TESL Methodology: An Overview

Spring 2001
TESL Methodology: Values

 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 alive-
helps prevent it from becoming stale and
routinized.
TESL Methodology: Values(continue…)

 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
 Linguistics  Social Works
 Applied Linguistics  Anthropology
 Psychology  Education
 Biology
 Neurology
 Ethnography
 Computer Science
 Sociology
 Glossary of Terms
 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
 Traditional :  Innovative:
 Grammar Translation
 Direct Method
 Audiolingual Method
 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
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
Audiolingual Method
 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 long-
term communicative proficiency
Community Language Teaching
 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
Silent Way
 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
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
Questions to consider in reviewing
each teaching method:
 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…)
 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?