English Language Teaching

1. Methods of English Language
Teaching
Prepared by
Vaidehi Hariyani
(Research Scholar)
Department of English,MKBU

2. The Grammar Translation Method
• This is the oldest and traditional method of teaching English.
• Especially in India, this method is used as English is taught as Second
language.
• In Europe, this method was used to teach Greek and Latin for several
years.
• With the arrival of the Britishers this method was introduced in India.
• The emphasis in this method is mainly on translation of English
words, phrases, and passages into and from the mother tongue of a
learner.

3. Thompson and Wyatt gave three principles on
which this method is based:-
• (1)Translation interprets foreign phraseology best.
• (2) The foreign phraseology is best assimilated by the learners
in the process of interpretation.
• (3) The structure of a foreign language is best learnt when compared
and contrasted with the mother tongue.
L1 helps a learner
to learn L2

4. Principles of this method:-
• 1.) Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little active use of
the target language.
• 2.) Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words.
• 3.) Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and
instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words.
• 4.) Reading of difficult classical texts is begun early. Little attention is
paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in in
grammatical analysis.
• 5.) Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected
sentences from the target language into the mother tongue.

6. Typical Techniques of this method :-
1. Translation of a passage
2. Antonyms/ Synonyms
3. Cognates
4. Fill in the blanks
5. Memorization
6. Make sentence
7. Composition
8. Reading comprehension questions

7. The Direct Method
• Direct method is the method through which students learn to
communicate in the target language and not involving L1 in the
language learning process.
• Learning L2 without taking help of L1.
• This method is also known as Natural Method; because the
characteristics we observe in language teaching is similar to
acquisition of L1, but it was very difficult to bring exact environment
in which L1 is acquired.
• So later, the same method became popular as the direct.

8. • This method was a reaction against the Grammar Translation Method.
In Grammar Translation Method, the focus was mainly on grammar.
The learners were acquiring the knowledge of the grammar instead of
the language.
• The method originated in France in 1901. The principles of this
method came from Germany and were popularized by the
international phonetic association of France.

9. According to H.Champion, “The direct
method is a method of teaching English
directly; is to establish a direct or
immediate association between
experience and expression, between
English words, phrases or idioms and its
meaning.”

10. Principles
• 1.) Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the target
language.
• 2.) Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
• 3.) Oral communication is built up in a carefully traded progression
organized around question-and-answer exchanges between teachers
and students in small intensive classes.
• 4.) Grammar is taught inductively.
• 5.) Vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects and pictures.
• 6.) Both speech and listening comprehension are taught.
• 7.) Correct pronunciation and grammar are emphasized.

11. Merits
• Understanding of English becomes
easier.
• Good habit of speech is required.
• Fluency of Speech and Writing is
improved.
• Lessons become interesting with
the use of pictures.
• It aims at practical command of the
Language.
• LSRW skills are improved.
Demerits
• Not helpful to the average
students.
• This method is not achievable in
overcrowded classes.
• Schools don’t have enough
equipment.
• Teacher has to spend a lot of
time in planning and designing
activities.

12. Typical techniques
• Reading aloud
• Question and answer exercise
• Student self-correction
• Conversation practice
• Fill in the blanks
• Dictation
• Paragraph writing

13. The Audio-Lingual Method
• The Audio-lingual method is used to improve communicative competence
in learners. It is the most effective way for to learn language in an
interesting way through different skills.
• This Method was initially called the Army Method, and was the first to be
based on linguistic theory and behavioral psychology.
• Based on Skinner’s Behaviorism theory, it assumed that a human being can
be trained using a system of reinforcement.
• Correct behavior receives positive feedback; while errors receive negative
feedback.
• This approach to learning is similar to the Direct Method, in that the lesson
takes place entirely in the target language.

14. • Emphasis is on the acquisition of patterns in common everyday
dialogue.
• The Audio-lingual Method was widely used in the 1950s and 1960s,
and the emphasis was not on the understanding of words, but rather
on the acquisition of structures and patterns in common everyday
dialogue.
• These patterns are elicited, repeated and tested until the responses
given by the student in the foreign language are automatic.
• The Audio-lingual Method is still in use today in different ways
through blogs, flipped learning, YouTube and much more. Nowadays
many courses are available online also.

15. Principles of this method:-
• 1.) New material is presented in dialogue form.
• 2.) There is dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and
over learning.
• 3.) Structures are taught one at a time.
• 4.) Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills.
• 5.) There is little or no grammatical explanation.
• 6.) Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context.

16. • 7.) There is much use of tapes, language labs and visual aids.
• 8.) Great importance is attached to pronunciation.
• 9.) Very little use of the mother tongue by teachers is permitted
• 10.) Successful responses are immediately reinforced.
• 11.) There is great effort to get students to produce error-free
utterances.
• 12.) There is a tendency to manipulate language and disregard the
content.

17. Merits
• It can be used in medium-sized
class.
• Listening and speaking skills can
be improved.
• It can be used at elementary and
intermediate level.
• Learners can form grammatically
accurate language.
Demerits
• Confident teachers with fluency
of language are needed.
• Repetition can be boring and
meaningless.
• Reading and writing are
neglected as an individual form.
• It requires more time in
preparing these activities.

18. Typical techniques of the audio-lingual
method:
• Dialogue memorization
• Backward build-up
• Different Type of Drills
• Use of minimal pairs
• Complete the dialogues
• Grammar game

19. Activity 1 – Jumbled Words
thodme
Method

20. pparocha
Approach

21. tionlatrans
Translation

22. quisication
Acquisition

23. Difference between Approach and Method
Approach is the way in which
something is approached.
Refers to direction or angle.
Refers to theoretical framework in
general.
Approach is decided before
selecting the method.
Method is the way in which
something is done.
Refers to a process.
Refers to step by step guidelines.
Method can be selected after
deciding the approach.

24. 1.) Grammar-Translation Approach
• It uses the Student’s native language to teach the target language.
• This approach emphasis is on the correct use of grammar.
• It focuses on reading and writing of the students in the target
language.

25. 2.) Direct Approach
• Use of the target language.
• The emphasis is on the spoken language and the development of Oral
Skills.

26. 3.) Communicative Approach
• It develops those skills that enables students to meaningfully engage
with each other.
4.) Functional Approach
Recognizes language as purposeful communication
5.) Natural Approach
Its cues from how first language is naturally learned by children. The
same is focused here. Acquisition is taken into consideration.

27. Thank You
Works cited:-
• Narayana, Dr.R, Dr.N.Rajeshkharan Nair
and Dr.Krushna Chandra Mishra.
"ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN
INDIA: A THEORETICAL STUDY." The
modern journal of applied linguistics
(2009): 1.
• Richards, Jack c. and Theodore s
Rodgers. Approaches and Methods in
Language teaching. Cambridge university
press, 2001.