3. Audio-Lingual Method - Eclass

8/21/2019 3. Audio-Lingual Method - Eclass

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ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGLISH

DEPARTMENT OF THEORETICAL AND APPLIED

LINGUISTICS

METHODOLOGY OF ELT

INSTRUCTOR: DR THOMAI ALEXIOU

3. THE AUDIOLINGUAL METHOD


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Background

Coleman report recommended a reading-basedapproach-rapid silent reading but in practiceteachers discussed content of passage

Sentence patterns and grammar wereintroduced at the whim of the textbook writer

No consensus on what grammar sentence

patterns and vocabulary were most importantfor learners


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World War II changed everything!!!

It was necessary to set up a special languagetraining program to supply the US governmentwith interpreters code room assistants andtranslators

American universities were asked to developforeign language programs for military personnel

In 1942 the army specialized training program(ASTP) was established; The ASTP continuedfor 2 years and attracted much attention


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Russian satellite in 1957

US government saw a need for a more intensive effort toteach foreign languages in order to prevent Americansfrom becoming isolated from scientific advantages of other

countries1958: USA National Defense Education Act

The National Defense Educational Act provided funds:

Training of teachers

Development of teaching material Study and analysis of modern languages

Combination of structural linguistic theory+contrastiveanalysis+oral procedures+behaviouristpsychologyAudiolingual method in the 1950s


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Language is a machine that can be taken apart

and put back together. And we can showothers how we can take it apart and put it back

together.


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The informant method

Leonard Blumfield (Yale University) introduced atechnique called the informant method

It used a native speaker of the language (the informant)

as a source of phrases and vocabulary for imitation anda linguist who supervised the learning experience

Students studied 10 hours/day, 6 days/week. 15 hours ofdrill with native speakers and 20-30 hours of privatestudy in 2-3 six week sessions. This was the Armymethod

No methodological basis


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Fries America was a major international power; Thousands of

foreign students entered the USA to study in Universities

In 1939 the university of Michigan developed the first Englishlanguage institute in the US

Charles Fries was the director of the institute, trained instructural linguistics and rejected approaches like the directmethod: grammar was the focal point, combined with

pronunciation and intensive oral drilling of basic sentencepatterns

Pattern practice was a basic classroom technique

Teaching materials at that time evidenced considerablelinguistic analysis but very little pedagogy

The main idea was that practice makes perfect


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Approach

Theory of language: Structuralism Bloomfield & Fries

Language is a system of structurally related elements forthe expression of meaning. These elements are

phonemes, morphemes, words, structures, and sentencetypes

The grammatical system consists of a list of grammaticalelements and rules for their linear combination intowords, phrases, phrases and sentences

Linguistic levels are pyramidally structured. Phonemicsystems led to morphemic and these led to phrases,clauses and sentences


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PhrasesSentences

orphologyPhonology


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Theory of learning:Behaviourism

Behaviourists believe that humans areorganisms capable of learning many behaviors

3 elements of behaviorism: Stimulus:elicits behaviour

Response:triggered by a stimulus

Reinforcement:marks the response as beingappropriate, encourages repetition (vital inthe learning process)


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Behaviourism

Language learning is habit-formation

Mistakes, the bad habit, should be

avoided Language skills are learned more

effectively if they are presented orally

first, then in written form The meaning of words can be learned

only in a linguistic and cultural context


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PRITD


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Behaviourism

Organism

Behavior Stimulus

Response

Reinforcement

Learning behavior

Learner

Language behavior

Content/input Learners reaction

Intrinsic/extrinsic

approval


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Design

ObjectivesLanguage as the native speaker uses it:

good sound perception accurate pronunciation

accurate grammar

ability to respond quickly and accurately


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Syllabus

This method is based on a linguistic orstructure based approach. It is build on

a step by step linguistic syllabus thatcontains phonology, morphology andsyntax

A lexical curriculum of basic vocabularyis prepared in advance


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Types of learning & teaching activities

Dialogues and drills make up the basicclassroom practices

Dialogues can: provide contextualizedkey structures, illustrates situations,and be used for repetition andmemorization

Drills and pattern practice make thismethod unique


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Design

Repetition Inflection

Replacement Restatement Completion Transposition Expansion

Contraction

Transformation

Integration Rejoinder

Restoration


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Repetition

The student repeats an utterance aloud as soon as he has heardit. He does this without looking at a printed text. The utterancemust be brief enough to be retained by the ear. Sound is asimportant as form and order.

ExampleThis is the seventh month. -This is the seventh month.

After a student has repeated an utterance, he may repeat itagain and add a few words, then repeat that whole utterance and

add more words.ExampleI used to know him.-I used to know him.I used to know him years ago. - I used to know him years ago when

we were in school.


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Inflection

One word in an utterance appears in anotherform when repeated.

ExampleI bought the ticket.- I bought the tickets.He bought the candy.- She bought the candy.

I called the young man.- I called the young men


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Replacement

One word in an utterance is replaced byanother.

ExampleHe bought this house cheap.

- he bought it cheap.

Helen left early. She left early.


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Restatement

The student rephrases an utterance andaddresses it to someone else, according

to instructions.Example

Tell him to wait for you. - Wait for me.

Ask her how old she is. - How old are you?


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Completion

Students hear an utterance that iscomplete except for one word, and then

repeat the utterance in completed form.e.g.

T: Ill go my way and you go_____

Ss: Ill go my way and you goyours. T: We all have____own troubles.

Ss: We all have our own troubles.


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Transposition

A change in word order is necessarywhen a word is added.

ExampleI'm hungry (so). - So am I.

I'll never do it again (neither). - Neitherwill I.


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Expansion

When a word is added, it takes a certain place

in the sequence.

Example

I know him (hardly).- I hardly know him.I know him (well). - I know him well


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Contraction

A single word stands for a phrase orclause.

Example

Put your hand on the table. - Put yourhand there. They believe that the earthis flat.- They believe it....


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Transformation Drill

Transform each sentence, substitutingthe past for the present.

Example 1. I eat I ate

2. He goes He went

3. We sleep We slept


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Integration

Two separate utterances are integratedinto one.

Example

They must be honest. This is important.- It is important that they be honest.


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Rejoinder

The student makes an appropriate rejoinder to a givenutterance. He is told in advance to respond in one of thefollowing ways;

Be polite. Answer the question. Agree. Agree emphatically.

Express surprise. Express regret. Disagree emphatically.Question what is said. Fail to understand.

Be polite. ExamplesThank you.- You're welcome.May I take one? - Certainly.

Answer the questions. Examples.What is your name? - My name is Smith;Where did it happen? - In the middle of the street.


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Restoration

The student is given a sequence of words that havebeencut from a sentence but still bear its basic meaning.He uses these words with a minimum of changes andadditions to restore the sentence to its original form.He may be told whether the time is present, past, orfuture.

Example students/waiting/bus - The students are waiting for

the bus. boys/build/house/street - The boys built a house in a

street.


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Use of minimal pairs

The teacher works with pair of wordswhich differ in only one sound; students

are first asked to find the differencebetween the two word and later to saythe two words.Example

shipsheep liveleave leaplip bitbeat


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Learner roles

Learners can be directed by skilled trainingtechniques to produce correct responses(imitators)

They have little control because they arereactive

They do not initiate interaction

They should form habits and overlearn The students role has been likened to that of

a parrot


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Teacher roles

The teacher role is central and active The teacher modelsthe target

language, controlsthe direction andpace of learning, monitors and correctsthe learners performance(orchestrator)

The teacher must learn and do manythings

The teacher is a drill leader (puppeteer)


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The role of instructional materials

Most of the materials are teacher oriented

Books may distract attention away from

the oral input;at beginners are rarely used

Tape recorders, a language laboratory and

audiovisual equipment are important


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Procedures characteristics

The target language is used.

Extensive oral instruction is required.

New vocabulary and structures presented through

dialogues.

Dialogues learned through imitation & repetition.

Drills based upon the patterns present in the

dialogue. Students successful responses are positively

reinforced.

Reading and writing are based on oral work.


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Procedure

1) Students hear a modern dialogue. Repeat.The correction of mistakes of pronunciationorgrammar is direct and immediate.Memorized.

2) Dialogues are adapted and then acted out.3) Key structures are selected and used for

pattern drills. A limited grammaticalexplanation is given.

4) Look at textbook. Follow up reading, writingor vocabulary activities may be introduced(esp. at higher levels).

5) Follow up activities in a language laboratory.


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Advantages The first method to have a theory The Audiolingual theory is probably the first language

teaching theory that openly claims to be derived fromlinguistics and psychology (separation of skills)

It attempts to make language learning accessible tolarge groups of ordinary learners. With large classes,drills are of particular use in that they maximizestudent participation (simple techniques and lang lab)

The Audiolingual Method stresses syntacticalprogression and uses pattern drill to help the students

gain control over grammatical structures. This is a muchmore interesting way of learning grammar than workingthrough written exercises

Drilling helps esp.young learners


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Disadvantages Practitioners discovered that the

practical results did not meetexpectations

Students were not able to transfer skillsto real communication outside theclassroom

Many students found the classes boringand unsatisfying

It is the teacher who always dominatesthe class.

Teacher-oriented materials


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Decline of Audiolingualism

1960s: Audiolingualism lost its popularity

Noam Chomsky (1966) rejected the audiolingual

method. He said that language is not a habit

Learners failed to transfer taught skills in real

communication.

Due to a lack of an alternative to audiolingualismled in the 1970s and 80s to a time of adaptation,

innovation, experimentation and confusion.


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Theory of language

Theory of learning

Structural Linguistics Language is a system of elements

linearly arranged

Behaviourism

L2 learning process = habit

Teaching L2 =teaching aspects of its cultural

system

Practice makes pefect

Grammar is taught inductively

Speech precedes written form

Stimulus

(Input)

Organism

(Learner)

Response

Behavior

(Verbalbehaviour)

Reinforcement

No reinforcement

U.S Army

Charles Fries


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Learnerorganism

Responds to stimuli

Imitator-parrot

Center of the learning process

Models, controls, monitors,

corrects

Drill leader and director

Assists the teacher to develop language skills in the

learner

Teacher-oriented materials

Printed materials are not used in initial stages

Tape recorders, audiovisual equipment andlanguage laboratory are central

Listening activities (dialogues) that contain the grammar structures of the

lesson

Choral repetition of the dialogues

Adaptation of the dialogue by changing key words and then is acted out

Writing activities introduced after oral drills

Reinforcement of oral drills in lab activities


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Watch your thoughts, they become your words.

Watch your words, they become your actions.

Watch your actions, they become your habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

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3. Audio-Lingual Method - Eclass