LECTURE 8 – METHODS ANALYSIS AT THREE LEVELS II

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 413.

Aims & objectives:

· Students should be able to ask appropriate questions to analyze how a foreign language teaching method is designed.

· Students should be able to identify alternative designs / models of FLT methods and describe them in relation to a particular method of ELT.

Key terms:

Objectives, structural syllabus, functional-notional syllabus, topical syllabus, authentic materials

Brief summary:

Design:

- In order for an approach to lead to a method, it is necessary to develop a design for an instructional system.

- A level of method analysis which specifies objectives, content choice-the syllabus, types of learning-teaching activities, learner roles, teacher roles, role of instructional materials

“...[it] specifies the relationship of theories of language and learning to both the form and function of instructional materials and activities in instructional settings.”

The questions include:

* What kind of syllabus is used?

* What are specific learning-teaching materials?

* What is the order of language skills to be taught?

* What is the learning-teaching environment like?

Objectives (of a method)

Process- oriented objectives.

· Defined in terms of processes or abilities the learner is expected to acquire as a result of instruction.

Product- oriented objectives.

· Defined in linguistic terms and a great emphasis is placed on accurate grammar and pronunciation.

Content Choice and Organization - The Syllabus (of a method):

Decisions have to be made about what to talk about (subject matter) and how to talk about it (linguistic matter).

Syllabus: The form in which the linguistic content is specified in a course or method.

· Priori Syllabuses (used in product-based methods)

Structural syllabus consists of a list of grammatical items and constructions, often together with an associated list of vocabulary items.

Functional-notional syllabus specifies the communicative content of a course in terms of functions, notions, topics, grammar, and vocabulary.

· Posteriori Syllabuses (used in process-based methods)

Syllabus would be determined from examining lesson protocols. Learners select content for themselves by choosing topics they want to talk about.

Types of Learning and Teaching Activities (of a method):

The activity types that a method advocates often serve to distinguish methods.

· Dialogue and pattern practice drills, interactive games,

· Problem solving activities with the use of special charts and colored rods,

· Information gap activities, information exchange tasks, improvisations

· Differences in activity types in methods may also involve different arrangements and

groupings of learners, such as:

Pair work , group work, whole class,

Learner Roles (of a method):

· The degree of responsibility and control over the content and choice of activities.

· The degree to which learners influence the learning of others

· Learner as a performer, processor, initiator, problem solver,

Teacher Roles (of a method):

· Teacher as the source of knowledge and direction, conductor, therapist, coach , ..

· Teacher as a catalyst, consultant, guide, counselor, model for learning, friend, colleague, teammate,

The Role of Instructional Materials (of a method) Reflects:

Decisions concerning the primary goal of materials

· to present content, to practice content, to facilitate communication between learners

The form of materials

· textbooks, audiovisuals, computer software,

The relation of materials to other sources of input

· a major or minor source of input

The abilities of teachers

· competence in the language and degree of training and experience

Questions:

· When analyzing a method of FLT, what questions do we ask at the ‘design' level?

Conclusion:

The design level of foreign language learning determines the basic structure of a foreign language teaching method. It describes conscious decisions about the learning environment of a language course as well as the aims and objectives.

Recommended reading:

Richards & Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, , p.28

Supplementary materials:

(Handouts _+__ Visuals___ PPT presentations___ Videos____ )