during individual drilling. 4. Total Physical Response combines information and skills through the use of the kinesthetic sensory system. This combination of skills allows the student to assimilate information and skills at a rapid rate. The basic tenets are: a. Understanding the spoken language before developing the skills of speaking. b. Imperatives are the main structures to transfer or communicate information. c. The student is not forced to speak, but is allowed an individual readiness period and allowed to spontaneously begin to speak when the he/she feels comfortable and confident in understanding and producing the utterances. 4. Total Physical Response (cont.) Procedures 1. teacher says the commands as he himself performs the action. 2. The teacher says the command as both the teacher and the students then perform the action. 3. The teacher says the command but only students perform the action 4. The teacher tells one student at a time to do commands 5. The roles of teacher and student are reversed. Students give commands to teacher and to other students. 6. The teacher and student allow for command expansion or produces new sentences. 5. Community Language Teaching stresses a means of organizing a language syllabus. The emphasis is on breaking down the global concept of language into units of analysis in terms of communicative situations in which they are used. There is negotiation of meaning. A variety of language skills are involved Material is presented in context It pays attention to registers and styles in terms of situation and participants. Fluency and accuracy (different competencies) Form and functions development of autonomous learners 6. The Silent Way begins by using a set of colored wooden rods and verbal commands in order to achieve the following: 1. To avoid the use of the vernacular. 2. To create simple linguistic situations that remain under the complete control of the teacher. 3. To pass on to the learners the responsibility for the utterances of the descriptions of the objects shown or the actions performed. 4. To let the teacher concentrate on what the students say and how they are saying it, drawing their attention to the differences in pronunciation and the flow of words. 5. To generate a serious game-like situation in which the rules are implicitly agreed upon by giving meaning to the gestures of the teacher and his mime 6. The Silent Way (cont.) begins by using a set of colored wooden rods and verbal commands in order to achieve the following: 6. To permit almost from the start a switch from the lone voice of the teacher using the foreign language to a number of voices using it. 7. To provide the support of perception and action to the intellectual guess of what the noises mean, thus bring in the arsenal of the usual criteria of experience already developed and automatic in one's use of the mother tongue. 8. To provide a duration of spontaneous speech upon which the teacher and the students can work to obtain a similarity of melody to the one heard.is mime 6. The Silent Way (cont.) The materials utilized as the language learning progresses include: 1. A set of colored wooden rods 2. A set of wall charts containing words of a "functional" vocabulary and some additional ones 3. A pointer for use with the charts in Visual Dictation 4. A color-coded phonic chart(s) Tapes or discs 5. films, drawings and pictures, and 6. A set of accompanying worksheets transparencies, texts, a Book of Stories. 7. Suggestopedia Developed out of believe that human brain could process great quantities of material given the right conditions of learning like relaxation. music was central to this method. Soft music led to increase in alpha brain wave and a decrease in blood pressure and pulse rate resulting in high intake of large quantities of materials. Learners were encouraged to be as “childlike” as possible. Apart from soft, comfortable seats in a relaxed setting, everything else remained the same.