Review of the book; techniques and principles in language teaching

Review of the chapter

1.1. Introduction

The author also gives some useful ideas on how each method is different and unique. The teacher
can experience and read about each one in particular to assure that she or he is applying them
appropriately in the classroom. It also has its own conclusion and some reflection questions
about each one to analyze. The observations are adequate for teachers that need more specific
examples in how the principle is introduced. In every principle there are several sections that
make clear how each one works. First of all, there is an introduction which explains the
principle. Secondly, there are brief descriptions of how a class is taught with activities
concerning the principle. After this description, a list of observations and principles connecting
with the lesson plans are presented. Another section is reviewing the principles, with questions
and answers for the reader to clear any doubts about each one. Every language teacher needs to
use techniques when teaching, this book gives activities related to techniques that help teach the
language in an interesting and entertaining manner. The reader has many options to teach and
this book offers a variety of principles and techniques to think of and try to adapt to his or her
classes.

1.2.The grammar translation method

The goals of language teaching methods are; coherent link between action and thoughts in class
room, uncovering implicit thoughts and beliefs about teaching and different techniques in
teaching. A language teacher should know about native language, culture and students behavior,
that how and what they learn. Relating thoughts and actions sometimes thoughts are constructed
on experience and guidance in classroom. According to Stevick 1980’s experiment, a teacher
should encourage student to take initiative to ask question. However, thought and action’s link is
vital in a classroom. But if what intended is not achieved a teacher must change thoughts and
actions.

Another purpose is to encourage you to examine your own beliefs about teaching and learning
about how they influence your practice. Even if you are an experienced teacher, this book can
help in understanding better why you do what you do. This book will help you observe the
techniques a teacher is using and his or her behavior. It also gives you a broad idea of each
principle and their objectives with some examples and with certain activities and material to be
used in class.

Furthermore, the connection between one thought-in-action and another should be determined by
coherence. Methods are coherent when there is theoretical and philosophical compatibility
among the links. For instance, a picture description in classroom allows students to commence
dialogue and recall in their memory to create guesses and approximation. This shows that how
different techniques are useful to students depending on the thought and beliefs of the teacher.

Additionally, to say there is coherence among the links does not mean, however, that the
techniques of one method cannot be used with another. The techniques may look very different
in practice, though, if the thoughts behind them differ. a technique might look very different and
might lead students to very different inferences about their learning, depending on the thoughts
and beliefs of the teacher. Coherence effects positively every student by aggrandizing their
cognitive skill to read, listen and participate in class. On other side, a very coherent type of
classroom environment put extreme regulation on students that result in stubbornness and lack of
interest in language learning.

However, methods of teaching are not rigid at a point as prabhu (1990) says that, we do not
believe that there is a single best method. A teacher can adopt what method suit classroom. A
teacher should be engaged in class activity with a sense of intellectual excitement, there is at
least a fair probability that learners will begin participating in classroom and perceive classroom
as a learning event. With the passage of time new techniques and methods would be created. A
teacher always is in search of new techniques to teach in his classroom, it is just because of
‘method fatigue’. However in this age of globalization external factors affect language teaching
methods encouraging multilingualism and plurilingualism. This book stresses upon various
methods to be used but many of those are used concurrently. Consequently, adopting classroom
suited method make students to feel free to study language and adopt it as a secondary language.
But this method can also disperse class environment and students can adopt anti classroom
behavior and absenteeism.
In addition, doubting games and believing games is also one of the concept shows how students
and teachers relationship is built up and also about methods. Researchers argue that doubting
games requires logic and evidence, emphasizing a model of discrimination and putting some one
on trial. This practice of doubting and believing game is far more common in classroom
management. students must concentrate on developing and then satisfying their own inner
criteria. According to elbow (1973), believing games is as act of investment and an act of
involvement where as doubting game infers students intelligence. Doubting and believing games
at first appears odd but while applying in language teaching methods it provoke student’s
cognitive abilities about learning and thinking. For instance, translation of a sentence asked by a
student in classroom of language a teacher should translate it to the native language from the
language they are learning. The author has also seen, how one think that if the teacher makes a
big deal out of students’ success, this implies that what the student is doing is out of the ordinary
and that the job of learning a language must be difficult. Also, I see that in your view, students’
security is provided for by their just being accepted without regard for any linguistic successes or
difficulties they might be having.

Further, each method is practiced in classrooms about language teaching methods. It is assumed
that observing a class can give more opportunity and skill to reflect on teaching practice and
description. One of the purposes of this book is to present a variety of techniques, some of which
may be new to you, and to encourage you to experiment with them. We know that the more
experienced a teacher is, the broader is his or her repertoire of techniques. A student does not
learn smoothly it is teacher who has the ability of class management and presentation of various
ideas and methods. This chapter also make one think that it is not a substitute for actual training
in a particular method but specific training is advised for some of them. However, crux of this
chapter is that firstly the methods allow one to check your understanding of what you have read
and secondly these methods make the connection between what a teacher understands about a
method and his own teaching situation.

It is basically classical method of teaching foreign languages as of Greek and Latin. In particular
grammar translation method, students acquire grammatical rules so then that are applied by
sentence translation between target language and native language. The grammar translation
method has two goals first, it develops intellectual development and secondly it leads students
reading out and translating literature written in source language. This method was taken from
Latin times as of 16th century when for the propose of communication Latin was learned.
Subsequently in 19th century teachers applied the same rules of grammar translation method. This
method is conducted in students native language so as he learns it properly and through the same
terms culture is viewed. This may include various techniques translating passage, reading
comprehension questions, antonyms/ synonyms, cognates(sound pattern corresponding to
languages), fill in the blanks, using proper words in sentences, composition.

1.3. Direct method

In direct method, the goal is how to use other languages for communication. Since the grammar
translation method is not effective in learning of target language thus direct method gain
popularity. Direct method has one rule of; translation is prohibited, the meaning is to be
conveyed in target language with no consultance to native language. In this method with
language instruction target language is taught. Student apply cultural and geographical manner in
questioning teacher. Objects at a moment present in class room would be beneficial in better
understanding of student. Target language should be used instead of native language.
Pronunciation is made correct, grammar is taught verbally. Particular techniques for this can be
beneficial through dictation, conversation practice, questions and answer, loud reading, map
learning.

1.4. Audio lingual method

Additionally, audio lingual method is a method of teaching foreign languages which lay great
importance to listening and speaking before writing the passage or reading. The techniques used
for this include dialogue creating and drill preparation. The native language is pushed back not to
use because of not having the satisfactory result. In audio lingual method instructions are given
in target language. In acquiring target language students to some extent adds native language
because of unawareness to target language. In this method teacher carefully listens students and
make their errors identifyable to make it correct. Memorization and drills are sources that are
emphasized, native language and target language consists of own linguistic importance teacher to
be the accurate model for providing information. In this method parts of speech are to be learned
as creating new sentences, students needs to over learn not thinking a lot. Techniques used for
this include dialogue memorization, expansion drill(breaking longer sentences into parts),
repetition drills, question and answer drill, completing dialogues, and grammar game.

1.5. The silent way

Coming to silent way method, the audio lingual method was efficient but was troublesome in
manner the student were not able to transfer communication skills outside. Idea about language
refer to forming set of habits was challenged in 1960. Noam Chomsky argued over this that
utterances are acquired that students had not heard yet. Language must not be within the
parameter of just habit formation whereas it must be the rule formation. Language acquisition
must be the product of using own thinking processes; cognition, and this cognition leads to
cognitive code approach. Where the students are held responsible to own learning from this
method various innovations were discovered. Basic principle f silent way method is teaching
should be source to learning. Cattigno viewed language from learner dimension that how babies
and young ones learn. This method includes pointing out to chart, as each rectangle represents
particular English sound in the experience provided in book, lengthening of vowel sound, the
principle includes teacher started from something that students are aware of, in order to learn
students need to develop inner criteria (students relying on each other and themselves). The
silence main tool in learning, as teacher helps out where only necessary. Error is to be cleared by
teacher, syllabus consisting of linguistic structures. Techniques for this include teacher silence
producing the sense of thinking in student that he has spoken right or wrong, pair connection,
sound color chart, self correction, and structured feedback.

1.6. Desuggestopedia

Geogi lozanav, believes that language learning can occur at faster rate than predicted that main
reason is of inefficiency and fear that creates barriers for us that we are not able to perform.
Lozanav says we only acquire our mental capacity 5 to 10 percent. Desuggestophdia is study of
suggestions to pedagogy, it removes the feeling of fear so the experience included with Egypt
class of beginner level learning English. The class was colorful but as the English class wall
must include English structure charts so then the learning is facilitated in cheerful environment.
Students learns from things present in environment, teacher speaking confidently it is must, the
use of fine arts, songs useful for free speech, integrating positive suggestion to learning
environment, calm state for learners, dramatization can be fruitful and error are removed by
teacher in gentle manner. Techniques for this bring peripheral learning, class room setup,
suggestions, choosing of identification, dramatization, role playing, adoption of new ideas.

1.7. Community language learning

Community language learning is all about teacher must reagard his students not individual rather
lassroom as a whole, it basically means relationship among teachers and students feelings,
physical relation, aspiration for learning and counseling approach produced by Charles cauran he
studied about adults and found out adult feel fear in new situations, he suggested that teachers to
be language counselors thus teacher can overcome students fear. Experience included group of
people from Indonesia that worked day time and came to classes so experience includes that
language is for communication. Teacher provide what is necessary for the students to be fearless
creating a sense of relationship among them, limits to every activity must be created as it
provides securities to students. While counseling students, teacher encourages students initiative,
teacher working in gentle and calm manner, teacher giving chance to students to reflect their
imaginations in talking so small group task can be beneficial.

1.8. Total physical response

Language instruction named as comprehension approach because it gives importance to

listening. Jame usher, research provides hypothesis that language learning starts and ends with
production. After learner enhances how target language works he is efficient with it as how an
infant acquire native language, how a baby before uttering words listens around him word being
spoken. Krashan and tarrels, natural approach, direct method it includes where meaning is given
priority. Another method is of comprehension approach, winitz and reeds self instructional
program, this method is related to recording of phrases, verbs and other stuff required responding
to picture. Third method is of lexical approach it is related to students receiving ability and input.
Teacher talks in target language, students giving activities that raise awareness in them. So the
experience includes students understanding target language by gesture learning, feelings of
success can lead to more acquiring of target language, correction to be carried, students
developing flexibility, students to speak when ready and techniques include using commands,
action sequence, role reversal.
1.9. Communicative language learning

Students need to learn in target language, in meeting done around 1970 that students were good
enough in making sentences in classrooms but having difficulty in outside surrounding.
Language is basically is not an individual property rather social element. Students must be
cognizant of language rules and structures, knowing how and when to say, coming out of
competency bubble just to acquire few sentences but outside environment is main element.
Communicative approach in 1970 to 1980’s the goal of this was creating competency of
language teaching it is stated to visual helping. Experience section includes immigrants from
Canada. In classroom teacher distributes handouts including sports written material regarding
prediction for next world cup. So, authentic language is to be used in real content in target
language medium of instruction. When societies are functional students are given opportunities
to bring out their emotions and feelings and errors to be omitted by teachers as these are natural,
establishing situation to enable students speak in target language teacher as a facilitator and
techniques include authentic material, scrambled sentences, language games, picture stories,
playing rules, drills, thus all to be verbally carried out.

1.10.Content based instruction

Howat in 1984 notes that there are two types of communicative approaches: weak and strong. A
weak one is related to predictability and strong one is related to practice communication.
Differences created between content based tasks and participatory approaches. Skehan 1979
argued that content based is same as task based as content provides us tasks. Rationale content
gives us idea for tasks. The principles include that both language and target for learning language
is medium of instruction, important for students to learn academic texts, the receiving techniques
include dictagloss, graphic organizers, process thinking, writing dialogues, journals and language
experience approach.

1.11. Tasked based language teaching

Wilkins separated syllabi into two synthetic and analytical synthetic syllabi. Synthetic includes
linguistic units such as grammar, vocabulary, structures, and responsibility of learners to
synthesize this for communication purpose and analytical syllabi includes for which purpose
language in acquired. The content based was solely on analytic syllabi method. In order to
complete task stundets need proper communication. Tasks decide whether the interaction of
students and teacher is successful or not. Clear vision that is called task at what to do and what
not. Teacher breaks down larger things into smaller in order to complete desired task. Teacher
makes adjustments in way of learners, teacher provides models for learning, and students need to
focus on meaning in target language. Students receive feedback from teachers as they have
accomplished their goal or not. The repetition provides them accuracy. Doing tasks by teacher,
students designed to survey things, as well as teacher talks about schedule and techniques
include information tasks, opinion tasks, reasoning tasks, output and input task, focused and
unfocused tasks.

2.1. Positive points of this book

Students can learn effectively about techniques and principles in language teaching, especially
English. This book has strengths that very useful for readers to be read, but this book also has
weaknesses that we can find as our evaluation. The strengths of this book are: This book is very
useful and has specific goals that it can be the readers’ standard to measure has they reached the
purposes of book or have not yet, This book is complete. This book provides 10 methods of
teaching that very important for students and teacher to be applied in teaching process. Every
unit also provides complete parts: Introduction, Experience, Thinking about the experience,
reviewing the principles, reviewing the techniques, Conclusion, Activities, References and
Additional Resources, The content of this book is easy to be understood. Every unit in every
method of teaching provides the experiences that can be read by readers and can be applied in
teaching and explains the specific points of each method, this book provides exact references,
even in each unit the references are provided. So, it can be good references too for students or
students to study more. It also can be references for students or teachers in compiling final
project, thesis, journal, etc. The weaknesses of this book are; this book does not provide many
pictures as illustrations, just some. So, it will not be too interesting for readers, especially for
beginner because picture also has effect to explain the content of the book visually, this book
does not provide many exercises, just some. Exercises have role to know the readers’
understanding about the book. If the book lack of exercises, so the readers’ understanding cannot
be measured specifically.
2.2.  negative points of this book
Students naturally experience anxiety when learning a new thing, whether it be martial arts,
language or mathematics. Foreign language students experience a deficiency at being able to
speak the language properly for a long time and can experience a great deal of anxiety when it
comes to getting it right. Anxiety can be lessened when they learn that they are not the only ones
in the classroom having great difficulty picking up a new language. To combat this anxiety, have
students talk about their difficulties amongst one another.
further in thirds world states the teaching method comprise of ancient techniques. The colonial
mid set and prevalence does not such methods that are defined in this book.
3. conclusion
As the interpretation, the Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching Book is a useful
book. We can find many methods of teaching language that will improve our teaching skill. It is
because actually this book emphasize in teaching methods of teaching language as the main
purpose of this book itself. By learning this book, it will increase the criticism of students as the
teacher to be and the teachers themselves in organizing the class during the learning process.
Students and teachers will have many experiences of teaching activities with variety ways of
teaching like using The Grammar-Translation Method. In this method, vocabulary and grammar
are emphasized. Reading and writing are the primary skills that the students work on. These are
much less attention given to speaking in listening. The most of interaction in the class room is
from teacher to the students and little interaction students to students. If the students do mistakes,
the students will correct it. Students are emphasized in memorizing like vocabulary, synonym,
antonym, and grammar, and students have to translate passage into other language. Then, The
Audio-Lingual Method. Using this method, it is expected that the students to be able to use the
target language communicatively. There is student to student interaction in chain drills or when
students take different roles in dialogs, but this interaction is teacher-directed. So, using this
method will make the students communicative actively. In this method, the memorization is also
emphasized, etc. Each method on this book has its strengths and weaknesses in technique of
teaching language. So, this book is very useful book.
As the conclusion, The Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching book is a proper book
as a lesson and a guidance book for students as teachers to be and for teachers themselves. It is
proper to be applied in Indonesian education to be good references in teaching language in
variety of methods and techniques. This book is also very useful for students as teachers to be
and teachers to uplift the criticism ways of teaching language with different ways and methods.
This book provides many references that can be used for compiling final project, thesis, journal,
etc, even each unit. Each unit of this book provides points that be explained in detail. Although
there are some weakness of this book, but there are also many strengths of this book that make
this book interesting to be read.  After learning these methods we know that in teaching language
is not easy, it is need effort to master the method proper with the theories and principles that
have been provided. So, it can be concluded that learning theories and principles in language
teaching is very important for teachers to be and teacher themselves. It will improve the teaching
skill in language well.
As the recommendation, after reading and reviewing this book, it is recommended for you to
read this book because this book is very effective to improve the teaching skill well. The
purposes of this book also can be afforded to be reached. Thus, the purpose of teaching process
can be reached specifically. So, if you want to be a teacher or you are a teacher, this book is very
proper for you as a guidance to teach more creative with variety ways of teaching, methods, and
techniques that have been provided.