Audiolingual Method

BACKGROUND:

The Coleman Report in 1929 recommended a Reading- based approach to foreign language teaching for use in American schools and colleges.

This emphasized teaching the comprehension of texts.

The entry of the United States into World War II had a significant effect on language teaching in America.

The government commissioned American universities to develop foreign language programs for military personnel.

This program was established in 1942.

Objective: the objective of these programs was for students attain conversational proficiency in a variety of foreign language.

There was a growing demand for foreign expertise in the teaching of English. This factor led to emergence of the American approach to ESL, which by the mid-fifties become Audiolingualism.

AUDIOLINGUAL METHOD : APPROACH :

It is based on behaviorist theory.

Humans could be trained trough a system of reinforcement.

Rapid acquisition of speaking and listening skills.

Drills students in the use of grammatical sentence patterns.

This approach was similar to the direct method.

Advised students are taught a language directly.

Didn´t focus on teaching vocabulary.

Rather, the teacher drilled students in the use of grammar.

CHARLES FRIES: He was the director of the English Language Institute at the University of Michigan.He believed that learning structure or grammar was the starting point for the student.The students were only given “enough vocabulary” to make such drills possible.Fries later included principle for behavioral psychology.

THE AUDIOLINGUAL METHOD IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES:

Speaking and listening competence preceded reading and writing competence.

Structured patterns in language are taught using repetitive drills.

This method of language learning supports kinesthetic learning styles.

Concrete vocabulary is taught trough demonstration, objects and pictures.

Abstract vocabulary is taught trough association of ideas.

THE SYLLABUS:

Contains the key items of phonology, morphology, and syntax of the language.

A lexical syllabus of basic vocabulary items is also usually specified in advance.

The language skills are taught in the order of: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

When reading and writing are introduced, students are taught to read and write what they have already learned to say orally.

At more advanced levels, more complex reading and writing tasks may be introduced.

TYPES OF LEARNING AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES: EXAMPLES.

1) Repetition: Teacher: this is the seventh month- students: this is the seventh month.

2) Inflection: Teacher: I bought the ticket- Students: I bought the tickets.

3) Replacement: Teacher: he bought this house cheap- Students: he bought it cheap.

4) Restatement: Teacher: tell him to wait for you.- Student: wait for me.

5) Completion: Teacher: we all have.. Own troubles.- Students: we all have our own troubles..

6) Transposition: Teacher: I´m hungry(so).- Student: So I am.

7) Expansion: Teacher: I know him(hardly).- Student: I hardly know him.

8) Contraction: put your hands on the table- put your hands there.

9) Transformation: He knowns my address. He doesn´t know my address. Does he know my address? He used to know my address. If he had know my address.

10) Integration: They must be honest. This is important.- It is important that they be honest.

11) Rejoinder: Be polite - Example Thank you - You are welcome. 12) Restoration: students/waiting/bus.- The students are

waiting for the bus.

Learner roles:

Are viewed as organism

Thus have a little control over the content, pace, or style of learning.

They play a reactive role by

responding stimuli.

They are learning a new form of

verbal behavior

Teacher roles:

Is central and active

He/she monitors and corrects the

learner´s performance.

He/she controls the direction and pace of learning

He/she must keep the learners attentive by varying drills

THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

Assist the teacher to develop language mastery in the learner.

A student book is often not used in the elementary phases of a course.

The teacher will have access to a teacher´s book.

Tape recorders and audiovisual equipment often have roles in an audiolingual course.

A tape lesson may first present a dialogue for listening practice. (Allow for the student to repeat the sentences in the dialogue line by line).

ACTIVITIES: TRUE OR FALSE:

This method is said to result in rapid acquisition of speaking and listening skills:

The entry of the United States into World War II hadn´t a significant effect on language teaching in America:

The audiolingual method advised students be taught a language indirectly:

This method supports kinesthetic learning styles: The syllabus contains the key items of phonology,

Morphology and syntax of the language: There are five types of learning activities:

COMPLETE THE CHART:

Characteristics: Drills:

Learner roles:

Teacher roles:

Students: Quiroga, Geraldine; Quiroga, Macarena. Bibliography: Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge. Chapter 4.