UNIT 1. LANGUAGE TEACHING EVOLUTION.

NEW TRENDS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES.

INTRODUCTION
In this unit, we are going to analyse the evolution in language teaching methods from the
Grammar-Translation method to the Audio-Lingual method. Then, we will move to the main trends
in teaching English, which are basically the Humanistic approaches. Finally, we will deal with the
Communicative approaches.
But before dealing with the evolution in language teaching in depth, it is important to state
that there is no single way of teaching languages; this is the reason for the variety of approaches
and methods within this unit. In other words, there are many ways of achieving foreign language
competence and we are going to study the main methods.
LANGUAGE TEACHING EVOLUTION
EVOLUTION IN LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODS
Before the 19th century, modern languages had been taught in the same way as classical
ones, by means of the Grammar-Translation method: once the rules were assimilated, the
language was practiced through the translation of classical literary texts. Conversation was
excluded and it was taught by teachers who were not fluent in it themselves.
At the end of the 19th century, there was a reaction against the Grammar-Translation
method, and a new method arose: the Natural/ Direct method: this method is very similar to the
way the first language is acquired. Grammar is taught inductively, there is a focus on speaking
and listening, and only useful “everyday” language is taught. The teacher explains new vocabulary
using realia, visual aids or demonstrations.
The weakness in the Direct Method is its assumption that a second language can be learnt
in exactly the same way as a first, when in fact the conditions under which a second language is
learnt are very different.
The Audio-Lingual method arose with the outbreak of the WW2 when armies needed to
become orally proficient in the languages of their allies and enemies as quickly as possible. This
teaching technique was initially called the Army Method, and was the first to be based on
behavioural psychology. Based on Skinner’s Behaviourism theory, it assumed that a human being
can be trained using a system of reinforcement. Correct behaviour receives positive feedback,
while errors receive negative feedback. This approach to learning is similar to the Direct Method,
in that the lesson takes place entirely in the target language.
The Audio-Lingual method was widely used in the 1950s and 1960s, and the emphasis was
not on the understanding of words, but rather on the acquisition of structures and patterns in
common everyday dialogue. It makes repetition and habit formation the central elements of
learning.
EVOLUTION IN LINGUISTIC THEORIES
As well as an evolution in language teaching methods, we can say that there was an
evolution in linguistics. As a reaction to the Grammar-Translation method, linguists changed their
focus of study to the modern languages.

1
 UNIT 1. LANGUAGE TEACHING EVOLUTION. NEW TRENDS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES.

The first reaction was Structuralism. It asserts that things cannot be understood outside
the context in which they appear. Saussure’s view was that words are arbitrary; they have no
direct connection to the thing they refer to. More than that, their meaning is determined by
context.
For example, the connection between the letters that form “DOG” and the actual animal
is not inherent in the word itself. However, it is something that speakers of English agree on.
Also, the meaning of words is relational and dependent on the meaning of other words.
Let’s take as an example the words “hut” and “shed”. Although they are very similar in meaning,
if there was no word for “shed”, then the meaning of “hut” would change to include and signify
the connotation for “shed”
Finally, the meaning of words is not fixed since they change as the words around it change.
Another way to think about structural linguistics is to understand Saussure’s terms
“language”, “langue” and “parole”. He regarded “language” as the faculty of speech or ability
to speak, which all human beings possess hereditarily. And there are two aspects of this faculty:
“langue” and “parole”. Lange is the language system and parole is the act of speaking. In other
words, langue refers to the entire system of language and parole refers to a particular utterance.
The utterance only makes sense if you are able to place it in the larger linguistic structure it
belongs to.
Other two main figures in structural linguists are Edward Sapir and Leonard Bloomfield.
Sapir stressed the social aspects of languages and the relationship between race, culture and
language. Bloomfield, on the other hand, was influenced by behaviourism and conceived language
as a series of stimuli and responses. Language is, therefore, a series of habits which may be
acquired.
But it was with the appearance of Noam Chomsky that all this changed. His revolutionary
thesis: the Transformational Generative Grammar saw the deficiencies of the structuralism and
behaviourism. According to him, the activities proposed by structuralists and behaviourists are
purely mechanical and have no connection with real situations which students could identify with.
Language for Chomsky is essentially creative: a native speaker is able to generate an infinite
number of grammatically correct sentences, which he has never heard nor will hear. That is, the
native speaker has got an inborn and unconscious ability for language (competence) and
“performance” is the production of actual utterances. In short, competence involves “knowing”
the language and performance involves “doing” something with the language.
Although Chomsky has not offered a new language teaching method, he has indirectly contributed
to a change in teaching tecniques, such as:
- Pupils should be given grammatically correct examples
- They should be allowed to make errors
- Explanations in language learning are valuable
- Priority is given to free expression and creativity.

2
 UNIT 1. LANGUAGE TEACHING EVOLUTION. NEW TRENDS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES.

NEW TRENDS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: HUMANISTIC APPROACHES

The Humanistic approach emerged in reaction to behaviourism. The most important principle in
this approach is the Student Centered Learning Process (active involvement of the students in the
learning process). This method involves learning situations where students take active part in
their learning process, setting goals and objectives. Therefore the teacher is seen as a helper or
guide. Learners have more control over what and how they learn. This encourages students to
take more responsibility on their own learning. Its basic principle is in shifting the focus in
education from teaching to learning, so that the teacher is no longer the focal point in class but
someone who facilitates the process of education.
The most important methods based on humanistic approaches are:
1. SILENT WAY: it is based on the idea that teachers should be as silent as possible during a class
but learners should be encouraged to speak as much as possible. This method is based on a
problem-solving approach to learning, whereby the students’ learning becomes autonomous and
co-operative.
2. NATURAL APPROACH: it is based on the natural language acquisition. It emphasizes
communication and places no importance on grammar study or explicit correction of students’
mistakes.
3. SUGGESTION METHOD: it is based on the idea that SL students can learn a big amount of words,
speak fluently and read any text in a short period of time just by encouraging them. This method
is based on the fact that the brain has a great unused potential which can be exploited through
suggestion and relaxation.
4. COUNSELLING LEARNING: in this method, the teacher acts as a counsellor and the student is in
the centre of the process. It highly encourages the students to be introspective about their own
needs, interests, values and favourite activities and talk about these emotions. All materials come
from the students. There is no syllabus or textbook to follow, and it is the students themselves
who determine the content of the lesson by means of meaningful conversations in which they
discuss real messages. It incorporates translation, transcription and recording techniques.
5. DELAYED ORAL PRACTICE METHOD: it is based on the idea that it is easier for a learner to
achieve competence in recognizing language rather than producing it.
6. TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE: it is very similar to the natural method but it differs from it
because it involves a wide range of physical activities and a lot of listening and comprehension,
as well as an emphasis on learning as fun and stimulating. It has limitations, especially when
teaching abstract language and tasks, but it is widely considered to be effective for beginners and
is still the standard approach for young learners.

3
 UNIT 1. LANGUAGE TEACHING EVOLUTION. NEW TRENDS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE. COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES.

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACHES
Until now, the different methods had paid little or no attention to the way language is used in
everyday situations. This derived into a new approach based on communication characteristics.
Its main aims are to achieve communicative competence through the practice of the four skills.
It is the most extensive method. Its main focus is help learners create meaning rather than develop
perfectly grammatical structures or acquire native-like pronunciation.
Communicative competence was coined by Dell Hymes in 1966 in reaction to Chomsky’s notion of
“linguistic competence” (1965). According to this, a language user needs to use the language
not only correctly (based on linguistic competence), but also appropriately (based on
communicative competence). The four major components of communicative competence are:
- Linguistic competence: it is the knowledge of the language code (grammar, vocabulary..)

- Sociolinguistic competence: the knowledge of sociocultural rules (how to use it and how to
respond to language appropriately)

- Discourse competence: it deals with organizing words, phrases and sentences in order to
create conversations, speeches, poetry, e-mails…

- Strategic competence: it is the ability to recognise and repair communication breakdown

before, during, or after they occur. It may request for repetition, clarification, slower
speech, gestures…

To sum up, the communicative approach focuses in the needs and desires of the learners as well
as the connection between the language as it is taught in class and as it is used outside the
classroom. Under this definition, any teaching practice that helps students develop their
communicative competence in an authentic context is considered beneficial. Thus, in the
classroom, teachers and students assume different roles. The teacher plays the role of counsellor
and the students’ role is that of negotiator. Materials also play a very important role.
CONCLUSION
If a language learner is asked what they think the goal of a language course is, they would probably
answer that it is to learn the grammar and vocabulary of that language. However, if they are
asked what their goal is as language learners, they would most probably answer that it is to be
able to communicate in that language.
The main goal in teaching an L2 is to get our students achieve communicative competence through
the practice of the four skills.
Every new teaching method claims to be the best. Teachers need to be aware of a wide range of
methods with the purpose of using the most appropriate to their learners’ needs. However, it is
frequently necessary to introduce an eclectic approach, in which aspects of different methods
are chosen to meet the demands of particular teaching situations.