Unit 4: Methods and Approaches in ELT I ELT: METHODS AND APPROACHES
In unit 4 we’ll discuss the following approaches: Total Physical Response Whole Language Multiple Intelligences Person-Centered Approach
Multiple Intelligences ď‚— This theory of human intelligence, developed by
psychologist Howard Gardner, suggests there are at least eight ways that people have of perceiving and understanding the world. Gardner labels each of these ways a distinct "intelligence"--in other words, a set of skills allowing individuals to find and resolve genuine problems they face.
Source: http://www.funderstanding.com/multiple_intelligence.cfm
Gardner defines an "intelligence" as a group of abilities that: Is somewhat autonomous from other human capacities. Has a core set of information-processing operations. Has a distinct history in the stages of development we each pass through.
Has plausible roots in evolutionary history.
Howard Gardner
http://www.winnpsb.org/TeachersWeb/kjordan/Theorist%20page %201.htm
Practical Implications Upon learning about Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences, a teacher may be tempted to say that a student learns only through a specific intelligence and that this student has that one intelligence. The theory, rather, implies that educators need to place all eight intelligences as equally important intelligences in the classroom and that all people have a little bit of every intelligence in them. With this understanding, educators allow every student to shine and succeed!
Total Physical Response ďƒź Total Physical Response, or TPR, involves the students
listening and responding to commands given by the teacher such as "sit down" and "walk," with the complexity of the commands growing over time as the class acquires more language.
TPR In TPR student speech is delayed, and once students are willing to talk they begin by giving commands to other students.
Theory predicts that TPR should result in substantial language acquisition.
Its content may not be always interesting and relevant
for the students, but should produce better results than the audio-lingual and grammar-translation methods.
A typical TPR activity might contain: ďƒź instructions such as "Walk to the door", "Open the door", "Sit down" and "Give Maria your dictionary".
ďƒź The students are required to carry out the instructions by physically performing the activities.
TPR ď‚— Given a supportive classroom environment, there is
little doubt that such activities can be both motivating and fun, and it is also likely that with even a fairly limited amount of repetition basic instructions such as these could be assimilated by the learners, even if they were unable to reproduce them accurately themselves.
TPR Advantages:
Whole Language Approach (WLA or WL) Created in the 1980’s Emphasis on learning to read and write naturally. Focus on real communication. Reading and writing for pleasure. The approach argues that language should be taught as a “whole”.
Versus the “Decoding” approach (teaching the separate components of literacy)
WLA 1990s’ – popularity as a motivating and innovative way of teaching language arts skills.
Shares philosophical and instructional perspective with Communicative Language Teaching.
Relates to natural approaches to language learning
WLA Whole Language – approach, method, philosophy or belief? Approach – based on key principles of language and learning Language is whole Integration of writing, reading, listening, and speaking
Approach: theory of language and of learning Views language organization from an interactional perspective.
Emphasis of Whole Language Authenticity Engagement with the authors of written texts Conversation.
Example: “Apologizing”
Psycholinguistically - as a vehicle for: Internal “interaction” Egocentric speech Thinking
WLA: The Learning Theory Instead of transmitting knowledge, the teacher works with the student to create knowledge and understanding. Does not focus on “covering the curriculum” Focus on students’:
Needs Experiences Interests Aspirations
Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning activities, roles of learners, teachers and materials
Principles underlying the Design of WL: • • • • • •
Use of authentic literature vs. artificial Focus on real and natural events… Reading of real texts of high interest… Reading for the sake of comprehension and real purpose Writing for a real audience… Writing as a process or exploration and discovery
Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning activities, roles of learners, teachers and materials
Use of student-produced texts vs. teacher generated Integration of reading, writing and other skills Student centered learning Reading and writing in partnership Encouragement of risk taking…
Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning activities, roles of learners, teachers and materials
The teacher:
The learner is:
Facilitates learning
a collaborator
Teaches students and not subject matter.
Looks for occurrence of teachable moments
Creates a climate that
supports collaborative learning.
Is a negotiator
an evaluator self-directed selector of materials and activities
Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning activities, roles of learners, teachers and materials
The Material Real World Vs. Commercial Texts Newspapers Signs Storybooks Handbills Workplace handouts Student produced material
Design: Objectives, syllabus, learning activities, roles of learners, teachers and materials
PROCEDURE: • The use of literature • The use of process writing • Encouragement of cooperative learning among students • Concern for students’ attitude
ACTIVITIES:
• Individual and small group reading and writing
• Ungraded dialogue journals • Writing portfolios • Writing conferences • Student-made books • Story writing
Whole Language Approach ADVANTAGES:
CRITIQUES
Focuses on experience
Rejection on the ESL
and activities relevant to learners’ lives and needs.
Use of authentic materials
Facilitates the
development of a Second Language.
approach Seeks to apply native
language principles to ESL
Anti-direct teaching, antiskills, and anti-materials.
Promotes fluency at the cost of accuracy.
A grateful note: Thanks to:
Jezabel N. Muñoz Cortés For sharing her knowledge of WLA for this PPT
english.uprag.edu/faculty/michelle/michelle/EDPE4245...Approaches/The %20Whole%20Language%20Approach_Jezabel.ppt
Person-centered approach (PCA) ď‚— The Person-centered approach was created by Dr. Carl R.
Rogers (1902 - 1987), a famous American psychologist, in the 1950s.
PCA ď‚— Rogers developed the PCA after his life-long experience in
counseling, psychotherapy, encounter groups and teaching at several universities.
ď‚— The theory of the PCA is applicable to all age groups and it is independent of social contexts and/or backgrounds.
Attitudes while implementing PCA: ď‚— Realness, with synonyms such as congruence, transparency, genuineness, authenticity;
ď‚— Acceptance, else referred to as respect, unconditional
positive regard, caring attitude, concern for the individual, acknowledgement (Schmid, 2001);
ď‚— Empathic understanding, a deep form of understanding of the meanings as well as feelings of the learner.
PCA ď‚— The final product a teacher wants to get is well-prepared
students that are able to transfer the skills practiced when using the PCA to construct their own learning to another areas in their lives.
PCA Rogers’ view on personal attitudes and skills of facilitators:
“The better facilitators communicate and learners
perceive the attitudes of realness, acceptance, and understanding and the more transparent the whole setting is, the deeper will be the learning processes at all three levels.”
Motschnig-Pitrik, R., & Mallich, K. (2004)