Methodology
What is
methodology?
What is meant by the terms ”approach”,
“method” and “technique”?
The concepts of approach, method and technique
represent three levels of all analysis and teacher’s
decision making for teaching and learning English
in the classroom. An approach is the broadest and
most abstract of all three concepts. An approach
to language teaching is something that reflects a
certain model or research paradigm- a theory if
you like.
An approach refers to the linguistic, psychoand sociolinguistic principles underlying
methods and techniques. Actually every
teacher has some kind of theoretical
principles which function as a frame for their
ideas of methods and techniques.
An approach encompasses a set of views
and assumptions about the nature of
language and language learning and teaching.
It also comprises the philosophy and beliefs
that guide the instructional behavior.
Moreover, it provides theoretical knowledge
of linguistics and psycholinguistics which
guide in developing and selecting the
techniques and strategies in language
teaching.
An approach is a way of looking at teaching
and learning. Underlying any teaching
approach is a theoretical view of what
language is, and of how it can be learnt. An
approach gives rise to methods, the way of
teaching something, which use classroom
activities or techniques to help learners learn.
An approach should be a general, a macrolevel term used to refer to a set of beliefs
about language and how people learn
languages, especially in classroom settings.
A language study approach consists of the
following three elements:
Views around the nature of vernacular,
 beliefs about expressions, learning, and
thinking about the above should be applied
practically to verbal communication,
learning and culture.
Methods are between approaches and
techniques, just the mediator between
theory ( the approach ) and classroom
practice.
Methods are conditional by educational
philosophy, approaches about language
nature and how it can be taught and learnt,
and
conceptions
about
classroom
interaction.
A method, on the other hand, is a set of
procedures, i.e., a system that spells out rather
precisely how to teach a language. Methods are
more specific than approaches but less specific
than techniques. Methods are typically compatible
with one (or sometimes two) approaches.
The term “method” is a procedural plan for
presenting and delivering a certain language
material for instruction. It is established on the
basis of the selected approach.
Method is an overall plan for the orderly
presentation of language material, no part of which
contradicts, and all of which is based upon, the
selected approach.
A method is a plan for presenting a certain
language material to be learnt. It should be based
upon a selected approach.
A language study method is an overall plan of
learning a second talking, based on the thoughtful
approach selected. It involves the design of a
syllabus for the course, which consists of learning
objectives and techniques for achieving those
objectives.
A technique is, On the other hand, the
narrowest of all three; it is just one single
procedure to use in the classroom. A
language learning technique is an explicit
procedure or stratagem used to accomplish
an exceptional learning target or set of
objectives.
A technique is a procedure or skill for
completing a specific task.
A technique is a classroom device or
activity and thus represents the narrowest
term of the three concepts.
The term ”technique” refers to such
activities and instructional practices which
the teacher actually adopts in a specific
classroom in order to achieve better results
of his instruction. The technique goes in
consistence with both the assumption and
plan of the instruction, i.e., approach and
method.
Description of language teaching method:
EFL teachers should be aware of many
variables included in different teachinglearning processes. These variables can be
grouped into four major ones: the learner, the
language (English language), language learning
setting and teacher.
1-The learner:
To say whether a learner is good or bad, many
factors need to be taken into account, for
example:
What are their backgrounds (their past
learning)?, learning experience, why are
they in the classroom, their proficiency in
the mother language (Arabic)?, why is a
teaching method appropriate for student A
but not for student B?, In fact, each student
is a unique personality to the classroom. Yet,
some learners can take advantage of what is
going on in the classroom more than others.
In other words, they are more engaged with
the process of learning the foreign language
than their colleagues.
Successful FL students possess some
or all of the following characteristics:
1)A willingness to listen:
Good learners listen to what’s going on in
terms of listening to the English that is being
used, soaking it up with eagerness and
intelligence.
2) A willingness to experiment:
Many good learners are prepared to take
risks, to try things out and see how it works.
The urge to use the language (loudly or
quietly) is an important one.
3) A willingness to ask questions:
The urge to find out why is part of a
successful learner’s equipment. Good
teachers frequently invite students to ask if
they don’t understand something. Good
learners do this, judging when it is
appropriate to do so and when it is not.
4) A willingness to think about how to learn:
Good learners bring or invent their own
study skills when they come to a lesson. They
think about the best way to write vocabulary
in their own wordbooks, for example,
the best way to read a text (slowly, translating
every word, or quickly, trying to get a general
understanding, the best method of drafting
and redrafting a piece of writing.
5) A willingness to accept correction:
Good learners are prepared to be
corrected if it helps them. They are keen to
get feedback from the teacher and act upon
what they are told. This only works where
teachers are able to offer constructive
criticism rather than blaming them for being
wrong.
Giving feedback involves praising students for
things they do well, and offering them the
ability to do things better where they were less
successful. It involves teachers in judging their
students’ responses to correction so that they
can act accordingly.
The English Language
“English language” for English language
teachers has a dual meaning :
a language for use; they should have
competence in speaking, reading, writing and
understanding spoken messages ( listening ).
In other words, English language teachers
should be “ good language users”
simultaneously. “English language” is a
subject or a science to study. Here, English
language teachers should be language
analysts. In this case, they need necessary
tools:” awareness of language aspects”. They
need to be aware of technical terms
(terminology; e.g., verbs, pronouns, tense,
article…..etc.)
In fact both students and teachers need to
know how to talk about language at various
points during learning and teaching. Briefly,
both teachers and learners need to know how
to describe language components so that they
can talk about language. Your awareness of
terminology requires understanding the
concepts and the meanings conveyed by
different terms.
When a second or foreign language is
taught, a number of major steps must be
taken. First , elements of the language or its
use, or skills such as learning strategies
must be brought into the classroom and
presented or highlighted. The teacher has
to arrange matters and events to bring this
about. Third, the teacher must provide
knowledge of results, that is, correction or
feedback, to the students.
3- The teacher
English language teacher as a “professional” has
not only to acquire certain skills, but also to be able
to take courses of action that are based on
knowledge and thought. Besides, he or she has to
understand the principles underlying some
teaching actions, be able to articulate and explain
them and also innovate. This is the core of what
English language teachers require, that is, mature
pedagogical awareness. This means that
pedagogical awareness required for English
language teachers can be described in terms of
content and process.
Therefore, you as English language teachers
require knowledge and teaching skills for
teaching different language aspects; namely
1) language
elements:
phonology
(phonological aspects such as sounds, stress
and intonation), vocabulary and grammar;
and
2)Language skills: Listening, speaking, reading
and writing. Furthermore, you need to have
an idea about the teaching models
(approaches) which have influenced current
teaching practice.
Language Teaching Methodology
Methodology in language teaching has been
characterized in a variety of ways. A more or
less classical formulation suggests that
methodology is that which links theory and
practice. Theory statements would include
theories of what language is and how
language is learned or, more specifically,
theories of second language acquisition
(SLA). Such theories are linked to various
design features of language instruction.
These design features might include stated
objectives, syllabus specifications, types of
activities,
roles of teachers, learners,
materials, and so forth. Design features in
turn are linked to actual teaching and
learning practices as observed in the
environments where language teaching and
learning take place. This whole complex of
elements defines language teaching
methodology.
Theories
of
Language
and
Learning
Instructional
Design
Features
Observed
Teaching
Practices
Language Teaching Methodology
Within methodology a distinction is made
between methods and approaches, in which
methods are held to be fixed teaching
systems with prescribed techniques and
practices, whereas approaches represent
language teaching philosophies that can be
interpreted and applied in a variety of
different ways in the classroom.
Language teaching methodology refers to a
systematic set of teaching practices based on
a particular theory of language and language
learning.
2 - Heterogeneous classes:
We teach English in heterogeneous classes
where different kinds of learners come to
learn. These classes are sometimes called
“mixed ability” classes. Yet, the first term is
preferred as it reflects that learners are
different from one another in many aspects
such as language – learning ability, language
knowledge, learning styles, attitudes to the
language, intelligence, word knowledge,
gender, motivation, educational level …….etc.
Best of luck
Dr. Nissrein Abdel
Bassett El-Enany