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)