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1 EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE TEACHING. PRESENT DAY TRENDS IN TEFL.

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES.

• Introduction:
FLT → Intense evolution over the years.
- Influence of Linguistics, Psychology and philosophy.
- Difference between:
1. Approach (Theory).
2. Method (Procedure).
3. Technique (Classroom device).
• Evolution of laguage teaching:
Beforw 20th c. → No scientific methods.
- Beginning of 20th c. → Behaviourism → Structuralism.
- Mid 20th c. → Humanistic Psychology → Sociolinguistics and pragmatics.
→ Communicative approach. (Eclectic character). Assimilates the new trends and adapts
itself to new ways of understanding learning and to the new resorces.

Psychology Approaches / Methods Linguistics


Pre-scientific. (Deductive / Classical grammars.
Inductive) Oral, Grammar-
Translation, Direct, Reading.
Behaviourism. Situational / Audio-lingual Structuralism.
Cognitivism. Functional – Notional Sillabus. Functionalism.
The silaent way.
Influence of Social Studies. Affective – Humanistic. Socio – linguistics.
Desuggestopedia, The CLL
Humanistic Psychology. Comprehension – based
(Notional approach – TPR) Pragmatics.

Communicative
• Pre - 19th c. Trends:
- 2 trends: - Using a language.
- Analizing a language.
- Classical and medieval teaching – Greek or Latin (Higher education, religion, politics,
business...)
- Renaissance.- Formal study of grammar of Greek and Latin. → difrference between
classical Latin and Vulgate Latin.
→ Emergence of vernaculars → Emphasis on utility rather than analysis. (17th c.) (Jan
Comenius)
→ 1st Inductive approach.
• First modern approaches:
- Final 19th and early 20th c. → Spread of methods.
1. Grammar Translation Method (approach)
- Taught in native langauge.
- Little use of target language.
- Focus on grammar.
- Reading and translating.
→ Some of these techniques are still used today: fill – in blanks; translations, scanning...
2. The Direct Method. (Approach)
Was a reaction to the grammar – translation method. (Reform movement: end of 19th c.)
- No mother tongue permitted.
- Lessons start with dialogues.
- Pictures and actions, but not translations.
- Inductive grammar.
- Literature = Leisure.
- Native (or proficient) teacher.
3. The Reading Approach. → Reaction to Direct method.
- Reading → Most useful skill.
- Grammar → From reading text.
- Vocabulary → Based on frequency.
- Translation = Important.
- Reading Comprehension → “The skill”.
- No oral proficiency.
• Scientifically – based Approaches:
Beginning of 20th c → Behaviourism Structuralism

Situational Approach.
Audio – Lingual Approach.
1. Situational Approach: Reaction to the Reading Method.
- Emphasis on Oral / Aural skills.
2. The audio – lingual Method.
- Aural – Oral approach → Inductive.

→ Later rejected by cognitivism →mid 20th c. (Chomsky – Linguistic Competence).


+ Influence of Social factors (Humanistic factors).
• The Cognitive Approach in ELT:
- Language must not be considered a product of habit formation but rather of RULE formation.
(Chomsky).
- Rule acquisition.
- Grammar can be taught inductively or deductively.
1. The Silent way:
- Active process of learning (student)
- Silent teacher (Tutor)
• Affective Humanistic Approach.
- Affective considerations influenced by Humanistic psychology → Importance of the social
aspect of FLT.
→ Community Language Learning: Desuggestopedia. (Originally Suggestopedia).
• Comprehension – Based Approach.
- Natural Approach. (Analogy target language → mother tongue.
- TPR.
• Communicative Approach. (Hymes)
- Students produce Notions and Language Functions. → Eclectic.
• Present – day trends in TEFL.
- Procedural Approaches.
Early stages of Communicative Approach = Product Approaches.
More Recent trends → Procedural approaches.
1. Task – based models
2. Process Models :
• Communicating.
• Learning. Content Based LT
• Classroom Social Activity. (Bilingual Teaching)
• Computer assisted language learning.
- Multimedia technology → can be analysed from the structuralist, cognitivist or
communicative point of view.
→ Balance between the evolution of technology and teaching – learning computer options.
• The use of the internet in FLT.
- With sociocognitive (humanistic) approaches to CALL we move from learner's interaction
with computers to learner's interaction with other humans VIA the computer.
Network – based language Teaching: Able to communicate with native speakers (importance of
written skill)
→ we have to be aware of the potential risk of these techniques.
• Communicative Approach.
- Principles.- Communicating using the target language.
- Structure and vocabulary are important. → must be applied.
→ Language function + Interaction.
• Reviewing Techniques and materials.
1. Authentic materials.
2. Scrambled sentences.
3. Language games.
4. Picture strip stories.
5. Role – plays.
6. TPR.
• Conclusion.
→ Evolution = Our position → Privileged → Eclectic.
→ Didactic projection.

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