10 Useful Takeaways from a Variety of ELT Methods
Methods
were all the rage in the TESOL world in the past, from the hoary Grammar
Translation method that goes all the way back as far as one can go in
linguistic history to Computer Assisted Language Learning CALL and the
not-quite-a-full-method Lexical Approach. The venerable Diane Larson Freeman
(whom you should know about if you’re reading this) says we are in the
‘post-methods era’ as do other luminaries in our field such as Jack Richards.
All well and good, our profession has evolved enough to accept that learners
are quite individual and unique and no one-size-fits all method will work for
everyone. Yet all these methods offer some takeaways and ideas for practices in
the communicative ESOL classroom and there is no sense tossing out the baby
with the bathwater! Here are some useful takeaways from several current and
past language learning methods and ‘approaches.’
Grammar
Translation
Primarily
self directed, it is more or less what it sounds like. I took Latin for years
this way and, as a dead language, it made sense. Not so much for, say, French.
Yet an activity now and then that focus on GT will connect with many students
prior experiences (it is still used a lot abroad) and it helps reinforce
writing, reading and dictionary work with a clear focus on form and structure.
Having students jigsaw an article, then translate it in small groups and then
put it back together in English also adds oral and aural skills and a lot of
useful vocabulary work. It can be fun. Make it so.
Direct
Method (Situationalist)
This
classic in-your-face method,is a great example of output based methodology.
It’s a repeat-after-me-and-get-it-RIGHT procedure for language memorization and
pronunciation accuracy. It offers little or no overt writing, reading or
explicit grammar instruction. I suffered, I mean studied under this method in
Japan for three years. It is terribly stressful for many but others liked the
immediate phonemic correction modeled by the teacher with lots of individual
practice. It can, however, be a bit boring for the rest of the class who has to
watch the other struggling students. Takeaway? While the theory is somewhat
discredited, it works well for short reinforcing activities within a more
varied class. It works well when teaching pronunciation, especially with
minimal pairs, and, if done with some relaxed compassion, offers a formal
minimal conversation practice structure that some students, especially
beginners, may find familiar and supportive.
Cognitive
Code
I'd
like to pull this one off the dustheap of discarded methods for a minute.
Everything has some sort of use, right? This method tried to bridge the gap
between grammar-centered methodology, which data showed wasn't getting our
students to fluency in the 1970s. CC moved forward without quite knowing what
the next paradigm would be in terms of fluency objectives, such as
Notional/Functional competencies. Instead, these curriculum designers chose
‘themes’ with a rather disjointed grammar assessments thrown in. However, this
integration of language tasks, whether they are grammatical or functional,
continues to this day in Task Based Methodology and CLT. It reminds us that
when teaching students who don't have a lot of time, choosing a theme like
‘traveling’ and offering discourses and work with those themes and the language
they offer can be integrated. To sum up the takeaway, students really don't
need to know what is functional and what is grammatical all the time. Such
activities like out-of-class research, posters, interviews, free-form discussions
can generate all kinds of interesting language that might not be part of the
set curriculum, grammar objectives or functional objectives. If the teacher
pivots to the grammar used in context of the theme, then it works as such.
Audio
Lingual Method
OK,
truth in advertising here. I took French in high school with this and hated it
so much even writing about it could be considered therapy. That being said, my
universal condemnation of ALM was tempered by a night-class student who
challenged me on its utility. He led a demonstration in class using it for
Chinese and he convinced me. Why? Forget the behavioralist origins of this
rather Brave New World-ish method that tries to mass indoctrinate whole
classes. It originally put students in Skinner Boxes (that’s what a listening
lab is, folks) and offered rote repetition and substitution drills until all
are brain dead. So why continue this torture? The takeaway is all about
tonal languages. Thai, Chinese, Lao and other languages are tonal. This
means the same ‘word’ pronounced are actually different words. This means that
the pronunciation = a different word = a different meaning. Focusing on rote
repetition in this context makes sense so you don’t call a HORSE your MOM (MA
and MA). In your English classroom, the issue is more on fixing intonation.
Students get confused between ‘Get out here!’ and Get OUT of here!’ English is
a hyper-contextual language and intonation can make the difference between a
compliment and a complaint. Add slang and idiomatic phrases and non verbals
into the mix and we have a lot of confusion. Focusing on these things in the
class using some ALM techniques helps the students acquire the right intonation
for the right meaning.
Silent
Way
Cult or
not a cult? Discuss. Let’s just say that there were a lot of true believers who
could be rather...intense about the importance of this method. Created by Dr.
Gattegno, an Egyptian mathematician, it is very regimented but offers some
important aspects of language learning. I have sat through a number of
demonstrations in this method. It IS intense and a bit stressful. No low
affective filter here. The basic idea is that we need to minimize transfer
errors when someone moves from L1 to the L2 they are studying. This is caused
by students trying to use the linguistic schema of their L1 to use the L2. So,
for example, since Japanese has no plural forms, a Japanese student would keep
missing this when using English. The solution was to break the target language
into the smallest units, phonemes, and assign each a color. Students were then
directed to recreate the new language from scratch using color codes to
memorize and apply the new phonemes without the mental block of ascribing the
sounds to something familiar. Why? Because the whole system, phonetics and so
on of the target language was utterly different. By giving students nothing to
‘hang on to’ we avoid transfer errors. In practice, the goal is for the teacher
to elicit the target language from the students while remaining silent using
the color chart, props and so on with repetitive drills. Takeaways? Teachers
can and should be silent more. This forces the students to cognate more, to
work harder, to create the right target language. I used to drive my class
crazy when teaching ‘giving instructions’ by putting a CD player in front of
them and having them give me clear instructions on how to use it with no
prompts. Not as easy as it sounds! Using color coded rods for syntax grammar
teaching while eliciting the changes is an activity derived from SW as is the
use of colored markers to write discourses (red= verbs, blue= nouns, purple =
adverbs etc.) and so implicitly teach such forms to beginner ELLs. This is
practiced by the GLAD program. When teaching pronunciation, simply using
colored paper to represent troublesome phonemes (L/R for example) often
bypasses the stress students feel when seeing those dreaded letters as well.
Try it!
*Silent Way Diagram at top of page
Total
Physical Response
Laid
out by Dr. Asher in the 70’s, this method still works well in helping beginning
students acquire lexis and some basic grammar through ‘body memory’ (somatic
memory) by linking actions and language. It works. I joke that every good ESOL
teacher uses TPR every day, and Im not wrong. When teaching beginners, TPR
reminds teachers, especially shy non-kinesthetic teachers, to loosen up
and MOVE! If Im teaching long and short, big and small, body parts, directions
and so on I can't imagine not moving my hands, arms, body, and having my students
do the same and so on to make it all comprehensible! If this is not natural to
you, write ‘TPR stage directions’ into your lesson plans. TPR also shows us
that with meaningful linked gestures connected with teacher generated commands
and vocabulary, students can understand the messages through actions, they can
receive the new language in context and this aids SLA as any of us who have
traveled and watch carefully to grasp meaning know. Teaching prepositions is a
snap using TPR by having the students actually moving their pen above, below,
under, on, in, infront of their book several times. SHOWING is always more
effective that telling, and if students DO it, they'll remember it.
NLP
Neuro
Linguistic Programming is neither neuro nor linguistic, but aside from that,
and the fact that it has been all but forgotten, it has some valuable takeaways
for teachers in the opinion of Richards and Rodgers and myself. I was
somewhat trained in NLP when working at a group home for incarcerated juveniles
in 1981, some of whom had ‘anger issues.’ The goal was to diffuse issues and
tempers without violence and to subliminally manipulate interactions to create
a better situation. It also has techniques for understanding when someone is
stressed, lying, upset, not listening and so on. Sounds like weird culty stuff,
right? So I thought, until the techniques actually stopped clients from
punching me several times. Without sending you to the library, what are the
takeaways for you? First, NLP reminds us that you get back what you give
in terms of non-verbal signals. As a teacher you need to become a lot more
self-aware of the unconscious signals, tones, gestures and so on you present to
your class. A good NLP exercise is to take a minute or two before class to
‘reset’ yourself, consciously eliminate the irritating drive, daily squabbles,
worry about a bill or the impending dentist visit. Push. it. aside. Reset
yourself mentally, emotionally and physically. Then enter the class wholly
focused on your tasks and on the well being of your students. ALL your
unconscious signals influence others, from your face, especially eyes, to how
you walk, talk and so on. If your class is bored or crabby, NLP asks; What
signals are you sending out unconsciously that may be eliciting this negative
behavior? How can you your non-verbals to change the mood? A big part of NLP is
called ‘mirroring’ meaning how you act, look at someone, gesture, raise or
lower your tone, all directly affect the subliminal behaviors of others. Using
this lens to monitor my students, I am often aware that they are becoming
bored, confused, excited, or upset even before they are aware of it. Do that
and you can shift things. Something to think about.
The
Natural Approach
Yea,
yea, I know. Krashen. He has become a favorite scapegoat and yet let us honor
him for a few things while taking a pinch of salt. Without his and Tyrell’s
work, we likely would not be using the term SLA as we do and even the biggest
Krashen-hater admits to the importance of acquisition and it’s preeminence.
After all, we Americans acquired almost all of our grammar, right? Think about
it. No one taught you adjective order or gerunds. His focus on reception,
comprehensible input, before forced output, has stood the test of time and is a
cornerstone of most ESOL programs. So is his focus on authentic or real
language communication and low affect, meaning students who enjoy the lessons
and so are motivated and so learn a language better and faster. I could go on,
but if you haven't read his simple, easy-to-grasp book THE NATURAL APPROACH do
so, it is a seminal work all should know.
So,
takeaways?
There
is nothing wrong with teaching grammar, but work with communicative reception
and production tasks first so you can know what grammar to teach! Why teach
something, say gerunds, if the students have already acquired it? Communicative
work will let you know, then you can target those specific grammar problems
that call for explicit grammar instruction. Also, let students practice fluency
activities WITHOUT CORRECTING GRAMMAR unless a student can not be understood.
Honestly, some teachers simply can't stop nagging! Let accuracy GO at times.
The goal is communication, not perfection. Remember, if you are an ESOL
teacher, you are either teaching fluency/automaticity or structure, depending
on the metaphorical glasses you are wearing. CHOOSE. Do you want them working
on speed and real communication or are you building up the monitor focusing on
accuracy. When you offer free conversation and then correct, they shut down.
Who wouldn't?! Mistakes don't always ossify, usually we shift strategies and
often naturally correct errors, relax. Have more fun. And take this into
grammar class; let the students figure out the form and structure together from
the guiding questions you are asking. Finally, DON'T force your students to
produce something you've just introduced without taking time for them to hear
and see you model it. Take time to discuss new vocabulary, and letting them
read it silently. Give them time to absorb it before moving them to production
and they will be more confident and move on faster.
Lexical
Approach
Oh how
I love you O Lexical Approach. Here are some fun words to to throw around.
First, ‘lexis’ is, a fancy way to say ‘words’ and ‘corpus’ or body means a
group of words and their collocations, words that ‘stick together’ and which
have been compiled by computers analyzing our language. So, this method is
based on Corpus Linguistics, the statistical analysis of all the contemporary
spoken and written English language that could be grabbed and crunched in
massive computers. There are sub-corpii (really) like academic corpus, medical
ESOL corpus and so on. It is the most awesome thing since sliced bread to us
old-school pre-computer ESOL teachers (whaaaat?!) Why? Because now we know what
the most common collocations, phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions and so on
ARE and this really helps students. Takeaways? Never again should vocabulary be
seen as single words floating in space. All vocabulary should be taught in
context to other words and meaning. Students love to learn how to use
collocations and patterns for which adjectives tend to link with wanhat nouns
and what are appropriate prepositions for each situation. This is not grammar,
but lexical patterns we have created. Why do we get ON a bus but IN a car? No
logical reason, they collocate, they stick together. The whole thing is so
awesome I can hardly stand it. So, when talking about politics (yes, I
know, hush) have students find collocations (Political______; Party, animal,
operative, ad etc.…) and link concepts and words and show how words shift in
meaning when they collocate. I made it up (lied) is not I made up the bed,
right? Making friends is not making a cake. Best purchase recommendation? A
good collocation dictionary! And some software! Finally, many new textbooks
will be moving solidly into lexical approach so get on board!
Immersion
Well if
you are reading this and it is your native tongue, you know all about
immersion. It is how you acquired your language in a rich-language environment,
yes? The concept is simple, one immerses the students within an environment
where the target language is surrounding them. A homestay comes to mind. And,
by watching, listening and then accomplishing all the things one must do, to
like, shopping, getting directions and so on, one acquires the language. I have
met many immigrants who never took a single ESOL class but who were basically
fluent, with some accuracy errors. So it works, right? Yes but. Here are some
of the rules for this as a method. First, it helps if the instructor is at
least somewhat bilingual so that the student can revert to their L1 when they
need to even, if the teacher always uses the L2. Message and comprehension are
key to making immersion work. Most of us, however, are not bilingual for all of
our students if we are teaching in an English speaking country. Another
strategy I saw used in Guatemala at an ‘immersion school’ and which I've heard
of happening elsewhere, is called ‘supported immersion’ or ‘blended immersion’
and this is the big take away. In this program, students of Spanish studied
with the teacher in the morning, focusing mostly on one theme, like shopping or
going out to dinner. The teacher teaches some vocabulary and some dialogs in
reception first and then has them practice, use realia and so on to prepare the
student for the shopping excursion that THEY KNEW is happening that afternoon.
Thus they are focused, motivated and excited. In the afternoon, they are taken
to the Market to go shopping and they have to do it all themselves, the teacher
sits somewhere having a coffee in case the students needed them. This is
exactly what I used to do with my ESOL students, I’d wrap lessons or several
days of lessons around a ‘real’ field trip to go do something.. It was
remarkably effective and retention was phenomenal and the impressions made
stuck. If you can't take your students out, assign it for what we call
‘extension’ activities, not homework. Teach them how to order at a restaurant
then after school have them go DO it, write down all the language used and
bring it back to class. You'll see increased retention, motivation, interest,
understanding and they’ll come back with a bunch of new words, idioms and slang
for everyone to enjoy.
Task
Based Methodology often uses this sort of project as a final evaluation, and it
works.
Our
goal is to make our students independent language learners. They need to be
able to be flexible, acquire new language, use language in difficult situations
to accomplish goals and to learn how to self correct and add to their language
ability. We are just a springboard. Using all these methods, or more
accurately, activities derived from these methods, can help them attain these
goals!
