Approaches and
Methods to Second
Language
Instruction
Approaches
Grammatical
Teacher
Centered
emphasis on
the rules and
structure of
the targeted
language
No L1
allowed in
the
classroom
Learners
acquire
language most
efficiently by
memorizing
language rules
and patterns.
Drill and
Practice
Replaced by
the
Communicative
and
Cognitive
Approaches
Emphasizes
sentence
structure,
agreement
rules, and
idiomatic
usage
Methods
Direct
Focused less on
instruction of
grammar rules and
structures; focused
more on repetition
and memorization
of language
patterns
Students inferred
grammar through
exposure to
sequenced guided
instruction in the
target language.
Teachers modeled
and students
practiced language
patterns to reach a
goal of
internalizing the
patterns
Emphasized
context through
use of objects,
photos,
diagrams, and
drawings
Audiolingual
Developed in
response to
military need
of quick
language
acquisition
Presented pattern
drills and dialogue
designed to develop
grammatical
structures and
vocabulary in a
highly sequential
manner.
New language
structures
would become
habit
Language
acquisition was
memorization
and recall of
language
patterns
Grammar-Translation
Teacher presented
language rules,
the student
memorized the
vocabulary list
Students applied
language rules and
vocabulary terms to
the translation of
written text
Focused on
grammatical
accuracy;
translation not
for meaning
Communicative
Research and theory
based; emphasis on
communication of
language
Derived from concerns
over the ineffectiveness
of grammar-based
approaches in developing
language learners who
could use the target
language in real life.
Focus on learning
language through
and for
communication.
Memorizing patterns and
rules does very little to
prepare language
learners for authentic
language use
Language learners use
language to
communicate for a
purpose.
The teacher is to provide
context for authentic
communication; language
development occurs as
the learner receive
comprehensible input.
Methods
Silent Way
Presented learners with
simple linguistic situations
that they observed and
described in the target
language, focusing on actions
they witnessed.
L1 not used and the teacher
emphasized the pronunciation
and word flow of the learner's
description while encouraging
target langauge produciton
Teacher silence was
intentionally designed to
encourage student initiative,
language production, and
linguistic interacitions.
Natural
Way
Based on 4 general premises:
Comprehension precedes
production, language production
emerges in stages if allowed to
proceed naturally, communicative
goals should guide instruction,
interactive communicative activities
should be designed to lower the
affective filter
Teachers created a situation
which communication was
made meaningful
Teachers modified language
to a level at which the
learners could understand
the messages of instruction
by adapting instruction to
make input comprehensible.
Silent period was recognized
and respected, language
learners built comprehension
before producing language.
Created the foundation
for the sheltered method
of instruction
Suggestopedia
Places language teaching
emphasis on learner personality
and motivation as that typically
placed on intellect
Lessons consisted of music in the
background, students would read a L1
translation of text, then the teacher would
remove the translation and present the same
text in the target langauge.
Along with visual aids, students would work
with the text through conversation, retelling
and role playing. This would create rapid
language acquisition because of the multiple
modalities of working with the target language.
Contemporary
Methods
ICB (Integrated
Content-Based
Involves concurrent teaching
of academic subject matter
and second language
acquisition skills.
The language curriculum is
based on students'
academic and linguistic
needs.
Grade level teams collaborate in
the development of thematic units
and the planning of instruction
emphasizes content and language
objectives across subject areas.
Sheltered
Instruction
Can be implemented in
grade-level or in a second
language classroom
Integrate language and
content objectives in the
same lesson
Language objectives are derived from
TESOL and are linked to the CLD
student's level of English proficiency.
Students receive grade level
instruction scaffold to provide
comprehensible language input and
a modified grade-level curriculum.
Cognitive
A product of efforts to
examine and analyze
the cognitive
psychological side of
learning, language
learning, and
instruction to promote
language learning.
Concerned with
discovering,
recognizing,
conceiving, judging,
reasoning, and
reflecting, their
influences on or
relationships to actions
Child
Centered
Role of memory;
long-term,
short-term, and
working
Role of knowledge;
what we can declare is
stored as declarative
knowledge and how
we can is stored as
procedural,
conditional knowledge
is when, why, or
where
Metacognitive
knowledge is general
awareness of how
humans process and
learn information and a
person's own knowledge
of his or her learning
processes.
Methods
CALLA
Enrich the language
of CLD students
Applicable for
beginning,
intermediate, and
advanced level
language learners
3 components: topics
from major content
areas, development of
academic language
skills, explicit
instruction on learning
strategies
Targets all literacy
domains: listening,
speaking, reading,
and writing
Has emphasis on
cognitive, metacognitive,
and social/affective
strategies