People have approached language learning in many ways over the years. The self-directed language learner or the language teacher may well ask, “What approach should I use?” on hearing about a new language learning method. Such a person might ask, “What method should I use? What’s the difference between an approach, a technique and method?"

In 1963 the American applied linguist, Edward Anthony defined these three terms (approach, method and techniques in a way that has been used by Richards & Rogers (1986) and is cited by Douglas Brown (1994). These same definitions will be presented here to help you decide how you want to approach language learning.

Approach - refers to theories about the nature of language and language learning that serve as the source of practices and principle in language teaching.

Language method - is an overall plan for presenting language material, based on the selected approach.

Language learning technique - is a particular strategy or procedure used to accomplish a particular objective.

In the modules that follow, a brief survey of language learning methods and techniques currently in use will be presented, along with the approaches they are based on, according to Richard & Rogers.

Language method - is an overall plan for presenting language material, based on the selected approach.

Language learning technique - is a particular strategy or procedure used to accomplish a particular objective.

In the modules that follow, a brief survey of language learning methods and techniques currently in use will be presented, along with the approaches they are based on, according to Richard & Rogers.

Total Physical Response is a language learning method based on the coordination of speech and action. It was developed by James Asher, a professor of psychology at San Jose University, California. It is linked to the theory of memory, which holds that the more often or intensively a memory connection is traced, the stronger the memory will be.

Theory of Language

Asher does not directly label his view of language, but Richards and Rodgers state that the labeling and ordering of classroom activities seem to be built on the structural view of language.

Theory of Learning

Asher’s language learning theories seem similar to those of other behavioral psychologists. There are three principles he elaborates;

Second language learning is parallel to first language learning and should reflect the same naturalistic processes Listening should develop before speaking

Children respond physically to spoken language, and adult learners learn better if they do that too

Once listening comprehension has been developed, speech developed, speech naturally and effortlessly come out of it

Adults should use right-brain motor activities, while the left hemisphere watches and learns

Delaying speech reduces stress

Objectives

• Teaching oral proficiency at a beginning level
• Using comprehension as a means to speaking
• Using action-based drills in the imperative form

The Syllabus

TPR uses a sentence-based grammatical syllabus.

Types of learning techniques and activities

Activities where a command is given in the imperative and the students obey the command is the main activity in TPR.

Situational Language Teaching is a term not commonly used today, but it is an approach developed by British application linguists in the 1930s to the 1960s, and which had an impact on language courses still used today.

Theory of Language

The structural view of language is the view behind the Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching. Speech was viewed as the basis of language and structure as being at the heart of speaking ability. This view is similar to American structuralists, such as Fries, but the notion of the British applied linguists, as Fifth and Halliday, that structures must be presented in situations in which they could be used, gave its distinctiveness to situational language teaching.

Theory of learning

The theory underlying Situational Language Teaching is behaviorism, addressing more the processes, than the conditions of learning. It includes the following principles:

Language learning is habit-formation
Mistakes are bad and should be avoided, as they are presented orally first, then in written form
Analogy is better foundation for language learning than analysis
The meaning of words can be learned only in a linguistic cultural context

Objectives

• A practical command of the four basic skills of a language, through structure
• Accuracy in both pronunciation and grammar
• Ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations
• Automatic control of basic structures and sentence patterns.

The Syllabus

Situational Language teaching uses a structural syllabus and a word list

Types of Learning Techniques and Activities

• Procedure move from controlled to freer practice of structures
• Procedure move from oral use sentence patterns to their automatic use in speech, reading and writing.
• A situational presentation of new sentence patterns
• Drills to produce the patterns

LAMP is an acronym for a book called Language Acquisition Made Practical. Written by Thomas and Elizabeth Brewster in 1976. Although not wisely used in public education, LAMP has been very widely by expatriates learning language to work in developing countries. It is based on courses taught at the Toronto Institute of Linguistics from 1950s to the 1990s, and draws especially on the work of Donald Larson and William Smalle as represented in their book, Becoming Bilingual.

Theory of Language

The Brewsters take the communicative view of language as principally a social activity, but there is also quite a lot of the structural view presented.

Theory of Learning

The theory of learning can be summarized by the aphorism “Learn a little and use it a lot.” The actual methodology used is that of audio-lingualism, but the emphasis is on self-directed learning. Here are some of the important principles:

You can learn language by interacting with ordinary people in everyday encounters
Language is more of a social activity than an academic activity and so should be learned in social situations
Learners should bond emotionally with members of the culture and speech community
Learners should elicit texts about things they want to say, learn them, and then go out and use their texts with a regular route of native speakers of the language.

Objectives

• Learning a series of texts (monologues or dialogues) that can be used immediately in real life communication situations
• Developing accuracy and flexibility through pattern practice based on structures from the texts
• Using Total Physical Response to build comprehension

The Syllabus

LAMP uses a learner-generated syllabus based on texts the learner wants to learn to say.

Types of Learning Techniques and Activities

The actual methodology is audio-lingual. Mimicry and memorization are used to learn the texts and drills based on pattern practice are used to gain accuracy and structural control.

The Natural Approach was developed by Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen in 1977. It came to have a wide influence in language teaching in the United States and around the world.

Theory of Language

The communicative view of language is the view behind the Natural Approach. Particular emphasis is on language as a set of messages that can be understood.

Theory of Learning

Language acquisition (an unconscious process developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules about a language). And language acquisition is the only way competence in a second language occurs. (The acquisition/learning hypothesis)

Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what have been acquired (The monitor hypothesis)

Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order (the natural order hypothesis).

People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence. (The input hypothesis)

The learner’s emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition (The affective filter hypothesis)

Objectives

• It is designed to help beginners become intermediates
• It is designed to depend on learner needs

The Syllabus for The Natural Approach is a communicative syllabus.

Types of Leaning Techniques and Activities
Comprehensible input is presented in the language, using techniques such as TPR, mime and gesture.
Group techniques are similar to Communicative Language Teaching.
Learners start to talk when they are ready.

Procedure

The Natural Approach adopts techniques and activities from different sources but uses them to provide comprehensive input.

Communicative Language Teaching began in Britain in the 1960s as a replacement to the earlier structural method, called Situational Language Teaching. This was partly in response to Chomsky’s criticisms of structural theories or language and partly based on the theories of British functional linguists, such as Fifth and Halliday, as well as American sociologists, such as Hymes, Gumperz and Labov and the writings of Austin and Searle on speech.

Theory of Language

The Functional View of the Language is the primary theory behind the communicative method

Theory of Learning

Not a great deal has been written about the learning theory behind communicative approaches, but here are some principles that may be inferred:

Activities that involve real communication promote learning
Activities will use language as a means of expressing values and judgments
Language that is meaningful to the learner promotes learning

Objectives

• Students will learn to use language as a means of expression
• Students will use language as a means expressing values and judgments
• Students will learn to express the functions that best their own communication needs

The Syllabus

Communicative Language Teaching often uses a functional-notional syllabus.

Types of Learning Techniques and Activities

Communicative Language Teaching uses almost any activity that engages learners in authentic communication. Littewood, however has distinguished two major activity types:

• Functional communication activities: ones aimed at developing certain language skills and functions but which involve communication, and
• Social interaction activities, such as conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues, and role plays.

Procedure
It is difficult to summarize the procedure in communicative classes because of the wide variety of activities used.

The Audio-Lingual Method

The audio-lingual method was used in the United States and other countries in the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is used some programs today.

Theory of language

The structural view of language is the view behind the audio-lingual method. Particular emphasis was on mastering the building blocks of language and learning the rules for combining them.

Theory of Learning

Behaviorism, including the following principles:

• Language learning is habit-formation
• Mistakes are bad and should be avoided
• Language skills are learned more effectively if they are presented orally first, then in written form
• Analogy is a better foundation for language learning than analysis
• The meanings of words can be learned only in a linguistic and cultural context

Objectives

Accurate pronunciation and grammar
Ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations
Knowledge of sufficient vocabulary to use with grammar patterns.

The Syllabus

Audiolingualism uses a structural syllabus

Types of Learning Techniques and Activities

• Dialogues
• Drills

Procedure
Students hear a model dialogue
Students repeat each line of the dialogue
Certain key words or phrases may be changed in the dialogue
Key structures from the dialogue serve as the basis for pattern drills of different kinds
The students practice substitutions in the pattern drill