Materials in

Different Methods
and Approaches
in ELT
 1.Grammar Translation
Method
• It originated from the practice of teaching Latin;
in the early 1500s.
• It was influential until the 1950’s.
• It reached its height in the period between 1880
and 1920.
• Students learned grammatical rules.
• Applied rules by translating sentences between
the languages.
• Advance students translate whole texts
word-for-word.
 Materials in GTM
• The mainstay of materials is the textbook
• Textbooks codified the grammar of the target
language into rules to memorize
• A chapter in a textbook would begin with a
bilingual vocabulary list, after which there would be
grammar rules for students to study and sentences
for them to translate
• Sentences were chosen to illustrate grammar, with
no relation to actual communication
• Written essays as the most communicative activity
• dictation
 2. The Direct Method
• It was established in Germany and France around
1900, contrast with the GTM
• The Direct Method was influential in the 1950’s
and beyond
• Totally avoided the use of L1
• Focused on the development of oral skills
• Strongly linked to the IPA and dealt with phonetics
• Inductive grammar (no rules)
 Materials in Direct Method
• Everyday language rather than literature
• Teaching concepts and vocabulary through
pantomiming, real-life objects and other visual
materials
• Syllabus based on: situations, topics
• Everyday speech in TL
• Vocabulary emphasized over grammar
• Oral interviews
• Concrete vocabulary was taught through pictures
and objects, while abstract vocabulary was taught by
association of ideas
 3. Audio – lingual Method
• Based on behaviorist theory of Pavlov’s dog which
Skinner applied to human learning
• Conditioning and habit formation through a system
of reinforcement
• Like the direct method, learning is directly, without
using L1 to explain new words or grammar in TL
• Learners as empty vessels
• Focus shifted from teaching vocabulary to grammar
• Implicit grammar via memorized forms
• Chomsky and Hymes attacked it
 Materials in Audio-lingual
Method
• Dialogues usually adapted or in some cases, written by the
teacher
• Dialogues presented as a story in TL, using simple language
• Different role-plays used to present the dialogue
• Practicing the dialogue with the students, changing roles and
partners from time to time
• Repetition of the entire dialogue at normal rate speed
• Pattern practice, based on material taken from the dialogue
• Pronunciation at language labs
• Vocabulary appearing in the dialogues defined through
gestures, visual aids, synonyms,
 4. The Silent Way
• Created by Caleb Gattegno in 1963
• Students seen as vast amount of experience and
knowledge
• Extensive use of silence as a teaching method
• Always moving from the known to the unknown
(already available sounds in L1 then new ones in L2)
• Learners develop independence and autonomy and
cooperate to solve language problems
• Teacher was distant and the classroom environment
was not conducive to learning
 Materials in The Silent Way
• The silent way makes use of specialized teaching
materials: colored Cuisenaire rods, the
sound-color chart, word charts and Fidel charts
• These sound-color associations are later used to
help the students with spelling, reading, and
pronunciation
• The sound – color chart consists of blocks of
color, with one color representing one sound in
the language being learned.
 5. Desuggestopedia
• Developed by the Bulgarian psychotherapist
Georgi Lozanov
• This method is teacher-controlled and
not-student-controlled
• Physical surroundings and atmosphere in
classroom make “the students feel comfortable
and confident
• Various techniques, including art and music, are
used by the trained teachers
• A relaxed mind is an open mind and it can help a
student to feel more confident
 Materials in
Desuggestopedia
• Materials propose positive attitude
• Teaching with personal participation through
games, songs, classical arts and pleasure
• The instructor was expected to create situations
where students were most “suggestible” and then
present material in a way that encourages
retention
• Vocabulary, readings, role-plays and drama were
presented with classical music in the background
and students sitting in comfortable seat.
 6. Community Language
Learning
• American psychologist Charles Curran
• Resembles the Natural Approach: learner is not
expected to speak until he has achieved some
basic level of comprehension
• Based on the Counseling-approach: teacher as a
counselor, paraphraser or interpreter
• Whole person learning: teachers consider
students’ intellect, understand the relationship
among students’ feelings, physical reactions
 Materials in Community
Language Learning
• No specific material
• Tape recorder
• A table and chairs around it
• Syllabus by the students
• Fluency then accuracy
• Integrative testing
• Human computer : pronunciation
 7. Total Physical Response
• Based on the comprehension approach to language learning
• Based on the coordination of language and physical movement
• Valuable way to learn vocabulary
• Three hypotheses:
1. language is learned primarily by listening
2. language learning must engage the right hemisphere of the
brain
3. learning language should not be involved any stress
• Gesture, use of voice and mime are very important
 Materials in TPR
• Uses a wide variety of realia, posters, and props
• There are a number of specialized TPR teaching
products like: student kits developed by Asher
and an interactive CD-ROM for students to
practice with privately
 8. Communicative Language
Teaching
• Grew out of sociolinguistics in the 1970’s
• Emphasis o the process of communication, interaction &
language functions rather than forms
• Wilkins defined LG learning as using “notions & functions”,
rather than grammar & vocabulary
Notional categories : time, location, frequency and
quantity
Functional categories: communicative acts such as
complaints, denials and requests
 Materials in CLT
• Allow learners to choose freely what they want to
communicate
• Concentrate on the various social activities
• Were used in workshops to encourage teachers to
change to communicative syllabus
• Authentic language should be introduced
• Unscrambling sentences as an opportunity to work
with language at the discourse
 9. Content – Based & Task
Based Instruction
• Subcategories of CLT, but with different focus
• Give priority to process over predetermined
linguistic content
• ‘Use English to learn it’ rather than ‘learn English to
use it’
• Providing the learner with natural context
• Top – down processing
 Materials in Content – Based &
Task Based Instruction
In CBI:
• Using realia related to the content
• Vocabulary lists related to the content
• Videos related to the content
In TBLT:
• Pre-tasks
• Jigsaw tasks while listening to instruction
providing authentic speaking and listening