Methods and approaches in language teaching

1.2 Foro. Methods and approaches in language teaching

Language teaching has evolved through the history the names of many of the methods are derived from social, economic, political, or educational circumstances but they are characterized with different aspects with a central issue: language teaching-learning processes. Some methods gave way to direct and oral-reading methods have been based on the learners´ needs, technological and scientific advances in linguistic and psychological studies provided new tools and different criteria on content and techniques, with which the audiolingual and audiovisual methods have contributed, the task was limited and more insights were necessary, cognitive code learning, as a reaction to autolingualism started to recognize learning as a creative process, and looked for the universal features underlying all languages.

Each of the different methods has contributed new elements and has attempted to deal with some issues of language learning; In order to have a better understanding we have reviewed the methodological history of language teaching, the manner in which methods have evolved is the referential issue to search for and find more effective responses

• Grammar Translation – the classical method This method was used for many years in order to teach second and foreign languages and it is based in grammatical analysis of the rules of the language and the translation of sentences or texts from a language into another, memorization of vocabulary and syntax are identified in this method. Teaching grammar is carried out in a deductive way. One of the weakness is that our students do not have a proper interaction and cannot use the language in a communicative context. There is a big disagree which ones believe with the implementation of this method on the other hand there are linguistics and theorists that say that we need to teach without translation, but I think the grammar need to be taught because is so important to write with accuracy and this method could be helpful for some settings and programs.

• Direct Method – discovering the importance of speaking This method expects language learners develop writing skills, there is a focus in listening and speaking skills; it is a priority and it is also known as the natural method because it looks to the process of the first language acquisition to set the context and techniques for second language acquisition. Grammar is not explicitly, we need to let to our students’ materials so they can connect their knowledge and discover by themselves, and with this method we can see our students are actively engaged with different classroom activities.

• Audio-lingualism – the first modern methodology Consists of teaching a new language through reading a dialogue or text and help students to acquire the structural patterns in a communicative and spontaneous way, accurate pronunciation and grammar, speech is more important than written for, no cognitive learning. The objective in the audiolingual method is the ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations.

Resources: Larsen- Freeman, D. and Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques & principles in language teaching. New York: OXFORD. Retrieved from: https://acasearch.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/techniques-in-language-teaching.pdf