Basics of English Language Teaching
What is the subject matter of ELT?
Scrivener in his book “Teaching Language” provides the following scheme:
Knowledge and skills are interconnected – skills can be improved only with the help of systems.
The history of English language teaching has developed many approaches to the process:
If we analyze these approaches, we’ll see that ELT has made a way from grammar-translation approach, which
developed at the earliest stages of teaching to Informed Eclecticism, which reflects the philosophy of the 21st
century, when teachers chose an approach depending on their aims.
In modern Ukrainian classroom we may talk about two most frequently used approaches:
grammar-translation and communicative or action-oriented:
Grammar-Translation
Communicative/Action-Oriented
Developed
Since the foreign languages started to be
taught
In the second half of the 20 century
Aim
Teach about the language
(about Language Systems)
Teach the language
(Four Skills)
How
Study the rules and do exercises
Learn grammar and translate texts
Activities at a lesson are focused on skills
development
Result
Learners can decipher a code and then use
it
(e.g. open the brackets with Present Perfect
when they see the adverbial modifier
already)
Learners are able to use language
meaningfully, in specific situations
Important
difference
Teacher-centered
Learner-centered
th
The difference between these two approaches is in focus – whether it is teacher-centered or learner-centered
process:
Teacher-Centered
Learner-Centered
Focus
Encourages students to completely focus on
their educator
Both educators and students share equal
focus
Based on
Grammar-Translation approach
Communicative and Action-oriented
approaches
Aim
Teach in teacher’s logics, according to a plan
Learn in learner’s logics by asking
questions and finding answers to them
How
Educator talks, and students continue to listen
and remain silent
Student-student and teacher-student
collaboration and communication are
encouraged
Advantages
The classroom is orderly and quiet, the teacher
retains full control of the class
Students learn to be independent and
responsible for their decisions and
learning
Disadvantage
Learners work alone and don’t develop
communication and collaboration skills
Students don’t express themselves full and
may be bored
Classroom may seem often chaotic and
noisy
The difference between a teacher-centered and a learner-centered approaches is also in how the learning is
structured:
Teacher-Centered
Learner-Centered
Focus
Encourages students to completely
focus on their educator
Both educators and students share equal
focus
Based on
Grammar-Translation approach
Communicative and Action-oriented
approaches
Aim
Teach in teacher’s logics, according
to a plan
Learn in learner’s logics by asking
questions and finding answers to them
How
Educator talks, and students
continue to listen and remain silent
Student-student and teacher-student
collaboration and communication are
encouraged
Advantages
The classroom is orderly and quiet,
the teacher retains full control of the
class
Students learn to be independent and
responsible for their decisions and learning
Disadvantage
Learners work alone and don’t
develop communication and
collaboration skills
Students don’t express themselves
full and may be bored
Classroom may seem often chaotic and
noisy
So, why do we need a learner-centered approach?
Should we use only one approach?
• Sometimes Teacher Centered Approach is OK to use in the classroom (e.g. when students need a
profound explanation, when they are old enough to concentrate on a speaker, etc.)
• Also, many teachers just want “to do their job well”, so they believe they should talk as much as
possible.
• However, we should remember that Learner Centered Approach:
 awakes interests in learners, motivates them to learn;
 develops language skills because learners have to use them more;
 Develops 21st century skills in our learners.
Conclusion: you may combine two approaches (informed eclectism, with preference to Learner Centered
Approach)
Essay: why do we need a learner-centered approach?
1. Ознайомитися з теорію у файлі 2. Написати аргументоване єссе відповідь why do we need a
learner-centered approach?. Робота виконується англ мовою. Вординг 350..400 слів.Роботи
надсилаються старості. Староста збирає роботи групи до архіву та надсилає мені на
svetlana.tarasova12@gmail.com. Дедлайн 23.02.23
Introduction (topic, question, opinion, reasons)
Body (at least 2 reasons, 2 examples)
Conclusion
Nowadays there are many various English teaching approaches, still the most common out of them are
Grammar- translation and communicative approaches, the former is considered to be teacher-centered while the
latter – learner-centered. In my opinion, we need a learner-centered approach because it may motivate students
to learn English more and on their own, as well, let them take full control of their progress and gain all the
necessary language and global skills.
First, studying with learner-centered approach boosts English learner’s motivation for working harder in the
classroom and outside it, which enables them to have progress in their learning faster. For example, having this
approach at my English classes inspired me to do more exercises, to practice more that, consequently, allowed
me to improve my English significantly and at a high speed.
Second, the learner’s autonomy is also fostered by the learner-centered approach, it means that students realize
that their progress in their language learning journey completely depends on them. As a result, English learners
grasp their responsibility of fulfilling the assignments that allows them to take full control of their learning
progress. In particular, the learner-centered approach was a great help for me to develop this sense of learning
autonomy which made me even more diligent to complete everything I have to, more conscious about my
actions and the reasons why I do something.
And the last but not least important, the already mentioned approach makes a huge contribution in improving
the students’ English language and global skills. Since the lessons are student-oriented, learners are encouraged
to take active participation in all the lesson stages, using all the language skills, which are reading, listening,
writing and speaking, as a result, developing all of them. In addition to the language skills, students also
upgrade their global skills which are communication, cooperation, critical thinking, since all of those are crucial
in the 21st century. For instance, the learner-centered approach in my classroom helped me to improve all my
English language and communicative skills considerably.
In conclusion, to my mind, we not only need the learner-centered approach, but we also have to actively
develop and incorporate it in our classrooms because it gives students incentive to willingly learn English, make
them more responsible for their own learning, as well as, develop all the essential language and global skills.
1 hour: 20 min