THE SILENT WAY

TEFL, 2012

Theoretical background 1. Challenge audio-lingual method:

Ss are unable to transfer habits formed in the classroom to communicate outside of it.

2. Noam Chomsky:Language must not be considered a

product of habit formation, but rule formation.

Language acquisition must be a procedure of people using their own thinking process, or cognition, to discover the rules of the language they are acquiring.

3. Cognitive approach

Rather than responding to stimuli, Ss are:responsible for their learningengaged in formulating hypotheses to

discover the rules of target language (grammar)

Background American educator, Galeb Gattegno

created in the 70s, 1983.Basic principle: Teaching should be

subordinated to learning.Teaching is to serve learning process

rather than to dominate it.Learners are actively searching for

rules of the target language regarding to the learner in the cognitive approach.

Learning is a process which we initiate by ourselves by mobilizing our inner resources. (perception, awareness, cognition, imagination, intuition, creativity..)

In the process of learning, we integrate into ourselves whatever ‘new’ that we create, and use it as a stepping stone for further learning.

Teaching-learning processGattegno “The teacher works with the

students; the students work on the language”.

In a period of class, teacher should not talk more than 10%.

Have Ss talk.

Students should use language for self-expression.

Students develop their inner criteria for correctness.

Only the learners can do the learning.Ss is to make use of what they know.Learning is Ss’ personal responsibility.Teacher should respect the autonomy

of the learners in language.Teaching involves only one structure at

a time.

With minimal spoken cues, Ss are guided to produce the structure.

Ss practice without repetition.Ss gain autonomy in the language by

exploring it.T sets up situation to ‘force awareness’

through the use of nonverbal gestures and the tools which are available.

Principles Teachers’ goals:

Ss use the language for self-expression through their thoughts, perceptions and feelings.

They need to develop independence from the teacher.

Develop their own criteria for correctness.

The teacher should give them only what they need to promote their learning.

Teacher/students’ roleTeacher’s role

he/she is a technician or engineer.The teacher relies one what his

students already know. Focus on students’ perceptions, force

their awareness, and provide exercises to insure their facility with the language.

Students’ roleSs make use of what they know.Free themselves of any obstacles

that would interfere by paying attention to the learning task.

Actively engage in exploring the language.

Characteristics TL processStudents begin their study through its

basic building blocks and its sounds.Teacher sets up situations that focus on

student attention to the structures of the language.

Students receive a great deal of practice with a given target language structure without repitition.

Students-teacher interactionThe teacher is silent.He is still very active in setting up

situations to force awareness, listen attentively to students’ speech and silently work with them on their production.

Give the clues, not to model the language.

Student-student interaction

They learn from one another the teacher’s silence is one way to do this

Area of languageSince sounds are the basic,

pronunciation is worked on from the beginning.

Focus on the structures of the language but explicit grammar rules may never be supplied.

Start for what students know and build from one another to the next.

All skills are worked from the beginning of the course.

Role of native languageMeaning is made clearly by focusing on

students’ perceptions, not translation.Native language can be used to give

instructions when necessary.Native can exploited to introduce the

new sounds in TL.

evaluationNever give a formal test, he assesses

student learning all the time.Teaching is subordinated to learning

teacher must be responsive to immediate learning needs.

Teacher doesn’t praise or criticize student behavior because it would interfere students’ development.

Teacher looks for steady progress, not perfection.

Students’ errorsErrors are seen as a natural, essential

part of the learning process.Errors are inevitable since the students

are encouraged to explore the language.

(teacher) errors are used as a basis for deciding where further work is necessary.

The teacher works with students in getting them to self-correct.

If students/peers are unable to correct, teacher would supply the correct language.

Techniques

Sound-color chartSelf-correction gestures

Teacher’s silence Word chart

Peer correction Fidel chart

Rods Structured feedback

Suggestopedia or

Desuggestopedia

Desuggestopedia

*Suggestopedia is now called Desuggestopedia to reflect the importance placed on desuggesting limitations on learning

*Desuggestopedia has been called an affective-humanistic approach.

The originator of Desuggestopedia

It was created by the Bulgarian educator Georgi Lozanov in 1979.

” Learning is a matter of attitude, not aptitude.”

Lozanov himself declaring that memorization in learning through De-suggestopedia would be accelerated by up to 25 times over that in conventional learning methods.

.

Learning Theory

People use 5-10% of their mental capacity. In order to make better use of our mental reserves, limitations need to be desuggested. Students should eliminate the feelings that they cannot be successful and thus, to help them overcome the barriers to learning. Psychological barriers should be removed.

Language Theory

Lazanov does not articulate a theory of

language. However according to this

method communication is a two-plane

process. Language is the first of the two

planes. In the second plane, there are

factors, which influence the linguistic

message (e.g. the way one dresses,

non-verbal behaviours that affect the

linguistic message).

The main principles of Desuggestopedia

1) In an atmosphere of play, the conscious

attention of the learner does not focus on

linguistic forms, but rather on using the

language.

2) Students can learn from what is present

in the environment. (Peripheral learning)

3) Fine art provides positive

suggestions for students.

4) Errors are corrected gently and

indirectly.

5) The teacher should integrate indirect

positive suggestions into the

learning situation.

Key Elements of De-Suggestopedia

1. Rich sensory learning environment

2. Positive expectation of success

3. Varied range of methods

Techniques

Classroom set up: dim lights, soft music, comfortable armchairs,

and posters on the walls.

Positive Suggestion:

*Direct Suggestion: The teacher tells students they are going to be

successful to create self-confidence.

*Indirect Suggestion: This is provided by music and comfortable

physical conditions of the classroom.

Visualisation:

Students are asked to close their eyes and concentrate on their breathing. Then the teacher describes a scene or an event in detail so that students think they are really there. When the scene is complete, the teacher asks students to slowly open their eyes and return to the present. This can be done just before students write a composition in order to activate their creativity.

Choose a New Identity: Students can be asked to write about their fictional new identity,

new home town, family, etc.

First Concert: Music is played. The teacher begins a slow, dramatic reading,

synchronised in intonation with the music. The music is classical. Teacher's voice is usually hushed, but rises and falls with the music.

Second Concert: Students put their scripts aside. Students close their eyes and

listen as the teacher reads with musical accompaniment. This time the content that is read by the teacher is emphasised by the way the teacher reads the text. Music is secondarily important. At the end of the concert, the class ends for the day.

Four Stages of De-Suggestopedia：

1. Presentation

2. First Concert - "Active Concert“

3. Second Concert - "Passive Review“

4. Practices

PRESENTATION

A first stage in which students are helped to

relax and move into a positive frame of

mind, with the feeling that the learning is

going to be easy and fun.

FIRST CONCERT - "ACTIVE CONCERT"

This involves the active presentation of the

material to be learnt. For example, in a

foreign language course there might be the

dramatic reading of a piece of text,

accompanied by classical music.

SECOND CONCERT - "PASSIVE REVIEW"

The students are now invited to relax and

listen to some Baroque music, with the

text being read very quietly in the

background. The music is specially

selected to bring the students into the

optimum mental state for the effortless

acquisition of the material.

PRACTICE

The use of a range of games, puzzles, etc.

to review and consolidate the learning.

Class example First class:

The teacher greets and explains what she is

going to do in native language with

enthusiasm.

The teacher listens to the music that is

recorded in the radio.

Teacher reads a dialogue in intonation with

the music.

The students follow the dialogue in their

scripts.

The students put dawn their scripts.

The teacher reads the dialogue in a normal rate and the students listen to her.

The students read the dialogue in particular manners (sad, angry, cheerful way).

The students get in a circle. The teacher throws a ball to one student and she asks a question. Then this student has to throw the ball to another student and asks another question.

The class is finished.

The students do not have any homework.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF TEACHERS

WHO USE DESUGGESTOPEDIA?

Teachers hope to accelerate the process by which students learn to use a foreign language for everyday communication.

More of the students' mental powers must be tapped.

This is accomplished by desuggesting the psychological barriers learners bring with them to the learning situation.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER?

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS?

The teacher is the authority in the classroom.

In order for the method to be successful, the students must trust and respect the teacher.

The students will retain information better from someone in whom they have since they will be more responsive to her 'desuggesting' their limitations and suggesting how easy it will be for them to succeed.

Once the students trust the teacher, they can feel more secure. If they feel secure, they can be more spontaneous and less inhibited.

RELAXATION

An examination of the Suggestopedia

literature revealed that in studies where

relaxation is a major independent variable,

rather than just one element of

Suggestopedia, only one study indicated a

clear improvement in performance for the

experimental group over the control group

Music Another one major independent variables is

Music. Of the nine studies examined, four

achieved significant increases in

performance while the remaining studies

demonstrated no clear advantage with

music (see Table 2).

ADVANTAGES

1/ LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

2/ THINKING HIGHLY OF STUDENTS’ FEELING

3/ THE EMPHASIS OF INTERACTION

4/ THE TREATMENTS TO STUDENTS’

MISTAKES

At the beginning levels, errors are not

corrected immediately because the

emphasis is on communication. When

errors of form occur, teachers uses the

correct form later on during class,

because immediate interference by the

teacher may destroy the relaxed

atmosphere in classes.

Disadvantages

1/ LACK OF FLEXIBILITY

De-suggestopedia emphasizes the relaxed,

no pressure learning environment, but it is

indeed lack of flexibility to some students

who are difficult to learn spontaneously,

and cause indolence on their learning.

OVER-EMPHASIZED OF LANGUAGE USE

De-suggetopeia emphasizes that it is more

important to let students learn a large

amount of vocabularies than grammars. It

believes that teacher should focus on the

use of language rather than type of

language. However, it may be over-

emphasized the use of language. And will

lead students to ignore the importance of

grammars. (styles of language)

ABSENCE OF TESTS

De-suggestopeia emphasizes to let

students learning in a relaxed

environment. The teachers will grade

students by their performance in class but

not the traditional test mode. However, it

may lead students lack pressure and may

lose the motivation on learning.

Review

Theory of Language Method communication is a two-plane process: language and linguistic message.

Role of the Students To be childlike, participate in the activities, trust and respect the Teacher. Moreover, Ss should be relaxed following teacher’s instructions.

Role of the Teachers To provide feeling of security for students eliminating the barriers to learning; increase their communicative ability.

Role of the content To seem enjoyable and easy (vocabulary, grammar and speaking).

Role of the objectives To help students to learn to use a foreign language for everyday communication.

Role of the activities To carry out creative adaptation.

Role of the methodology Desuggest the Students ‘s limitation in learning

Role of the assessment To check students’ knowledge in-class- performances.

Role of the materials and resources To engage learning by lowering the affective filter

of students.

Evaluation Evaluation is conducted on

students' "in-class-performances"

and not through formal tests, which

would threaten the relaxed

atmosphere, which is considered

essential for accelerated learning.

Interactions St-st” and “T-st” interactions

occur. Students often do "pair

work" and "group work".

Vocabulary Teaching Vocabulary is emphasised. Claims about

the success of the method often focus

on the large number of words that can

be acquired. Comments and

explanations about the meanings can be

provided in student's L1

Grammar Teaching Grammar is taught explicitly but

minimally. Explicit grammar rules

are provided in L1.

Skills Oral communication is emphasised.

Speaking and listening are

important. Writing and reading are

also important.