Date: Sept. 15, 2012.
TO
Beneson Thilagar Christadoss
The Managing Editor
TJELLS: A peer-reviewed, international, quarterly, online journal,
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
http://www.tjells.com/index.html
Sub: - Submission of an article for publication reg.
Dear Sir,
With reference to our telephonic dialogue, I would like submit an article on Reappraisal of
English Language Teaching Methods for publication in your reputed journal. The present
article is a Review of English Language Teaching Methods.
I assure you that this paper has not been published elsewhere and is exclusively submitted to
your journal for publication. I would appreciate, if you consider my article for publication in the
forthcoming issue.
If my article is accepted for publication, kindly send me a Letter of Acceptance for publication
and oblige.
Thank you,
Dr. Vitthal Gore
Shree2vitthal@gmail.com
Address for Correspondence
H. No. 2-298/12, Flat No. 202,
Sri Shiva Sai Residency,
Plot No. 19 & 20, Maruti Nagar Colony,
Road No. 2, Meerpet, Saroor Nagar Mandal,
Hyderabad (A.P.) 500 097.
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Dr. Vitthal Gore
M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.
Dr. Vitthal Gore is an Associate Professor of English in Nizam Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Deshmukhi, Hyderabad. He has been in the field of teaching for the past fifteen years.
He is a postgraduate in English from SRTM University, Nanded, M.Phil. from Madurai Kamaraj
University, Madurai and Ph.D. from Osmania University, Hyderabad.
He passed the Rater Certification Test and participated in the Written and Spoken Assessment
Programme for GET and TOEFL conducted by Educational Testing Services (USA) India Limited.
He completed a professional development course Cambridge English Teacher - Grammar for
Teachers: Language Awareness from University of Cambridge.
He developed E-Content on three different poets one each from American, British and Indian English
Literature for UGC-CEC E-Content Development Programme (NME-ICT sponsored Project)
conducted by Educational Multi Media Research Centre (EMMRC), English and Foreign Languages
University (EFLU), Hyderabad. He has also developed a software - Computer Based English
Language Training Programme. He also works as a Peer Reviewer and Editor for national and
international journals.
He has participated in different seminars, conferences, and workshops at university, state, national
and international levels. Eight research papers go also to his credit which he published in National
and International Conferences and Journals. In addition, an in-house publication also goes to his
credit which was published in 2008 under the title English Language Communication Skills Lab
Manual. He has been the Chief Editor for NGI newsletter the Tidings for seven issues in a row. He
also compiled and edited NGI Brochure 2008 for Nizam Group of Institutions as the Chief Editor.
Over and above, he successfully worked as the Convener 2009 SW II - AC for Consortium of A. P.
Minority Educational Institutions and conducted state level counseling at four different centers for
ECET, ICET, EAMCET, EDCET and PGECET. He was also appointed as the Convener EdCET
2010 for SW II - AC for Federation of A. P. Minority Educational Institutions.
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Abstract
Since English has been accepted as the language for global communication; teaching and
learning English became the matter of absolute importance. Since long, teaching and learning
has been a serious issue among the academicians and learners. English, as a language, has
observed many phases of change in its nature, structure and teaching-learning methods as a
whole. More particularly, the changes have taken place in the methods of teaching English. The
present paper looks into various methods of teaching English adopted for language teaching in
the past and being used in the present.
Key Words
ELT, English Language Teaching Methods.
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Reappraisal of English Language Teaching Methods
Dr. Vitthal Gore
Since English has been accepted as the language for global communication; teaching and
learning English became the matter of absolute importance. Since long, teaching and learning
has been a serious issue among the academicians and learners. English, as a language, has
observed many phases of change in its nature, structure and teaching-learning methods as a
whole. More particularly, the changes have taken place in the methods of teaching English. The
present paper looks into various methods of teaching English adopted for language teaching in
the past and being used in the present.
Teaching Methods
Before dealing with the core of the topic, it is necessary to know the ambiguous term
‘Method’. It means different things to different people. To some, it means just the technique of
teaching; while to others it implies the total discipline of teaching a subject. It is sometimes
compared with the term ‘Approach’. ‘Method’ is considered to be rigid; while ‘Approach’ is
assumed to be flexible. Of course, there are different views; according to Mackey (1965),
“Linguistic method has surpassed religion in its capacity to arouse controversy and create feuds.
Much of the field of language method has become a matter of opinion rather than of fact. Method
means either so little or so much”.
In this context, Anthony (1963) believes that ‘Approach, Method and Technique’ are in a
hierarchical order. An ‘Approach’ is viewed, “as a set of correlative assumptions dealing with
the nature of language and the nature of language teaching and learning…”. Whereas ‘Method’
is an overall plan for orderly presentation of language material, no part of which contradicts, and
all of which is based upon the selected approach. An approach is axiomatic and a method is
procedural. Anthony (1972) thinks that a ‘Technique’ usually takes place in a classroom. It is a
particular trick, stratagem or contrivance used to accomplish an immediate objective and it must
be consistent as well.
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The distinction made by Anthony (1963) was developed by Richards and Rodgers
(1982) as Approach, Design and Procedure, encompassed within the overall concept of Method,
“an umbrella term for the specification and interrelation of theory and practice” (Richards &
Rodgers (1985) where
 Approach refers to the beliefs and theories about language, language teaching and
learning that underlie a method.
 Design relates the theories of language and learning to the form and function of teaching
materials and activities in the classroom.
 Procedure concerns the techniques and practices employed in the classroom as
consequences of particular approaches and designs.
METHOD
Approach
Design
Procedure
(Richards & Rodgers 1985:17)
There are many methods adopted for English language teaching all over the world. Some
of the major methods are as follows:
1. Grammar-Translation Method
2. The Natural Method
3. The Phonetic Method
4. The Direct Method
5. Audio-Lingual Method
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6. Community Language Teaching Method
7. Total Physical Response Method
8. The Silent Way Method
9. Suggestopedia Method
10. Communicative Approach
11. Communicative Language Teaching Method
1. Grammar-Translation Method
In Applied Linguistics, the ‘Grammar Translation Method’ is a foreign language teaching
method derived from the classical Ancient languages (sometimes called traditional method of
teaching). Basically it is an old method which was originally used to teach dead languages such
as Latin and Ancient Greek. ‘Grammar-Translation’ is also called as ‘Indirect Method’ which
was used in Latin and Greek for teaching modern languages and the rules of grammar.
According to O’Grady et al (1993), “Grammar-Translation Method emphasizes reading,
writing, translation, and conscious learning of grammatical rules. Its primary goal is to develop
literary mastery of the second language. Memorization is the main learning strategy and students
spend their class time talking about the language instead of talking in the language. The
curriculum requires the memorization of paradigms, patterns and vocabulary with translation
being used to test the acquired knowledge.
2. The Natural Method
The Natural Approach was developed by Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen in 1977. It
came to have a wide influence and recognition in language teaching in the United States of
America and around the world. Krashen and Terrell (1983) believe that the Natural Method is
based on the following tenets:
 The acquisition/learning hypothesis: Language acquisition (an unconscious process
developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning
(consciously learning or discovering rules about a language) and language acquisition is
the only way competence in a second language occurs.
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 The monitor hypothesis: Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that
checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired.
 The natural order hypothesis: Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable
order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.
 The input hypothesis: People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly
beyond their current competence.
 The affective filter hypothesis: The learner’s emotional state can act as a filter that
impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition.
In this context, Bowen et al (1985) points out, “Since children learn naturally to speak
before they read; oral ability should precede literacy and that receptive skills precede productive
ones. Proponents of the method tend to avoid the use of books in class . . . Like the child in his
home, the student is to be immersed in language and allowed to formulate his own
generalizations . . . it consists of a series of monologues by the teacher, interspersed with
exchange of questions and answers between instructor and pupil - all in the foreign language”.
3. The Phonetic Method
O’Grady et al (1993) believes that this method emphasizes ‘oral expression as the basis
of instruction, stress, pronunciation, avoiding grammatical rules, giving and seeking to impart a
practical mastery of language forms for use in a country’. The teacher would read a passage
aloud, explaining unfamiliar words as students followed along. After discussing questions on the
passage, students would paraphrase the story aloud. The next would come written answers to
questions, phonetic work on new words, and ultimately recitation. Gestures, pictures, and
interesting contexts are to be used in making applications of familiar material. Graded reading
would come later”. This method demands, “heavy requirements for linguistic expertise on the
part of teachers”.
4. The Direct Method
This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the Grammar-Translation Method
in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction. Teaching of receptive
skills (listening and reading) rather than teaching of productive skills (speaking and writing) is
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encouraged as the first step. Lessons begin with a dialogue using a modern conversational style
in the target language. Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures. Contrastive
analysis of the native language of the learner with the target language is done. The mother
tongue is never used. There is no translation. Teachers are required to have a good knowledge of
phonetics of the language they teach, but they would use it to teach pronunciation and not
phonetics. This method is indeed an extension of the Natural Method, with greater emphasis on
and sophistication of knowledge of linguistics.
In this method, questions are answered in the target language. Grammar is taught
inductively and the rules are generalized from the practice and experience with the target
language. Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated much later after some oral mastery
of the target language. Students studying at higher level read literature for comprehension and
pleasure but the literary texts and documents are not analyzed grammatically. The most
important aspect of this method is, it also teaches the culture associated with the target language
inductively.
In this context, O’Grady et al (1993) enunciates, “Adult L2 learners can learn a second
language in essentially the same manner as a child. Therefore, if possible, the teacher should try
to create a natural learning environment within the classroom. Instead of explicit grammar
instruction, the major emphasis is on communicating. Classes are carried out totally in the
second language with absolutely no reliance on the first language or on any form of translation.
The expectation is that through question and answer dialogues, the second language will
gradually be acquired. Problems have arisen with such an approach because adults do not in fact
learn exactly like children, and they express the need for explicit instruction in grammar and
other aspects of the second language”.
5. The Audio-Lingual Method
This method is based on the principles of behavior psychology of an individual or a
learner. In some sense it represents a return to the Direct Method, as its main goal is to develop
native-like speaking ability in its learners. It is an extension as well as a refinement of the Direct
Method. Translation and reference to L1 are not permitted in this method.
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In the Audio-Lingual Method, the new material is presented in the form of dialogues. It is
generally based on the principle that language learning is habit formation; this method fosters
dependence on mimicry, memorization of phrases and over-learning. Lingual structures are
sequenced and taught one at a time and are followed by repetitive drills. No grammatical
explanations are provided; if it is necessary, grammar is taught inductively.
As far as the skills are concerned, they are sequenced as Listening, Speaking, Reading
and Writing, which are developed in order. When it comes to vocabulary, it is strictly limited and
learned in context only. For this purpose, use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids are
recommended and provided. In general, great importance is given to precise native-like
pronunciation of words during verbal communication. Sometimes the use of the mother tongue
by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the learners.
In this context, O’Grady et al (1993) comments underlying this approach he says it is the
notion that “L2 learning should be regarded as a mechanistic process of habit formation . . .
Audio lingual learning comprises dialogue memorization and pattern drills, thus ensuring careful
control of responses. None of the drills or patterns is to be explained, since knowledge of
grammatical rules would only obstruct the mechanical formation of habits.”
6.
Community Language Teaching Method
The ‘Community Language Teaching Method’ is patterned upon counseling techniques
and adapted to the peculiar anxiety and threat as well as the personal and language problems a
person encounters in the process of learning a foreign language. The learner is not thought of as a
student but as a client. The instructors are not considered teachers but, rather are trained in
counseling skills adapted to their roles as language counselors. The language-counseling
relationship begins with the client’s linguistic confusion and conflict. The aim of the language
counselor’s skill is first to communicate empathy for the client’s threatened inadequate state and
to aid him linguistically. Then slowly the teacher-counselor strives to enable him to arrive at his
own increasingly independent language adequacy. This process is continued by the language
counselor’s ability to establish a warm, understanding, and accepting relationship, thus becoming
an ‘other-language self’ for the client.
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7.
Total Physical Response Method (TPR)
Total Physical Response (TPR) method combines information and skills through the use
of the kinesthetic sensory system. This combination of skills allows the student to assimilate
information and skills at a rapid rate. The basic tenets are –
 Understanding the spoken language before developing the skills of speaking.
 Imperatives are the main structures to transfer or communicate information.
 The student is not forced to speak, but is allowed an individual readiness period and
allowed to speak spontaneously when he/she feels comfortable and confident in
understanding and producing the utterances.
8.
The Silent Way Method
The Silent Way Method begins by using a set of colored wooden rods and verbal
commands in order to achieve the following:
 Avoiding the use of the vernacular.
 Creating simple linguistic situations that remain under the complete control of the
teacher.
 Making the learners responsible for utterances of descriptions of the objects shown or the
actions performed.
 Concentrating on what the learners say and how they are saying it.
 Drawing their attention to the differences in pronunciation and the flow of words.
 Generating a serious situation in which the rules are implicitly agreed upon by giving
meaning to the gestures of the teacher and his mime.
 Providing support of perception and action to the intellectual guess of what the noises
mean
 Bringing in the arsenal of the usual criteria of experience already developed and
automatic in one’s use of the mother tongue.
 Providing duration of spontaneous speech upon which the teacher and the students can
work to obtain a similarity of melody to the one heard.
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9.
Suggestopedia Method
Suggestopedia is a teaching method developed by a Bulgarian psycho-therapist, Georgi
Lozanov in the 1970s. It is used in different fields. Lozanov has claimed that by using this
method, a student can learn a language approximately three to five times as quickly as through
conventional teaching methods. Suggestopedia has been called a ‘pseudo-science’. It strongly
depends on the trust that students develop towards the method by simply believing that it works.
‘Suggestopedia’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘suggestion’ and ‘pedagogy’. A common
misconception is to link ‘suggestion’ to ‘hypnosis’. However, Lozanov intended it in the sense of
offering or proposing, emphasizing student choice.
‘Suggestopedia Method’ has been developed out of belief that human brain could process
great quantities of material given the right conditions of learning like relaxation. Music was
central to this method. Soft music led to increase in alpha brain wave and a decrease in blood
pressure and pulse rate resulting in high intake of large quantities of materials. Learners were
encouraged to be as ‘childlike’ as possible. Apart from soft, comfortable seats in a relaxed
setting, everything else remained the same.
10. Communicative Approach (CA)
O’Grady et al (1993) argues that the approach, that merely suggests producing a
grammatically correct sentence, is actually not enough. A communicatively competent person
must also know how to produce an appropriate, natural, and socially acceptable utterance in all
contexts of communication.
In the recent years, the communicative approach in English language teaching has
attracted worldwide attention. This approach emphasizes real, meaningful communication rather
than activity topics and situations which are artificial and remote from students’ lives. The
communicative approach is based on the concept of communicative competence.
Currently the specifics of communicative competence depend on context and have
different meanings to different writers. Scholars like Widdowson (1978) have deviated
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considerably from the original meaning of the term by playing down the role of grammatical
competence. The communicative approach which follows from this view typically emphasizes
‘use’ but de-emphasizes ‘grammaticality’. The result is that students often learn how to utter
appropriate but ungrammatical sentences as opposed to grammar-based approach where students
can produce grammatical, but often-inappropriate sentences.
These problems have been highlighted by Newmark (1966) in his article, “How not to
interfere with language learning”. All these are the excursions which need to be field tested for
validity in the classroom because theories are made and broken in the classroom, for it is here
that they are found to be true or false, productive or useless, practically fit or only for the ivory
tower. The Bangalore Project called Communicational Teaching Project was an attempt to fieldtest some of these theories in actual classroom situations. Brumfit (1981) in his paper titled,
“The Bangalore Procedural Project Syllabus” tries to link the general discussion on
communicative language teaching to broader educational perspective to allay the fear in the
teaching profession that the theory has outrun practice.
11. Communicative Language Teaching Method (CLT)
Communicative Language Teaching is perhaps the latest in a language succession of
revolution in language teaching: to its advocates, it represents a fundamental ‘paradigm shift’ – a
radically new approach to the teaching-learning process. CLT, it is claimed, involved the making
of new and different assumptions and has the backing of the most recent research in
psycholinguistic and socio-linguistics. According to John and Porter (1983), “CLT is already
demonstrating its superiority over the orthodox ‘methods’ that it is intended to replace”. CLT
represents a reaction against the ‘approaches’ to the teaching of foreign language, which has
been in vogue for approximately the last forty years.
Communicative Language Teaching is a method that stresses a means of organizing a
language syllabus. The emphasis is on breaking down the global concept of language into units
of analysis in terms of communicative situations in which they are used. Generally a negotiation
of meaning is acceptable in this method. While using this method a variety of language skills are
involved and the material is presented in context. It pays attention to registers and styles in terms
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of situation and participants. Different language competencies are tested and focus is laid on
fluency and accuracy.
In the view of all these methods of teaching language, any method to language teaching
requires two sets of assumptions be made: firstly, assumption about ‘what language is’ and
secondly, ‘how people learn languages’. These assumptions influence all the decisions that are
taken implementing any programme of language teaching: decision about what should be taught,
which are related in the way the syllabus is organized and presented, and decision about how the
teaching should be done, which are reflected mainly in the kinds of ‘techniques’ that teachers use
in the classroom. The methods of language teaching have been discussed here are mainly having
the following facets:
a. Language is essentially a set of rules, which the learners should master.
b. These rules are the rules of grammar, which determine how sentences are constructed, in
order that they may carry meaning.
c. What the language learner must learn, and what he must therefore be taught are the rules
of grammar.
d. If a learner has been able to learn the necessary rules of grammar, he should be able to
use the language concerned for all kinds of communication.
All the above assumptions relate to the ‘what’ of the language teaching: they attempt to
answer the question: ‘what is learnt by the language learner?’ Many attempts have been made to
answer these questions but even today teaching and learning language needs further speculation
so as to make the teaching and learning of English a joyous experience than making it an
imposed act.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Anthony, Edward M. Approach, Method and Technique, Tata-McGraw Hill Publication
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Bowen, J. Donald, Harold Madsen, and Ann Hilferty. “Report of the Committee of the Twelve,
1890” TESOL Techniques and Procedures. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1985.
Brumfit, Christopher, J. The Bangalore Procedural Project Syllabus, Mimeo, 1981.
Canale, M. & Swain, M. “Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approach to Second Language
Teaching and Testing”, Applied Linguistics. 1980: 1-38
Das, Mahajiteswar. Teaching English as Communication. Oxford University Press, 1989.
Finnochiaro, M. & Brumfit, C. The Functional-Notional Approach from Theory to Practice.
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Howatt, A.P.R. A History of English Language Teaching, Oxford University Press, 1984.
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Krashen, Stephen D. and Tracy D. Terrell. The Natural Approach: Language acquisition in the
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Little, Peter. Communication in Business, Longmans, 1970.
Mackey, W. F. Language Teaching Analysis, Longman, 1965.
Newmark, L. “How not interfere with language learning”, International Journal of Applied
Linguistics Vol. 32, 1&2, 1966.
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O’Grady, William, Michael Dabrovolsky, and Mark Aronoff. Contemporary Linguistics: An
Introduction. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.
Richards, Jack C. and Rodgers, Theodore S. “Method: Approach, design and procedure.” TESOL
Quarterly Vol. 16, 1982: 153-68.
Richards, Jack C. and Rodgers, Theodore S. “Method: Approach, design and procedure”,
Chapter 2 in Richards, Jack C. The Context of Language Teaching Cambridge University
Press, 1985.
Richards, Jack C. and Theodore S. Rodgers. Approaches and methods in language teaching: A
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Scot, W. A. “Reliability of Content Analysis: The Case of nominal coding”. Public Opinion
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Widdowson, H. G. Teaching Language as Communication, Oxford University Press, 1978.
www.languageinindia.com/april2002/tesolbook.html. Retrieved on 30 Aug. 2012.
www.sil.org/lingualinks/languagelearning/waystoapproachlanguagelearning/thenaturalapproach.
htm. Retrieved on 1 Sept. 2012.
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