Benghazi Open University

DEPARTMENT OF GRADUATE
STUDIES
APPLIED LINGUISTICS DEPARTMENT
LANGUAGE TEACHING
METHODS

The methods of language teaching

have gone through tremendous
changes due to the controversies
That still exists about their
effectiveness and appropriateness.
This review paper defines the most
common and influential teaching
methods: Grammar Translation
Method (GTM), Direct Method
(DM), Audio-lingual Method (ALM)
and Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) by indicating
Their historical backgrounds and
characteristic features along with the
analysis of their strengths and
Weaknesses for future teaching
implications. The paper also tries
to find out if the mentioned
methods are successful, especially
in Asian countries where modern
technologies are not ample
Abstract
The methods of language teaching have gone
through tremendous changes due to the
controversies
that still exist about their effectiveness and
appropriateness. This review paper defines the
most
common and influential teaching methods:
Grammar Translation Method (GTM), Direct
Method
(DM), Audio-lingual Method (ALM) and
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) by
indicating
their historical backgrounds and characteristic
features along with the analysis of their strengths
and
weaknesses for future teaching implications.
The paper also tries to find out if the
mentioned
methods are successful, especially in Asian
countries where modern technologies are not
ample
methods of language teaching have gone through
tremendous changes due to the controversies that
still exist about their effectiveness and
appropriateness. This review paper defines the
most common and influential teaching methods:
Grammar Translation Method (GTM), Direct
Method(DM), Audio-lingual Method (ALM) and
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) by
indicating their historical backgrounds and
characteristic features along with the analysis of
their strengths and weaknesses for future teaching
.implications

INTRODUCTION
Any study which aims to contribute new ideas and
solutions to English Language Teaching Methods
must analyse and evaluate thoroughly the strengths
and weaknesses of different methods of language
teaching. In this review paper, an attempt is made
to analyse the various methods that have been in
practice from time to time in various parts of the
world since the methods of language teaching have
changed throughout history due to the fact that
people are likely to learn foreign/second languages
by attending formal education The analysis of the
methods includes the definition and background of
the methods, the key principles and characteristics
of the methods, along with the strengths and
.weaknesses of every method

The Grammar Translation Method (GTM)

GTM was used to help students read and appreciate
foreign language literature. It was also expected by
GTM that the study of target language grammar
would help learners in terms of better familiarity
with their native language grammar in order to help
them write and speak better. Finally, it was even
believed that foreign language learning would even
help learners grow intellectually .However, it was
an attempt to teach foreign languages in the
twentieth century, but it is still practiced in too
many educational contexts. However, it does
practically nothing to develop student's
communicative competence, while it is
“remembered with distaste by thousands of school
learners, for whom foreign language learning
means a tedious experience of memorizing endless
lists of unusable grammar rules and vocabulary and
attempting to produce a perfect translation of stilted
or literary prose” Besides this, it is also understood
why GTM remains a popular method despite the
lack of literature available to justify its foundation
.and relationship to any of the linguistics

the major characteristics features of GTM

Classes are taught in the mother tongue; .1
.little use of second language
Much vocabulary taught in the form of lists .2
.of isolated words
Elaborate explanations of the intricacies of .3
.grammar
Reading of difficult classical text began .4
.early
Texts treated as exercises in grammatical .5
.analysis
Occasional drills and exercises in translating .6
.sentences from L1 to L2
.Little or no attention to pronunciation .7
Keeping the mentioned principles in mind, it
can be said that under the GTM, foreign
phraseology is quickly explained, rapid
expansion of students’ vocabulary is observed,
an average qualified teacher can use this
method, students’ mother tongue knowledge is
also promoted and comprehension is easily
tested. Besides these merits, there are a
number of demerits to GTM ,which are: it is
not a natural method. Speaking as an
important method is ignored. Exact translation
is impossible since it only encourages literal
translation. It teaches English by rules.
Students in this method are passive, which
.makes this method boring

the Direct Method (DM)

is also a classical method. The method came
into practice when GTM was not very
effective in preparing students to use target
language for communication
Classroom instruction was conducted .1
.exclusively in the target language
Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are .2
.taught
Oral communication skills were built up in a .3
carefully graded progression organised around
question and answer exchanges between
teachers and students in small, intensive
.classes
.Grammar was taught inductively .4
.New teaching points were introduced orally .5
Concrete vocabulary was taught through .6
demonstration, objects and pictures; abstract
vocabulary was taught by association of ideas
Both speech and listening comprehension .7.
.were taught
Correct pronunciation and grammar were .8
. emphasized
As a reaction to GTM, the DM was successful
in making an accepted immediate appeal
because it overcame two major defects of
GTM. First, it substituted language contact in
grammar recitation and language use in
translation. Second, the focus on innovations
of drill, vocabulary selection and systematic
presentation got appreciation and praise for
this method. In this connection, it is important
to note that students using this method receive
more opportunities to listen to oral speech.
This way, they will be able to think in the
target language without mother tongue
.intervention

The DM has one basic rule: no translation

is allowed. The name
derives from the fact that meaning in the
target language is directly conveyed
through
demonstration and visual aids (Freeman 22).
This leads us to understand that Sauveur and
other
believers in the Natural Method argued that a
foreign language could be taught without
translation
or the student’s mother tongue if meaning
was conveyed directly through
demonstration and
action (Richards and Rodgers 9). The DM
was introduced and officially approved in
Germany
and France, and it became widely practiced
in the commercial schools of the United
States by

The methods of language teaching have gone

through tremendous changes due to the
controversies
that still exist about their effectiveness and
appropriateness. This review paper defines
the most
common and influential teaching methods:
Grammar Translation Method (GTM),
Direct Method
(DM), Audio-lingual Method (ALM) and
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
by indicating
their historical backgrounds and characteristic
features along with the analysis of their
strengths and
weaknesses for future teaching implications.
The paper also tries to find out if the
mentioned
methods are successful, especially in Asian
countries where modern technologies are
not ample
still exist about their effectiveness and
appropriateness. This review paper defines
the most
common and influential teaching methods:
Grammar Translation Method (GTM),
Direct Method
(DM), Audio-lingual Method (ALM) and
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
by indicating
their historical backgrounds and characteristic
features along with the analysis of their
strengths and
weaknesses for future teaching implications.
The paper also tries to find out if the
mentioned
methods are successful, especially in Asian
countries where modern technologies are
not ample.
Any study which aims to contribute new
ideas and solutions to English Language
Teaching
Methods must analyse and evaluate
thoroughly the strengths and weaknesses of
different
methods of language teaching. In this
review paper, an attempt is made to analyse
the various
methods that have been in practice from
time to time in various parts of the world
since the
methods of language teaching have changed
throughout history due to the fact that
people are
likely to learn foreign/second languages by
attending formal education (Zainuddin et
al., 64–
77). The analysis of the methods includes
the definition and background of the
methods, the
key principles and characteristics of the
methods, along with the strengths and
weaknesses of
every method
methods of language teaching have gone
through tremendous changes due to the
controversiesthat still exist about their
effectiveness and appropriateness. This review
paper defines the mostcommon and influential
teaching methods: Grammar Translation
Method (GTM), Direct Method(DM), Audio-
lingual Method (ALM) and Communicative
Language Teaching (CLT) by indicatingtheir
historical backgrounds and characteristic
features along with the analysis of their
strengths andweaknesses for future teaching
implications. The paper also tries to find out if
the mentionedmethods are successful,
especially in Asian countries where modern
technologies are not ample
INTRODUCTIONAny study which aims to
contribute new ideas and solutions to English
Language TeachingMethods must analyse and
evaluate thoroughly the strengths and
weaknesses of differentmethods of language
teaching. In this review paper, an attempt is
made to analyse the variousmethods that have
been in practice from time to time in various
parts of the world since themethods of
language teaching have changed throughout
history due to the fact that people arelikely to
learn foreign/second languages by attending
formal education (Zainuddin et al., 64–77).
The analysis of the methods includes the
definition and background of the methods,
thekey principles and characteristics of the
methods, along with the strengths and
weaknesses ofevery method.The origination
of the Grammar Translation Method (GTM)
dates back to the late nineteenth
and early twentieth century as a classical
method of teaching a foreign language.
Once, it was
especially used for teaching the classical
Latin and Greek languages. At that time, it
was
believed that body and mind were two
different entities, and the mind consisted of
three parts:
the will, emotions and intellect. It was
believed if the intellect was sharpened
enough, it could
control the will and emotions. Thus, it was
believed that learning classical literature of
Greeks
and Romans and mathematics was
necessary for mental discipline. Besides
this, the goal of
teaching Latin and Greek was not to
develop the learner’s ability to speak. It
was rather the
aim to develop logical thinking and
intellectual capacities in order to improve
the standard of
the learner’s native language (Asl 18).
Moreover, in the early twentieth century,
GTM was used
to help students read and appreciate foreign
language literature. It was also expected by
GTM
that the study of target language grammar
would help learners in terms of better
familiarity with
their native language grammar in order to help
them write and speak better. Finally, it was
even
believed that foreign language learning
would even help learners grow intellectually
(Freeman
and Anderson 32).
However, it was an attempt to teach
foreign languages in the twentieth century,
but it is still
practiced in too many educational contexts.
However, it does practically nothing to
develop a
student’s communicative competence
(Brown 19), while it is “remembered with
distaste by
thousands of school learners, for whom
foreign language learning means a tedious
experience
of memorizing endless lists of unusable
grammar rules and vocabulary and
attempting to
produce a perfect translation of stilted or
literary prose” (Richards and Rodgers 6).
Besides
this, it is also understood why GTM
remains a popular method despite the lack
of literature
available to justify its foundation and
relationship to any of the linguistics,
psychology or
educational theories (Richards and Rodgers
7). The reason behind its popularity is that
it
requires few skills on the part of teachers.
For instance, tests of grammar rules and
translation
are easy to design and score objectively.
Even today, there are many standardised
tests of
foreign languages that do not attempt to
tap into communicative ability (Brown 19).
For
instance, Aptis, a standard proficiency test
developed by Cambridge University and
launched
by the British Council, prescribes grammar
and vocabulary as the core skills this test
Audi-Lingual Method
Utilizes repetition and drills to instill language
habits, effective for foundational learning but
.less so for advanced proficiency

:Major of the characteristic

The goal of ALM is to use the target .1
.language communicatively
The teacher is like an orchestra leader, .2
directing and controlling the language
behavior other students. Students are the
.imitators of the teacher’s model
New vocabulary and structural patterns are .3
presented through dialogues. The dialogues
.are learned through imitation and repetition
.Grammar is taught inductively .4
There is student–student interaction in chain .5
.drills, but it is always directed by the teacher
Language in ALM has been influenced by .6
descriptive linguists, so every language has its
own unique system. Culture consists of
everyday behavior and lifestyle of the target
.language speakers
There is limited focus on vocabulary in .7
context while students are mastering the sound
system and grammatical patterns. The order of
skills’ presentation is stick to (listening,
speaking, reading and writing). Here it is
believed that language is speech rather than
writing. The underlying theory is that better
listeners and speakers make better readers and
writers. Thus, it leads to the advantages of
correct pronunciation with special attention on
.intonation
Student’s native language is not permitted .8
to hinder the learning process of target
.language
Successful responses immediately receive .9
reinforcement
Student errors should be avoided if at all .10
.possible

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

is a reaction to the classical methods (GTM
and ALM) when linguists felt that students did
not know how to use the target language
communicatively. the driving force that shapes
the planning, implementation, and evaluation
of English language teaching (ELT) programs
in most parts of the world” (12). The
emergence of CLT occurred when the field of
language teaching was looking for a change
since traditional language syllabuses such as
grammatical and situational syllabuses failed
to develop learners’ ability to use language for
communication, so linguists attempted to
design a syllabus that could accomplish the
communicative goals of language teaching
Wilkins’s notional syllabus had a significant
impact on the development of CLT. In order to
facilitate the communicative ability of
learners, Wilkins included communication
functions such as requests, denials, offers,
complaints, etc. into the notional syllabus. The
notional syllabuses superior to the
grammatical syllabus because it develops the
communicative competence and sustains the
motivation of learners. It is further superior to
the situational syllabus because it covers all
kinds of language functions regardless of
limitations Here, the scope of CLT can be
linked to the emergence of many independent
European countries, where education became
one of the activities of the Council of Europe.
It encouraged conferences on language
teaching and the publication of books and
monographs to develop alternative methods
different from the ALM and Situational
.Language Teaching

Characteristics of CLT
The goal of CLT is to enable learners to .1
. communicate in the target language
The major responsibility of teacher is to .2
.facilitate communication in the classroom
all of the activities which are done in the .3
classroom are based on communicative
. intention
students are given the opportunity to express.4
.their individual opinion on regular basis
There are always cooperative interactions
among the students and teacher to enhance
.students
language is for communication , so .5
linguistic competence is only one part of
. communicative competence
language function are emphasized over the .6
forms . students work on all four skills from
.the beginning
native language is allowed in CLT so target .7
language is seen a vehicle of communications
teacher evaluates both his students accuracy .8
and fluency informally in his role as an
advisor while for formal evaluation
student errors are tolerated in fluency based .9
. activity
ack C. Richards listed the following aspects of
language knowledge within the
communicative
competence (4):
1. Knowing how to use language for a
range of diûerent purposes and functions.
2. knowing how to vary our use of language
according to the setting and the participants
(e.g.
knowing when to use formal and informal
speech or when to use language
appropriately
for written as opposed to spoken
communication).
3. Knowing how to produce and understand
diûerent types of texts (e.g. narratives,
reports,
interviews, conversations).
4. Knowing how to maintain
communication despite having limitations in
one’s language
knowledge (e.g. through using diûerent
kinds of communication strategies).
According to Richards, the decisions on
the content of the course, including what
grammar
and vocabulary to teach at the novice,
intermediate, and advanced levels, and which
skills and
micro-skills to teach in what sequence, are
related to the syllabus or course design,
and the
decisions about how best to teach the
mentioned contents of the course are
related to the field
conclusion
The methods discussed so far have attempted
to contribute to and deal with some issues of
language learning and teaching. These
methods were brought into practice at different
times due to the needs of learners. GTM, as a
classical method focuses on the teaching of
grammar and translation as its principal
techniques.
Practically, GTM emphasizes reading and
writing while there is no systematic attention
to listening or speaking. The teacher is the
authority in the class, and the students are the
passive learners, so it is a teacher-centric
method of language teaching. The DM insists
on speech and listening comprehension, and
correct pronunciation and grammar are further
emphasized. In addition, the DM empowers
learners to think in the target language without
the intervention of native language translation.
This will induce confidence in the learner’s
mind. In the beginning, the DM enjoyed great.

The ALM is regarded as a reaction to GTM

and a modified form of the DM, both of which
have a close relationship to communicative
use of the target language. There is little focus
on vocabulary in context while students master
the sound system and grammatical patterns.
The order of skills presentation is stuck to
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing). As
an army method, it was developed to train
army personnel to achieve conversational
proficiency in various languages. However,
linguists did not recommendable to be used in
the regular language learning process. The
CLT approach was developed as a reaction to
the classical methods (i.e., GTM and ALM)
when linguists felt that students did not know
how to use the target language
communicatively. CLT, a recent method of
language teaching, aims to develop the
communicative competence of students. The
four language skills are taught right from the
beginning. It is a student-centred model of
teaching. The method is widely used for
teaching English across the world. Finally, the
above methods are found to be the most
influential methods of language teaching even
in a context that is not facilitated by advanced
technology.

Reference