Audio- Lingual Method

I. Approach

 Nature of language:
Language was viewed as a system of structurally related elements for the encoding of meaning, the
elements being phonemes, morphemes, words, structures and sentences types.
The system is comprised of several different levels: phonological, morphological and syntactic.
The phonological and grammatical systems of the language constitute the organization of language and by
implication the unit’s production and comprehension.
 Nature of language learning:
this method has its origin in the behaviorism theory. Because it studies human behavior and here the human
being is an organism capable of a wide repertoire of behaviors. The occurrence of these behaviors is
dependent of three crucial elements in learning.
 Stimulus: bring out behavior
 Response: triggered by the stimulus
 The reinforcement: Marks the response as being appropriate or not and encourages repetition which
is vital in the learning process.

reinforcement( habit)

stimulus organism response

behavior no reinforcement/ negative
reiforcement

Learning principles
 Foreign language learning is basically a process of mechanical habit formation.
 Language skills are learned more effectively if the items to be learned in the target language are
presented in spoken form before they are seen in written form.
 The approach to the teaching of grammar is essentially inductive rather than deductive.

II. DESIGN
 Objetives
The learning of the second language using audio-lingual method has short-range and long-range
objectives.
Product oriented
Short-range objectives: include training in:
listening comprehension
Accurate pronunciation
Recognition of speech symbols
Ability to produce these symbols in writing.
 Process- Oriented
Long-range objectives: must be language as the native speaker

 The syllabus:
Audiolingualism uses a structural syllabus
Step by step syllabus which contain:
- Phonology
- Morphology
- Syntax
Lexical syllabus is basic vocabulary

 Types of learning and teaching activities

Dialogues and drills form the basis of audio lingual classroom practices.
 Dialog Memorization: Students memorize a dialog through mimicry and role-play.

 Backward build-up drill: Teacher breaks down the line into several parts. Teacher begins with
the part at the end of the sentence, students expand what the way are repeating part by part until
they are able to repeat the entire line.

 Repetition drill: Students are asked to repeat the teacher’s model accurately and as quickly as
possible.

 Chain drill: One by one student asks and answer questions of each other.

 Single-slot substitution drill: Teacher says a line, usually from the dialog. Next, the teacher says
a word or phrase-called the cue. The students repeat the line the teacher has given them,
substituting the cue into the line in its proper place.

 Transformation: a sentence is transformed by being made negative or interrogative or through

changes in tense, mood, voice, aspect or modality.

 Questions and answers drill: This drill gives students practice with answering questions. The
students should answer the teacher’s questions very quickly.

 learner roles:
Learners are viewed as organisms that can be directed by skilled training techniques to produce correct
responses.
 External displays
 They do not initiate interaction
 Teacher roles:
Teacher’s role is central and active, he leads and controls the language behavior or his students.
 the role of instructional materials
Tape recorders, a language laboratory and audiovisual equipment are important

III. PROCEDURE:

1. Dialogue Memorization:
Teacher is presenting a new dialogue, a conversation among two people. The
students know they will be expected eventually to memorize the dialogue.
Sue and Pam are close friends. Sue is telling Pam her regret because her mother is angry with her.

2. Backward build-up drill:

The teacher starts with the end of the sentence and has the class repeat just
the last two words. The teacher adds a few more words, and the class repeats this expanded phrase. Little by
little the teacher builds up the phrases until the entire sentence.

TEACHER: Repeat after me: My job.

CLASS: My job.
TEACHER: I left my job.
CLASS: I left my job.
TEACHER: she found out I left my job
CLASS: She Found out I left my job
TEACHER: Because she found out I left my job.
CLASS: Because she found out I left my job.

3. Repetition drill:
The students have repeated the dialogue several times.
The teacher gives them a change to adopt the role of Bill while she says Sally´s lines.

Teacher says Sue´s lines: SUE: My mother´s really angry with me.
Class says Pan´s lines: PAN: Why?
Teacher says Sue´s lines: SUE: Because she found out I left my job.
Class says Pan´s lines: PAN: Oh, yes. I told her that.
 Teacher says Sue´s lines. SUE: Well, I wish you hadn´t told her. It´s none of your business.
Class says Pan´s lines: PAN: I ´m sorry

The class and the teacher switch roles in order to practice a little more:

Class says Sue´s lines:
Teacher says Pan´s lines:
Class says Sue´s lines:
Teacher says Pan´s lines:
Class says Sue´s lines.
Teacher says Pan´s lines:
SUE: My mother´s really angry with me.
PAN: Why?
SUE: Because she found out I left my job.
PAN: Oh, yes. I told her that.
SUE: Well, I wish you hadn´t told her. It´s none of your business.
PAN: I ´m sorry

Then, the teacher divides the class in half. To further practice the lines of this dialogue.
:
All the boys take Sue´s lines: SUE: My mother´s really angry with me.
All the girls take Pan´s lines: PAN: Why?
All the boys take Sue´s lines: SUE: Because she found out I left my job.
All the girls take Pan´s lines: PAN: Oh, yes. I told her that.
All the boys take Sue´s lines: SUE: Well, I wish you hadn´t told her. It´s none of your business.
All the girls take Pan´s lines: PAN: I ´m sorry

4. Chain drill:

The teacher initiates a chain drill with four of the lines from the dialogue; the teacher
addresses the student nearest her with.

Teacher: My mother´s really angry with me.

Student: Why?
Teacher: Because she found out I left my job
Students: Oh, yes. I told her that.

Finally, the teacher selects two students to reform the entire dialogue for the rest of the class. When they are
finished, two others do the same.

Student 1: My mother´s really angry with me.

Student 2: Why?
 Student 1: Because she found out I broke the glass.
Student 2: Oh, yes. I told her that.

5. Single- slot substitution drill:

The students will repeat a sentence from the dialogue and replace a word or
phrase in the sentence with the word or phrase the teacher gives them. This word or phrase is called the Cue.

Subject Pronoun: Object Pronoun

I me
She her
He him
We us
You you

1. I wish you hadn´t told her. It´s none of your business.

2. I wish you hadn´t told him. It´s none of your business.

3. They wish you hadn´t told them. It´s none of your business.

4. I wish you hadn´t told you. It´s none of your business.

 5. I wish you hadn´t told me. It´s none of your business.

6. I wish you hadn´t told us. It´s none of your business.

7. Multiple –slot substitution drill:

The students repeat the original sentence from the dialogue; “I wish you hadn´t told her”.
For example:

I wish you hadn´t told her.

Then the teacher gives them the cue “She, They, You”. The students understand and produce:

1. She wishes you hadn´t told him.

2. They wish my mother hadn´t told us.
3. My father wishes you hadn´t told her.
4.- You wish, I hadn´t told them. .

8. Question-and answer drill:

Teacher asks the class, Do you wish you hadn´t told her? The teacher answers his own question, yes, I do. I
wish I hadn´t told her.
1. Does Mary wish she hadn´t broken the glasses?
Yes, She does. She wishes she hadn´t broken the glasses.

2. Does Peter wish she hadn´t lost the money?

Yes, He does. He wishes he hadn´t lost the money.

3. Do they wish they hadn´t broken the glass?

Yes, They do They wish they hadn´t the glass.