A brief history of language teaching

By ilse valencia
  • Period: 1500 to

    The study of classical Latin became a model for foreign language study, which was taught through rote learning of grammar rules and translation.

    -When the Latin tongue had ceased to be a normal vehicle for communication was replaced by the vernicular languages, then it became a "dead" language.
    -As "modern" languages began to enter, they were taught using the same basic procedures that were used for teaching Latin.
    -Textbooks consisted of grammar rules, vocabulary and sentences for translation.
    -Speaking was not the goal
    -Roger Ascham and Montaigne had made a proposals for curriculum reform and for changes in the way Latin was taught.

  • Early nineteenth century

    -The study of Latin become the standard way of studying foreign languages in schools.
    -Nineteenth-century textbooks were determined to codify the foreign languange into frozen rules to be explained and eventually memorized.
    -The sole form of instruction was mechanical translation.

  • Middle nineteenth century

    Grammar-Translation Method
    -The language teaching goals were to learn grammar and translate.
    -The major focus were reading and writing.
    -The language was taught deductively and only by sentences for translation and memorization.
    -The first language is maintained as the reference system in the acquisition of the second language.
    -Grammar-Translation Method creates frustration for students, so the opposition to this method laid the foundations for the development of new ways of teaching languages.

  • Late nineteenth century (part I)

    -Reform Movement
    -Linguists emphasized that speech was the primary form of language.
    -The goals of the language teaching were speech, pronunciation,associations with the target language and hear the language.
    -The language was taught inductively; the sentences were practice in meaningful contexts.
    -The role of the native language was to establish an association with the target languge.
    -Grading material from simple to complex.

  • Late nineteenth century (part II)

    -The Direct Method
    -Foreign language could be taught without translation.
    -The learners would be able to unduce grammar rules.
    -The teacher replaced the textbook.
    -Classroom instruction was conducted only in the target language.
    -Grammar was taught inductively.
    -The vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures.
    -The direct Method was quite succesful in private language schools, but it was difficult to implement in public secondary school education.
  • Period: to

    Twentieth century (part I)

    -Use of the Direct Method had consequently declined.
    -A study argued that the more reasonable goal for a foreign language course would be a reading knowledge of a foreign language.
    -Reading became the goal of most foreign language programs until World War II.
    -Applied linguists laid the foundations for what developed into the British approach to teaching English.
    -On the methods era were debates over how a SL or a FL should be taught.
  • Period: to

    Twentieth century (part II)

    -The different teaching approaches and methods that have emerged have in common the belief that if a language learning is to be improved, it will come about through changes and improvements in teaching methodology.
    -Constantly looking for the "best" method of teaching a language (most active period in the history).
    -It emerged the Audiolingual Method and the Situational Method, which were both superseded by the Communicative Approach.
  • Period: to

    Twentieth century (part III)

    -Other methods emerged as new approaches to language teaching.
    -Other approaches as Cooperative Learning, Whole Language Approach, and Multiple Intelligences, originally developed in general education, had been extended to second language settings.
    -Applied linguists and language teachers moved away from the belief that newer and better approaches and methods were the solution to problems in language teaching.

  • 21st century (part I)

    -Communicative language teaching (CLT) has become a buzzword in discussions of the practice and theory of second and foreign language teaching.
    -The essence of CLT is the engagement of learners in communication in order to allow them to develop their communicative competence with other speakers.
    -Students identify a problem, so like that they must analyze the languange and be able to communicate with other culture.

  • 21st century (part II)

    -Digital network tasks.
    -The emergence of English as a global or international language has had a profound influence on language teaching, confronting language teacher education with new demands worldwide.
    -Language use and learning is more than just sentence-level structure, it identifies some components like: grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence, and discourse competence.