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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.