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2024 Primaria Unit 1 TEFL methods and approaches

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Unit 1: TEFL methods and approaches

Teaching English as a Foreign Language I

Learning outcomes

At the end of this unit, you'll be able to...

  • Define the basic concepts surrounding English language teaching
  • Identify the importance of the basic historic methods and approaches to language learning, with special reference to (a) key players; and (b) time periods
  • Identify the characteristics of contemporary methods and approaches for teaching a foreign language
Learning goal 1
  • Define the basic concepts surrounding English language teaching

English around the world

Languages around the world

  • How many people around the world speak English?
  • As a first language?
  • As a second or additional language?
  • Number of speakers by language

Countries with English as official or dominant language

Source: www.vox.com

Definitions

What do they mean?

  • EFL
  • ESL
  • Lingua franca
  • L1, L2
  • Mother tongue
  • Foreign language
  • Target language

English...

  • ...as a foreign language (EFL)
  • ...as a second language (ESL)
  • ...as an additional language (EAL)
  • ...to speakers of other languages (ESOL)
  • ...language teaching (ELT)
  • ...as a lingua franca (ELF)
Target language: the language we are teaching

READING TASK ONE: EFL V ESL

Read the short article (also on Moodle) What are the main differences between EFL and ESL? What types of teaching strategies/aids will be more common in each?

ESL vs. EFL

  • English as a second (or additional) language
  • English as a foreign language
  • Where can English be considered a second or a foreign language?
  • What is the difference between ESL and EFL?

EFL or ESL?

A Spanish university student training to take the Cambridge Advanced exam A Polish plumber, recently arrived to Ireland, improving his English so he can increase his employment opportunities. Children of Mexican immigrants to the United States who need English reinforcement classes in school Chinese students learning English in school

Preparation - Next week's in-class assignment

Methods to teach FL timeline

Group 1: Contemporary methods Group 2: Historical methods timeline See preparation suggestions and materials in Moodle

Last year...

Instructions

  • Provide basic information including a brief description, key players, relevance of the method and a visual support
  • Place the methods/approaches in a historical sequence on the timeline

Evaluation criteria - Timeline

The methods/approaches are placed in historical sequence on the timeline Main points and historical relevance of each method are outlined Key authors are mentioned for each method (if possible, connect to Hall of Fame) The timeline is visually atractive (color, visual support The texts are written by you and easy to understand (avoid AI and/or copy&paste)

Suggestions of historical/contemporary methods and approaches

Contemporary
Historical
  • Communicative language teachingTask- and project-based learning (TBL, PBL)
  • Content based language teaching (CBLT)
  • Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
  • The Literacy approach
  • Grammar translation
  • Direct method
  • Audiolingual method
  • Total Physical Response (TPR)
  • The Natural Approach

Key players

  • Stephen Krashen
  • Noam Chomsky
  • Do Coyle
  • James Asher
  • Jane Willis
  • Tracy Terrell
  • Caleb Gattegno
  • Maximilian Berlitz
  • H. G. Widdowson
  • David Marsh
  • Ana Halbach

To wrap up this task...

Short video
Padlet
  • One-two minutes max
  • One video per method
  • Upload them to this Padlet

https://padlet.com/evajechimer/historical-contemporary-methods-to-teach-fl-short-videos-2o14ntlietckv9ys

One more thing...

You can use ChatGPT to do this task but 1) Please, give us the prompts you used as part of your research 2) Tell us what do you do with the result afterwards (rewrite, check, adapt, etc.) Your teachers will tell you where to provide this information

Useful resources (See Moodle)

In the library:

  • Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Essex: Pearson.
  • Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: OUP.
  • Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: CUP.
On the Internet:
  • YouTube videos (but check the source and contrast with relevant literature!)
  • Website: teachingenglish.org.uk

Method vs approach

Learning goals

  • Define the terms: method, approach and methodology
  • Review the main theories of second language acquisition, which help to contextualize the main methods of language teaching

Sometimes we use the words method and approach interchangeably, but there are differences. What are they? Read this text by Jack C. Richards here and find it out.

Approach

  • Positions and beliefs based on theory about the nature of language, language learning, and their applicability to the classroom setting

Method

  • When an instructional design includes a specific level of application in terms of objectives, teacher and learner roles and classroom activities, it is referred to as a method.
  • With a method, there are prescribed objectives, roles for teacher and learners and guidelines for activities, and, consequently, little flexibility for teachers in how the method is used.

From "Difference between an approach and a method?" by J.C. Richards

Methodology

  • Pedagogical practices in general (including theory and research); “How to teach”

Methods and approaches: overview

Of historical interest (although we can still use some things!)

  1. Grammar-Translation method
  2. Direct method
  3. Audiolingual method
  4. Total Physical Response (TPR)
  5. Natural approach
  6. Silent Way
  7. Community Language Learning
  8. Suggestopedia
Of contemporary relevance:
  1. Communicative language teaching
  2. Task-based learning (TBL)
  3. Project-based learning (PBL)
  4. Content based language teaching (CBLT) / Content and Language Integrated Learning
  5. The Literacy Approach

Historical methods of TEFL

1970s+

18th-19th

designer methods

reform period

Communicative Language Teaching Task-based, Project-based learning Content-based language teaching

centuries

grammar-translation method

natural methodBerlitz method direct method

innovative methods based on boom of research

1920-70

1880-1920

1970s

Oral-Situational ApproachAudiolingual Method

Community Lang LearningSuggestopedia Total Physical Response The Natural Approach The Silent Way

MAJOR Learning Theories applied to second language acquisition (SLA)

Who are they?

02:00

Innatist perspective Noam Chomsky - Children are born with universal grammar (the ability to discover language rules and principles). - Language learning is a developmental process, just like learning to walk. - Critical period hypothesis: Animals and people are programmed to acquire certain skills at specific times in life (including language).

    Behaviorist perspective B. F. Skinner - Children form habits of correct language use through practice and as a result of positive reinforcement from others. - Language is learned by imitating and repeating others.

    Cognitivist/developmental perspective Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget - Language learning is information processing and develops from social interaction. - Zone of proximal development (ZPD): People can learn concepts/language just beyond their current reach through help from others. - Watching TV in a foreign language is not enough to learn the language – you need interaction with others.

    Learning theories and methods of language teaching

    These three understandings of learning have had a strong effect on many of the different methods and approaches we have looked at

    • Behaviorism:
    - Audiolingual method- TPR
    • Innatism
    - The natural approach- Suggestopedia- Silent way
    • Cognitive/developmental/socio-cultural perspective
    - Communicative language learning- Task/project-based learning
    • Learners will imitate what they hear, and aspects similar to L1 will be easily learned => Correct mistakes inmmediately

    Focus on Krashen’s Monitor Model

    Task

    Lightbrown & Spada (2010) pp 36-38 Each group reads about one hypothesis..

    Your teachers with Stephen Krashen!

    Your teachers with Stephen Krashen!

    Krashen’s Monitor Model (1982)

    Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis

    01

    Monitor hypothesis

    02

    Natural order hypothesis

    03

    Input hypothesis

    04

    Affective filter hypothesis

    05

      Krashen's main hypotheses

      Please, take notes

      Acquisition vs. Learning

      What is the difference in L1 acquisition and L2 learning Acquisition: non-concious, needs meaninful interaction, communicative act. Learning: concious, formal instruction, grammar oriented Can the L2 be acquired rather than learned?

      The monitor hypothesis

      • It explains the relationship between A/L
      • When we learn a language, we create an internal monitor, or control mechansim.
      • Barrier? Accuracy as opposed to fluency
      • Based on universal grammar (Chomsky)

      Natural order hypothesis

      Grammar rules have to be learned in a natural order, similar to L1 acquisition.

      Input hypothesis

      • We need a level of input that is just beyond our reach in order to keep learning.
      • Comprehensible input = what we can understand, perhaps with some support

      Affective filter hypothesis

      • When we are stressed, worried, frightened, self-conscious, etc., it will be difficult to learn.
      • Our negative emotions “block” the input.

      Reflection questions

      • The mother of your 4-year-old student asks, "What can I do at home to help my daughter learn English?"
      • What are some possible implications of Krashen's hypotheses in classroom practice?

      Contemporary methods and approaches

      Communicative language teaching (CLT)

      Is this a communicative activity?

      Why?

      Role play: 4 friends meet for dinner and have to decide where to go.

      You’ve been working all day and you’re starving! You want to go somewhere close and fast in order to eat as soon as possible.

      You had pasta for lunch and don’t want to have Italian food again. You’re in the mood for a nice hamburger.

      Your girlfriend/boyfriend doesn’t like Italian food, but you love it! You really want to go to an Italian restaurant tonight since s/he isn’t around.

      You’re not very hungry and would rather buy an ice cream cone and take a walk.

      3 essentials for a communicative activity (Morrow, 1981)

      • Information gap
      • Choice
      • Feedback

      Can you think of an English class activity that is communicative?

      Some examples of communicative activities…

      Do they have… choice? Information gap? Feedback?

      Communicative Approach

      • Result of shift from linguistic structure-centered approach in late 70s and early 80s
      • Based on language functions and communicative competence (not just linguistic)
      • Widdowson, 1990

      Sociolinguistic competence

      Grammatical competence

      Communicative Competence (Canale & Swain, 1980)

      Discourse competence

      Strategic competence

      Principles of CLT

      • Language is both used and studied.
      • Errors are tolerated. Dual focus on accuracy and fluency.
      • Students should express their ideas and opinions.
      • The social context of communication is essential.
      • Teacher = facilitator of communication
      • Students = communicators

      Task: identifying communicative activities

      Look at these Primary EFL textbooks and identify examples of communicative tasks

      Materials/Activities used in CLT

      • Authentic texts
      • Games
      • Scrambled sentences
      • Picture strip story
      • Role play
      • Information gap activities
      • Problem-solving activities

      Benefits of CLT

      • Favors cooperative relationships among Ss
      • Generally motivational (Ss feel the language is useful, purposeful)
      • Ss are allowed to express own opinions and ideas
      • Ss feel more secure as a result of positive and effective interactions with classmates

      Drawbacks of CLT

      • Ss may gain fluency before accuracy. This could even lead to fossilized errors.
      • Teachers often find it difficult to carry out.
      • The classroom is still an artificial setting.

      Task- and Project-based learning

      Why use tasks?

      • Provides a purpose for using language
      • Provides authenticity through a real goal

      Principles of task-based learning

      • Task completion is the main goal.
      • Whatever language is necessary will be used. Focus on meaning.
      • Tasks have a perceived purpose and a clear outcome.
      • Ss should receive feedback on their level of success.
      • Ss may decide how to design/carry out the task.

      Common progression

      T breaks down task into small steps, supports Ss

      T recasts Ss' speech to correct language

      Introductory Pre-task

      Ss receive feedback on task. Focus on meaning

      T doesn’t simplify language

      Project-based learning

      All projects have 3 stages (Fried-Booth, 1986):

      • Plan content and scope, language needs; devise strategies for carrying out tasks (roles)
      • Research and compiling information
      • Review: monitor own work and receive T feedback
      Teacher as a consultant or counselor

        Interdisciplinary PBL

        • Best results when used across subjects
        • Requires coordination among teachers
        • Most projects can be seen from a variety of perspectives (language, science, art, music, maths, physical education, etc.)

        Pros and cons

        • Works perfectly with CLT
        • Provides authenticity to classroom setting
        • Ss learn skills other than purely linguistic skills
        • Motivating to most Ss
        • Ss may end up speaking L1
        • Errors are tolerated and may lead to fossilization

        Content-based language teaching (CBLT)

        Also called content-based instruction (CBI)The focus of a CBI lesson is on the topic or subject matter. During the lesson students are focused on learning about something. This could be anything that interests them from a serious science subject to their favourite pop star or even a topical news story or film. They learn about this subject using the language they are trying to learn, rather than their native language, as a tool for developing knowledge and so they develop their linguistic ability in the target language. Source: teachingenglish.org.uk

        Advantages/potential problems

        • Strongly communicative: students use the L2 as a vehicle for learning
        • Can be combined with culture topics or contents in the design of an EFL syllabus
        • Can help develop thinking skills
        • It can be difficult to find/create suitable materials (e.g. texts), especially for lower levels
        • Less explicit focus on language learning, so some students may feel confused or feel that they are not improving their English

        Content and language integrated learning (CLIL)

        CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language (Do Coyle)In Spain, CLIL is being implemented in bilingual education programs, with an emphasis on content (curricular areas other than English)

        The Literacy Approach (Halbach)

        Bilingual students’ profile - Higher command of the FL (Comunidad de Madrid, 2018) - Higher motivation towards the use of the FL (Ruiz de Zarobe, 2015) - Understanding of the importance of learning the FL for their future (Lasagabaster, 2019) Bilingual students’ needs - To communicate in the FL - To use the FL to access knowledge and build understandings Bilingual education changed the students’ needs BUT bilingual education did not adapt the teachers’ practice to meet the students’ needs

        Why do we need to know this approach?

        • Literacy as the ability to read and write
        • Literacy is a human right
        • Literacy is the key to access and improve socioeconomic status
        • Literacy is always at the heart of education
        • The term in Spanish: alfabetización or literacidad

        Literacy is a very complex term

        In literacy-based methods texts are considered...

        1) Text as a model: text selection according to age, level, curriculum and students' needs 2) Detailed planning: Backward design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2006) =

        Literacy Approach main principles

        Teaching points: Selected from the text according to students and teachers' needs

        Teaching sequence in two phases

        Using the Literacy Approach to teach FL

        Read this article on Padres y Maestros https://revistas.comillas.edu/index.php/padresymaestros/article/view/11522/10797

        How to study this unit

        In this unit, you have been exposed to a lot of information: definitions, language teaching methods and approaches, key historical figures.Use the review questions on the following slides to guide your study

        Review questions

        1. What are the differences between EFL and ESL? 2. Briefly describe three historical methods, mentioning any relevant authors. 3. For a specific historical method (e.g., TPR), identify a strategy/recommendation/resource that is still widely used today. 4. Make recommendations about language teaching using ONE of Krashen's hypotheses.

        Review questions

        5. What are the essentials of communicative language teaching? What kind of activities and materials does it encourage? 6. Task: identify communicative/non-communicative activities in textbook materials 7. Describe ONE contemporary method/approach outlining its rationale and the kind of teaching strategies and resources it recommends.

        References

        • Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 5th edition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
        • Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. New York: Pearson Education.
        • Carless, D. (2002). Implementing task-based learning with young learners. ELT Journal 56 (4).
        • Cummins, J. (1979). Cognitive/academic language proficiency, linguistic interdependence, the optimum age question and some other matters. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 19, 121-129.
        • Cummins, J. (2000). Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
        • Eurydice (2012). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012.
        • Fried-Booth, D. (1986). Project work. Oxford: OUP.
        • Grosjean, F. (2012). Bilingual: Life and Reality. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

        References

        • Baker, C. (2011). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 5th edition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
        • Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. New York: Pearson Education.
        • Carless, D. (2002). Implementing task-based learning with young learners. ELT Journal 56 (4).
        • Cummins, J. (1979). Cognitive/academic language proficiency, linguistic interdependence, the optimum age question and some other matters. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 19, 121-129.
        • Cummins, J. (2000). Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
        • Eurydice (2012). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe 2012.
        • Fried-Booth, D. (1986). Project work. Oxford: OUP.
        • Grosjean, F. (2012). Bilingual: Life and Reality. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
        • Grosjean, F. (2008). Studying Bilinguals. Oxford: OUP.
        • Halbach, A. (2018). A literacy approach to language teaching: a proposal teaching FL in CLIL context. Pulso, 41. 205-223.
        • Halbach, A. (2022). The Literacy Approach to teach Foreign Languages. Palgrave-Macmillan.
        • Harmer, J. F. & Blanc, M. H. A. (2000). Bilinguality and Bilingualism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
        • Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, 2nd ed. Oxford: OUP.
        • Lightbrown, P. M. and Spada, N. (2006). How Languages are Learned, 3rd edition. Oxford: OUP.
        • Macnamara, J. (1966). Bilingualism and Primary Education. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
        • Prabhu, N. S. (1987). Second language pedagogy. Oxford: OUP.
        • Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning Teaching: The Essential Guide to English Language Teaching, 3rd edition. Macmillan.
        • Sullivan, B., Dunn, K., & Iwaniec, J. (2018). Bilingual education in the Madrid region and its effect on motivation and proficiency. In TESOL-SPAIN 41st Annual National Convention 9-11 March, 2018 Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid. Madrid.
        • Willis, J. (1996). Task-based learning. Presentation. Longman.