Example The Post Method Era : Toward Informed Approaches

The Post Method Era : Toward Informed Approaches

 “A language teaching method is a single set of procedures which teachers are to follow in the classroom. Methods usually based on a set of beliefs about the nature of language and learning” (Nunan, 2003) in Thornbury (2009:1). At around the same time,  Kumaravadivelu (1994) in Thornbury  (2009:1) identified what he called the ‘post method condition’, a result of ‘the widespread dissatisfaction with the conventional concept of method’ ..

 Post-method, despites its disparagement of innovations called methods, can be seen as an attempt to unify these disparate element in to a more holistic, redefined communicative language teaching (CLT) through a dialectical process of building and deconstructing  forces. Brown (2007:40) states “By the early 1990s it was readily apparent that we didn’t need a new method. We needed, instead, to get on with the business of unifying our approach to language teaching and designing effective tasks and techniques that were informed by that approach.” So, in short, the post method era was the era when there was not a specific language teaching method used.

        1.      ELT Methodologies and Emerging Issues

Forty-seven years ago, Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) was founded with the aim to offer teachers and administrators an opportunity to discuss issues related to ELT (Alatis, 1987). This prominent organization has been connecting professionals worldwide through conferences and publications by examining concerns related to the diversity of student populations, geographical and social contexts as well as methodologies and approaches considered more suitable for a particular class. Although language methodologies started being conceptualized as early as the 1880s with the Reform Movement (Danesi, 2003), I will provide an analysis from a more current perspective, when the ELT profession began to burgeon. The history of ELT methodologies is somewhat extensive (see Brown, 2014 for a comprehensive overview). In the 1960s, the Audiolingual Method gained popularity with its overemphasis on oral drills and production.

Until recently, one of the most infamous misconceptions was that methodologies were being implemented as a “one-size-its-all” in classrooms across the globe and were expected to be successful. Using one single methodology was assumed to be effective in a class of young English learners in Japan as well as among internationally educated professionals living in Canada, for example. Also, these methods did not take affective or cognitive variables into account.

Do learners who have very limited knowledge of the language feel anxious when making an oral presentation in front of a class? Do all learners have the same ability to recognize grammatical structures of the language and apply hypotheses when learning other structures? The 2000s introduced the post-method era: a shift from using methods in the purist sense to recognizing that the nature of language learning is complex and non-linear.

Choosing one method and expecting that a prescribed set of instructions will be effective with every learner is discouraged (Larsen-Freeman, 2011). Yet, having a solid understanding of these methods is invaluable as it equips teachers with several tools that can be implemented in their lessons. Ultimately, merging the knowledge of teaching methodologies with other aspects that are not only linguistic in nature will enhance ELT, and consequently English learning.

     2.       Affective and Cognitive       

 Variables Brown (2014) has raised important aspects to consider when guiding students through their language learning journey; essentially, beyond methods, teachers should implement metacognitive, cognitive, and socio-affective strategies. Having students relect on their own learning process, or learning about how they learn a language best, can be facilitative. At this point, teachers and students can collaborate and choose from the multiple directions available so they can get to their destination.

 For example, given that each learner has a preferred cognitive strategy for learning vocabulary items, simply asking them to relect on what they ind the most effective way to learn and remember vocabulary words can be helpful. Rather than having all learners conform to one particular path, it is important to remind them about the several strategies to learn vocabulary and encourage them to choose the ones they ind most helpful. A useful strategy suggested by Brown (2014) is to implement activities that lower learners’ inhibitions, encourage risk-taking, and build self-conidence.

 In many English programs in Canada, learners are often required to make oral presentations in front of the class: students who do not feel conident speaking English might resist this type of assignment. One way to help students reach the inal outcome is to start building their conidence early in the program by following a few steps. Teachers can ask students to:

1) write down sentences they plan to use in their presentations;

2) audio-record their speech and have teachers listen and provide constructive feedback;

3) listen to teacher’s feedback and follow suggestions given; and

4) rehearse in pairs or in small groups. Guiding learners through this path can give them the conidence needed to present their speech in front of the clas

      3.      An Enlightened , Ecletic Approach

The eclectic approach was born out of the realisation that each of the individual methods had strengths and weaknesses and that no one method was responsive to the dynamic classroom context.  Brown (2002) argues that eclecticism provides the solution because the approach allows the teacher to select what works within their own dynamic contexts.  Kumar (2013:1) notes that ―the eclectic method is a combination of different method of teaching and learning approaches‖. So, the eclectic approach is not a rigid approach, thus, its characteristics may not be limited to the ones presented in this study.

The following principles of eclecticisms:

·         Teachers are given a chance to choose different kinds of teaching techniques in each class period to reach the aims of the lesson.

·         There is flexibility in choosing any aspect or method that teachers think suitable for teaching inside the classroom .

·         Learners can see different kinds of teaching techniques, using different kinds of teaching aids, that help to make lessons much more stimulating and ensures better understanding of the material on the other hand.

·         Solving difficulties that may emerge from the presentation of the textbook materials

·         Finally, it saves both time and effort in the presentation of language activities. 

      4.      Communicative Language Teaching

Goals of the CLT approach are to encompass all of the components of communicative competence as well as organizational and pragmatic aspects of language. Characteristics of CLT as follows:

·         Overall goals : Grammatical, discourse, functional sociolinguistic, and strategic become the focus of classroom goals.

·         Relationship of form and function : Language technique is designed to engage learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes.

·         Fluency and Accuracy : as are seen as complementary principles underlying communicative technique, etc.

·         Focus on real-word contexts : Classroom tasks must therefore equip students with the skills necessary for communication in those contexts.

·         Autonomy and strategic involvement : Students are given opportunities to focus on their own learning process through raising their awareness of their own styles of learning .

·         Teacher roles : The role of teacher is thatof facilitatorand guideTask-Based Language Teaching

      5.      Task Based Language Teaching

TBL (Task-based learning), or TBLT (Task-based language teaching) is an approach in which learning revolves around the completion of meaningful tasks. In the TBL approach, the main focus is the authentic use of language for genuine communication. Taks best-based insrtuction is a persfective within a CLT framework that forces you to carefully concider all the techniques that you use in the clasroom in terms of a number of inportant pedagogical purposes.

Caracteristics of TBLT :

·         Tasks ultimetly point learners beyond the forms of language alone to real-world contexts.

·         Tasks specificly contribute to communicative goals.

·         Their elements are carefully desaigned and not simply haphazardly or idiosyncratically thrown together.

·         Their objectives are well specific so that you can at some later point accurately determain the succes of one task over another.

·         Tasks engage learners, at some level, in genuine problem-solfing activity.

      6.      Learner-Centered Instruction

Lea et al. (2003, P.322) maintain that one of the issues with student-centered learning is the fact that ‘many institutions or educators claim to be putting student-centered learning into practice, but in reality they are not. Learner-centered includes :

·         Techniques that focus on or account for leaners needs, styles, and goals.

·         Techniques that gives some control to the students (group work or strategy training, for example)

·         Curricula that include the consultation and input of students and that do not presuppose objectives in advanced.

·         Techniques that allow for student creativity and innovation.

·         Techniques that enhance a student’s sense of competence and self-worth. 

      7.      Cooperative Learning

a.       Definition of Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning is a teaching strategy where teams of two or more work together on learning tasks. Johnson and Johnson (2008) mention that cooperation is working together to accomplish shared goals. Cooperative and collaborative learning in some cases are used interchangeably. But they are not the same. Cooperative learning is a part of collaborative learning.

b.      Basic element of cooperative learning

Basic elements of cooperative learning Johnson and Johnson (2008, p. 11) named 5 basic elements of cooperative learning:

·         Positive interdependence: Positive interdependence exists when individuals perceive that they can reach their goals.

·         Individual accountability:   They must be accountable to the group for the work that they do. Failing oneself is bad, but failing others as well as oneself is worse.

·         Cooperative base groups, Cooperative base groups are Cooperation entails concern, assistance, support, sharing, engagement, and encouragement. Base group members show their concern by monitoring each other attendance, punctuality, attitude and progress.

·         Promotive interaction Promotive interaction isthe understanding trust, and respect necessary for balanced and successful cooperation can be derived.

·         The development of social skills The development of social skills is  Group members must be taught these social skills needed for high quality cooperation and be motivated to use them.

c.       Cooperative Learning Objectives

According to Slavin the aim of cooperative learning is Make decisions anywhere approval by the success of his group. In cooperative learning includes a variety of social goals, and improve student performance or other important academic assignments.

     8.      Interactive Learning

An interactive approach involves interaction in dialogue mode (“intеr” - reciprocally, “act” – do, perform). In other words, an interactive teaching method is a form of learning and communicative activity in which students are involved in the learning process and reflect on what they know and what they are thinking.  Based on his knowledge and experience, learners categorize, analyze, assume opinions, acquire new skills, and develop their attitudes towards facts and events. An interactive course or technique will provide for such negotiation. Interactive classes will most likely be found:

·         Doing a significant among of pair work and group work

·         Receiving authentic language input in real would context

·         Producing language for genuine, meaningful communication

·         Performing classroom task that prepare them for actual language use out there

·         Practicing oral communivation trhough the give and take and spontanity of actual conversation

·         Writing to and for real audience not contrived onces.

     9.      Other Candidates For CLT Approach

a.       Lexical Approach

ü  lexis plays a central role in designing language courses and classroom methodology teach prefabricated patterns (e.g., burst into tears) &

ü   collocations (e.g. take an exam/a chance) - corpus analysis

b.       Multiple Intelligences

ü  Gardner’s model of intelligence (8 types)

ü   multiplicity of types of activities

REFERENCES 

Brown, H Douglas. 2007. Teaching By Principles An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, Third Edition. America :Pearson Education

Richards, C Jack and Theodore S.Rodgers.1986.Approaches and Methods in Languange Teaching.America:Cambridge University Press

Freeman, Diane Larsen and Marti Anderson. 2016. Techniques & Principles in Language Teaching. China : Oxford.

Hismanoglu, Murat and Sibel Hismanoglu. 2011. European: University Of Lefke:Elsevier Ltd. Task-Based Language Teaching: What EFL Teacher Should Do.

Wilkins, D.A.1976.Notional Sylabuses.London:Oxford University Press

Thornbury, Scott. 2009.Method, Post-Method, and Metodos. British Coucil. Accessed London: university press