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KATOLICKI UNIWERSYTET LUBELSKI JANA PAWŁA II

WYDZIAŁ NAUK HUMANISTYCZNYCH

INSTYTUT FILOLOGII ANGIELSKIEJ

TEACHING LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN

THE CALLAN METHOD

Praca licencjacka napisana pod kierunkiemdr Marcina Klebana

Lublin 2011

Table of Contents

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Teaching language functions in the callan method....................................................................1Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3Chapter I............................................................................................................................................5Historical Background of the Callan Method: The Direct and Audiolingual Methods........................51.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................51.2 The Direct Method – Overview....................................................................................................51.3 The Direct Method – Key Features..............................................................................................61.4 The Direct Method – Typical Techniques.....................................................................................71.5 Summary and Comments............................................................................................................71.6 The Audiolingual Method – Overview.........................................................................................81.7 The Audiolingual Method - Key Features.....................................................................................91.8 The Audiolingual Method – Typical Techniques...........................................................................91.9 Influence of the Direct and Audiolingual Methods on the Callan Method................................10Chapter II.........................................................................................................................................12The Callan Method..........................................................................................................................122.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................122.2 Background................................................................................................................................122.3 Basic concepts and the structure of the lesson and the course.................................................132.4 The teacher's and student's roles in the process of learning ....................................................152.5 The materials used in the Callan Method..................................................................................162.6 The strengths and weaknesses of the Callan Method...............................................................16Chapter III........................................................................................................................................19The Practical Part ............................................................................................................................193.1 Study aims.................................................................................................................................193.2 Participants................................................................................................................................203.3 Description of the study............................................................................................................213.4 Results and Discussion...............................................................................................................223.4.1 Stage Exam 4 section..............................................................................................................22 3.4.2 Stage Exam 5 section.............................................................................................................253.4.3 The Discussion........................................................................................................................33References ......................................................................................................................................36 Appendices...................................................................................................37

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Introduction

The fundamental aim of modern methodology of foreign language teaching is to

develop learners’ communicative competence which involves exchanging information,

expressing feelings and emotions in contacts with surrounding people. Another essential

element is enriching students’ knowledge of the targeted foreign country and its culture,

not to mention developing their competence of how the foreign language that they are

learning works.

Many methods for teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) have been

developed throughout the years. Some of them have been dismissed by scholars and

teachers, while others have become widely used in today’s classrooms.

The Callan Method, created in the 1950's by Robin Callan on the basis of his

teaching experience in one of Berlitz schools in Italy gained a lot of popularity in Poland in

the 1990's. Based to a large extent on the principles of the Direct and Audiolingual

Methods, it attracted potential students by promising them constant exposure to verbal

communication conducted in a stress-free environment.

The author’s observations and experience of teaching the Callan Method classes

shows that the principles of the method prove successful when it comes to memorizing

lexical items, understanding and responding to teacher’s questions or writing short

dictations. However, creating long and independent utterances, which is an important

element of communication, presents a real problem to the majority of the Callan Method

students.

This thesis is an effort to improve the performance of students of the Callan Method

by introducing some additional communicative activities which, being in line with the

basic requirements of the Callan Method, will help students enhance their creativity and

independence in the use of English, together with improving their writing and reading

skills.

The thesis is divided into a theoretical part and a practical one.

Chapter One presents the Direct and Audiolingual Methods which played an enormous role

in the development of the Callan Method. The key features and aims of both methods will

be presented with the emphasis on those which were employed by Robin Callan in his

innovative approach to language teaching.

Chapter Two is devoted to the Callan Method . It presents the origins, the aims and

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the key features of the method. After that it describes the structure of the lesson conducted

by the Callan Method, the learning strategies, the ways of checking students’ progress and

the forms of motivating them. Another important aspect discussed in this chapter is the role

of the teacher, together with the requirements they have to fulfill, and the analysis of the

coursebook and the teaching aids.

Chapter Three discusses those aspects of the Callan Method which are most

appreciated by both students and teachers, but it also examines the areas which are

regarded as drawbacks. The evaluation survey conducted among both groups concerning

the method’s strong points and weaknesess provides objective information on which areas

need improving.

The practical part presents three lesson plans of the Callan Method classes written

for three different age groups. Assuming that, on the basis of the survey, after the Callan

Method standard course, students are able to communicate only in highly predictable

situations, I would like to suggest a few amendments to the Callan Method in such a way

that, while retaining its original form, they would expand students’ communicative skills.

The main techniques of the method will be still the main component of the lesson, but

some additional activities suggested by the author will be included. All these extra

activities are intended to suit the competence level and possible interest range of each age

group. Each plan is accompanied by suggested audio-visual aids and the author’s

comments.

This thesis, apart from the aims mentioned above, intends to show that broadening

the range of techniques and strategies in foreign language teaching, no matter what the

method, results in promoting students’ motivation and thus enhances their competence.

Both can be improved by introducing various forms of work in class which would make

the rigid form of Callan Method classes more authentic. Modern methodology of foreign

language teaching emphasises the notion of autonomy and it adjusts the methods and

techniques of teaching to the needs of concrete students. It is the author's belief that the

Callan Method could be more effective if it took into account the suggestions presented in

this thesis.

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Chapter I

Historical Background of the Callan Method: The Direct and

Audiolingual Methods

1.1 Introduction

Chapter One provides information about two methods which had an enormous

impact on the development of the Callan Method: the Direct and Audiolingual Methods.

Both of these undoubtedly can be treated as milestones in the field of foreign language

teaching and they are justifiably regarded as the beginnings of the modern methodology.

This part of this paper will be devoted to discussing the historical conditions which

determined the foundations of both methods, together with their basic aims, characteristic

features and teaching techniques. It then goes on to show which features of both methods

were adopted by Robin Callan and became the core of his method.

1.2 The Direct Method – Overview

The Direct Method, established in Germany and France around 1900, was also

known as the Natural Method. Dakowska (2007:23-24) states that in fact it would be very

difficult to put a distinct line between the two as they both rely on a natural ability to learn

a language and they were the reaction to the Grammar Translation Method which had

dominated foreign language teaching for many years. The 19th century was the time of the

Reform Movement when reformers like Goiun and Sauveur criticised the Grammar

Translation Method and advocated the need to concentrate on the spoken language. This

meant that speaking should be taught first and was of upmost importance and could only at

a later stage be followed by reading. The reformers strongly opposed the idea of teaching

formal grammar and they were aware that language learning was more than memorizing

the rules and acquiring imperfect translation skills. They also called for developing the

knowledge of the foreign country and its culture (Dakowska 2007:22-23).

The Direct Method, which stemmed from this movement and its ideas, was based

on the assumption that the learners of a foreign language should think directly in the target

language. Rather than make students accumulate abstract knowledge about the rules of

grammar, as it was the case of the Grammar Translation Method with translations as a test

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of mastering the language, the proponents of the Direct Method recommended that the

target language should be taught in the way children learn their mother tongue. Dakowska

(2007) notes that children never rely on another language to learn their first language and

that is why the mother tongue is not essential to learn a foreign language. What is more, the

only means of teaching grammar was by inducing the rules of how the language behaves

from the actual language itself. The Direct Method ruled out the use of the printed word for

as long as possible just as first language learners do not use the printed word until they

have a good grasp of speech. Another important feature of this method is that it put a lot of

stress on correct pronunciation and advocated building oral communication skills.

1.3 The Direct Method – Key Features

The prominent features of the Direct Method stay in sharp contrast to the Grammar-

Translation Method which for many years remain dominant in the field of foreign language

teaching. Verbal communication, which is regarded as the overriding aim in the Direct

Method was the natural reaction to the needs of rapid development of trade and

technological progress in the first half of the 20th century. At that time the need for the

direct contact between merchants, scientists, scholars or representatives from other

professions became much more important than analytical approach to the structures

governing a foreign language, precise and accurate translation of classical Latin texts or

philosophical disputes. Casual and spontaneous verbal communication became the most

essential language skill which made the memorized grammar rules or vocabulary items out

of context typical for the Grammar Translation Method seem insignificant.

According to Richards and Rodgers (1986:9-10), the key features of the Direct Method are

that classroom instructions should be provided only in the target language, while everyday

vocabulary and sentences are of prime importance. What is more, communication skills are

built up in question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and students in small classes.

In addition, the meaning of words is communicated through mime and gestures, and

grammar is taught inductively. Furthermore, the acquisition of grammar and translating

skills should be avoided because they involve the application of the students’ native

language. Richards and Rogers (1986:9-10) also note that in the Direct Method, modelling

and practice are used to teach new points and emphasis is placed on developing

pronunciation abilities. Moreover, both speaking and listening skills are taught firstly, with

reading and writing coming later.

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1.4 The Direct Method – Typical Techniques

Some of the typical teaching techniques developed in the Direct Method put stress

first of all on conversation and listening and avoided the direct teaching of grammar.

Diane Larsen-Freeman (1986:26-27) specifies detailed descriptions of some common

techniques associated with the Direct Method. These are firstly, the Question and Answer

Exercise: The language was practised using guided repetition, students were asked

questions in the target language and they were supposed to answer them in full sentences.

The second technique is Reading aloud: Students read parts of passages, plays or dialogues

out-loud, with the teacher using gestures, realia or other means to facilitate the

understanding of the words and phrases. Another technique is Student self-correction:

Teachers provide opportunities for students to self correct by the means of questions and

rising intonation. Further techniques include Conversation Practice. Here, teachers ask

students questions containing a particular grammar structure which students are supposed

to understand to answer them correctly. Students then interact with other students questions

using only the target language. In addition, Dictation is advocated: Teachers read a passage

aloud several times at various paces with students writing down what they hear. Another

method approved is Writing: Teachers ask their students to write a paragraph either from

memory or using the reading passage in the lesson as an example. What is more, Fill-in-

the-blank Exercises are approved: This technique, widely used in Grammar Translation

Method, is applied in the Direct Method with no explicit grammar rules and all the

vocabulary items are provided in the target language. The final technique discussed by

Diane Larsen-Freeman (1986:26-27) is Map Drawing. This is a listening activity in which

the students are given a map with unnamed geographical features. Their teachers’

instructions in the target language make it possible for students to label the map. The

students in turn give the instructions to their teachers to find and complete a posted map.

Diane Larsen-Freeman posits that this is supposed to provide practice in both listening and

speaking skills.

1.5 Summary and Comments

The Direct Method became very popular during the first quarter of the 20 th century,

especially in private language schools in Europe. It was regarded as highly effective in

terms of forming learners who were competent in using the target language 7

communicatively. What is more, it was considered extremely motivating for students, since

the ability to use the target language immediately meant they felt at ease in it right from the

beginning. However, H. Douglas Brown (1994:56) points out that ‘(the Direct Method) did

not take well in public education where the constraints of budget, classroom size, time, and

teacher background made such a method difficult to use’. Although by the late 1920's, the

Direct Method went into decline, it provided the basis and paved the way for more

communicative, oral based approaches, namely the Audiolingual and the Callan methods.

1.6 The Audiolingual Method – Overview

The Audiolingual Method was developed in the United States during the Second

World War as a response to the demand for rapid acquisition of a foreign language by the

military personnel. The objectives of the Army Specialized Training Programme

commissioned by the US government were for students to acquire communicative

competence in a variety of foreign languages. The Audiolingual Method absorbed many of

the features of the Direct Method, but many principles were different and were based on

the conceptions of language and learning from the fields of descriptive linguistics and

behavioural theory. The latter claimed that certain traits of human beings could be

developed through the system of reinforcement: the proper use of the trait results in the

positive feedback, whereas the improper use causes negative feedback. According to this

theory, learning a language is a process of acquiring a set of appropriate language stimulus-

response chains, a mechanical process of habit forming. The firm grounding in linguistic

and psychological theory (Brown 1994:57) added to the method’s credibility and had

some impact on the popularity it held over a long period of time.

Just as in the case of the Direct Method, the most important aim of the Audiolingual

Method was to develop communicative competence in learners. Emphasis was put on

using the target language from the start and thus avoiding the use of the mother tongue in

explaining new words or grammar rules. Another similar aspect was that both methods

placed priority on the development of speaking and listening skills, which were seen as the

basis of the language, with reading and writing coming later. Students were expected to

learn the grammar of the new language not by memorizing rules, but by producing the

language accurately by reacting to stimuli. The stimuli were prompts which would induce

the learners’ production of particular utterances (Lindsay & Night, 2008:18). The most

effective way to achieve this, it was thought, was for students to be exposed to extensive

repetition and a variety of complex drills.

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The underlying goal was to instil the linguistic patterns of the language into the

minds of the learners in a way that made responses automatic and habitual.

1.7 The Audiolingual Method - Key Features

The main features of the Audiolingual Method include the presentation of the new

material by the means of dialogues and by using repetitive drills to teach structural

patterns. In addition, correct pronunciation is strongly encouraged from the beginning,

while emphasis and dependence is placed on practice techniques: mimicry, memorization

and pattern drills. What is more, the use of the mother tongue both by the teachers and their

students is discouraged, and great effort is made to make students produce error-free

utterances. Moreover, little or no grammar explanation is provided: Grammar is taught

inductively, and structures which are thought to be simpler are taught before more

complicated ones. Furthermore, drills are the main way the new language is practised,

while successful responses are immediately reinforced and much use is made of language

labs and visual aids.

1.8 The Audiolingual Method – Typical Techniques

Diane Larsen–Freeman (1986:45-47) provides expanded descriptions of some

common techniques closely associated with the Audiolingual Method. These are Repetition

Drill: Students repeat their teachers’ model utterances as quickly and accurately as

possible. Chain Drill: Students ask and answer each other questions in a circular way

around the classroom. Question-and-answer Drill: Students are expected to answer or ask

questions very quickly. Use of Minimal Pairs: Teachers choose a pair of words that differ

only in one sound; students are supposed to pronounce and differentiate the two words.

Backward build-up Drill: Teachers break down the line of the dialogue into several parts.

The students repeat a part of the sentence and then expand what they are repeating part by

part until they are able to repeat the whole line. Transformation Drill: Teachers provide the

students with a sentence which they are expected to transform into another sentence; for

example, a question into a statement or sentence in Active Voice, into a sentence in Passive

Voice. Substitution Drill: The students repeat the line from the dialogue which their

teachers have given them, substituting the cue (a word or phrase used by their teachers)

into the line in its proper place. Expansion Drill: The main structure is repeated first, then

students have to put cue phrase in its proper place. This facilitates students to produce 9

longer utterances bit by bit, gradually achieving fluency.

1.9 Summary and Comments

The Audiolingual Method made language teaching possible to large groups of learners.

With large classes , drills are especially important as they maximize student participation.

The emphasis is also put on sentence production, control over grammatical structures and

development of speaking skill. The essential part of the method is highly controlled

practice involving extensive repetition aimed at habit forming. and the communicative

activities only come after a long process of rigid drills and exercises. Learners play a

reactive role by responding to stimuli, and thus have little control over the content, pace or

style of learning. They are not encourage to initiate interaction as this may lead to

mistakes.

Just as in the Direct Method the teacher’s role is central and active. It is the teacher

who dominates the classroom and models the target language, controls the direction and

the pace of learning, monitors and corrects the learner’s performance. Not surprisingly the

materials in the Audiolingual Method are primarily teacher-oriented so the teacher’s book

contains the structured sequence of lessons to be followed, and the dialogues, drills, and

other practice activities.

1.9 Influence of the Direct and Audiolingual Methods on the Callan

Method

Both the Direct and Audiolingual Methods had a profound impact on Robin

Callan's method of teaching English as a foreign language. Basically the most important

feature which was incorporated in the Callan Method and comes directly from the two

methods is advocating building oral communication skills. Students learning according to

the rules of the Callan Method are expected to produce the target language immediately

and this is precisely what the rules of the Direct and Audiolingual Methods were. The

Callan Method relies heavily on the theory of language inspired by the behavioural

psychology as it was in the case of the Audiolingual Method. Language, according to this

theory, is a system of rule-governed structures hierarchically arranged. Learning is defined

as a habit formation and the skills are learned more effictively if oral prceeds written. The

activity types preferred by this approach are: dialogues and drills, repetition and

memorization, pattern practice. The learner is directed by skilled training techniques to

produce correct responses. The teacher then, just as in both discussed methods, has a

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central role, provides a model, controls the direction and the pace. Just as the Direct

Method ruled out the use of the printed word for as long as possible the Callan Method is

governed by the rule that the student is supposed to listen to the teacher's questions and

answer them and look into the book only for checking dictations or do the reading passages

but never read the questions from the book if the teacher asks them.

In the Callan Method the new material is presented in the form of qeuestion-answer

technique , very much similar to the dialogue form in the Audiolingual Method. Similarly,

there is dependence on the memorization of set phrases, ' overlearning' caused by constant

repetition, so vital in the Audiolingual Method,which also is an important element of the

Callan Method. Other important common points include attaching great importance to

pronunciation as the teacher in the Callan Method classes is supposed to correct his

students on the spot and he demands all the time correct utterences. Thus, successful

responses are immediately reinforced and there is great effort to get students to produce

error-free utterances. However, one of the features taken from the Direct and Audiolingual

Methods which seem to be rather negative and will be discussed in the next chapter is a

tendency to manipulate the language and disregard the content. The problems that it

presents are obvious. Students very often find the questions nd answers in the Callan

Method artificial, and they actually cannot use them in everyday situations.

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Chapter II

The Callan Method

2.1 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the Callan Method, which evolved around the Direct and

Audiolingual Methods discussed in the previous chapter. First the origins and the

background of the method will be examined. It will be followed by the presentation of the

basic concepts of the method, teaching aids and materials and the lesson structure with the

emphasis on the teacher’s and student’s roles in the process of learning. The chapter will

also concentrate on the strengths and weaknesses of using this method as a way of teaching

English as a foreign language.

2.2 Background

Robin Callan created his method on the basis of his teaching experience in Italy in

1950s. He went there to teach English in one of the Berlitz schools and underwent a two-

day training course after which he taught English to a group of Italians for over six months.

During this period he realised that that the Berlitz method did not reach the goals it

promised to its students and he also found out that other methods did not work out well

with Italian students. His reflections lead him to the conclusion that a more effective

method of teaching English to foreigners should be developed. At first he intended to write

a coursebook for teaching English using the Direct Method but then he decided that he

would open his own school where he would practise and develop his own method. He

opened his school in Salerno, Milan and finally set up an office at 62 Oxford Street with

the intention of training teachers and sending themto language schools abroad. Eventually

the office turned into a school that a few years later moved to 139 Oford Street where it

exists to the present day attracting a considerable number of students every year. It took

Robin Callan another fifteen years to complete the works on his method. During this time

on the request of the Duke of Edinburgh the mehod was evaluated and inspected by David

Hicks, a member of the English Speaking Union and then by Professor David Morgan, the

Inspector of Schools on behalf of the British Council who provided a very favourable

report on the Callan Method. Robin Callan published his method in a book which provided

instructions for both teachers and students and it stated that an average student can learn 12

English in a quarter of a normal time ( which became Callan's motto) , however , this can

be achieved only when the teacehr is guided by established rules.

The Callan Method quickly became popular in Britain and in many European

countries. It gained popularity in Poland in 1990s and it continues to attract many students

at all levels.

2.3 Basic concepts and the structure of the lesson and the course

The most important slogan of the Callan Method and its advertising slogan

is:'English in a quarter of time'.Most of Polish schools adopted this slogan as “Uczymy

angielskiego cztery razy szybciej'”. According to the brochure distributed by the biggest

Callan Method school in London it takes the average beginner student, studying 3 hours a

week, at the average private shool throughout the world , about 350 hours (the equivalent

of four academic years) to reach the level the Cambridge Preliminary exam. The authors of

the brochure (sadly, unsigned) claim that an average Callan Method student is able to reach

that level in a mere 80 hours (the equivalent of one academic year) and, surprisingly , the

Method gets him to the Cambridge First Certificate in 160 hours (two academic years)

compared to the 700 hours (eight academic years) taken by other methods.

Since the numbers given might look impossible, the Callan Method schools give

every student a written guarantee that, if they fail the Cambridge exams , or any other

exams at the same level, in the number of hours the school predicts, they will give them

free lessons until they are successful. Moreover, schools using the Callan Method maintain

that 95 per cent of their students pass the Cambridge First Certificate compared with 70 per

cent result achieved by schools using other methods.

The essence of the Callan Method is top speed of speaking. The teacher asks

students a series of questions which students must answer correctly. During the lesson the

teacher speaks very quickly all the time. According to the Method the teacher is supposed

to say 200-240 words a minute which is more than is uttered in an average conversation

when the number ranges from 150 to 180 words. This means that the average Callan

Method student hears about 12 600 words an hour which is about four times more than in a

traditional class. Each question is asked twice and the teacher points to a person who is

expected to answer it. Even if the student cannot answer the quesrion because he does not

understand it or he does not know the answer to it the teacher has to prompt the student by

giving him the first words of the answer or even the whole answer with the student

repeating it word for word. If , on the other hand, the student understands the answer and

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starts answering immediately the teacher nevertheless echoes this answer. Every single

mistakes the student makes is corrected on the spot. The teacher has to speak all the time

without making any pauses, for example:

'Do you speak English well? No, I don't speak English well but I speak it well enough.

Are you tall enough to touch the ceiling? No, I'm not tall enouhg to touch the ceiling'

As can be seen from the above example students are forced to give answers only in

the long form, they must not use any short forms as , according to the Method , in this way

they are encouraged to speak as much as possible and they practise their pronunciation all

the time.

Each 'question and answer' pattern is repeated at least three times in order to

exercise and practise the vocabulary items or the grammar structures. The students have to

be concentrated all the time both because of the high speed at which the questions are

asked and also because the teacher asks the students at random. The student even if he only

listens to other student's answers still learns by listening, according to the Method.

The first of the two 50-minute long lessons is usually devoted to revising the

material from the previous lessons. The number of revisions and the moment of passing on

to the new material depends on the teacher's assessement of how strong the group is.

During this part each question is asked only once , while during the next part each question

and answer is repeated at least three times and every new question is asked to different

students. The second lesson is sometimes broken to give the dictation which students check

themselves and then give the number of mistakes to the teacher. Another moment when the

usual procedure changes is when the students do the reading part, that is they open their

books and read, one by one , the questions and answers from the book. But even then the

teacher is supposed to repeat the sentences read out loud but the students and correct their

mistakes. The interesting thing is that there is no homework given to the students because ,

according to the Callan Method , there are enough revisions for the students to master the

language items and memorize all the words and structures.

The whole course is divided into 12 stages , each of them introducing and

practising in the form of question-answer pattern 250 words. After each stage students take

an exam which is divided into three parts :40 Yes/No questions , 40 words read out loud by

the teacher with the students putting down the meaning in their mother-tongue, and the

dictation. The pattern of the exam remains the same after ech stage . The maximum

14

number of marks a studnet can get is 100, 40 marks for the first and the second part and 20

for the dictation.

2.4 The teacher's and student's roles in the process of learning

The teacher' role in the Callan Method is central and of upmost importance. Apart

from unnatural speed of asking questions which is , especially at the beginning, a

considerable effort he cannot on any occasion allow himself to have a break or simply

have a moment of thought. The teacher has to stand all the time during the lesson and even

the instructions of where and how his book should be placed are carefully described in the

teacher's handbook provided for him. The only brief moments when he can be silent is

when the students check their dictations for mistakes. Otherwise he is expected to speak

constantly from the very moment he enters the classroom. Even when the student is

answering or reading correctly , the teacher should say every other word to keep the rest of

the students awake and their attention centred on him. As the Handbook puts it ' He is the

star performer and shoul make the students aware of his presence the whole time'.

Apart from the fast pace of speaking which the teacher has to pay attention to he

also is excpected to be aware of other aspects of the lesson. While asking the questions he

also has to accompany some of them with actions, especially on revision. Whenever there

is such a possibility the teacher has to pretend to perform the action (like cutting bread, for

example, or lifting his book when he is asking the question with the word 'rise' in it) or

when he introduces the nouns he points to the objects in the class ( a wall, a picture, a

ceiling). The teacher in the Callan Method has to be energetic, friendly and is supposed to

move all the time in order to keep the interest of his students. Another interesting point is

that under no circumstances can the teacher use the blackboard as it is a waste of time. He

can only use Demonstration Charts in order to facilitate the meaning of some words.

The student in the Callan Method is expected to be attentive all the time in the

course of the lesson and try to the best of his abilities to answer the teacher's questions.

Even if he does not understand the question he should repeat word for word the answer

provided for him by the teacher. He is alowed to ask question only related to the Callan

Method itself, and even these are welcomed outside the clasroom after the lesson, certainly

not during it. The student should not try to give his own interpretation of the version in the

book or to change the word order. Everything he says has to be exactly as it is in the book.

Not a single word should be change as it would be the violation of the Method.

15

2.5 The materials used in the Callan Method

The Callan Method schools use books created only for this method, and they have

been published for restricted use only in an unchanged form since 1963. This means that

thay cannot be purchased in any bookshop in any country. The Student's and the Teacher's

books are very similar to each other as they contain the same set of questions and answers.

Each book is divided into two stages. The only differences between the two are the size

and that the Teacher's book has the test at the end of each stage. The book itself is very

simple and unattractive visually when compared to typical coursebooks used in other

schools. It does not contain any pictures , there is only the question-answer pattern ,

interrupted by new words given in bold type, accompanied by their Polish equivalents and

dictations after one, or sometimes two lessons. The material that accompanies this most

essential element of the Callan Method course is the Chart Book containing Demonstration

Cards with pictures or numbers which illustrate few chosen vocabulary items from the

book. Just as the Stuedent's or the Teacher's Books the charts have not changed since the

early 1960s.

2.6 The strengths and weaknesses of the Callan Method

As it was pointed earlier the Callan Method aims at teaching English at a very

quick pace , uncomparable to any other method, using a simple question-answer technique.

No accompanying materials are used except for the Chart Book and even this is used

sporadically. The students is supposed to answer the teacher's questions word for word

while the teacher has to impose the fast pace constantly and not let even a single break

come up during the lesson. The fact that the Callan Method relies on the dynamic, fast-

paced repetition is very valuable as it is important to revise vocaulary items no matter what

the method. The Latin proverb 'Repetitio est mater studiorum' is still true nowadays and

can be applied not only to language learning. It is especially important for low achievers or

students who simply do not have time to study at home as one of the Method's rule says

not to give homework. Moreover, the high speed of the lesson is extremely appropriate for

beginners who are likely to translate and think in their mother tongue . There is no time for

that in the Callan Method. Another important positive aspect is the efficient organisation of

the lesson. Both the teacher and the student know what the lesson looks like from the very

first second , so no single minute is wasted on unnecessary things distracting students from

learning. Also, a student feels safe when he is accompanied by the teacher who provides

16

him with the answer so it is easier for many shy people to overcome the barrier of speaking

in a foreign language. The friendly atmosphere between the teacher and the students is also

not to be disregarded as it always facilitates the learning process. Last but not least , the

written guarantee given by the Callan Method schools is an important and very tempting

factor.

There are , however, some points which a lot of Callan Method students are

dissatisfied with. One of them is that through intensive repetition and memorization of

language patterns and forms both students and teachers can see immediate effects at first

but students realize after some time that they are unable to produce any new or

spontaneous utterances . They would like to have more freedom in creating their own

sentences. Besides, the explanation of some grammar points in the Callan Method books

seems to be overcomplicated, and not much of a use in everyday situations. For example:

'What's the difference between 'still' and 'yet'?

The difference between 'still' and 'yet' is that we use 'still' for something that is in progress

at the moment , whilst we use 'yet' for something that has not begun or happened. “Still”

we use in positive sentences, whilst 'yet' we generally use in interrogative and negative

sentences.

Such longish explanations of the grammar points are very hard to memorize, let

alone they will never be used in real life. Even if the students are able to repeat the long

and complicated answers of the grammar questions they do not have an opportunity to use

them in life-like situations. The lack of independent and creative utterances and the

grammar rules introduced in a complicated way without practising them in everyday

situations are definitely the main drawbacks of the Callan Method.

Although the Callan Method has both its enthusiasts and opponents in the field of

English language teaching and despite its obvious drawbacks it nevertheless continues to

attract many students in Poland. Its main slogan 'English in the quarter of the time' is

powerful enough to appeal to those who are eager to master the English language. The

slogan might be treated as a catch-phrase but breaking the barriers in speaking (especially

among adults) and feeling at ease while speaking in a foreign language is undoubtedly a

great value of the Callan Method. This psychological aspect connected with the high speed

of conducting the lesson , which creates the atmosphere of very quick language

acquisition, makes it appealing for those who appreciate both the effectiveness and the

17

apparent advantage of the Method. Taking into consideration the strengths of the Callan

Method discussed in the previous chapter but also the demands for introducing some

necessary changes including the elements of communicative approach I would like to

suggest introducing some elements which , while retaining the Method's basic rules, would

also bring in some creativeness into the learning using the Callan Method.

My suggested exercises and activities will be based on the Callan Method but they

will also put much more stress on students' creativeness and will let them learn how to

react in the situations unfamiliar to them . Those activities and exercises are in accordance

with the survey done among the students of one of the Callan Method schools. Those extra

activities obviously require changing the roles of both the student and the teacher as the

teacher will become only a monitoring agent, also giving corrections and advice. At the

same time the student's own involvement will be strengthened. I hope that the additional

elements introduced to the Callan Method lessons will be beneficial for the students giving

them more opportunities to speak creatively.

18

Chapter III

The Practical Part

3.1 Study aims

The purpose of this study is to check and measure if enriching the Callan Method

by adding certain grammar exercises and communicative activities based on the grammar

previously explained can help students to improve their language skills and motivate them

into further learning.

There has been a group of twelve adult learners aged between 25 and 40 years old

with one student who is over 50. Unlikely other groups taught by means of the Callan

Method in which a large number of students resign after a few months of learning for

several reasons the group has shared a very significant interest in learning so far.

Additionally, the group consists of almost the same students learning together from

the beginning of the course which can be considered as an exception as compared with

other Callan Method groups. That is why their low motivation and less satisfactory exam

results that have been observed recently can lead to the assumption that including some

additional grammar exercises with its explanation in students’ native language followed by

communicative activities based on the explained material may facilitate the process of

learning.

Moreover, during the experiment which lasted for from September 2010 until

January 2011 other questions appeared : The course book provides a lot of grammar

questions preceded by their explanation in English and since the beginning and the end of

each single lesson called ‘ask him a question’ requires interaction between students, so,

maybe doing something additional in the course is not necessary and will turn out to be a

waste of the teacher’s time? Maybe the students will not be interested in activities which

are ‘not in the book’, so that can be viewed as not necessary and irrelevant to the

curriculum.

The final aim will be an attempt to answer the following question: Can additional

grammar exercises preceded by explanation in the students’ mother tongue and followed

by relevant communicative activities , based on friendly atmosphere and cooperation lead

to better acquisition of English which could be measured by satisfactory results during the

tests?

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3.2 Participants

There was one group of adult students taking part in this experiment. The group

consists of twelve participants aged between 25 and 40 with one student 50 years old.

There are eight women and four men. They attend English classes twice a week in two 50-

minute long sessions. The lessons begin at 6 p.m. and finish at 7.30 p.m.

The group was established according to the students’ declarations that they had

never studied English before. However, during the first month of the course it turned out

that three of the students were actually false beginners and soon became the best students

in the group.

There are five students, three women and two men who, according to Nunan’s

(1991) categorization of the L2 learners, share the features of ‘analytical’ and

‘communicative’ learners. They like studying grammar, finding their own mistakes and

asking the teacher for explanation certain grammar points during the breaks, when it is the

only time when they are allowed to do so. The students are really keen on speaking, they

enjoy the part of the lesson ‘ask him a question’. What is more, they are capable of creating

quite interesting and sophisticated questions.

There are three very week students in the group. As their level of English is much

lower than the rest of the class, they do not like grammar questions and parts of the

lessons devoted to reading which show their problems with understanding even simple

sentences. However they quite like answering the questions and writing the dictations ,

probably because they can prepare themselves to those activities beforehand.

Although the group could be considered as a strong and highly motivated, after a

few months of the course it has nevertheless been observed that the level of motivation has

decreased. The same observation was shared by other teachers conducting the lessons with

the group. What is more, the students’ lower motivation, disappointment began to lead to

the higher rate of absences which in turn resulted in less satisfactory exam results.

The group course book at present is ‘The Callan Method Book 3’ published by

Orchard Publishing Ltd. It is the continuation of Books 1 and 2 courses which were

successfully completed by the students.

According to the author of the Method using the book can guarantee an excellent

result with virtually every student . It involves no homework, it is easy, interesting and

pleasant to use. It is suitable for students of all ages and for all purposes of study. It

20

requires no equipment , not even a blackboard or other books and can be used for any size

of class. (Teacher’s Book 3 , 2003)

The Method states that at this level an average student has already mastered

approximately 1200 words in the form of question-answer technique.

3.3 Description of the study

The study has been based on the presumption that if we want to measure the

influence of something there need to be certain aspects considered. The relevance of this

study depends on how well different stages are prepared and conducted.

The whole experiment took three months, from September 2010 to January 2011. In

September the group was taught according to the rules of the Method and was subject to

the usual procedures proposed there. During the period the group dynamics was observed

and the results of that initial observations are described further in the chapter.

Next, the group was exposed to the questionnaire which aimed at determining the

students’ attitudes towards learning by means of the Callan Method. After that the group

underwent Stage Exam 4 (See: Appendix 1), whose results, together with the comments,

are presented.

During the whole period of the research the group was exposed to two stage exam

tests and the scores of both of them: Stage Exam 4 and Stage Exam 5 were taken into

consideration in this study as the most significant to measure the process of acquiring new

knowledge by the group. All of them were proposed by the authors of the Teacher’s Book (

Teacher’s Book 3, 2003) and were the same in form. Stage Exam 4 (See: Appendix 1) was

conducted at the end of September while Stage Exam 5 (See: Appendix 2) took place at the

end of January. During this period students’ involvement in the lessons was observed with

the aim of checking if there was a relation between my work on improving students’

acquisition and performance within the group and the results of the tests which the group

was exposed to.

Stage Exam 4 section is devoted to describing the results of the questionnaire the

students underwent at the beginning of the experiment which are discussed and the

conclusions are taken into consideration while presenting the students’ achievements in

Stage Exam 4.

Stage Exam 5 section presents the teacher’s work on introducing certain grammar

exercises preceded by sufficient explanation of the grammar rules and followed by some

communicative activities which aimed at putting theory into practice. The section finishes 21

with the results of the survey carried out among the students after they were exposed to the

additional exercises and activities.

3.4 Results and Discussion

This section seems by far the most essential part of the whole project as it deals

with the realisation of the objectives and the summary of the study stage. It consists of two

parts : Stage Exam 4 and Stage Exam 5 sections mentioned previously.

Another step leading to the completion of the research is the comparison of the

results of the students’ questionnaires and the scores of the exams. The study section is

finished by the description of the students’ and teacher’s personal feelings concerning the

usefulness of enriching the Callan Method with additional grammar and communicative

activities.

3.4.1 Stage Exam 4 section

This section was spread through September 2010 and finished at the beginning of

October. During that period the group was taught on the basis of The Callan Book 2 , stage

4. At the end of the stage the students were exposed to the questionnaire which aimed at

determining the attitudes towards learning by means of the Callan Method. It should be

remembered at this point that the questionnaire was given to a group of adult students not

only attending the classes for almost two years but also paying for their education and

aware of their language needs. That is why it was decided to prepare the questionnaire in

the students’ native language in order to receive the most viable and extensive answers.

The Students’ questionnaire

1. Do you take part in the lessons willingly? If not, why?

2. Which elements of the lesson do you like the most?

3. Which elements of the lesson you don’t like and why?

4. What would like to change ?

The answers and comments provided by the students led to several conclusions.

Although the majority of the students (ten out of twelve) claimed that they

attended the classes willingly they produced quite a few comments on their

feelings towards learning by means of the Callan Method at this stage, that is, as

mentioned before, after almost two years.22

First of all, they complained about predictability of each single lesson which

began to cause boredom mainly due to too many repetitions of the previous

material. Seven out of twelve students admitted, however, that they were aware of

the fact that repetitions are the core element of the Method.

What is more, the next demotivating factor was the grammar issues. Ten out of

twelve students claimed them to be more and more incomprehensible. It should be

mentioned here that all the grammar points are introduced by providing the

students with the rules which are repeated in the ‘question-answer’ form.

Moreover, unlike stages 1, 2 and 3 , stages four and five introduce a lot of

grammar material such as tenses, which can be difficult for the students.

Finally, all of the students emphasised the lack of creativeness as the most

discouraging element of their learning process. It appeared that they were getting

frustrated by being forced to repeating certain phrases without a possibility to

express their own feelings. One of the students even compared himself to a parrot

producing ready-made utterances without giving them much thought.

As far as the second question is concerned the majority of students (nine out of

twelve) indicated ‘Ask him a question’ and open questions as the most enjoyable

and useful elements of the lesson. They claimed that they like to be given a chance

to speak freely and express their thoughts and opinions.

The answers to the third question led to the conclusion that the grammar questions

appeared to be the most demotivating elements of the lesson. As mentioned before

the more difficult and complicated the grammar material was the less

comprehensible it became, which in turn resulted in decreasing the level of

motivation.

Apart from the above mentioned problem, several students pointed to reading and

dictation as elements not important and irrelevant to their learning. They described

reading part as dull and repetitive since they had to read previously taught

questions and answers together with the teacher who set the pace (usually at high

level) and corrects the pronunciation to fast. The students found the dictations

irrelevant mainly because they were artificial and the sentences were put together

at random.

The comments and opinions expressed in the answers to the fourth question as it

was meant summed up the students’ language needs. The changes suggested by the

students concerned giving the students more freedom while answering questions,

23

not only at the ’ask him a question’ stage but also during the lesson. They wanted

to exchange some of the questions, e.g. ‘If you dropped from the top of a very high

building would you kill yourself?’ to more practical and useful in everyday

situations.

Bearing in mind that students had already expressed their dissatisfaction with the

way they were exposed to certain aspects of grammar rules, it was not surprising

that they expected a different approach to this issue. Seven out of twelve students

proposed explaining the grammar rules in Polish and introducing some grammar

exercises while five students suggested using grammar in a situational context.

Apart from the extensive information gathered from the students’ answers there was

also a lot of additional information about their opinion on some aspects of the Method. It

appeared that the students liked teachers’ punctuality, the pace of the lesson and nice and

friendly atmosphere at school. As for the exams they respected the rules (e.g.no cheating,

each exam can be retaken only once) and the necessity of changing the group due to the

learner’s very good or very bad performance. The students were satisfied with the way

their achievements were monitored by the head teacher.

The students also provided quite a lot of information about the teachers. They liked

their positive attitude towards learners, their professionalism and the appearance (a suit and

a tie) . It seemed that being taught by many teachers wasn’t a problem for majority of the

students, they even appreciated teachers speaking with different accents. What is more , the

students enjoyed having to stay alert during the lesson as according to the Method the

teacher chose students at random to answer his questions.

At the beginning of October the group was exposed to Exam 4. As stated before the

exam was proposed by the authors of the Teacher’s Book corresponding the course book

the students were learning from. It covered all the linguistic material which should have

been acquired after completing Stage 4 from the course book.

Just like the previous exams Exam4 consisted of three parts. The maximum score of

the whole paper was 100 marks and the passing grade was 60 marks. Part One was devoted

to ‘Yes/No’ questions, which were the combination of grammar and lexical items from the

Stage 4. Part Two was aimed to check the students’ knowledge of vocabulary and in Part

Three expected to write a dictation on the basis of the material covered in Stage 4.

24

The mean score of the group gained in Stage Exam 4 was 57,70% which in

comparison to Stage Exam 1 (74,28%) Stage Exam 2 (69,90%) and Stage Exam 3

(67,43%) indicated that the students’ performance was deteriorating. As for the students’

impressions after the test they marked the grammar part as the most difficult in comparison

to vocabulary and writing which were described as quite easy. That view is well congruent

with the answers and comments the students provided to the questionnaire.

3.4.2 Stage Exam 5 section

This stage was spread from October 2010 to January 2011 and was devoted to

introduction of certain grammar and communicative activities in order to help the students

to improve their skills. It finished with Exam 5

According to the curriculum of Stage 5 the most important grammar structures to be

covered during this period were the Present Perfect and the Future Simple tenses, which

were to be introduced according to the suggestions from the Teacher’s Book, i.d. by the

teacher’s reading the rules, later by the student’s individual repetitions in the ‘question-

answer’ form. That seemed not to be enough to reinforce the students’ awareness of

grammar and enable them to answer the exam questions correctly. It must be emphasized

at this point that the grammar and vocabulary questions repeated during the course differ

from those which the students are exposed to during the exam.

Bearing in mind this fact it has been decided to introduce some grammar exercises

based on the two tenses mentioned before which were preceded by extensive explanation

of the rules in Polish and followed by several communicative activities coherent with the

discussed material. Additionally, because of the need to revise several vocabulary items

which could be difficult for the students to memorize those items were under consideration

while preparing the exercises.

All the students agreed willingly to take part in the experiment.

The first step leading to completing the study aims was preparing four lessons which

were not conducted according to the rules of the Callan Method. Each lesson took place

right after the regular Callan Method class and was meant to be the extension of the

material. Lesson 1 was devoted to the explanation of the rules of the Present Perfect tense

and putting theory into practice, Lesson 2 consisted of communicative activities revising

the material from the Lesson 1. Similarly, Lesson 3 aimed at explaining and practicing the

usage of the Future Simple tense with Lesson 4 dealing with communicative activities

based on the material previously taught.

25

Lesson 1

After extensive explanation of the rules of the Present Perfect tense done in Polish

with the usage of the whiteboard, which is unacceptable during a typical Callan Method

lesson, the students were allowed to ask questions so as to facilitate the understanding of

the discussed grammar issue.

Next, the students were given handouts with exercises on the Present Perfect tense

which they were expected to do individually or in pairs within the time limit. They were

encouraged to cooperate and use English as frequently as possible during the work with the

teacher monitoring their progress. At the end of each task there was a feedback session

during which the correctness of the exercise was checked and the students were allowed to

ask the teacher for further explanation.

Exercise 1 (Pair work)

You are writing a letter to a friend and giving news about people you both know. Use

the words given to make sentences and put the verb in the Present Perfect form.

Example: Phil (find) a new job. Phil has found a new job.

Dear Chris,

Lots of things have happened since I last wrote to you.

1. Charles (go) to Brazil. Charles……………..................................................

2. Jack and Jill (decide) to get married. Jack and Jill…………………………..

3. Susan (have) a baby boy. Susan……………………………………………..

4. Monica (give up) smoking. Monica…………………………………………

5. George (pass) his driving test. George………………………………………

(based on Murphy R.:English Grammar in Use, Cambridge, 1992)

Exercise 2 (pair work)

Read the situation and then write a suitable sentence. Use the verb given.

Example : Tom is looking for his key. He can’t find it. (lose)

He has lost his key.

1. David was here 10 minutes ago. Now he is in bed. (go)

He …………………

26

2. Yesterday Robert was playing basketball. Today his leg is in plaster.

(break)

Robert ………………………………………………..

3. Mary smoked a lot. Now she doesn’t. (stop)

Mary ……………………………………………………………….

4. Viola was pregnant. She has a beautiful baby now. (have)

Viola …………………………………………………………………

5. The light in the living-room was off. Now it is on. (turn on)

James ………………………………………………………………..

Exercise 3

Put the sentences in the negative

Example

I have heard of George Washington many times.

I haven’t heard of George Washington many times.

1. My parents have lived in Chelm for a long time.

They……………………………

2. Peter has had a driving license since 2001.

He …………………………………….

3. I have seen Avatar this week.

I …………………………………………………….

4. My boyfriend has gone to London.

He ……………………………………………..

5. Andy has lost his wallet.

He ………………………………………………………...

Exercise 4

Ask your friend questions beginning with Have you ever…..?

Example

(Liverpool) Have you ever been to Liverpool?

1. you/ever/lose/your ID card?

2. you/ever/try/sky-jumping?

3. you/ever/be/to Tunisia?

4. you/speak/to a famous person?

27

5. you/drive/a Porsche?

Exercise 5 Make questions according to the given pattern.

Example

John has gone to France. Where has John gone?

1. Mark and Lis have been married for 5 years. How long……………………….?

2. The Wilsons have bought a cottage in Cornwall. What………………………..?

3. J.K.Rowling has written ten books. How many

………………………………..?

4. I have been to England seven times. How many

times………………………….?

5. Mark has met Linda today. Who

………………………………………………..?

Lesson 2

This lesson was devoted to practicing the Present Perfect Tense through

communicative activities. The students worked in pairs or groups creating short dialogues

on the basis of the clues provided by the teacher. The students were supposed to use

English as much as possible and they were encouraged to use some elements of drama like

miming, gestures etc.

Activity 1

Students practice the Present perfect and Past Simple Tenses with question prompts, such

as ‘Have you ever…’ (See: Appendix ). The teacher copies and cuts out one sheet per group

three or four students. Before he makes copies he personalizes the activity by writing two

questions relevant to students everyday life, for example Have you ever eaten anything at

your local restaurant? together with some follow-up questions Which one? When ? Who

with ?What? . The students are then going to do a survey. They must move around asking

the question on their card to all the other students in their group. If somebody answers

‘Yes, I have’, then they ask the second question. The students are reminded that they must

put the verb into the past participle form. The activity ends with the feedback session.

Activity 2

Students ask each other questions about experiences and try to find out if their partner is

telling the truth or not. (See: Appendix ) Students are put in pairs and they are given the

28

sheets A and B with questions. Students are supposed not to see each other’s questions.

Then they are given some time to complete the questions with the past participle and check

answers. The teacher demonstrates the activity by getting one student to ask him one of

their questions, for example Have you ever won a cup or a medal? The teacher answers

Yes, I have. Then the student continues asking more questions with the teacher answering

with the truth or invented details. Finally, the teacher asks the students to guess if his story

was true or not. Students take turns to ask and answer. They should write T (true) and F

(false) after each answer. When students have finished, they compare their sheets and see

whether they guessed right. The teacher then gets feedback from some of the pairs.

Lesson 3

Similarly to Lesson 1 the students were provided with the explanation of the rules

of the Future Simple tense done in their mother tongue and they were allowed to air any

doubts or problems with understanding the issue. Afterwards they were given the handouts

with the grammar exercises they were supposed to do in pairs trying to stick to the time

limit given by the teacher. Each exercise was completed with the feedback session in order

to check the answers and let the students ask the teacher for some further explanation.

Exercise 1

Complete the sentences with will/won’t and these verbs. Use contractions.

snow not pass win rain take can be(2) not finish need not like

1. -Do you think it……………………..?

-No, it isn’t cold enough. But I think it ………………………

2. Come on. You ……………………………… late for school.

3. -We …………………………………….. the painting today.

-You’re right. It ……………………. dark in half an hour.

4. You need to do more work or you ………………………. Your exams.

5. You …………………………. play again in six weeks, but you ……………… to

be careful.

6. They ……………………………. this new Steven Spielberg film . It’s a complete

disaster.

7. We ………………………………. the 6.30 train.

8. I’m sure they ………………………………… the football match tonight.

Exercise 2

29

Match the sentences.

1. It’s cold in here. A I’ll help you to do it.

2. I’m thirsty. B Shall I make you a sandwich?

3. I have a headache. C Shall I carry one for you?

4. This exercise is hard. D I’ll lend you some money.

5. I’m hungry E I’ll send it by e-mail now.

6. I left my wallet at home. F Shall I shut the window?

7. I need that photo urgently. G Shall I turn off the music?

8. These bags are very heavy. H I’ll get you a glass of water.

Exercise 3

Read the sentences 1-12 and match them to predictions a-l. Complete the predictions with

will/won’t . Use the verbs in brackets.

1. There’s a new drinks machine in the office.

2. She’s going to live in France for a year.

3. I broke one of my mum’s best glasses.

4. We’re going to get tickets for the concert tonight.

5. The teacher isn’t going to be here tomorrow.

6. My brother is going to sell his flat in London.

7. I’m going to stop smoking.

8. She’s going to buy another mobile phone.

9. My son has a degree in Computer Science.

10. I’m going on a walking holiday in Scotland.

11. I’m taking my driving test tomorrow.

12. I’m going to see Terminator5 tonight.

a. They …………………………… very expensive. (be)

b. Don’t worry. You …………………….. (pass)

c. She ………………….. probably ………………………. it, just like the other two .

(lose)

d. She …………………………. speaking French fluently. (come back)

e. You …………………………… it. It’s very violent.

30

f. The coffee …………………….. very good.

g. You ………………………… much healthier. (feel)

h. She ……………………………….. furious. (be)

i. I’m sure he ……………………….. a good job. (get)

j. He ………………………………………… a lot of money for it. (get)

k. It …………………………………………… every day . (rain)

l. Great! So we …………………………………… the exam! (not have)

Lesson 4

The aim of Lesson 4 was to get the students to use the Future Simple tense in

communicative activities. They worked in pairs and were exposed to tasks in which they

had to use the target language in dialogues created on the basis of the clues provided by the

teacher. Again, just like in Lesson 2 the use of drama elements like miming or gestures was

welcome.

Activity 1

Students practice making positive and negative predictions. They are given one

copy of the exercise per pair (See: Appendix ) The teacher goes through sentences 1-10 in

You say section and the responses. For example:

We are having a party in the garden. I’m sure you’ll have a great time / It’ll rain.

The teacher divides students in pairs into A and B. Students A are to read the situations

(miming and gestures here are much welcome) and students B react giving the optimistic

responses. When exercise is finished the rules change. This time students B read the same

situations and students A react giving the negative response. The teacher monitors students’

work and helps them if necessary. They are encouraged to use as much English as possible.

In the feedback session the whole group decides which answers, positive or negative,

sound more natural.

Activity 2

The aim of the activity is to practice offers and promises. The students are given

one copy of the activity per pair which is cut into A and B (See: Appendix ). Students A

and B should not see each other’s sheets. The teacher demonstrates the activity by taking

the part of student A. He reads out the first sentence , for example I’ve got a terrible

headache. And tells student B to respond using I’ll or Shall I plus the verb. If the B’s

31

response is not correct he encourages the student to try again. When the exercise is finished

the students

are asked to repeat the activity responding from memory.

At the end of January the group was exposed to Exam 5 (See: Appendix ). As stated

before the exam was proposed by the authors of the Teacher’s Book corresponding the

course book the students were learning from. It covered all the linguistic material which

should have been acquired after completing Stage 5 from the course book and enriched by

the additional grammar and communicative activities prepared by the teacher.

Just like the previous exams Exam 5 consisted of three parts. The maximum score of the

whole paper was 100 marks and the passing grade was 60 marks. Part One was devoted to

‘Yes/No’ questions, which were the combination of grammar and lexical items from the

Stage 5. Part Two was aimed to check the students’ knowledge of vocabulary and in Part

Three the students were expected to write a dictation on the basis of the material covered in

Stage 5.

The mean score of the group gained in Stage Exam 5 was 64% which in

comparison to Stage Exam 4 (57,70%) indicated that the students’ performance was

improving. The majority of students (10 out of twelve) answered correctly those grammar

questions which were similar in form to the phrases which appeared in additional

exercises. As for the students’ impressions after the test they considered the grammar part

as less difficult in comparison to the grammar part in Exam 4; vocabulary and writing parts

were described as quite easy. That view is well in line with the answers and comments the

students provided in the questionnaire given at the end of the experiment.

The questionnaire consisted of three questions:

1. Did you enjoy the additional exercises and activities?

2. Did you find them helpful in your learning process?

3. Would you like to break the rules of the Callan Method and include similar

activities in the next stages of the course?

In answer to the first question all of the students expressed a very positive attitude

towards taking part in additional activities and exercises. Eight out of twelve

students that it was a nice change comparing to the lesson entirely based on the

course book, six out of the students mentioned movement as the most enjoyable

part of the communicative activities (It should be reminded here that according to

the Callan Method students are sitting still in the circle and each lesson takes fifty

32

minutes), ten students liked speaking English most of the time in real life

situations.

In answer to question 2 ten out twelve students stated that explaining the grammar

rules in Polish facilitated the understanding of the grammar much better than

before. According to them the grammar exercises provided by the teacher were of

great help. What is more, the students claimed that they learned certain phrases

from communicative activities faster and more effectively as they und such phrases

useful in real life situations.

As for the last question in which the students were to decide if they wanted to

break the rules of the Method all of them were in favour of participating in

communicative and grammar activities as frequently as possible.

All of these answers can be assumed as very rewarding for both: the Callan Method and

the teacher

3.4.3 The Discussion

The main objectives of this thesis was to check and measure if introducing certain

additional grammar exercises preceded by explanation in the students’ mother tongue and

followed by relevant communicative activities , based on friendly atmosphere and

cooperation can lead to better acquisition of English which could be measured by

satisfactory results during the tests. Concentrating on the final objective by means of the

mean scores of the tests undertaken by the students at the beginning and at the end of the

experiment it can be stated that the students improved their performance by 6.3 %. The

result, although not as extremely satisfying as it could be, showed that the students

benefited from it. Focusing on the skills which were tested during the exams, additional

grammar and communicative activities helped the students not only to develop

communication but also grammar and vocabulary.

Finally, there was one more question which appeared during the study. It was

connected with the fact that the course book provides a lot of grammar questions preceded

by their explanation in English and since the beginning and the end of each single lesson

called ‘ask him a question’ requires interaction between students, so, maybe doing

something additional in the course is not necessary and will turn out to be a waste of the

teacher’s time? Maybe the students will not be interested in activities which are ‘not in the

book’, so that can be viewed as not necessary and irrelevant to the curriculum. According

to my observations including some additional grammar and communicative activities 33

proved to be very beneficial for the students as it broke the monotony of the conventional

Callan Method classes. Moreover, it seems that even the most attractive method becomes

less and less attractive after two years of studying more and more difficult material. Such

lessons provided the kind of necessary spice , something new, enjoyable and beneficial

which appealed to all kinds of learners.

To conclude, the project can be referred as an successful attempt to improve the

Callan Method and helped the students to acquire English not only better but also in an

interesting and enjoyable way.

ConclusionsHaving started thinking about the topic of my thesis I knew it had to deal with the

field of my interest and my experience in teaching English using the Callan Method. The

choice of the subject resulted from my observations of the classes taught by the means of

this method.

Forming the objectives I was not sure how they, along with the already established ,

strict rules of the Callan Method, could be applied in practice. However, I was also aware

that the students, having completed 4 stages of the course, started to be less and less

involved in the process of learning, which could be observed both from the results of the

Exam 4 and also from my observations and students’ comments expressed in the survey

conducted after they have taken Exam 4. The Callan Method proved suitable, efficient and

successful at the very beginning of the course when the students made progress very

quickly and they enjoyed being exposed constantly to the target language.

The student complained about complex and complicated grammar questions which

did not facilitate the process of learning and the predictability of each lesson was becoming

boring rather than comforting as it was at the beginning of the course. They were also

dissatisfied with some of the questions which were very abstract and thus could not be

used in real life situations. On the whole the students seemed to lack both the explanation

of the grammar issues in an understandable way and some real life-like situations in which

they would be supposed to react off-handedly.

Bearing all above remarks in mind I decided to implement some of the elements of

the communicative approach in the experimental group of adults in order to fulfil the

students’ expectations and to raise their motivation and get them more involved in the

learning process and consequently improve their foreign language competence. Since the

results of the survey conducted after Exam 4 showed the necessity for the better

34

explanation and practice of the grammar rules I decided to introduce some additional

exercises preceded by thorough explanation of a given grammar issue in Polish. The

ultimate aim, however, was to expose the students to the real life situations in mini-

dialogues, which they would find more practical.

The results of the Exam 5 and the short survey done after the exam seem to support

the idea of enriching the Callan Method with additional exercises and activities which

would incorporate communicative approach. The students reacted positively to the changes

and expressed their willingness to participate in similar activities in the next stages of the

course.

35

References Uwaga błędy w formacie referencji

Allwright, R.L. (1984) The Importance of Interaction in Classroom Language Learning. Applied Linguistics. 5(2), 156-171

Bell, D., M. (2007) Do teachers think that methods are dead? ELT Journal Volume 61/2

April 2007 Oxford University Press, 135-143

Brown, H.D. (2000) Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Addison Wesley

Longman

Brown, H., D. (2002) English Language Teaching in the “post-method” era: toward better

diagnosis, treatment, and assessment. In J.C. Richards and W.A. Rennandya (eds.)

Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice Cambridge

University Press, 9-18

Dakowska, M. (2007) Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Warszawa: PWN

Harmer, J. (2001) The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson Education Limited

Iwasyszyn, M. (2003) Retro-methodology nostalgia. The Callanization of Poland. The

Teacher 03/2003, 37-38.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2001) “The joy of watching others learn”. An interview with Diane

Larsen-Freeman by William P.Ancker. English Teaching Forum 39/4 ,2-9

Nuan, D. (1989) Designing tasks for the communicative classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press

Prabhu, N.,S. (1990) There Is No Best Method-Why? TESOL Quarterly, Vol.24,No.2,

161-176

Richards, J., C., Renandya, W., A. (2002) Methodology in Language Learning

An Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge University Press

Ur, P. (1996) A course in Language Teaching. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

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Appendices

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Appendix 1

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39

40

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Appendix 2

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Appendix 3

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Appendix 4

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Appendix 5

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Appendix 6

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