UNIT 1. THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE TEACHING.

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE

TEACHING OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. COMMUNICATIVE
APPROACHES.
This topic will be divided into three major sections in which we will answer the following
questions:
1. Where do we start? As an answer to this question we will see the introduction, which
includes the theoretical concepts; the legislation, the justification for the choice of this
topic; etc.
2. How do we act? Here the development of the topic will take place, within which it is
worth mentioning its different epigraphs.
3. What is the most relevant aspect? Here we end the topic with a brief conclusion and
the bibliography.
1. INTRODUCTION.
The Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29, which modifies Organic Law 2/2006, of May
3, on Education insists on the need to take into account the digital change that is taking
place in our societies and that necessarily affects educational activity. The development
of digital competence does not only imply mastery of the different devices and
applications. The digital world is a new habitat in which children and young people live
more and more: in it they learn, interact, consume, enjoy their free time. Citizens
demand a modern, more open, less rigid, multilingual and cosmopolitan educational
system that develops all the potential and talent of our youth, approaches that are
widely shared by the educational community and by Spanish society.
The Royal Decree 217/2022, of March 29, which establishes the organization and
minimum teachings of Compulsory Secondary Education, tells us in its Article 5 called
"General Principles" that at this stage special attention will be paid to the educational
and professional orientation of the students. In this area, the gender perspective will be
incorporated, among other aspects. Likewise, the specific educational needs of students
with disabilities or who are in a situation of vulnerability will be taken into account.
Among the measures, the adaptations of the curriculum, flexible groupings, the splitting
of groups, reinforcement programs and personalized support measures for students
with specific need for educational support will be considered.
The Royal Decree 243/2022, of April 5, which establishes the organization and the
minimum teachings of the Baccalaureate, tells us in its Article 6 called "Pedagogical
Principles" that the educational administrations will promote the necessary measures so
that in the different subjects activities are developed that stimulate interest and the habit
of reading and the ability to express oneself correctly in public. The official languages
will be used only as support in the process of learning foreign languages. In this
process, comprehension, expression and oral interaction will be prioritized.
In this topic I will deal with the different methodological trends we may find in the
teaching of languages, especially in the teaching of English as a foreign language and
mainly the communicative approach. This kind of topic is of special interest for teachers
due to the implications and applications that it may have in our teaching life. It may help
us choose the appropriate text-book or programme syllabuses but it may also provide
us with motivation to be transferred to our students. Whatever our methodology might
be, we shall learn from this topic that it should be above all, eclectic. In other words, we
shall learn that there is not one methodology that is perfect but that all of them have
something to offer.
I will first mention the main trends in the methodology and their evolution, then I will
review those which were developed in the twentieth century and finally, I will focus on
the ones we find nowadays, especially those used in the Spanish educational system.
2. THE EVOLUTION OF DIDACTICS IN LANGUAGE
Language is a purely human activity; in fact, it is one of the main features that
distinguish man from the rest of the creatures. An act of verbal communication is only
possible between human beings who transfer their ideas from the mind of the speaker
to the mind of the listener.
More than three thousand languages are spoken in the world nowadays. The problem
arises when we realise that we don’t know how a language is acquired. First, language
is learned, that is, every normal child can learn any natural language as a first language,
under the appropriate conditions. Secondly, no theory can explain this fact. That is, we
have no model which can show how language is learned under the appropriate
circumstances. Summarising the whole idea we could say that the psychological field is
gaining an important place in the learning of a second language. But perhaps the best
advice on methodology must come from experienced teachers rather than from
theoreticians.
2.1 CLASSICAL TEACHING METHODS (UNTIL THE 18TH CENTURY)
Languages have always been studied even in the most ancient civilizations. The first
written document dates back to 2850 BC. We know of interpreters and translators in
Egypt or in Babylonia who were of the greatest importance in commercial pacts.
Much later, Romans could learn the Greek language so as to be able to read Plato and
Aristotle. But we can only guess that their learning was mainly based upon the
grammar-translation method together with some conversation.
Another step in the teaching of languages must be found in the first Christian
missionaries. But, perhaps, the greatest milestone in the learning of languages
regarding the modern western world was the discovery of America. It was in America
that the direct-method was widely used for the first time.
2.2 FIRST APPROACHES (19TH CENTURY)
Learning languages is an intuitive process for which human beings have a natural
capacity that can be awakened provided that the proper conditions exist, that is,
someone to talk to, something to talk about and motivation or desire to learn. Learning,
therefore, is not a mere rational process that must follow a strict syllabus.
The above idea could be said to be a summary of the philosophy that has always
remained constant for all the different methods in teaching. However, in the very
beginning, foreign languages were taught in much the same way as classical ones.
2.2.1 GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION METHOD
This method was used up to recent times. It consisted in the rigid presentation of
grammar. The grammars of Latin and Greek and their terminology were applied to the
teaching of modern languages and this methodology did not include conversation
because its purpose was to assimilate the prescriptive grammars and then proceed to
read literature.
2.2.2 DIRECT OR NATURAL METHOD
Webster’s International Dictionary defines it as “A method of teaching a foreign
language, through conversation, discussion, and reading in the language itself without
use of the pupil’s language, without translation, and without the study of formal
grammar”.
2.3 20TH CENTURY INNOVATIONS
First, we should note that there was an attempt to present grammar as a natural
sequence instead of in a schematic way. Besides, more current texts were handed for
translation and, what is more important, conversation was finally introduced in teaching.
But we can criticise some disadvantages. Mainly, teachers who had never
experimented the real language passed their own errors on to their students due to their
deficient knowledge of the language they were teaching; and also that from the
beginning of the twentieth century until World War I there was a common lack of interest
in foreign affairs leading to the fact that only the wealthy and cultivated classes were
interested in learning languages so as to be able to read foreign literature.
2.3.1 THE BERLITZ SCHOOL
The Berlitz method consisted in young native teachers, no translations at all, avoidance
of grammar explanations and the technique of question-answer. The principle they
worked on was that the pupil did not see the text, but listened to it in such a way that he
could not possibly assign the letters of the second language the same value they had in
his mother tongue.
2.3.2 CONTRIBUTIONS OF ANTHROPOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
The study of American Indian languages presented difficulties because they had no
written forms to base their studies on, so grammarians had to listen and reconstruct the
grammar from the spoken language. This made a significant contribution to future
language teaching methodologies and discovered that all tongues had certain features
in common. Furthermore, the attention paid to the spoken language served as an
effective counterpoise to the excess of the traditional purists.

2.3.3 BASIC ENGLISH

This methodology intended to teach both basic grammar and basic vocabulary. The
verbs were mainly phrasal, such as get in instead of enter; and the nouns paraphrases,
such as small tree instead of bush; while adjectives were very limited, such as nice for
the concepts pretty, wonderful, fantastic, etc.
2.3.4 STRUCTURALISM
For the structuralist grammars, language is a series of unique structures whose
construction follows regular patterns which are the basis of grammar. They compared
the structures of language 1 and 2, and saw which structures were similar and which
could cause interference in the learners of a second language. Pattern practice was an
essential feature of structuralist methods too. Chomsky was one of the first theoreticians
to note the deficiencies of this type of grammars.
2.3.5 SILENT WAY METHOD
The most prominent characteristic of the method was that the teacher typically stayed
"silent" most of the time, as part of his/her role as facilitator and stimulator. Language
learning is usually seen as a problem-solving activity to be engaged in by the students
both independently and as a group, and the teacher needs to stay "out of the way" in
the process as much as possible.
2.3.6 COMMUNITY LANGUAGE
Students typically sit in a circle, with the teacher outside the ring. When a student wants
to say something, they first say it in their native language, which the teacher then
translates back to them using the target language. The student then attempts to repeat
the English used by the teacher. This technique is used until students are able to apply
words in the new language without translation, gradually moving from a situation of
"dependence" on the teacher-counsellor to a state of independence.
2.3.7 SUGGESTOPEDIA
In the late 70s, the contention that students naturally set up psychological barriers to
learning was introduced. Some of the most unique characteristics of the method were
the use of soft Baroque music and soft comfortable chairs and dim lighting during the
learning process so as to create a level of relaxed concentration. Other characteristics
of Suggestopedia were the giving over of complete control and authority to the teacher
and the encouragement of learners to act as "childishly" as possible.
2.3.8 TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE
This method owes a lot to some basic principles of language acquisition in young
learners, most notably that the process involves a substantial amount of listening and
comprehension in combination with various "physical responses" (smiling, reaching,
grabbing, looking, etc) - well before learners begin to use the language orally. It also
focused on the ideas that learning should be as fun and stress-free as possible, and
that it should be dynamic through the use of accompanying physical activity.
2.3.9 NATURAL APPROACH
As part of the Natural Approach, students listen to the teacher using the target language
communicatively from the very beginning. In early stages, students are not corrected
during oral production, as the teacher is focusing on meaning rather than form. There
are three generic stages identified in the approach:
- Preproduction: developing listening skills.
- Early Production: students struggle with the language and make many errors which
are corrected based on content and not structure.
- Extending Production: promoting fluency through a variety of more challenging
activities.
3. TRENDS IN ENGLISH DIDACTICS
The teaching methodology in this educational stage will be mainly active and
participatory, encouraging individual and cooperative work of students in the classroom.
Teacher work team will make sure to provide a multidisciplinary approach to the
educational process, ensuring the coordination of all faculty members to attend each
student in their group. The correct oral and written expression is encouraged. In order to
encourage the habit and love of reading, time will be devoted to it in teaching practice
(not less than one hour per week in each subject), which will be structured through the
plan of reading, writing teaching and research center.
3.1 TRANSFORMATIONAL GENERATIVE GRAMMAR
In 1957 and with the publication of Chomsky’s “Syntactic Structures” there was an
important shift in the study of languages. Chomsky criticised the fact that structuralists
did not pay attention to the deep structure of language forgetting, thus. that human
language is a creative activity in which a speaker is able to utter grammatically correct
sentences without having ever heard them before.
3.2 THE NOTION OF SITUATION
The meaning of an utterance is a function of the cultural and situational context in which
it occurs - ‘context of situation’. Three major categories were created in which language
events can be described: the verbal and non-verbal action of the participants in the
event, relevant objects, and the observable effect of the verbal actions.
3.3 THE NOTION OF COGNITION
The concept of cognition means given motivation, a normal human being would learn as
many languages as he is exposed to. Teachers must acquire an understanding of the
learning process of their students rather than attaching importance to materials or
methods. The aim of a language course is to promote communicative performances.
4. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES
In 1971 a system in which learning tasks are broken down into ‘units’ was put on the
market. It attempted to demonstrate the systems of meanings that a language learner
needs to understand and express within two types:
 Notional categories (time, sequence, quantity or frequency)
 Categories of communicative function (requests, offers or complaints)
The rapid application of these ideas by textbook writers and its acceptance by teaching
specialists gave prominence to what became the Communicative Language Teaching.
4.1 THRESHOLD LEVEL
The Threshold Level suggests the following language activities or skills: speaking,
listening, reading and writing. Later, the it makes it clear that no objective could be
complete unless we include an indication as to the degree of mastery expected from the
learner. In whatever way, we evaluate the learner’s ability, the main criterion has to be
whether communication takes place, and whether does with some degree of efficiency.
5. CONCLUSION
It is very interesting to finish this topic showing that the Royal Decree 217/2022, of
March 29, which establishes the organization and minimum teachings of Compulsory
Secondary Education tells us that the Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29, which
amends Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, on Education, introduces important changes.
For example, it incorporates among the principles and purposes of education the
effective fulfillment of children's rights as established in the United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child, educational inclusion and the application of the principles of
Universal Design for Learning. According to this new Royal Decree, the purpose of
Compulsory Secondary Education is to ensure that students acquire the basic elements
of culture, develop and consolidate study and work habits, as well as healthy living
habits, preparing them for their incorporation to further studies and for their labor
insertion; and to train them for the exercise of their rights and obligations.
I would like to add that for learners to be able to survive in temporary contacts with
foreign language speakers in everyday situations, we should be able to find a good
balance between the four skills to practice in class: listening, reading, speaking and
writing.
I consider necessary to conclude my topic with the text Albert Einstein quote’s: “Never
consider the study as an obligation, but as an opportunity to go into the beautiful and
wonderful world of knowledge”. We have to enjoy what we do and every knowledge we
acquire throughout the life. We are made for learning and with that, we learn to be
better people who are able of achieving a successful future. In this way, I finish my topic
and I will mention the legal framework, manual references, research journals and
webpages, which have guided and oriented for its development.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Legal framework:
 Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29th, which modifies Organic Law 2/2006, of
May 3rd, on Education.
 Royal Decree 217/2022, of March 29, which establishes the organization and
minimum teachings of Compulsory Secondary Education.
 Royal Decree 243/2022, of April 5, which establishes the organization and the
minimum teachings of the Baccalaureate.
Reference manuals:
 ECKERSLEY: A Modern English Course for Foreign Students. 1958. Cambridge.
 HOWATT: A History of English Language Teaching. 1984. Oxford University
Press.
 VAN EK: The Threshold Level for Modern Language Teaching in Schools. 1976.
Longman.
 SWAN and WALTERS: The New Cambridge English Course. 1990. Cambridge.
Webpages:
 www.macmillaneducation.com
 www.wikipedia.org