THE SILENT WAY (Reaction paper)

A fundamental characteristic in teaching languages is the variety of approaches and methods available. The teacher of English can choose methods or materials according to the students needs or even according to the conditions of the educational situation in a specific school. The idea of developing different approaches to language teaching has been implemented since long time ago with the help of some theories and author, this was the Caleb Gattegno case in 1960s, he created a method called the Silent Way Method in which students are independent, autonomous and responsible . This method guides students to develop their own conceptual models of all the aspects of the language. The best way of accomplishing this is that those who use this method do not transmit knowledge but create situations in which the students can build linguistic know-hows: pronunciation, syntax, morphology, etc., all the aspects that allow them to speak a language. In Silent Way method one of the basic principle is The Subordination of Teaching to Learning when it applies to foreign languages, this means make the learners needs the focus of ones teaching, hence I consider Teachers needs to create classroom settings that provide for a variety of social and cultural interactions, essential to learning and also they should allow the Students take a critical look over knowledge through the habits common growth in the class like are

reasoning, reading, writing and speaking to understand the root causes and consequences of public and personal actions.

Another important point in the Silent Way method is the development of the independence and autonomy this fact empowers the students encourage to cooperate with each other and also it allows that learners work with resources and nothing else, as they are solely responsible for what they learn.

According with Stevick Earl the Learning with the help of this method permit the learner discover or recreate and repeats what is to be learned, this process permit that Students will be able to use the language for self-expression and they will set independence from the teacher, to develop their own criteria for correctness.

For conclusion, I believe that the backbone of Gattegnos silent way teaching method teaching should be the subordinate of learning is great. It will lead the learners to such discovery and creative learning process. That kind of learning process will have a lot of contribution in learners development to be autonomous, independent, and responsible learners. But, I cant avoid the fact that how silent way works, the teachers silence, often intimidates the learners and decrease their motivations. The most important thing for teachers to apply this method is that he or she should be aware of their students ability. They have to be creative in using their silence too. By doing so, they will have a greater chance to be successful in using silent way language teaching method.

Bibliography: Gattegno, Caleb (1963). Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools: The Silent Way (1st ed.). Reading, UK: Educational Explorers. http://www.uneeducationpourdemain.org/en/pedagogical-articles/silent-way/231the-english-verb-tense-system-a-dynamic-presentation-using-the-cuisenaire-rodsglenys-hanson retrieved on March 3rd,2012 Stevick, Earl (1974). "Review of Teaching Foreign Languages in the Schools: The Silent Way". TESOL Quarterly 8 (3): 305313. Retrieved 2011-04-28. Larsen-Freeman, Diane (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Teaching Techniques in English as a Second Language (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://www.saudicaves.com/silentway/ retrieved on March 3rd, 2012

THE SILENT WAY (Reaction paper)

SHARON L.CASTELLANOS FORERO 051300222010

UNIVERSIDAD DEL TOLIMA B.A IN ENGLISH FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACION DIDACTICS, DESIGN & MELEX 2012