Approach, Method, Technique

Before talking about approaches to teaching English, let us clarify some basic terminology. An approach to language teaching is something that reflects a certain model or research paradigm – a theory. This term is the broadest of the three. A method is a set of procedures, i.e., a system that spells out rather precisely how to teach a language. Methods are more specific that approaches but less specific than techniques. A technique is a classroom device or activity and thus represents the narrowest term of the three concepts. Some techniques are widely used in many methods (e.g., imitation, repetition); however, some techniques are characteristic of a given method (e.g., using cuisinaire rods in Silent Way).

There is no one only way to teach a language. The fact is that many people have learned languages extremely successfully over many years why being exposed to a variety of methodologies. Teachers, therefore, shouldn’t follow dogmas blindly. The methods that work well with some students can be inefficient with others. Here teachers should select the methods and activities suiting the aims and objectives, as well as their students and themselves. Some teachers are comfortable, for example, with using rap for educational purposes (MC Fluency); while others create Shakespeare theatre (Rafe Esquith).

However, as a starting point for reflection and development, intending teachers can learn what others have done before them.

We begin our general overview of the existing methods of teaching foreign languages with Communicative approach as it is the prevailing methodology in many parts of the world now.

Communicative Approach

If we make the assumption that people learn languages in order to be able to communicate (rather than knowing an abstract set of rules for their own sake) then communication becomes the driving force when we make decisions on teaching methodology. This principle has shaped what has become known as the communicative approach or communicative language teaching (CLT). CLT is based on the premise that ‘knowing’ a language involves being able to use it effectively in real-life situations. However, CLT is in itself something of an umbrella term, covering a variety of teaching strategies which are bound loosely together by placing an emphasis on developing the learner’s ability to communicate.

General characteristics of CLT

A)It is assumed that the goal of the language teaching is learner ability to communicate in the target language.

b) it is assumed that the content of the language course will include semantic notions and social functions, not just linguistic structures;

c) students regularly work in groups or pairs to transfer (and, if necessary, negotiate) meaning in situations where one person has information that the other(s) lack ;

d) students often engage in role-play or dramatization to adjust their use of a target language to different social contexts;

e) classroom materials and activities are often authentic and reflect real-life situations and demands;

f) skills are integrated from the beginning; a given activity might involve reading, speaking, listening and perhaps also writing;

g) the teacher’s role is primarily to facilitate communication and only secondarily to correct errors.

h) the teacher should be able to use the target language fluently and approprietly. (M.Celce-Murcia, p.8)

Many educators make a distinction between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ forms of CLT.

Weak forms of CLT.

PPP (Present, Practice, Produce). In weak forms of CLT a piece of language may be preselected and taught, but the teacher ensures that there will be opportunities to practice that piece of language in communicative contexts as the lesson progresses. It is this weaker form which dominates the vast majority of ELT text books. Week forms of CLT highlight the need for planned and explicit teaching of grammar, vocabulary and functional language, reinforced through a range of practice activities.

During an initial teacher training course, most teachers become familiar with the PPP paradigm, which is a weak form of CLT. A PPP lesson would proceed in the following manner.

Stages of the lesson

· First, the teacher presents an item of language in a clear context to get across its meaning. This could be done in a variety of ways: through a text, a situation build, a dialogue etc.

· Students are then asked to complete a controlled practice stage, where they may have to repeat target items through choral and individual drilling, fill gaps or match halves of sentences. All of this practice demands that the student uses the language correctly and helps them to become more comfortable with it.

· Finally, they move on to the production stage, sometimes called the 'free practice' stage. Students are given a communication task such as a role play and are expected to produce the target language and use any other language that has already been learnt and is suitable for completing it.

Strong forms of CLT

In strong forms communication is paramount and language systems (grammar, vocabulary and so on) are focused on in so far as they affect a particulat piece of communication. So, learners may talk about television programmes, for example, and the language taught will come after the discussion, shaped by the difficulties experienced by the learners as they tried to communicate. A key belief that underpins all strong forms of CLT is that communication is not just the outcome of learning, but is the very process by which learning takes place.

Task-based learning (TBL) is considered a strong form of CLT. In 1970s N.S.Prabhu hypothesized that learners would have more success in language learning by doing things with the language (completing ‘tasks’) than following a traditional grammar syllabus. His ideas were developed by Jane Willis in 1990s and TBL has become widely implemented.

Nowadays grammar input is usually included at some stage of a TBL lesson and may well come in the form of a teacher giving feedback to learners after a task has been completed. Another frequent feature is that learners will often hear (or watch) a recording of expert users of the language performing the task. It is believed that this will lead to learners noticing differences between the language they themselves use and that of more skilled others. This noticing will in turn fuel the learners’ own language development. The teacher may also ask learners to repeat a task (with a new partner or group) because when they repeat a task, they use more accurate, fluent and complex language.

Stages of the lesson(according to J.Willis)

In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't pre-determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows certain stages.

Pre-task
The teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be useful for the task. The pre-task stage can also often include playing a recording of people doing the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be expected of them. The students can take notes and spend time preparing for the task.

Task
The students complete a task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have as the teacher monitors and offers encouragement.

Planning
Students prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened during their task. They then practise what they are going to say in their groups. Meanwhile the teacher is available for the students to ask for advice to clear up any language questions they may have.

Report
Students then report back to the class orally or read the written report. The teacher chooses the order of when students will present their reports and may give the students some quick feedback on the content. At this stage the teacher may also play a recording of others doing the same task for the students to compare.

Analysis
The teacher then highlights relevant parts from the text of the recording for the students to analyse. They may ask students to notice interesting features within this text. The teacher can also highlight the language that the students used during the report phase for analysis.

Practice
Finally, the teacher selects language areas to practise based upon the needs of the students and what emerged from the task and report phases. The students then do practice activities to increase their confidence and make a note of useful language.

In both the strong and weak forms of CLT, there is great emphasis on learners working in pairs and groups because it maximizes the amount of speaking and listening practice that can be provided for learners in a single lesson. The direct focus on these skills, along with reading and writing, is important because they are the vehicles through which people communicate.

Literature

1. Frost R. A Task - Based Approach

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-task-based-approach

2. Willis J.Criteria for Identifying Tasks for TBL

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/criteria-identifying-tasks-tbl

3. Jane Willis “Six Types of Task for TBL”.

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/six-types-task-tbl

Seminar 3.