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Grammar Translation Method
This was the traditional method for children learning a second language in school. It involved a lot of reading and translating texts in another language. There was little focus on speaking and listening skills. -
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Language Methodology History
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The Direct Method
This method is teacher centered and involves learning through lots of repetition and drilling. It uses only the target language in the class. -
Situational Language Teaching
This approach is based on a structural view of language. It has a large focus on the structures of language and how this is seen through vocabulary and reading. It emphasises the presentation of structures in situations. It has links into behavourism. -
Structural Linguistics
Bloomfield. -
Audio Lingual Method
This method involved students listening to model dialogues and repeating them through drilling. -
Behavourism Approaches
Skinner's behavourist ideas in first language acquisition (that children learn through response to stimuli) was also extended into second language acquistion, that students learn in response to langauge structures. This influnced the Audio Lingual Method. -
Contrastive Analysis (CA)
This was influenced by Structuralism and Behavourism and was pioneered by Robert Lade. CA involved predicting and explaining learned problems based on comparisitons of an L1 and L2 to determine similarities and differences. -
Universal Grammar (UG)
Chomsky. This SLA theory argues that as speakers have an innate capacity to acquire their L1 (first language), this should extend to some extent for their ability to acquire an L2 (second language. -
Lenneberg's Critical Period Hypothesis
Lenneberg's Critical Period Hypothesis claims that children can only acquire fully their first language between the ages of 0- 13 years. This has application to SLA as well as it could be argued that only children who start learning an L2 when young can fully achieve L2 (native like) competence. -
Error Analysis (EA)
This is the first approach in SLA to study the internal focus on learner's creative ability to construct language. It is based on descriptions of actual learner errors. Corder (1967) called on learner errors to be viewed as insight into the L2 learnering process, not as "bad habbits". -
Interlanguage Fossilization
Selinker introduced the concept of Interlanguage (IL) to refer to the intermediate states (interim grammars) of a learner's language. He also suggests the idea of (IL) fossilization, where learners may cease in the IL development before they reach Target Language norms. -
Systemic Linguistics
Model for anaylzing language in terms of inter-related systems of choices that are available for expressing meaning. Halliday 1973. -
Morpheme Order Studies
SLA research into whether their is a natural order in the grammatical development of L2 learners. This research based on work by Roger Brown. -
Suggestopedia
This method was developed by the Bulgarian Georgi Lozanov. It features learning a language through listening to music, yoga and therapy. -
Communicative Language Teaching
This is one of the most well known language teaching approaches, which is still widely used today. This approach aims to make communicative competence the goal for language teaching. This approach came out of writings by Wilkins (1972), Widowson and Candlin. CLT is learner-centered and makes use of realia and task based instructional materials. -
Content Based Instruction Approach (CBI)
This approach is based on the idea that teaching is organised around the context or infomation that students will acquire rather than linguistic type syllabuses. This main focus is on the subject matter being studied, rather than the language being used to convey it. This has been influenced by French Immersion schools in Canada. -
Connectionist Models in SLA start
Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP), McCelland, Rumelhart and Hinton (1986). This approach focuses on increasting the strength of associations between stimuli and responses. PDP suggests that in L2 learning processing takes place in a network of nodes in the brain that are connected by pathways. -
Prinicples and Parameters Model
Chomsky's Principles and Parameters model appears in SLA. This model argues that every UG (universal grammar) includes principles and parameters. When learning a second language, there are certain parameters where there is a limited choice of settings to choose (depending on which language is invovled). In SLA we can use this model, as an awareness of parameter settings in an L2 can help us focus on the perception of input and help facilitate learning. -
Competition Model
Bates and MacWhinney suggest a psychological approach in SLA that address how languages are learned. They argue that there is a functional approach which assumes lingusitic performance involves "mapping" between external and internal forces. Learners can detect cues in language input, which give them clues as to how to produce the correct words in the L2. -
The Natural Appoach
Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen publish their work on the Natural Approach. This is based on Krashen's 5 Second Language Acquisition hypotheses, including 1) the Acquisition/ Learning Hypothesis, 2) the Monitor Hypothesis, 3) the Natural Order Hypothesis, 4) the Input Hypothesis, 5) the Affective Filter Hypothesis. -
Infomation Processing Model (IP)
Infomation Processing in SLA looks at the mental processes involved in language learning and use. McLaughlin states that IP has 3 stages in language learning, which are input, central processing and output. -
Cooperative Language Learning (CLL)
John Dewey. This is an approach to teaching that makes maximum uses of cooperative activities involving pairs and small groups of learners in the classroom. This approach advocates the work of Piaget and Vygotsky, who argue for the central role of social interaction in learning. I use a lot of CLL in my own teaching through the use of group and pair work, as I believe student interaction is important for language development. -
The Lexical Approach
This approach was proposed by Michael Lewis. It highlights the importance of lexical chunks in language learning and the use of collocations shown in corpus linguistics. I use parts of this approach in my classes when analyzing language forms with my students. -
Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
This approach is based on the use of tasks as its core unit of planning and instruction. It is promoted by Willis (1996). It is a theory of learning rather than language. I use parts of this approach in my own teaching, as I think tasks are vital for students learning a second language. -
Pienemann's Processability Theory
In SLA Pienemann's Processability Theory aims to determine and explain the sequences in which processing skills develop in relation to language learning. -
Dogme Approach
Scott Thornbury proposed a 'back to the basics' approach in teaching. Dogme is a communicative approach that encourages teaching without published textbooks and focuses instead on conversational communication among learners and teacher.