Conclusion:

The Post-methods Era

Mgter. Marina Falasca

2010
 Introduction
Many people involved in teaching English
as a second or foreign language believe
that the age of methods is well over, and
now we're in the post-methods era. Is the
absence of A Method a method in itself?
Some people talk about eclecticism, but to
what extent can one be eclectic? How
much of all known methods and/or
approaches should an English teacher use
and follow in his/her teaching?
Method vs. Approach & the Death
of Methods & Approaches
In pairs, compare and contrast the notion
of “method” and “approach” as described
by Richards & Rogers. Give examples of
each.
Change pairs, and discuss the following:
According to Richards & Rogers, what
were the major criticisms made of
approaches and methods?
 Looking Forward
How do you think the language teaching
profession will move ahead in the near or
distant future?
How does a teacher decide which method
or approach is best?
Similarities & Differences Among
Language Teaching Methods

According to Freeman, there are three

ways in which methods/approaches
overlap. What are they?
What two particular kinds of differences
are there? Give examples.
 The Development of
Methodology
 According to Freeman (1991), “learning to teach
is a developmental process” (p. 185). Do you
agree? Why/why not?
 Write a brief autobiographical sketch of your own
development as a teacher. How does your
experience compare to that of your partner/s?
 Your Personal Approach to
Teaching
 Beliefs and theories about the nature of effective
teaching and learning and/or the structure of an
effective lesson, for example, provide the source for
teachers’ plans and instructional decisions.
 All classroom practices reflect teachers’ principles and
beliefs, and different belief systems among teachers
can often explain why teachers conduct their classes
in different ways.
 Your Personal Approach to
Teaching Cont.
 What are your own personal beliefs and principles with
regard to the following?
 Your role in the classroom
 The nature of effective teaching and learning
 The difficulties learners face and how these can be
addressed
 Successful learning activities
 The structure of an effective lesson
 Your Personal Approach to
Teaching Cont.
Have your beliefs and principles been
influenced by any of the methods and/or
approaches we have read about? Explain.
Write a short paragraph summarizing your
own beliefs and principles. Explain how
these have been shaped and describe how
they tend to be reflected in your actual
teaching practice.