SMART ACADEMY

ENGLISH PEDAGOGY-All Category

Short Notes
Language Learning Theories: (cont.....)
Stephen Krashen: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)Theories:
This theories are based on the stages of second language acquisition. The stages SLA as exposed by
him are given below.
I-The Silent, Receptive and Production stage: It involves a 'silent period' during which children
may not speak, but can respond using a variety of strategies including pointing to an object, picture
or person.
II- The Early Production Stage: Normally speaks one or two words, but most of it’s time listen
the language. Gives yes or No responses to simple questions.
III- The Speech Emergence Stage: During this stage children begin to use dialogue and can ask
simple questions, Children may produce longer sentences, but often with grammatical errors that
can interfere with their communication.
IV- The Intermediate Language Proficiency Stage: Immediate proficiency may take up to
another one year soon after speech emergence. Children have typically developed close to six
thousand words and are beginning to make complex statements.
Approaches, Methods of Language Learning:
Approach: It is a theoretical way of what language is and of how it can be learnt. It is a set of
correlated assumptions dealing with the nature of language learning. It states the point of view,
philosophy, and practice.
Methods: Method is the procedure to be followed in transacting the curriculum. It is influenced by
the factors like the objectives, course content, students' age and proficiency level, cultural
background and the relationship between learners' mother tongue and the target language.
1.Grammar Translation Method or GTM (originated by J.V. Meidinger)
It is a way of learning a language through a detailed study of its grammar. The learner then
applies the rules of grammar in translating sentences and parts of texts from the mother tongue in to
the target language and vice-versa.
2. The Direct Method
In this method the teaching is done entirely in the target language. The learner is not allowed to use
his or his mother tongue. Grammar rules are avoided and there is emphasis on good pronunciation.
3. Bilingual Method: Using two languages i.e; mother tongue and target language for teaching. In
this method mother tongue is used by teacher only for explaining meaning of words. This method
was proposed by Dr. C J Dodson.
4. New Reading method: The exponent of this method was Michael West and this method was
known after him as Michael West's New Method. According to him, reading involves the active use
of grammar and silent reading enables for comprehension.
Structural Approach: Learning English language learning through graded structures or sentence
patterns. It is based upon the assumptions that language can be best learned when its need is felt in a
situation.
The Communicative Approach: It is aimed at making the learner attain communicative
competence, that is, to use language fluently, accurately and appropriately. The prime focus is on
the learner. The teacher is just a facilitator-a person who manages the environment and the material,
which in turn provides autonomy to learners.
Silent Way: Learning is facilitated in silence. Teacher remain silent and learners creates what is to
leaned through problem solving. Learners are supposed to make active interaction.
Suggestopaedia: This method suggest language learning through joy and easiness. The main
objective is given to conversational proficiency. The learning activities include imitation, question-
answers and role play.
The Natural Approach by Stephen Krashen: The learning environment of children to acquire
both the first language and the second language has basically no difference.
The main 5 hypotheses are summed up the Natural Approach:
1. The Acquisition Learning Hypothesis: Two systems in development of language. Non
conscious Acquisition system and conscious Learning system ( Developed by formal instruction).
2. The Monitor Hypothesis: Acquisition is called the initiator or monitor, and learning as Editor or
corrector of language accuracy.
3. The Natural Order Hypothesis:
Acquisition of grammatical structures follows a predictable natural order
4. The Input Hypothesis: Language is best acquired when the learner is getting exposed in an
adequate quantity of comprehensible input.
5. The Affective Filter Hypothesis: The affective variables, such as motivation, self confidence,
good self, low level of anxiety etc. may affect the process of acquisition of language. Filter these
variables will help learning more confidently.
Social Constructivist Approach: It is the learner who constructs knowledge from the natural
setting of social relevance. The focus is on the communicative nature and social dialogue which
enable knowledge to be constructed.

Learning Disabilities:
1.Dyslexia – difficulty with language in its various uses.(not always reading)
2.Dyspraxia—Condition effecting physical co-ordination causing difficulty to make an appropriate
body response.
3.Dysgraphia – Difficulty with the act of writing in the technical as well as the expressive sense.
There may also be difficulty with spelling.
4.Dyscalculia—Difficulty with calculations.
5.Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — Children with this disorder act
impulsively and are easily distracted.

Types of Reading:

(i) Silent Reading:-The purpose of silent reading is for comprehension. It is mainly suggested for
higher classes. The learner reads a text in their own pace which enables better understanding, move
quickly to the information needed, to involve all children, to allow rereading if needed.

(ii) Reading Aloud:- Reading aloud by a teacher/learner can stimulate imagination and emotions,
enriches their vocabularies and encourage lifelong enjoyment of reading. It also helps to realize the
supra segmental features of language.

(iii) Skimming: By skimming in reading it is meant that going through the reading text quickly in
order to get an overall idea of the text and the intention of the writer. When we skim through a text,
we run our eyes over the text to get the gist of it. Usually, the people in service do skimming the
headlines in the daily.

(iv) Scanning: We sometimes scan a text to find a particular kind of information. We let our
eyes over wander through the materials and at last we find what we are looking for; a
date, a name or a less specific piece of information.

(v) Intensive: Intensive reading is reading shorter texts to extract specific information. This is an
accuracy activity involving reading for detail. The prescribed texts for all classes are intended for
intensive reading.
(v) Extensive: Extensive reading is reading longer texts for one’s own pleasure. This is a fluency
activity mainly involving global understanding. Reading of articles, novels, stories, poems etc are
considered as part of extensive reading.