Transcript TESL Methodology: An Overview Spring 2001 TESL Methodology: Values     1. For teachers to reflect that can aid teaching and to think what underlies.

TESL Methodology: An Overview
Spring 2001
TESL Methodology: Values
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1. For teachers to reflect that can aid
teaching and to think what underlies their
actions.
2. Methods offer teachers alternatives to
what they currently think and do.
3. Teachers join a community practice
with a knowledge of methods.
4. Methods keep teachers’ teaching alivehelps prevent it from becoming stale and
routinized.
TESL Methodology: Values(continue…)
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5. A knowledge of methods helps expand
a teacher’s repertoire of techniques.
6. Methods serve as models of the
integration of theory (principles) and
practice (techniques).
7. Study of methods can encourage
continuing education in the lifelong
process of learning to teach.
Theories influencing TESL methods
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Linguistics
Applied Linguistics
Psychology
Biology
Neurology
Ethnography
Computer Science
Sociology
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Social Works
Anthropology
Education
Glossary of Terms
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Approach: assumptions, beliefs, and theories
about the nature of language & language learning
Method: an umbrella term for specification and
interrelation of theory and practice
Technique: specific activity manifested in the
classroom that are consistent with a method and
therefore in harmony with an approach
Design: relationship of theories to classroom
materials and activities
Procedure: techniques and practice derived from
one’s approach and design
Methodology Overview
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Traditional :
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Grammar Translation
Direct Method
Audiolingual Method
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Innovative:
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Community
language teaching
Suggestopedia
Silent Way
Total Physical
Responses
Communicative
language teaching
Grammar Translation
Time: 19c.
 Focus: grammatical rules,
memorization of vocabulary,
translation of texts and doing
written exercises
 Weakness: can’t speak and
understand even after memorizing
the entire grammar book
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Direct Method
Time & Theory: end of 19c., Charles
Berlitz in Germany, compare SLA to
1st language acquisition
 Focus: only target language, oral
communication
 Weakness: not take well in public
education due to budget limit, lack
of NS teachers and practices
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Audiolingual Method
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Time & Theory: 1940s~1950s, Structrual
linguistics and Behavioristic psychologiest,
conditioning and habit formation-stimulus,
responses, reinforcement
Focus: target-like pronunciation and
pattern drills
Weakness: ultimate failure to teach longterm communicative proficiency
Community Language Teaching
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Time & Theory: Charles Curran (1972),
Chomskyan deep structure and
psychologist’ affective and interpersonal
nature
Focus: reduce affective factor, translation,
non-directive
Weakness: translation isn’t easy, reliance
on an inductive strategy of learning
Suggestopedia
Time & Theory: Bulgarian
psychologist-Georgi Lozanov
 Focus: superlearning needs to
stimulate alpha brain waves by
making learners relaxed
 Weakness: environment hard to get
and relying on memorization
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Silent Way
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Time & Theory: Caleb Gattegno (1972)
Focus: “Discovery Learning”-learners
construct conceptual hierarchy on their
own, problem-solving
Weakness: Teachers-too distant to
encourage a communicative atmosphere,
learners-too independent
Total Physical Responses
Time & Theory: James Asher (1977),
1st language acquisition + physical
responses
 Focus: giving commands (no oral
responses)
 Weakness: more applicable to
beginning learners
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Communicative Language
Teaching
Learn to communicate through
interaction in the target language
 Authentic text
 Focus on learning process
 Use learner’s own personal
experience
 Try to link what’s been learned in
the classroom to the outside
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Questions to consider in reviewing
each teaching method:
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1. What are the goals of teachers who
use the method?
2. What is the role of the teacher? What
is the role of the students?
3. What are some characteristics of the
teaching/learning process?
4. What is the nature of student-teacher
interaction? What is the nature of
student-student interaction?
5. How are the feelings of the students
dealt with?
Questions to consider in reviewing
each teaching method: (continue…)
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6. How is the language reviewed?
7. What areas of language are
emphasized? What language skills are
emphasized?
8. What is the role of the students/ native
language?
9 How is evaluation accomplished?
10. How does the teacher respond to
student errors?