THE NATURE OF

APPROACHES, METHODS
AND TECHNIQUES IN
LANGUAGE TEACHING
APPROACH

Approach is the level at which assumption and

beliefs about language and language learning
are specified.
 METHOD

Method is the level at which theory is put into

practice and at which choices are made about
the particular skills to be taught, the content to
be taught, and the order in which the content
will be presented.

TECHNIQUES

Technique is the level at which classroom

procedures are described.
 NATURE OF
LANGUAGE

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONAL INTERACTIONAL

VIEW VIEW VIEW

The view that The view that It sees language as

language is a language is a a vehicle for the
system of vehicle for realization of
structurally the interpersonal
related expression of relation and for
elements for functional the performance
the coding of meaning. of social
meaning. transaction
between
individuals.
THEORY OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

Al thought specific theories of the nature of language may provide the

basis for a particular teaching method; other methods derive primarily
from a theory of language learning. A learning theory underlying an
approach or method responds to two questions:
a) What are the psycholinguistic and cognitive process involved in
language learning?
b) What are the conditions that need to be met in order for these
learning processes to be activated?
 THERE ARE 2 KINDS OF PROCESSES

Psycholinguistics Process
• Perception (Verbal stimulus)
• Lexical process (Process of the meaning)
• Syntactic process (sense of the word)
• Semantic process (Linguistic language)

Cognitive process (Language, memory and attention)

Theories oriented to conditions

• Is the place where the teaching and learning
process it´s done.
 DESING

Is the level of method analysis in which we

consider what the objectives of a method are;
how language content is selected and organized
within the method, that is, the syllabus model the
method incorporate.
OBJECTIVE

The objective is basically the determination of the

content to teach. There are 2 processes:

Process - oriented objectives

Product - oriented objectives

Process - oriented objectives

Oriented to the set of abilities of students (listening, writing,

reading, and speaking).
This will produce that students will be competent in the
language.

Product - oriented objectives

Are objectives oriented to linguistics, to the language

Criteria for the selection and organization of linguistic
and/or subject-matter content.
Content choice and organization: The Syllabus

All methods of language teaching involve the use of

the target language.

• Subject matter (what to talk about)

• Linguistic matter (how to talk about)

Decisions about the choice of language content

relate to both subject matter and linguistic matter.
Types of learning and teaching activities

The objectives of a method, whether defined primarily

in terms of product or process, are attained through
the instructional process, through the organized and
directed interaction of teachers, learners and materials
in the classroom.
LEARNER’S ROLES

• Types of learning tasks set for learners.

• Degree of control learners have over the content of
learning.
• Patterns of learner groupings that are recommended
or implied.
• Degree to which learners influence the learning of
others.
• The view of the learner as a processor, performer,
initiator, problem solver, etc.
TEACHER ROLES

• Types of function teachers fulfill.

• Degree of teacher influence over learning
• Degree to which the teacher determines the
content of learning.
• Types of interaction between teachers and
learners.
THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

• Primary function of materials

• The form materials take (e.g. textbook,
audiovisual)
• Relation of materials to other input
• Assumptions made about teachers and
learners
 PROCEDURE

Classroom techniques, practices, and behaviors observed

when the method is used

• Resources in terms of time, space, and equipment used by

the teacher
• Interactional patterns observed in lessons
• Tactics and strategies used by teachers and learners, when
the method is being used.
TEACHING AND
LEARNING OF
LANGUAGES
 Andrea Sánchez Ruiz
 Berta Milagros Ruiz Meza
 Silvia Mayella Sánchez
Orbegoso
 Sonia Anita Galvez Cancino
CURRENT ISSUES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
WHO?
WHAT?
HOW
?
WHEN
?
WHER
E?
WHY
?
LEARNING AND
TEACHING
 WHAT’S LEARNING?

 Learning is acquisition or "getting."

 Learning is retention of information or skill.
 Retention implies storage systems, memor y, cognitive organization.
 Learning involves active, conscious focus on and acting upon events
outside or inside the organism.
 Learning is relatively permanent but subject to forgetting.
 Learning involves some form of practice, perhaps reinforced practice.
 Learning is a change in behavior.
 What’s teaching?
 Te a c h i n g i s g u i d i n g a n d f a c i l i t a t i n g l e a r n i n g , e n a b l i n g t h e l e a r n e r to l e a r n , s e t t i n g
t h e c o n d i t i o n s fo r l e a r n i n g .

Operant conditioning

B.F. Skinner
 SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN SECOND
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Structuralism/
Behaviorism(1940-1950):
Leonard Bloomfield. Edward
Sapir, Charles Fries and others.
Rationalism and cognitive
Psychology (1960): Noam
Chomsky
Constructivism: Jean
Piaget and Lev
Vygotsky
 STRUCTURALISM: BEHAVIORISM:
WilhelmWundtand B. F. Skinner
EdwardTitchener
WilhelmWundt(1832-1920): B. F. Skinner (1904-1990):
•Established first Psychology Lab in Germany. •A strong believer of
•Defined psychology as the science of human behaviorism.
mind and consciousness. •Contributed enormously in the
•Used the method of objective introspection to area of operant conditioning -
identify the basic mental elements. learning by the consequences of
EdwardTitchener(1867-1927): behavior.
•TransferredWundt’sideas to America. •Emphasized the roles of
reinforcement and punishment in
shaping and modifying behavior.
 LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY

• A glance through the past century or so of language

teaching gives us an interesting picture of varied
interpretations of the best way to teach a foreign language.

•As schools of thought have come and gone, so have

language teaching trends waxed and waned in
popularity.
 PLANS AND
PROGRAMMES
A good number of people who are professionally involved in language teaching will at one time or
another in their lives have the responsibility of producing a syllabus or part of one.

Syllabus :

It is centrally a statement of content , stating what a programme will cover.

What is the difference between a syllabus and a curriculum?

Syllabus : Curriculum:

Tends to refer to the content of just Totality of content to be taught and aims
one subject area . to be realized within one school or
educational system .
 THE STRUCTURAL
SYLLABUS
• It’s main organization is in terms of structures. Each unit focuses on a number of grammatical structures.

• In this type of syllabus, the main organizing principle is according to language structure.

ROUGH GUIDE TO SYLLABUS DESIGN CRITERIA

SIMPLICITY CRITERION SEQUENCING OR GROUPING FREQUENCY

Is moving from simple to Putting things together that ‘go’ Teaching the most
more complex structures. together frequently used forms first.

UTILITY TEACHABILITY
Teaching the most useful Teaching structures that are easy to convey before ones that are
things first. difficult to teach than others.
 NOTIONAL/ FUNCTIONAL SYLLABUSES

NEEDS ANALYSIS LSP PROGRAMMES AND N/F TENOR PROGRAMMES AND N/F
We shall look more Teaching involves a It is includes all general
carefully into the marriage of two courses, where the learnes
machinery of the disciplines- a language and have divergent reasons for
functional syllabus a subject área. learning.
N/F FOR GENERAL AND SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES
Teach grammar, using a structural syllabu

Teach language use activing the structures taught at Stage 1. Use a functional syllabus.

N/F teaching was able to add a communicative dimensión to their knowledge to

‘active’ this knowledge so that it could be used for doing things with language
 THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL SYLLABUS

They are more often hybrids or mixtures.

The basis of the multidimensional syllabus is that it has more

than one “unit of organization”

There are two main ways these syllabuses can be produced :

• T-Level: You can shift the focus at different points in the

course.

• The second way is very common nowadays. It is to have more

than one focus operating in each part of the course
TECHNOLOGY- ASSISTED COURSES

A VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THE INTERNET

Computers, emails, the internet- evokes quite It is powerful is because it can make a world of
different reactions in people. resources available to an individual sitting one small
room.

EMAIL
It is enables people from around the world to
cummunicate instantly. It allows for rapid interaction,
learner to learner or learner to teacher.
CONCLUSION

• Syllabuses once could be short, simple documents,

listing what structures would be taught, in what order.

• Nowadays, the are likely to be based on large-scale

syllabus inventories with many different sorts of list.

• Syllabus design has come an interest in the how of

language teaching in methodology.
 EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER
TEACHING EQUIPMENT
 As a language teachers we use a variety of teaching aids to explain language meaning and construction,
engage students in a topic, or as the basis of a whole activity.

PICTURES AND IMAGES

DRILLS (COMUNICATION) GAMES
With lower-level students a traditional use for • Where one student describes a picture and a paired
pictures, especially flashcards, is in cue- response classmate has to draw the same picture witout
drills. looking at the original.

• Teachers use pictures for creative writing

• These are some cute shoes

• This is a nice jacket
 UNDERSTANDING ORNAMENTATION
An easy way of explaining the meaning Pictures of various kinds are often
of a word , is to have a picture of one. used to make work more appealing

PREDICTION
DISCUSSION
Pictures are useful for getting students
Pictures can stimulate questions. We
to predict what is coming next in a
might ask students to write a
lesson.
description of a picture.
 OVERHEAD PROJECTOR
• We can show whole texts or grammar exercises, pictures or diagrams , or students’ writing.

• We might show the firsst two lines of a story and ask students what is going to happen next.
 THE BOARD
NOTE PAD EXPLANATION AID
Teachers writes words that they want students to We can be used for explanation, we show the
remenber,topics,phrases which they have elicited from relationship betwenn an affirmative sentence and a
students when trying to build up a compsition plan. question by drawing connecting arrows

He is eating?
• Get up
• Wape up Is he eating?
• Have a shower…
PUBLIC WORKBOOK
PICTURE FRAME
Typical procedure is to write up fill-in sentences or
Boars can be used for drawing pictures,
sentence transformation ítems.
the only limitation being our ‘artistic ability’
 GAME BOARD NOTICEBOARD
There are a number of games that can be Teachers and students can stick thing on
played using the board board, pictures, posters, announcements,
charts.

TEAM A TEAM B
CAT TAP
PAPIER RED
DISH HOUSE
ESPECIAL LION
 COMMON VIDEO TEACHING TECHNIQUES
The use of the video in class is just listening ‘with pictures’

Silent viewing: The teacher play the tape at normal

speed , but without the sound. Students have to
guess what characters are saying.then with sound.

Freeze frame: the teachers might create expetations

by freezing a frame on the screan. The students can
predict what the characters will say.

Listening without Viewing

Turn the picture off and have students listen to a clip.
Use focused listening techniques and ask students to
listen for specific information.
 BITS AND PIECES
OBJECTS THAT WE THING OUR STUDENTS MIGHT FIND
INTERESTING

REALIA LANGUAGE CARDS

With beginners and particulary children, teachers sometimes Teachers put a variety of cards and posters around the
appear in the classroom with plastic fruit, cardboard clock classroom, such posters can have notes about
faces, or two telephones language items on them.

CUISENAIRE RODS
These are small blocks of Wood of diffferent lengths.
They are useful for a wide range of activities
 LANGUAGE LABORATORY
TECHNOLOGY IS USED IN SUCH A WAY THAT STUDENTS CAN WORK ON THEIR OWN

CHARACTERISTICS

Double track :
Students can listen to one track on their tapes and record on another.

Teacher Access:
Laboratories also have a console and/or computer terminal manned by
a teacher

Different modes
Students working with the same material, but at their own individual
speed.
ADVANTAGES OF THE LANGUAGE

Comparing
The double track allows students to compare the way they say things
with the correct pronunciation on a source tape.

Privacy
Students can talk to each other. Since every student is cocooned by
their headphones

Individual attention:
When teachers want to speak to individual students in a laboratory they
can do so from the console.

Learning training
L.L helps to to train some students to really listen to what the say and
how they say it.

Learner motivation
Offers a good half-way house between teacher control and learner
autonomy since, although students work at their own pace.
ACTIVITIES IN LANGUAGE LABORATORIES

Repetition
Double track/ students hear a word, a phrase, or sentence on the tape.

Drills
Using the same basic model as the repetition example above.

Speaking
The opportunity of speaking, the tape can ask a series of questions which encourages them to practise language.

Pairing. Double- plugging and telephoning

Students can dial the number of different booth and have telephone conversations with the person answer.

Parellel speaking
Where the students are encoraged to imitate the way the teacher says something.

Listening
Listening of all kinds can be practised in the language laboratory

Reading
Students can read text and then record their answer on tape

Writing and correcting writing

Students can write at their individual machines and teacher can then correct their work.
WHAT COMPUTERS ARE FOR
Reference
The greatest potential for the computer as a reference tool
is, of course, the internet, where, by accesing directories
and search engines (such as ‘Alta Vista’, ‘Google’ and
‘Hotbot’) users can look for information on just about any
subject under the sun.

Teaching and testing programs

Offer students the chance to study conversations and text,
to do grammar and vocabulary exercises, and even to listen
to text and record their own voices.
E-mail Exchange
One of the main uses for computers which are hooked up
to the Internet is as senders and receives of e-mail,
allowing easy access to people all over the word

Web sites
There are a number of sites designed specially for students
of English as a foreign language.Virtual museum / Project
on history or science.
The word processor
Allow students to compose as they think, and change their
minds in the course of writing.
 HOMEGROWN MATERIALS PRODUCTION
MATERIALS WE BRING INTO CLASS WIL HAVE BEEN MADE OR DESIGNED BY TEACHERS THEMSELVES.

1. Planning
We need to decide what our aims and objetives are, what
activity we want to involve the student in, how we want
them grouped and what the content of materials should be.

4. Classifying
2.Trialling
We need to find some way of storing it and
It is absolutely vital to try out our material before taking it
classifying it so that we can lay our hands on it
into the lesson.
quickly the next time we want to use it.

3.Evaluating 5. Record- keeping

This is where we need to observe carefully in order to
evalute its apropriacy. We need to keep a record of what material we
have used together with evaluations of how wel it
has worked
GRAMMAR TRANSLATION
METHOD
APPROAC
H
THEORY OF NATURE OF LANGUAGE
 The language is a system of structurally
related elements for the coding of
meaning. This system is defined in terms
of phonological, grammatical units,
grammatical operations and lexical items
which must be mastered by the students
in order to communicate successfully by
application of this knowledge to the task
of translating sentences and texts into
the target language
 A THEORY OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LEARNING
 Students study grammar deductively; that is, they
are given the grammar rules and examples, are told
to memorize them, and then are asked to apply the
rules to other examples. They also learn
grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations.
They memorize native language equivalents for
target language vocabular y words.
 Students are taught to translate from one language
into another. Of ten what they translate are readings
in the target language about some aspect of the
culture of the target language community.
 The environment of the classroom is a teacher-
centered class, where the students are simply
receptors of the information given by the teacher.
 DESIGN
OBJE TIV ES:
P RO D UCT-ORIENTE D OB JE TIV E
A fun da me n ta l purpos e of l e a rn i n g a l a n g ua g e i s to be a bl e to
re a d l i te ra ture wri tte n i n th e ta rg et l a n g ua g e . To do th i s ,
s tude n ts n e e d to l e a rn a bout th e g ra m m a r rul e s a n d l on g l i s ts
of voca bul a r y of th e ta rg et l a n g ua g e by h a rd.
 To be a bl e to re a d l i te ra ture w ri tte n i n th e ta rg et l a n g ua g e
 To be a bl e to tra n s l a te from on e l a n g ua g e to a n o th e r
 To deve l op re a di n g a n d wri ti n g s k i l l
2.2. THE SYLLABUS.
• G r a m m a r p o i n t s a r e c l e a r l y s e q u e n c e d a n d t a u g h t i n a s y s te m a t i c
wa y.
• T h e p r i m a r y s k i l l s to b e d e v e l o p e d a r e r e a d i n g a n d w r i t i n g .
• L i t t l e a t te n t i o n i s g i v e n to s p e a k i n g a n d l i s te n i n g .
• P r o n u n c i a t i o n i s a l m o s t n e g l e c te d .
2.3 CONTEXT CHOICE
S u b j e c t M a t te r : r e a d i n g s a b o u t c u l t u r e c o u n t r y
L i n g u i s t i c M a t te r : g r a m m a r s p e e c h : n o u n s , v e r b s , a d j e t i v e s , e t c .

2.3. THE TYPES OF LEARNING AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES

• Translation tasks facilitate language learning through attention to similarities and differences
between L2 and L1.
• Grammar is taught deductively .
• Translation
• Filling the blanks
• Reading comprehension of texts : Looking for general information ( skimming) , looking for
specific information ( scanning)
TEACHER’S ROLE

•Explains rules and patterns

•Provides translation practice
•Corrects exercises
•Controls language & structures
• Authority of the class

STUDENTS’ ROLE

Students are expected to memorize endless lists of grammar rules and

vocabulary, and produce almost perfect translations.
THE DIRECT METHOD
 APPROAC
H
THEORY OF NATURE OF LANGUAGE
 th e l a n g ua g e i s a fun cti on a l s ys te m re l a te d wi th th e
comm un i ca ti on of a g re e th e con text th a t th e l e a rn e r s
n e e d, a l s o i t m eth o d e m ph a s i ze d th e pron un ci a ti on .
 Le s s on s s h o ul d con ta i n s om e conve r s a ti o n a l
a cti v i ty - s om e o ppor t un i ty for s tude n ts
to us e l a n g ua g e i n re a l con texts .
 A THEORY OF THE NATURE OF
LANGUAGE LEARNING
 Grammar is taught inductively; that is, the students are presented with
examples and they figure out the rule or generalization from the
examples. An explicit grammar rule may never be given. Students
practice vocabular y by using new words in complete s e n te n c e s .
 Students speak in the target language a great deal and communicate as
if they were in real situations. In fact, the syllabus used in the
Direct Method is based upon situations (for example, one unit
would consist of language that people would use at a bank,
another of the language that they use when going shopping) or
to p i c s ( s u c h a s g e o g r a p h y, m o n e y, or the weather).
 The teacher should demonstrate, not explain or translate. When she/ he
introduces a new target language word or phrase, he/she demonstrates its
meaning through the use of r e a l i a , p i c t u r e s , o r p a n to m i m e ; h e / s h e n e v e r t r a n s l a t e s i t
i n to the students’ native language.
 T h e e n v i r o n m e n t o f t h e c l a s s r o o m i s c e n te r e d between teacher and students, where is
o r g a n i z e d a r o u n d q u e s t i o n - a n d - a n s w e r e x c h a n g e s b e t w e e n te a c h e r a n d s t u d e n t s i n s m a l l
i n te n s i v e c l a s s e s .
 DESIG
OBJETIVES:
N
PROCESS-ORIENTED OBJETIVE
A fundamental purpose of learning a language is to be able to fluently
communicate. To do this, the Vocabular y is emphasized over grammar
through work on all four skills (reading, writing, speaking, and
listening) occurs from the star t, oral communication is seen as basic.
Thus the reading and writing exercises are based upon what the
students practice orally fir st. Pronunciation also receives attention righ
from the beginning of a cour se.
 To be able to communicate fluently as their native language
 To be able to understand foreign language
 To develop listening and speaking skill
 2.2. THE
I t i s a p r SYLLABUS.
o c e s s c e n te r e d o r n o t i o n a l - f u n c t i o n a l s y l l a b u s .
 n o t i o n a l - f u n c t i o n a l s y l l a b u s e s s p e c i f y t h e c o m m u n i c a t i v e c o n te x t
o f a c o u r s e i n te r m s o f f u n c t i o n s , n o t i o n s , to p i c s , g r a m m a r a n d
vo c a b u l a r y.
 o n l y e v e r y d ay vo c a b u l a r y a n d s e n te n c e s w e r e t a u g h t .
 oral communication skills were built up in a carefully graded
progression.
 grammar was taught inductively
 n e w te a c h i n g p o i n t s w e r e i n t r o d u c e d o r a l l y
 b o t h s p e e c h a n d l i s te n i n g c o m p r e h e n s i o n w e r e t a u g h t
 correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasized
2.3 CONTEXT CHOICE

Subject Matter: Study about their culture consisting of the history of the people, who speak the
target language, the geography of the country or countries, where the language is spoken, and information
bout the daily lives of the speakers of the language.

Linguistic Matter: conversational activities and employing questions

2.3. THE T YPES OF LEARNING AND
TEACHING ACTIVITIES

 Re a di n g Aloud
 Q ue s ti o n and A n s w er
E xe rc i s e
 G ett i n g S tu de n t s to
S e l f- c o rre c t
 C o nve r s a ti o n P ra c t i c e
 F i l l - i n - th e - b l a n k s E xe rc i s e
 D i c ta ti o n
 Map D raw i n g
 Pa ra g ra p h Wr i ti n g
TEACHER’S ROLE
 Teacher must encourage direct and spontaneous use of the foreign
language in the classroom.
 The teacher directs the class
activities.
 The teacher and the students are more
like p in the teach in – learning process.

STUDENTS’ ROLE:

 Learners would be able to induce rules grammar.

 The student role is less passive than in the Grammar-
Translation Method.
 Students converse with one another as well.
2.5. THE ROLE OF TEACHING MATERIALS

 The using of mime, demonstration, and picture teach us new

vocabulary
APPROA  Nature of language:
CH. Language was viewed as a system of structurally related
elements for the encoding of meaning, the elements being
phonemes, morphemes, words, structures and sentences
types.
The system is comprised of several dif ferent levels:
phonological, morphological and syntactic.
The phonological and grammatical systems of the language
constitute the organization of language and by implication
the unit’s production and comprehension.
 Nature of language learning:
P roce ss- Or i e n te d Th e or i e s : t h is meth od h as it s or ig in in t h e be h av ior ism t h e or y.
B e cause it s t udi e s h uman be h av ior an d h e r e t h e h uman be in g is an or g an ism
capable of a w i de r e pe r toi r e of be h avio r s . Th e occur r e n ce o f t h e se be h av ior s is
de pe n de n t of t h r e e cr uci al e le me n t s in le ar n in g .
 Stimulus : br i n g out be h av iour
 Re spon se : t r i g g e r e d by t h e st imulus
 Th e r e in force me n t: Marks t h e r e spon se as be in g appropr iate or n ot an d
e n cour ag e s r e peti t i on w h ic h is v it al in t h e le ar n in g REINFORCEMENT(
proce ss. HABIT)
RESPONSE
Stimulus Organism
BEHAVIOR NO REINFORCEMENT/ NEGATIVE
REIFORCEMENT

Le ar n in g pr i n ci pl e s
 For e ig n l an g uag e l e ar n i n g is bas ically a pro ce ss o f me c h an ical h abit for mat ion .
 Lan g uag e s ki l l s ar e l e ar n e d mor e e f fe ct ive ly if t h e ite ms to be le ar n e d in t h e
t ar g et lan g uag e ar e pr e s e n te d in spoke n for m be for e t h ey ar e se e n in w r it te n
for m.
 Th e appro ac h to te ac h l an g uag e is e sse n t ially in duct ive r at h e r t h an de duct ive .
DESIGN

OBJETIVES
The learning of the second language using audio-lingual method has short-
r a n g e a n d l o n g - r a n g e o b j e c t i ve s .
 S h o r t - r a n g e o b j e c t i ve s : i n c l u d e t r a i n i n g i n :
l i s te n i n g c o m p r e h e n s i o n
A c c u r a te p r o n u n c i a t i o n
Re c o g n i t i o n o f s p e e c h s y m b o l s
A b i l i t y to p r o d u c e t h e s e s y m b o l s i n w r i t i n g .
 L o n g - r a n g e o b j e c t i ve s : m u s t b e l a n g u a g e a s t h e n a t i ve s p e a ke r u s e s i t .
T h e s y l l a b u s : Au d i o l i n g u a l i s m u s e s a s t r u c t u r a l s y l l a b u s
S te p by s te p s y l l a b u s w h i c h c o n t a i n :
 Phonology
 Morphology
 Syntax
 L ex i c a l s y l l a b u s i s b a s i c vo c a b u l a r y
Types of learning and teaching activities
 Types of learning and teaching activities
Dialogues and drills form the basis of audio lingual classroom practices.
Dialog Memorization : Students memorize a dialog through mimicr y and role-play.
Backward build-up drill: Teacher breaks down the line into several par ts. Teacher
begins with the par t at the end of the sentence, students expand what the way
are repeating par t by par t until they are able to repeat the entire line.
Repetition drill: Students are asked to repeat the teacher’s model accurately and
as quickly as possible.
Chain drill: One by one students ask and answer questions of each other.
Single-slot substitution drill: Teacher says a line, usually from the dialog. Next,
the teacher says a word or phrase-called the cue. The students repeat the line
the teacher has given them, substituting the cue into the line in its proper place.
Transformation: a sentence is transformed by being made negative or
interrogative or through changes in tense, mood, voice, aspect or modality.
Questions and answer s drill: This drill gives students practice with answering
questions. The students should answer the teacher’s questions ver y quickly.
L E A R N E R RO L E S : Learner Roles:
L e a r n e r s a r e v i ew e d a s o r g a n i s m s t h a t Teacher’s role is central and active, he leads and
c a n b e d i r e c te d by s k i l l e d t r a i n i n g controls the language behavior or his students.
te c h n i q u e s to p r o d u c e c o r r e c t r e s p o n s e s .
 E x te r n a l d i s p l ay s
 T h ey d o n o t i n i t i a te i n te r a c t i o n

THE ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Tape recorders, a language laboratory and audiovisual

equipment are important
 TOTAL
PHYSICAL
RESPONSE
 APPROACH
Nature of language
 TPR reflects a grammar-based view of language
 Most of the gramatical structure of the target language and
hundreds of vocabulary ítems can be learned from the
skillfull use of the imperative by the instructor.
(Comprehension Approach).
 The verb is viewed, and particularly the verb in the
imperative, as the central linguistic motif around which
language use and learning are organized.
Skillful use of imperative Grammatical structure and
vocabulary
A THEORY OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE LEARNING
Asher sees a stimulus – response view as providing the learning theory underlying language teaching
pedagogy. TPR can also be linked to the “trace theory” of memory of psychology; which holds that the more
often or the more intensively a memory connection is traced, the stronger the memory association will be
and the more likely it will be recalled

COMMANDS OBSERVATION(L -U) PHYSICAL RESPONSE VERBAL RESPONSE

There are three principles

• There exists a specific innate BIO-PROGRAM for language learning, which defines an optimal path for
first and second language development. (Understanding the spoken language should develop before
speaking the language).

• BRAIN LATERALIZATION: defines different learning functions in the left and right-brain hemispheres
(Understanding should evolve through the movement of the student’s body).

• REDUCTION OF STRESS (an affective filter) intervenes between the act of learning and what is to be
learned. The lower of the stress. (Students should not be forced to speak. The student will produce
sounds spontaneously)
THE BIO- PROGRAM:
Asher sees three processes as central:

1. Listening competence Speaking ability Children understand complex

utterances that
they cannot spontaneously produce
or imitate.

2. Parental command Listening comprehension Physical response

3. Once listening comprehension has been established speech evolves naturally and
effortlessly. The foreign languagues learner should internalize:
• A ‘cognitive map’ of the target language. (listening
exercices)
• Listening should be accompanied by physical
movement.
• Speech and other productive skills come later.
BRAIN LATERALIZATION
• Asher sees TPR as directed to right-brain learning.

• Right hemisphere activities must occur before the left hemisphere can process
language for production.

• While adult proceed to language mastery through right hemisphere motor activities,
the left hemisphere watches and learns.

REDUCTION OF STRESS
The absence of stress is an important condition for successful language
learning.

• First language acquisition  Stress free environment

Adult language learning Stressful  Causes anxiety

• Focus meaning through movement  Not language forms

 DESIGN

Objetives:
 General objectives teach oral proficiency at a beginning level
 Using of the comprehension as a means to speaking
 Teach basic speaking skills
 Produce learners who are capable of an uninhibited
communication
 All goals must be attainable through the use of action-based
drills in the imperative form
SYLLABUS
 Sentence-based syllabus ( analysis of the exercise types
employed in TPR classes)
 Grammatical and lexical criteria are primar y
 Unlike other s, TPR requires initial attention to meaning
rather than to the form of items.
 Grammar is taught inductively.

THE TYPES OF LEARNING AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES

• Imperative drills are the major classroom activity in TPR.
• Conversational dialogues are delayed until after almost 120 hours of instruction.
• Other class activities include role plays and slide presentations.
Learner roles
 Learner s have the primar y roles of listener and per former.
 Learner s are expected to recognize and respond to novel
combinations of previously taught items
 Learner s are required to produce novel combinations.
 Learner s monitor and evaluate their own progress.
 They are encouraged to speak when they feel ready to speak

TEACHER ROLES

• Teachers play an active and direct role

• They decide what to teach, who models, present new materials and select supporting
materials.

• Teachers should allow speaking abilities to develop in learners at the learners’ own
natural pace.

• Teachers must be like parents while giving feedback.

The role of teaching materials
 Generally no basic text
 Teacher’s voice, actions, and gestures
 Common classroom objects(books, pens, cups, furniture)
 Suppor ting materials(pictures, realia, slides, and word char ts)
 Materials and realia play an increasing role later on.
 Asher developed TPR student kits that focus on specific
situations, such as the home, the supermarket, the beach.