Lexical Approach 03.04.

2012
Student Name: Alma Jegic Student ID: 10101028 Professor Name: Tuba Gonel Course: Approaches in ELT II

THE LEXICAL APPROACH

. The Lexical Approach can be summarized in a few words: language consists not of traditional grammar and vocabulary but often of multi-word chunks. This method is followed by these theories: Language is not learnt by learning individual soundsand structures and then combining them, but by anincreasing ability to break down wholes into parts. Grammar is acquired by a process of observation, hypothesis and experiment. We can use whole phrases without understandingtheir constituent parts. Acquisition is accelerated by contact with asympathetic interlocutor with a higher level of competence in the target language.

Teachers using the Lexical Approach will not analyse the target language in the classroom, but will be more inclined to concentrate learners attention upon these chunks. Teachers will undoubtedly like the idea that communication of meaning is placed at the heart of language and language learning, but equally dislike its consequence, emphasizing lexis necessarily reduces the role of grammar.The most important difference is the increased understanding of the nature of lexis in naturally occurring language, and its potential contribution to language pedagogy. Language teaching claims to be a profession. If it is, its practitioners cannot simply rely on recipes and techniques. They also need an explicit theoretical basis for their classroom procedures.

Language teaching once restricted input, insisting that learners master one bit before they met the next. That practice is now discredited but its influence remains. Learners tend to want to understand every word, teachers to explain and practise a small number of supposedly important new items. That is why for the moment the challenge of implementing the present understanding of the Lexical Approach rests with administrators, schools, and perhaps most importantly, conservative teachers.

Implementing the Lexical Approach is well written and exciting . . . but dangerous! It is likely to challenge the way teachers think concerning what is important in foreign language learning and teaching. Lewis has done an excellent job of reminding us that only by attending to the genuine needs of students- knowledge, safety, affection, respect, and responsibility. Can we obtain the educational goals we have set, making the foreign language classroom into the better and even different organization that it needs to become.