The reform movement and the natural methods

The grammar translation method was not very convincing so, in the mid and late nineteenth century, researchers started to look for another method of teaching. The most representative linguists of that time were Paul Passy in France, Henrry Sweet in England, and Wethlem Vietor in Germany. Although they often differed in the procedures for teaching, in general they believe that:

1. The spoken language is primary and that this should be reflected in an oral-based methodology
2. The findings of phonetics should be applied to teaching and to teacher training
3. Learners should hear the language first, before seeing it in written form
4. Words should be presented in sentences, and sentences should be practised in meaningful contexts and not be taught as isolated, disconnected elements.
5. The rules of grammar should be taught only after the students have practised the grammar points in contexts that is, grammar should be taught inductively.
6. Translation should be avoided, althought the mother tongue could be used in order to explain new words or to check comprehension (Richards and Rogers 1986:8)

The above principles reflect the beginning of applied linguistics that brand of language study concerned with the scientific study of second and foreign language teaching and learning (Richards and Rogers 1988: 8)

At the same time these ideas were developing, there was an interes in "Developing principles for language teaching out of naturalistic principles of language learning, such as are seen in first language acquisition. This led to what have been termed natural methods.

Oral Approach or Situational Language Teaching

While the direct method was in vogue in the USA, in England, British applied linguists Harold Palmer and A.S. Hornby, among others, in the 1920's and the 1930's (Richards and Rogers 1986:31) This approach was called the oral approach, later known as the situational approach or structural-situational approach and situational Language teaching.

The characteristics of the oral approach are similar to those of the Audiolingual Method developed in the USA, although worked independently.

The basis principles of the oral Approach were emphasis on teaching a wide range of vocabulary and grammar, but seen from a different point of view than that of the GTM. In the oral approach grammar was seen as sentence patterns (Richards and Rogers 1986:32-33)

This approach was widely developed in Europe during the 1950's and its characteristics were as follows:

1. Language Teaching begins with the spoken language. MAterial is taught orally before it is presented in written form.
2. The TL is the language of the classroom
3. New language points are introduced and practiced situationally.
4. Vocabulary selection procedures are followed to ensure than an essential general service vocabulary is covered
5. Items of grammar are graded following the principle that simple forms should be taught before complex ones.
6. Reading and writing are introoduced once a sufficient lexical and grammatical basis established (Richards and Rogers 1986:34)

The objectives of the oral approach or situational language teaching are to teach the main four skills but approach though structure. Accuracy is essential in grammar and pronunciation. The practice techniques employed generally consist of the guide repetition, and substitution activities, including chorus repetition, dictation, drills, and controlled oral based reading and writing tasks. other oral-practice techniques are sometimes used, including  pair practice and group work. (Richards and Rogers 1986:38)

Language Teaching: Direct Method

The principles of natural methods were the basis for what came to be the Direct Method. The most representative supporter of this method was Maximilian Berlitz in the USA, who established a chain of commercial language schools through the States. He baptized the method he used in his school as the Berlitz Methid. The characteristics of the Method were:

1. classroom instruction was donducted exclusively in the target language
2. only everyday vocabulary and sentences were taught
3. oral communication skills were built in a carefully graded progression organized around question and answer exchanges between trachers and students in small, intensive classes.
4. grammar was taught inductively
5. new traching points were introduced orally
6. concrete vocabulary was taught by association of ideas
7. both speech and listening comprehension were taught
8. correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasized  (Richard and Rogers 1988)

The most representative rule of the Direct Method is not translation "the Direct Method receives its name from the fact that meaning is to be connected directly with the target language without going through the preocess of translating into the students' native language" (Larsen:1998)

Some common problems that teamwork has

Floudering: discussions, and decisions my be posponed

Dominating participants and reluctant participans: take more than their share of the discussion by talking to often, asserting superiority, telling lengthy, or not letting others finish

Digressions and tangents: too many interesting side stories can be obstacles to group progress

Rush to work: one person in the group is less patient. This person may reach a decision more quickly than the others and then pressure the group to move on before others are ready

Feuds: occasionally a conflict

Ignoring or ridiculing others: Sb ognores or ridicules what others say, criticizing their experience or knowledge

Noisy: the noise level may rise because of the close interaction

Native language: the learners may start talking about whatever they want in their native language

Loss of attention: the teacher may not be able to get the learners' attention again and lose control of the class.

( This information was taken from a Literature course in the University of Veracruz., 2004)

Reasons to organize Students to work in groups

• To develop of a range of skills such as chairing, organization, group/interpersonal work and peer tutoring
• Ability to work in a team is one of the most important qualities looked for by most employers
• team work encourages creative thinking
• Assessing group work saves assessment time
• Variety and dynamism

THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR WORKING IN GROUPS

• Groups work best if people know each others' names
• Be sure to include everyine when considering ideas
• Take turns for different works or different phrases of the work
• Go around the group and hear everyone's ideas or encourage divergent thinking by brainstorming

The good language teacher

The good language teacher:

• friendly
• explains things
• gives good notes
• knows how to treat sb who sits ate desk for six hours
• lets the Ss do it by themselves
• elicits info. from Ss
• plays games related to the topic of the subject
• asks Ss' oppinions
• is forceful but not strict
• is educated
• knows about psychology
• uses movement to make meaning clear
• makes sure everybody understand
• is funny sometimes but not always
• believes in Ss and makes Ss believe in teacher
• makes grammar clear
• gives advice
• among others...

Use storytelling in class

Use storytelling in ESL class because:

1. It helps to develop the Ss' udnerstanding of narrative structure
2. You will have the Ss' attention
3. Telling folktales themselves will help the Ss with their paragraphrasing skills, which in turn is helpful in writing research papers
4. Folktales are in public domain, their themes are timeless and universale, and they are part of everybody nation's oral tradition
5. When you tell a story instead of reading it you have eye contact with the audience and can judge when to give more explanation or wen to skip over some datails to get to the climax. The audiece also has full access to your gestures and facial expressions.
6. The stories themselves can be a jumping off point for the major skill areas.

Choose a tale that:

1. You want to tell
2. With one simple plot
3. With few interesting characters, not too many
4. With lots of action building to a climax
5. That has a short introduction that sets the stage
6. That will be interesting to your audience

An effective Storyteller:

1. Tells a story that has a beginning that catches the audience's attention, a clear telling of all the events in sequence, and an effective ending
2. Uses pauses to emphasize an importan word, but not too many unnecessary pauses
3. Looks at the audience
4. Uses posture and gestures to help te story
5. Uses different voice pitch for different characters such as a deep voice for a night.

Tips for learning a tale:

1. Read the whole tale yourselve
2. Read it again out loud. listen to the sound of the language
3. Memorize the opening sentence, the conclusion, and maybe a few key words but no more. Don't memorize the whole tale. That will make it boring for your listeners.
4. Develop pictures in your mind of the action in the order that it happens. It might help to draw pictures or list a few words to remind you of the events
5. Try to tell the tale in your own words to remind you of the events
6. Practice the tale until you feel comfortable with it. Remember, you are not memorizing the story word for word. you are remembering te story, just like you remember what you did last week or the plot of your favorite movie, so that you can tell a friend.

(This information was taken from a workshop given by Sandy Miller and Patricia Lima Costa in a MEXTESOL convention 2005)