APPROACHES, METHODS, STYLES, TECHNIQUES & STRATEGIES OF ELT

WHAT IS AN APPROACH?
Deals with philosophies of teaching.
EXAMPLES OF APPROACHES IN ELT

Competency-based Language Teaching

Communicative Language Teaching
Dogme
Lexical Approach
Content-based Instruction
Multiple Intellingences
Natural Approach
Cooperative( Collaborative) Learning

Competency- based LT
Focuses on outcomes of learning, as the driving force of teaching and the curriculum.
teach the skills needed to perform real-world tasks.
Key Features
For the design of work-related and survival-oriented language teaching for adults
seek to teach students the basic skill they need.
similar to the ESP approach.
Communicative LT
Emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a
language.

Merits
Holistic approach
provides vitality and motivation within the classroom
learner-centered approach
Criticism
Focuses on the use of language everyday situations or functional aspect of language
and less on the formal structure.
NOTE:
CLT can succeed as long as teachers don't completely reject the need for
structure provided grammar
Dogme
advocates a kind of teaching that doesnt rely on published textbooks but relies on
conversational communication that occurs in the classroom between teachers and
students.
Key Features
Dogme has its roots in communicative language teaching
learning as experiential and holistic,
Conversation is seen as central to language learning
Scaffolding
Merits
Communication is central in the dogme approach
learners follow their own pace of learning assisted by the teacher through scaffolding.
More freedom for teachers and students to conceptualize and implement more
appropriate material.

Criticism
can be a real challenge for teachers in low resource contexts
Questions the appropriateness of dogme in situations where students are preparing
for examinations that have specific syllabi.
Problems for non-native and native teachers who find textbooks as safe guide.
Lexical Approach
"Language is grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar" (Lewis 1993)
focuses on fixed expressions that occur frequently in dialogues, which Lewis claims
make up a larger part of discourse than unique phrases and sentences
rests is the idea that an important part of learning a language consists of being able to
understand and produce lexical phrases as chunks.

Content-based Instruction
significant approach in language education (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 1989). CBI is
designed to provide second-language learners instruction in content and language
content is interpreted as the use of subject matter as a vehicle for second or foreign
language teaching/learning.
learning about something
Advantages
It can make learning a language more interesting and motivating.
CBI is very popular among EAP (English for Academic Purposes) teachers as it helps
students to develop valuable study skills such as note taking, summarising and
extracting key information from texts.
The inclusion of a group work element within the framework given above can also
help students to develop their collaborative skills, which can have great social value.
Problems
Because CBI isn't explicitly focused on language learning, some students may feel
confused or may even feel that they aren't improving their language skills
Particularly in monolingual classes, the overuse of the students' native language
during parts of the lesson can be a problem
Multiple Intellegences
American psychologist, Howard Gardner developed a theory of Multiple Intelligences
(1983) which can go some way towards explaining different learner styles. According
to Gardner there are eight different types of intelligences.

The eight intelligences are:

Linguistic - The word player

Logical / Mathematical - The questioner
Visual / Spatial - The visualiser
Musical - The music lover
Bodily / Kinaesthetic - The mover
Interpersonal - The socialiser
Intrapersonal - The loner
Naturalistic - The nature lover (added by Gardner at a later date)

Natural Approach
natural approach developed by Tracy Terrell and supported by Stephen Krashen, is a
language teaching approach which claims that language learning is a reproduction of
the way humans naturally acquire their native language.
Theory of Learning
Aquisition-Learning Hypothesis
Acquisition-as developing competence by using language for real communication. It
is the natural way,
Learning-refers to formal knowledge of a language. It is the process in which
conscious rules about a language are developed
The Monitor Hypothesis
we may use learned knowledge to correct ourselves when we communicate, but that
conscious learning has only this func-tion
Time. Sufficient time for a learner to choose and apply a learned rule.
Focus on form. Focus on correctness or on the form of the output.
Knowledge of rules. Knowing the rules is a prerequiste for t
Natural Order Hypothesis
The acquisition of grammatical structures proceeds in a predictable order
Input Hypothesis
relates to acquisition not to learning and states that people acquire language best by
understanding input that is slightly beyond their level of competence.

Comprehension preceds the emergence of speaking as fluency appears only as a

result of the provision of sufficient comprehensible input
Affective Filter Hypothesis
There are three types of emotional attitudinal factors that may affect acquisition and
that may impede, block or freely passes necessary input for acquisition .

-> Motivation
-> Self-Confidence
-> Anxiety
Cooperative (Collaborative) Learning
Generally facilitates student-student interaction
instractional use of small groups so that students work to maximize each other's
learning.
Two Crucial Concepts
Positive interdependence -what helps one group member helps all group member.
individual accountability-the team's success depends on the individual learning.
WHAT IS A METHOD ?
A particular procedure of accomplishing something
Examples of Methods in ELT
Audiolingual
Counseling Learning
Situational Language Teaching
Suggestopedia
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Direct Method

Audiolingual Method
Based on behaviorist theory
Student should teach language directly without using the native language

Ex.the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students
would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for
the students to sample in the same structure.
Counseling Learning
involves talking through their strengths and weaknesses.
Merits
Counselling allows assessment to become more dynamic and interactive
By giving learners the chance to open up and talk about the state of their learning, you
help avoid sudden unexplained dropouts, who perhaps feel that the course has
passed them by
Situational Language Teaching
accurate use of vocabulary items and grammar rules in order to achieve a practical
mastery of the four basic skills.

ultimate aim is to be able to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations with
an automatic control of basic structures and sentence patterns.
Suggestopedia
positive suggestion in teaching
Portmanteau of the word " Suggestion" and " Pedagogy"

In Practice ( Three Phase )

Deciphering
Concert Session ( memorization, sance)
Elaboration
Total Physical Response
based on the coordination of language and physical movement
teachers gives commands in the target language and students will respond with
whole-body.
Direct Method
So called natural method.
Refrains from using the learner's native tongue and focus on the target language.

Characteristics
teaching concepts and vocabulary through pantomiming, real-life objects and other
visual materials

Teaching grammar as an inductive approach

centrality of spoken words
Focus on question and answer pattern.
Techniques
Question/Answer exercise.
Dictation
Reading Aloud
Student self- correction
Conversation practice
Paragraph writing
WHAT IS LEARNING STRATEGY?
Are ways that the student learn, and remember things about the subject matter.

Examples of Learning Strategies

Cognitive Strategies
Metacognitive Strategies
Compensatory Strategies
Affective Strategies
Social Strategies

Sample Activities

Debate
Dialog Journal
Field Experience
Interactive Language Task
Language Experience Approach
WHAT IS LEARNING STYLE?
Refers to the approaches that the student will use in acquiring a new language or in
learning other subject.

Basic Learning Styles

Auditory Learners
e.i. Recitation, Listening Games
Visual Learners
e.i. Board Games, Picture Games
Kinesthetic and Tactile Learners
e.i. Touch Games, Craft Games
Note:
You must know your teaching style.
STRATEGY VS. STYLE
It is a specific way of learning the language

General approach in learning the language

Techniques in ELT
carry out the a method.
Types of Techniques
Controlled techniques- both teachers and student know what they will do.

Semi-controlled techniques- the teacher interferes only if necessary.

Free techniques- the students are free in their activities without the direction of the
teacher
Taxonomy of language teaching Techniques ( Crookes & Chaudron, 1991 )
Controlled Techniques
Dialogue/Narrative presentation
Dialogue/Narrative Recitation
Reading Aloud
Questioning
Translation
Copying

Taxonomy of language teaching Techniques ( Crookes & Chaudron, 1991 )

Semi-controlled Techniques
Brainstorming
Storytelling( made by students)
Wrap- up

Taxonomy of language teaching Techniques ( Crookes & Chaudron, 1991 )

Free Techniques
Role Play( Free acting)
Games (language games e.i. Board games, word-making games)
Reporting
Discussion (debate or group discussion)