The Audio-lingual method and The Silent Way

Bruna LuizaBruna Fontoura

Giovana PeriniMarina Garcia

Oral-based approach;

Visual exploration;

Teacher gives model;

Many repetitions;

Role play;

Drill: Repeat main line◦ Change main line with new vocabulary◦ Create and answer Yes/No questions based

on main line;

No grammar rule;

Students need to use language without stopping to think;

Teachers are responsible for leading students;

Dialogs are taught through repetition and imitation;

Grammar and vocabulary are presented through dialogs;

The interaction teacher-student is directed;

Each language has its unique system;

The language skills order are: listening, speaking, reading and writing;

Pronunciation is taught since the beginning;

Students errors are avoided and teacher draws their attention to their difficulties;

Students are guided to repeat as accurately and quick as they can;

The teacher begins the chain drill and then passes the turn to the students;

The teacher presents a sentence and then encourage students to substitute the terms;

Question-answer drill;

Minimal pairs are presented by the teachers, contrasting to the students native language;

Students fill the blanks of the dialogs;

Caleb Gattegno

Shares certain principles with the Cognitive Aproach:

“Teaching should besubordinated to learning”

Gattegno: learning- initiate by ourselves, mobilizing our inner resources;

Goals of the teachers:

• self-expression (thought , perceptions, fellings)

• develop independence• onw inner criteria for correctness

Roles Teacher: technician or engineer

“Only the learner can do the learning”

Respect the student’s autonomy

Role of the Students

• Use of what they know

• Free themselves of any obstacles

• Actively engage – personal responsibility

As Gattegno says:

“The teacher works with the students; the

students work on the language.”

Teaching / Learning Process

Starts through what the students already know

Situations to focus the attention on the structures of the language

Minimal spoken cues

Students receive a great deal of practice

Students gain autonomy by exploring the language and by making choices

Students describe their reactions

Teacher-Student Interactions

• Teacher is silent – give cues

• Non-verbal gestures, tools he has available

• Student-Student interaction is desirable

Techniques and Materials

Sound-color chart Teacher’s Silent Peer Correction Rods Self-Correction Gestures Word Chart Structured Feedback

References

LARZEN-FREEMAN, D. The Audio-Lingual Method. The Silent Way.In: Techniques and principles in language teaching. 2nded. Oxford. 2008.