The Audiolingual Method
After World War II, USA raised an interest in the need for Americans to be skilled in their allies and enemies languages. Therefore, the U.S. military came up with intensive language courses that emphasized the oral part known as the Audiolingual Method. This method gave importance to pronunciation, conversation, mimicry, and memorization of phases, dialogues. There was no grammar, use of mother tongue, or translation.
Community Language Method
This method is affectively based. Learners are seen as a group that interacts facilitating learning in a context of valuing and cherishing each individual in the group. The aim is to decrease anxiety levels by means of a supportive community. The teacher is seen as a counsellor. Students sit in a circle and they are helped by the teacher in their interactions with the class; classes are recorded so students can evaluate their performances.
Suggestopedia
Learning takes place through a deep state of relaxation so maximum retention can be achieved. Music is key to this method. The teacher reads and students repeat and memorize.
The Silent Way
This method emphasizes on the learners independence; they should discover or generate learning. Learning is achieved by the use of certain objects that are used as problem solving material. The role of the teacher is silent; the teacher should also keep corrective feedback to a minimum.
Total Physical Response
Method devised to decrease stress. It emphasizes listening, use of imperatives and commands. Students listen to instructions and respond in a physical manner.
The Natural Approach
It suggests production delay till students feels ready, comfortable, and have received an important amount of input by the teacher. This method seeks personal communication (everyday language).
It is interesting to think that maybe there are some methods that we would never consider as possibilities to teach English to our students. But if we go deeper in those methods, we can see that there is always something good to applyin our teaching practice. For example, I would say that I don't feel identified with Suggestopedia, but of course I agree with the fact that students need to be relaxed.
ResponderEliminarAgreed! Probably I would have never become a fan of the suggestopedia method, though as you say Ma.jose one point makes a lot of sense, it is quite obvious that to learna foreign language students must feel stree-free!!! But strange enough it not something all teachers or schools are aware of or even encourage.
ResponderEliminar