COLLEGE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Cabanatuan City

DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND METHODS IN TEACHING LANGUAGE

(Teaching English as a Second Language)

Prepared by:
Katty F. Dacayo
MAEd-English
1. COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING
 This approach is patterned upon counseling techniques and adapted to the peculiar
anxiety and threat as well as the personal and language problems a person
encounters in the learning of foreign languages.
 The learner is not thought of as a student but as a client.
 The instructors are not considered teachers but, rather are trained in counseling
skills adapted to their roles as language counselors.
 The language-counseling relationship begins with the client's linguistic confusion
and conflict.
 The aim of the language counselor's skill is first to communicate an empathy for
the client's threatened inadequate state and to aid him linguistically.
 Then slowly the teacher-counselor strives to enable him to arrive at his own
increasingly independent language adequacy.
 This process is furthered by the language counselor's ability to establish a warm,
understanding, and accepting relationship, thus becoming an "other-language self"
for the client.

Features: Translation by the teacher of what L2 learners say is used. Then students
repeat the sentences, which are recorded, revised and commented on subsequently. -
Group work has an important function, and these interactions are also recorded and
transcribed by the teacher. Learners must then analyse their production and self-
correct, if possible. - There is no pre-defined syllabus in the classical sense. Students
decide what and when to learn according to their needs. The teacher must sometimes
discover those needs. - The classroom is organized following a u-shape, so that
participants can really communicate among themselves. The teacher is always behind
the group to help solve linguistic problems, doubts and hesitations, and to eliminate
negative feelings of anxiety or failure.

Characteristics (summary):
a. Humanistic Position: Avoidance of anxious situations
b. Conscious Learning
c. Learners as clients: whole person approach
d. Learners are active participants in teaching process
e. View language as a process
f. No grammatical analysis
g. No a priori syllabus
h. Uses translation, recording and analysis techniques
i. Self-correction is fostered
j. Emphasis on group work.
2. COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING
 The method stresses a means of organizing a language syllabus. The emphasis is
on breaking down the global concept of language into units of analysis in terms of
communicative situations in which they are used.
 There is negotiation of meaning.
 A variety of language skills are involved
 Material is presented in context
 It pays attention to registers and styles in terms of situation and participants.
 Fluency and accuracy (different competencies)
 Form and functions
 development of autonomous learners

3. ORAL SITUATIONAL APPROACH

Characteristics:
a. Uses spoken language most of the time
b. All materials are practiced orally
c. Target language used

4. BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH

Characteristic:
a. Has two facets to learning programme:
1) Face to face with the teacher;
2) Computer based programme

5. TASK BASED APPROACH

 More precisely, according to Cerezal (1996:183), a Task-based approach can
be defined as “how a learner applies his or her communicative competence to
undertake a selection of tasks”.
 Interaction between SLA research and other language and teaching disciplines
 Communicative view of language
 Cognitive view of learning Process emphasis
o Tasks: set of procedures with a single or multiple solution involving
interaction and focus on form.
 Types of tasks: listing, ordering, ranking, gap-filling, sorting, problem-solving,
etc.

Characteristics:
a. Focuses on students doing a task fluency based
b. Students use language for particular outcome
c. Real life language, meaning is important
d. Students are given tasks; teacher supports
e. Uses reporting
6. COGNITIVE APPROACH
Characteristics:
a. Uses individualized instruction
b. Grammar rule first; practice later way of teaching
c. Pronunciation de-emphasized
d. Reading, writing and vocabulary instruction are important

7. HUMANISTIC APPROACH
Characteristics:
a. Uses pair, small group and individual feelings
b. Communication or interaction is emphasized
c. Uses self-realization experience

8. COMPREHENSION BASED APPROACH

Characteristics:
a. Focuses on listening comprehension
b. Learners are exposed to meaningful input
c. Authentic materials used are audio and tapes

9. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH
Characteristics:
a. Communicate in target language
b. Meaningful and authentic language use
c. Learners interact with each other (pair and group works)
d. Emphasis on completing tasks
e. Teacher provides feedback