BRET

Modern methods in Language

Teaching
Communicative Approach
Lexical Approach
Task Based Approach
Blended learning Approach


PPP (Presentation, Practice,
Production)
Total Physical Response
Guided Discovery
Test Teach Test

Meaningful and authentic language
use (often information gap)
Learners interact with each other
(pair and group work, mingles)
Emphasis on completing task
Teacher provides feedback

Communicative Approach:
example
Talk to different people and find out:
Name, Job, one interest
Theres an info gap here. You talked
to different people.
Language isnt divided into grammar
and vocabulary. It consists of
chunks.
More attention to: lexis, listening and
reading, L1/L2 comparisons
Less attention to: sentence grammar,
talking in L2 for sake of it

Lexical Approach: example
Read the text:
I get up at 7am. I wash my face and
then get dressed. After that I have
breakfast and read the newspaper.

Find word partnerships in the text.
Focuses on students doing a task
fluency based
Students use language for a
particular outcome
Real life language, meaning is
important
Students generate language
Get feedback (for accuracy)
Task Based Approach: example
(see Cutting Edge Int p12-13)
Lead-in: listening or reading which uses
possible language students could use in the
task
Students are given task. Teacher
supports.
Students do task
Students report back to class
Language feedback
Blended Learning Approach
Two facets to learning programme:
1. Face-to-face with teacher
2. Computer-based programme
The two facets support each other
Presentation: language is presented in some
way in context (situation, dialogue,
reading..) and teacher shows form and
meaning
Practice: students produce the language
through controlled exercises
Production: freer practice of the language
presented.
Useful for introducing language at lower
levels or for language you think will be new
PPP: example
PPP: example (continued)
Andy didnt take any of these things with him
What do you think of Andy?
Elicit ideas
He should have taken a map.
Elicit more examples
Controlled practice gap fill
Freer practice Andy talking with rescue team
Total Physical Response
Students are exposed to language
before they are expected to produce
it.
Students learn language through
listening and responding
Limited - useful for action verbs
TPR: example
Teacher asks students to put objects in
different places to teach/reinforce
Prepositions of Place
Guided Discovery
Students are exposed to language
through a reading or listening text
Students answer questions about the
text which lead them to discover the
rules of the language
Good for higher levels
Guided Dicovery: example
(see Cutting Edge Int p18)
Lead-in: to get students interested
Students listen to song and fill in
gaps
Students answer the questions about
the grammar
Follow up practice
Test Teach - Test
Test: Students are given an
exercise/activity in which they could
produce the TL structure
Teacher monitors and listens
Teach: Teacher teaches as
necessary
Test: Students are given another
exercise/activity
Test Teach Test: example
An Eclectic Approach
Most teachers use a combination of
approaches and methods
Why? To create variety and interest
in the learning programme and to
tailor the programme for the
students.
How to decide? Level, students
interests, lesson aim, learning styles