The Audiolingual Method
- Claudio Cheuquén O.
- Javiera Iturra S.
- Laura Roa S.
Definition
• The Audiolingual is a method of foreign
language teaching which emphasized the
teaching of listening and speaking before
reading and writing.
spoken language
written language
1. LISTENING
2. SPEAKING
passive
active
3. READING
passive
4. WRITING
active
Background
• The next revolution in terms of language
teaching methodology coincided with the
World War II, U.S military requires people to
speak and understand foreign languages
(Army Method).
• The U.S government employed linguistics to
help to teach and develop materials.
Origins
- Behavioural psychology (Skinner)
- Structural linguistics (Bloomfield, Fries, Lado)
- ASTP
Theoretical Basis
• Theory of language
According to a
characteristics:
structural
view,
language
has
the
following
1. Elements in a language are produced in a rule government
(structural) way.
2. Language samples could be exhaustively described at any structural
level of description
3. Language is structural
4. Language is speech, not writing.
5. Language are different..
The views of language above offered the foundation for the
Audiolingual Method.
•
Theory of language
1. Behaviourist psychology.
2. The three crucial elements in learning: a stimulus, a response and
reinforcement.
3. Language learning: a mechanical process of habit formation.
According to this behaviorist psychology, learning a language
is a process of acquiring a set of appropriate language
stimulus-response chains, a mechanical process of habit
formation.
Basis Principle
•
Objectives
Here are some of the objectives of the Audiolingual Method:
1. Accurate pronunciation and grammar.
2. Ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations.
3. Knowledge of sufficient vocabulary to use with grammar
patterns.
• Main features
1. Separation of language skills into listening, speaking, reading and
writing.
2. Emphasis on certain practice techniques: mimicry, memorization and
pattern drills.
3. New material is presented in dialogue form.
4. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills.
5. There is little or no grammatical explanation.
6. Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context.
7. There is much use of tapes, language labs, and visual aids.
8. Great importance is attached to pronunciation.
9. Very little use of the mother tongue by teachers is permitted.
• Techniques
-
Dialogue memorisation
Backward build-up drill repetition drill
Chain drill
Single/multiple-slot substitution drill
Transformation drill
Use of minimal pairs
Grammar games
• Procedure
According to Richard and Rodgers, in a typical audiolingual
lesson the following procedures will be observed:
1. Recognition.
2. Imitation and repetition.
3. Pattern drills.
4. Follow-up activities.
Sally: Good morning, Bill.
Bill: Good Morning, Sally.
Sally: How are you?
Bill: Fine, thanks, and you?
Sally: Fine. Where are you going?
Bill: I’m going to the post office.
Sally: I am too. Shall we go together?
Bill: Sure. Let’s go.
• Students’ role:
- They repeat, imitate teacher’s model form habits.
- Respond as quickly and accurate as possible.
- Theyshould overlearn and respond to verbal and non-verbal stimuli.
• Teacher’s role:
- The teacher is the director, the orchestra leader.
- She/he should provide a native-speaker-like model for imitation.
- Controls students’ behaviour.
Advantages
1. The first method to have a theory.
2. Making language teaching possible to large groups of
learners.
3. Emphasizing sentence production, control over grammatical
structures and development of oral ability.
4. Developing simple techniques and making use of language
lab.
5. Developing the separation of the language skills.
Disadvantages
1. Weak basis of its theory.
2. Not developing language competence, lack of effectiveness,
and boredom caused by endless pattern drills.
3. Learners having little control over their learning.
4. Teacher’s domination of the class.
5. Teacher-oriented materials.
Conclusion
• This method, in spite of having been criticized early
in the 1960s and then its inmediately declination,
contributes with practical procedures which can
ease up a language learning. We think a class based
on repetition through dialogues and another kind of
activities, engages inmediately students who, in
special circumstances, have problem in grammar or
in other language areas where theory is priority.
Here students just focus on structures and then the
repetion of these, a simple way to learn a language.
References
• Richards, J.C. and Rodgers, T.S.(2001). Approaches and Methods in
Language Teaching, C.U.P., pp.44-63.
• Cook, V (2008). Second language learning and language teaching. Great
Britain, Hodder Education, pp.242-243-244-245-246.
• Brown, D (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to
language pedagogy. Pearson Longman, pp.22-23-24.