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Deductive vs. Inductive Learning Language

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122 views

Deductive vs. Inductive Learning Language

Uploaded by

Thủy Nguyễn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Key concepts in ELT

Deductive vs. inductive After 'discovering' a rule for themselves in this


language learning way, they can be asked to formulate it for the
class.
Deductive reasoning applies a general rule to
particular instances while inductive reasoning Such procedures, though involving inference from
involves inference from the particular to the examples, have been labelled 'modified deductive'

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general. Language learning is most clearly because there is explicit formulation of the rule
deductive when a teacher gives an explicit before practice. Where the rule is explicitly
statement of the rule, which the students then formulated, either by the teacher or the students,
apply to examples. The term 'inductive' most after the students have been guided to work it out
obviously applies when a child learns its first through practice, the label 'modified inductive'
language by inducing the rules from exposure to has been used to distinguish this from a purely
the language in use. A deductive approach is most inductive approach in which the rule is left
closely associated with the grammar-translation implicit. The common denominator with this
method of teaching languages, while an inductive range of techniques is the fact that the students
approach is considered characteristic of are actively engaged mentally, which is not only
audiolingualism, where meaning and grammar motivating but is believed to lead to more
were not explicitly explained but induced from thorough learning.
carefully graded exposure to and practice with
examples in situations and substitution tables. From one lesson to another, and throughout the
same lesson, a teacher may switch approach.
In the grammar-translation method, the focus Feedback on errors, for example, could take the
on rules was conscious and explicit. In form of either telling the student the rule or
audiolingualism, learning of the rules could be guiding him to work it out himself. Students are
either conscious or unconscious (depending on likely to understand and remember better what
what the learner was thinking about) but they they have worked out for themselves; on the other
were not explicitly formulated. In between these hand, when time is short or it is difficult for the
two approaches, there is a range of techniques, students to work out the rule themselves, a
commonly called 'discovery' or 'guided discovery' deductive approach may be more appropriate.
techniques, in which explicit focus is combined
with inference from examples. These techniques Jacqueline Gollin, University of Edinburgh
vary according to whether explanation of the rules
takes place before or after practice and according
to the degree of guidance the students are given in Further reading
working out the rules. Fortune, A. 1992. 'Self-study grammar practice'.
Frequently, in the presentation stage, the teacher ELT Journal 46/2: 160-71.
establishes a context or situation and elicits Howatt, A. P. R. 1984. A History of English
appropriate language, asking concept questions Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
to check understanding of form, meaning, and use. Press.
Or he or she might put two contrasting items on Krashen, S. D. and H. W. Seliger. 1975. 'The
the board and elicit the difference in meaning essential contributions of formal instruction in
between them. The procedure is direct and adult second language learning'. TESOL
teacher-fronted, but by eliciting the rule rather Quarterly 9/2: 173-83.
than telling the students, the teacher introduces an Larsen-Freeman, D. 1991. 'Teaching grammar' in
element of discovery learning, albeit heavily M. Celce-Murcia (ed.): Teaching English as a
guided. At other times the students may work Second or Foreign Language (2nd edn.). New
more independently of the teacher in pairs or York: Newbury House/Harper and Row.
groups, engaged in a problem-solving approach to Stem, H. H. 1983. Fundamental Concepts of
new language. They might be asked to find all the Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
different ways of referring to the future in a text, Press.
or to work out the differences in form and Stern, H. H. 1992. Issues and Options in Language
meaning between sets of contrasting sentences. Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ELT Journal Volume 52/1 January 1998 © Oxford University Press 1998
The author South East Asia. She has taught in Europe,
Jacqueline Gollin is a teaching fellow at the Thailand, Japan, and New Zealand. She is
Institute for Applied Language Studies, Univer- interested in teacher development, the teaching
sity of Edinburgh, where she is involved with of grammar, and the analysis of lexicogrammatical
teacher training courses, and is co-ordinator of features of written discourse,
courses for contract groups from the Far East and

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Key concepts in ELT 89

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