"Understanding Language Teaching" by Kumaravadivelu.

"Understanding Language Teaching" by Kumaravadivelu.

1. Language-Centered Methods

   • Audiolingual Method
     • "American" method
       • Huge influence in other methods.
     • Theory of Language
       • Language as a "system of systems"
         • phonemes, morphemes, phrases, clauses, etc.
           • Rejected the views of traditional grammarians.
       • Language as aural–oral, emphasizing listening and speaking.
         • Speech was considered primary.
       • Theory of Language Learning
         • Behaviorism
           • Learning as a simple mechanism of "stimulus, response, and reinforcement"
             • Experience as basis of all learning.
           • Collecting pieces of knowledge gained through repeated exposure, practice, and application.
           • Habit formation throughout repetition, takes plave by means of analogy.
             • linear, incremental, additive process
         • Theory of Language Teaching
           • Planned presentation sub-systems combined + provision of opportunities for repetition.
             • Strict sequencing of four language skills.
             • Pattern practice considered to be the most important aspect.
           • Content Specifications
             • Linguistic forms constitute the organizing principle for syllabus construction.
               • "Selection" and "Gradiation" as challenges.
             • Classroom Procedures
               • Form-based Input Modifications
                 • Sufficient for development of linguistic as well as pragmatic knowledge/ability in the L2.
                 • Grammatical items of the target language introduced through structural patterns.
               • Interactional Activities
                 • Three Ps—presentation, practice, and production.
   • Structural-Situational Method
     • "British" method.
     • Selection, Gradation & Presentation
   • ASTP
     • Later transformed into full-fledged audiolingual method of teaching.
   • Influenced by Structural Linguistics & Behavioral Psychology.

2. Learner-Centered Methods

   • Communicative Language Teaching
     • Linguistics, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Pragmatics, and Discourse analysis influence.
   • Theory of Language
     • Chomskyan formal linguistics, Hallidayan functional linguistics, Hymsian sociolinguistics, and Austinian speech act theory.
       • Language treated both as a system and discourse.
     • Theory of Language Learning
       • Insight Formation
         • Cognitive Capacity mediates between teacher input (stimulus) and learner output (response)
       • Textual, interpersonal, and ideational functions.
         • Five Cs represent a holistic, communicative approach to language learning.
       • Theory of Language Teaching
         • Language Teacher's responsability.
         • The fostering of meaningful communication in the classroom
           • Offfering choice of response to the learner, emphasizing contextualization; using authentic language as a vehicle for communication in class,etc.
           • Communicative abilities of negotiation, interpretation, and expression.
         • Content Specifications
           • Product-oriented syllabus: selecting grammatical/notional/functional categories of language with no criteria.
             • Communicative needs of the learner as primary.
           • Classroom Procedures
             • Input Modifications
               • form- and meaning-based approach.
                 • to connect form and meaning.
               • Can only provide the learner with standardized functions embedded in stereotypical contexts.
             • Interactional Activities
               • Three P's sequence.
                 • To practice and produce grammatical as well as notional/functional categories of language.

3. Learning-Centered Methods

   • 1980's: scholars experimented with various process oriented approaches to language teaching.
     • Natural Approach
       • Language is best acquired when the learner’s focus is not directly on the language.
     • Communicational Approach
       • Grammar construction can take place in the absence of any explicit focus on linguistic features.
   • Theory of Language
     • Drawn from the Chomskyan cognitive perspective on language learning and and from Hallidayan functional perspective on language use.
     • NA values sociocultural aspects of pragmatic knowledge, the CTP devalues them.
     • Theory of Language Learning
       • NA-CTP believe that L2 grammar construction can take place incidentally
         • NA treats L2 grammar construction as largely incidental.
         • CTP treats L2 grammar construction as exclusively incidental
         • Language development is meaning focused, comprehension based, cyclical and parallel.
       • Theory of Language Teaching
         • “Language is best taught when it is being used to transmit messages..."
         • "teacher-fronted"
           • The teacher follows meaning-focused activities, provides comprehensible input, integrates language skills and makes incidental correction.
         • Content Specifications
           • Adhere to a process based syllabus.
             • Exclusively defined in terms of communicative activities.
             • Learning-Tasks.
               • Emergance in classroom activities.
             • Consists of open ended topics, tasks, and situations.
               • Personal Identification
               • Description of school enviroment.
               • Classes.
               • Telling time.
               • Personal details & roleplays.
           • NA: notional/ functional component of the semantic syllabus associated with learner-centered pedagogies.
             • CTP: procedural syllabus.
           • Classroom Procedures
             • Input Modifications
               • Meaning-based input
                 • Problem-Posing, Problem-Solving and Communicative Tasks.
                 • Use a broad range of themes, topics and tasks.
                 • Information-gap, reasoning-gap, and opinion-gap activities.
               • NA follows all these types of activities; CTP prefers reasoning- gap activities.
             • Interactional Activities
               • "Teacher Talk" as essential.
               • Interaction as a Textual Activity
                 • Teacher’s role importance in providing challenging input and conversational cues in classroom interaction.
               • Interaction as an Interpersonal Activity
                 • To establish/maintain social relationships and individual identities through pair and/or group activities.
                   • NA: Interpersonal Affective-humanistic activities.
                   • CTP: Teacher-fronted affective-humanistic activities.
               • Interaction as an Ideational Activity
                 • Learners could topics that are relevant and interesting to them, express their own opinions and feelings, and interpret/evaluate the views of others.