ENGLISH TEACHING

DIDACTICS,
REVISITED
Beatriz Peña Dix
bpena@uniandes.edu.co
Universidad de Los Andes
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do”.-
Goethe

“Who dares to teach must never cease

to learn”.-
John Cotton Dana
 Module 1
BECOMING A BETTER
TEACHER
What works best for
me?
Strategic Learning= Strategic Teaching
About Teaching
Approaches
 The Grammar-Translation Approach
This approach was historically used in teaching Greek and Latin. The
approach was generalized to teaching modern languages.

• Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue, with

little active use of the target language.
• Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists.
• Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided.
• Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words
together.
• Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are
treated as exercises in grammatical analysis.
• Often the only drills are exercises in translating
disconnected sentences from the target language into the
mother tongue, and vice versa.
• Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.
 The Direct Approach
This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-
translation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target
language in instruction.

• Lessons begin with a dialogue using a modern conversational style in

the target language.
• Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures.
• The mother tongue is NEVER, NEVER used.
• There is no translation.
• The preferred type of exercise is a series of questions in the target
language based on the dialogue or an anecdotal narrative.
• Questions are answered in the target language.
• Grammar is taught inductively--rules are generalized from the
practice and experience with the target language.
• Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated only much later
after some oral mastery of the target language.
• Advanced students read literature for comprehension and pleasure.
• Literary texts are not analyzed grammatically.
• The culture associated with the target language is also taught
inductively.
– Culture is considered an important aspect of learning the
language.
 Community Language Learning

• This methodology is patterned upon

counseling techniques and adapted to the
peculiar anxiety and threat as well as the
personal and language problems a person
encounters in the learning of foreign
languages.
• The learner is not thought of as a student
but as a client.
• Teachers are trained in counseling skills
adapted to their roles as language
counselors.
 The Silent Way
• To avoid the use of the L1 and (teacher) talk(s) as little as possible.
• To create simple linguistic situations that remain under the complete
control of the teacher.
• To pass on to the learners the responsibility for the utterances of
the descriptions of the objects shown or the actions performed.
• To let the teacher concentrate on what the students say and how
they are saying it, drawing their attention to the differences in
pronunciation and the flow of words.
• To generate a serious game-like situation in which the rules are
implicitly agreed upon by giving meaning to the gestures of the
teacher and his mime.
• To permit almost from the start a switch from the lone voice of the
teacher using the foreign language to a number of voices using it.
 Total Physical Response
• The Total Physical Response (TPR) method combines
information and skills through the use of the kinesthetic
sensory system. This combination of skills allows the
student to assimilate information and skills at a rapid
rate. As a result, this success leads to a high degree of
motivation. The basic tenets are:
• Understanding the spoken language before developing the
skills of speaking.
• Imperatives are the main structures to transfer or
communicate information.
• The student is not forced to speak, but is allowed an
individual readiness period and allowed to spontaneously
begin to speak when the student feels comfortable and
confident in understanding and producing the utterances.
 The Reading Approach
This approach is selected for practical and academic reasons. For
specific uses of the language in graduate or scientific studies. The
approach is for people who do not travel abroad for whom reading
is the one usable skill in a foreign language.

• The priority is first, reading ability and second, current and/or

historical knowledge of the country where the target language is
spoken.
• Only the grammar necessary for reading comprehension and fluency
are taught.
• Minimal attention is paid to pronunciation or gaining conversational
skills in the target language.
• From the beginning, a great amount of reading is done in L2, both
in and out of class.
• The vocabulary of the early reading passages and texts is strictly
controlled.
• Vocabulary is expanded as quickly as possible, since the acquisition
of vocabulary is considered more important than grammatical skill.
• Translation reappears in this approach as a respectable classroom
procedure related to comprehension of the written text.
 Suggestopedia
• Suggestopedia is a teaching method which is based on a modern
understanding of how the human brain works.
• Rich sensory learning environment (pictures, colour, music, etc.), a
positive expectation of success and the use of a varied range of
methods: dramatized texts, music, active participation in songs
and games, etc.

Four main stages as follows:

• Presentation
A preparatory stage, relaxation, positive frame of mind, feeling
that the learning is going to be easy and fun.
• First Concert - "Active Concert"
Active presentation of the material to be learnt.
• Second Concert - "Passive Review"
The music is specially selected to bring the students into the
optimum mental state for the effortless acquisition of the
material.
• Practice
The use of a range of games, puzzles, etc. to review and
consolidate the learning
 The Audiolingual Method
This method is based on the principles of behavior psychology. It adapted
many of the principles and procedures of the Direct Method, in part as a
reaction to the lack of speaking skills of the Reading Approach.

• Based on the principle that language learning is habit formation, the

method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and
over-learning.
• Structures are sequenced and taught one at a time.
• Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills.
• Little or no grammatical explanations are provided; grammar is taught
inductively.
• Skills are sequenced: Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed
in order.
• Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context.
• There is abundant use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids.
• Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation.
• Use of the mother tongue is discouraged among the students.
• Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent
learner errors.
• There is a tendency to focus on manipulation of the target language and to
disregard content and meaning.
 The Natural Approach
• Particular emphasis on language as a set of messages that
can be understood.
• Language acquisition (an unconscious process developed
through using language meaningfully) is different from
language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules
about a language) and language acquisition is the only way
competence in a second language occurs. (The
acquisition/learning hypothesis)
• Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that
checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired.
(The monitor hypothesis)
• Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order
and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.
(The natural order hypothesis)
• People acquire language best from messages that are just
slightly beyond their current competence. (The input
hypothesis)
• The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that
impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition. (The
affective filter hypothesis)
The Communicative Approach
• Language as a medium of communication.
• All communication has a social purpose - learner has
something to say or find out.
• Communication as a whole spectrum of functions.
• Classroom activities for learners to use target language in
a communicative way for meaningful activities.
• Emphasis on meaning rather than form.
• Target language as normal medium for classroom
management and instruction - reflects naturalistic
language acquisition.
• Pupil-orientated, because dictated by pupils' needs and
interests.
• More emphasis on active modes of learning, including
pairwork and group-work - often not exploited enough by
teachers fearful of noisy class.
• Errors are a natural part of learning language.
• Less systematically taught Grammar.
• Topical items with which pupils are already familiar in
their own language.
• Authentic resources
 THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

COMMUNICATIVE
APPROACH

INTEGRATION OF
LINGUISTIC
PROFICIENCY

CONTENT- TOPIC- EPISODE TASK- TAPESTRY

EXPERIENTIAL
BASED BASED BASED
 TEACHING METHODS AND TEACHER & LEARNER ROLES

Method Teacher Roles Learner Roles

Situational Language Context Setter Imitator

Teaching Error Corrector Memorizer

Language Modeler Pattern Practicer

Audio-lingualism
Drill Leader Accuracy Enthusiast

Auto-hypnotist Relaxer
Suggestopedia
Authority Figure True-Believer

Actor Guesser
The Natural Approach
Props User Immerser

Commander Order Taker

Total Physical Response
Action Monitor Performer

Community Language Counselor Collaborator

Learning Paraphraser Whole Person

Communicative Language Needs Analyst Improvisor

Teaching Task Designer Negotiator
 SITUATIONAL
TOTAL NATURAL
PHYSICAL
APPROACH
RESPONSE

ECLECTICISM
AUDIOLINGUALISM SUGGESTOPEDIA
(Criteria, discipline,
pedagogical principles,
individual learning differences,
etc.)

LANGUAGE COMMUNICATIVE
APPROACH
COMMUNITY

GRAMMAR OTHERS
TRANSLATION
How do I learn,
How do I teach?
 Learning Styles Vs. Teaching Styles
• Perceptual modalities (Visual, Auditory,
tactile/kinesthetic)
• Multiple intelligences (MI, Verbal-
linguistic, Musical, Logical-
mathematical, Spatial, Bodily-
kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal,
naturalistic • Formal authority
• Information processing styles
(Innovative, Analytic, Common sense,
Dynamic
• Demonstrator
• Brain lateralization • Facilitator
Left, right
• Personality styles (Extrovert-Introvert, • Delegator
Sensor-Intuitive, Thinker-Feeler, Judger-
Perceiver)
• Mind styles (concrete sequential (CS),
abstract sequential (AS), abstract
random (AR) concrete random (CR)
 Perceptual Modalities
Visual Learners Auditory Learners Kinaesthetic Learners

•Writing down key •Hearing a seminar, •Copying

facts or a Mind Map presentation or demonstrations
•Visualizing what explanation •Making models
they are learning •Reading aloud to •Recording information
•Creating pictures themselves as they hear it,
and diagrams from •Reading with emotion or preferably in a Mind
what they are accent Map
learning •Making a tape of key •Walking around, whilst
•Using time lines, for points to listen to in the they read
remembering dates car, whilst ironing, etc. •Underlining and
•Creating their own •Verbally summarize in highlighting new
strong visual links their own words information and key
•Using pictures, Explain the subject to points
diagrams, charts, someone else •Putting key points on
film, video, graphics. •Use their own internal to index cards and
etc. voice to verbalize what sorting them into order
they are learning •Getting physically and
actively involved in
their learning
 Activists learn best when:
Reflectors learn best •involved in new experiences, problems and
when:
opportunities
• observing individuals
or groups at work •working with others in business games,
• they have the team tasks, role-playing
opportunity to review •being thrown in the deep end with a difficult
what has happened task
and thing about what chairing meetings,
they have learned
• producing analyses leading discussions
and reports doing
tasks without tight
deadlines

Pragmatists learn best Theorists learn best when:

when: •they are put in complex situations
•there is an obvious link where they have to use their skills
between the topic and job and knowledge
•they have the chance to try •they are in structured situations
out techniques with with clear purpose
feedback e.g. role-playing •they are offered interesting ideas
•they are shown techniques or concepts even though they are
with obvious advantages not immediately relevant
e.g. saving time •they have the chance to question
they are shown a model and probe ideas behind things
they can copy e.g. a film or
a respected boss
 Right Side vs. Left Side
Each side of the brain has its own unique and special
abilities. The right side of the brain is intuitive, while the left
side of the brain is logical.

Left side Right side

processes: processes:
• Speech • Creativity
• Analysis • Patterns
• Time • Spatial
• Sequence Awareness
It Recognizes: • Context
• Letters It Recognizes:
• Numbers • Faces
• Words • Places
• Objects
 GOING BEYOND THE
STYLISTIC COMFORT ZONE

What actions am I going to

take to diversify and improve
my teaching?
Remember!!!
End of Module