Where do we go from here?

1. Where do we go from here? Penny Ur 2012

2. Language-teaching Method • A coherent set of teaching procedures and behaviours based on a theory of what language is and how it is learnt

3. 1. The past

4. Grammar-translation method • Procedures: • Grammatical rules and exercises • Vocabulary lists • Reading passages, studied and translated • Very little speaking • Lessons normally conducted in L1 • Grammatical syllabus • Emphasis on accuracy • Underlying approach: • Language is grammar and vocabulary; learning it implies learning and memorizing information about these aspects.

5. Direct Method • Procedures • Only English used • A lot of teacher-student dialogues • Later, systematic teaching of grammar and vocabulary • Mainly speaking • Both communication and accuracy stressed • A grammatical syllabus. • Underlying rationale • English is a system of communication, best learnt through English-only interaction. It is important to learn to speak it correctly.

6. Audio-lingual method • Procedures: • Mimicry, memorization, repetition • Mainly speaking • No grammar explanations • Very little vocabulary teaching • A grammatical syllabus • Emphasis on accuracy • Underlying rationale: • Language is speech, not writing • Language is a set of habits • Teach the language, not about the language

7. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) • Procedures • Mainly communicative tasks • No pre-set grammatical or lexical syllabus • Communicative fluency rather than accuracy • Student-centred, teacher as facilitator • Occasional reactive ‘focus on form’ • Underlying rationale • Language is primarily a system of communication. • A second language is learnt similarly to a first: through using it to interact with others.

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9. But in fact… • These represent theoretical models: rarely if ever in fact taught in their ‘pure’ forms • But useful in providing a picture of different trends and orientations in the history of ELT • Very often developed as ‘reactions against’ •  Baby and bathwater syndrome

10. A post-method era? • 1. Opposition in principle to the concept of ‘method’ as a basis for English teaching: • Pennycook: The concept of method, interested knowledge, and the politics of language teaching (1989) • Prabhu: There is no best method (I990) • Kumaravadivelu: The post-method condition (1994); Towards a postmethodpedagogy (2001); Understanding Language Teaching: from Method to Postmethod(2006). • Pishghadam& Mirzaee: English language teaching in postmodern era (2008)

11. A post-method era? (cont.) • 2. Some evidence that method is not the critical variable in successful teaching • Clarke et al: Creating coherence: High achieving classrooms for minority students (1996) • Ding: Text memorization and imitation: The practices of successful Chinese learners of English (2007)

12. And yet… • Methods are alive and kicking! • Bell: Method and post-method: Are they really so incompatible? (2003) • Task-based learning – clearly a ‘method’ – continues to be promoted. • Why?

13. Some possible reasons: • Assumption that teachers need to be told how to teach • Political / power issues: maintaining the dominance of universities and ministries • Assumption that practice must grow out of theory • Ideology and political correctness • A clear basis for teacher-training programs

14. 2. The present

15. Dominant method: TBLT • ‘An emerging orthodoxy’ (Carless, 2009: 66) • Promoted in teacher-preparation courses, conferences, the literature • Ellis: Task-based Language Learning and Teaching (2003) • Leaver & Willis: Task-Based Instruction In Foreign Language Education: Practices and Programs (2004) • Nunan: Task-based Language Teaching (2004) • Robinson: Task-based language learning: A review of issues (2011) • Skehan: Task-based instruction (2003)

16. Some characteristics: • Encouraged • Communicative tasks • Group and pair work • Extensive reading • Reactive focus on form • Student autonomy • Discouraged: • Grammatical syllabus • Grammar and vocabulary exercises • Use of L1 • Learning by heart • Teacher-dominated classroom process

17. Discussion • How far does this overview of task-based instruction correspond with: • a) The general direction of methodology courses in teacher training programs in this country? • b) Actual practice, as demonstrated by teachers observed in classrooms in this country?

18. Objections to task-based instruction • It doesn’t work so well in the Asian context (Carless, 2007; Littlewood, 2007). • Interactive communicative tasks produce minimal language (Seedhouse, 1999) • Opposition on practical and theoretical grounds (Swan, 2005) • Most teachers, if asked, say they teach an ‘eclectic’ method (Bell, 2007)

19. Response of the theorists: a ‘weak’ task-based teaching model • Ellis (2009): • ‘…it is argued that task-based teaching need not be seen as an alternative to more traditional, form-focused approaches but can be used alongside them’ (p.221) • But then task-based procedures become only one component • Is it still a ‘task-based approach’? • If not, what is it?

20. So what’s going on? • 1. Recent writing on methodology, conferences: a strong task-based approach? A compromise? • 2. Teacher courses, national syllabuses – largely TBLT-oriented • 3. Teachers in the field – largely ‘eclectic’ (tending towards the traditional) • 4. Coursebook writers and publishers have a dilemma: • follow authoritative guidelines… • ... or sell books?

21. So where do we go from here? A personal view

22. What is the alternative? • A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources

23. A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources • A pedagogy, not a method because: • 1. An unlimited number of possible classroom procedures • 2. Not limited to one ‘correct’ view of what language is and how language is learnt. • 2. Takes into account pedagogical aspects that ‘methods’ tend to ignore: student motivation, classroom management, large and/or heterogeneous classes, classroom climate, lesson planning, homework

24. A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources • The main principle is the optimalization of learning: the teacher will choose those procedures that in his/her view lead to the best learning by students. • Other principles: educational values; the creation of a positive classroom climate and student motivation; the maintenance of caring relationships…

25. A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources • Many decisions on principles and procedures will be based on local considerations: • the local student population; • the teacher’s own personality and preferences; • the goals of the course; • the local culture; • upcoming exams …

26. A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources • The teacher, or group of teachers in a school, decide on their pedagogy and choose material • The teacher’s sense of plausibility (Prabhu, 1990)

27. A language pedagogy that is principled and localized, determined by the teacher(s), informed by reflection on experience and other professional knowledge sources • The primary source of the teacher’s ‘sense of plausibility’ is reflection on experience. • Other professional knowledge sources include: • Sharing with colleagues • Feedback from students • The professional literature (research, theory, teachers’ websites and blogs, books on language pedagogy, practical handbooks) • Courses, conferences

28. Anything goes? • Potentially any teaching procedure may be part of an individual teacher’s pedagogy… • …Provided he/she can justify it, based on the principles and considerations listed previously.

29. The functions of the teacher trainer • Not to tell the teacher to use a specific method, • But to provide: • 1. Evidence-based information about how learning and teaching languages • 2. A range of practical teaching ideas • 3. Opportunities to reflect and discuss • 4. Personal recommendations

30. Examples from my own pedagogy

31. My own teaching includes • Communicative discussion tasks • Grammar exercises • Use of L1 to teach new vocabulary • Game-like activities

32. Communicative discussion tasks • How many (non-obvious) things can you find in common with your partner, that you didn’t know before? • Design a profile of the kind of teacher you would like to teach your child English. Divide the characteristics into necessary, desirable, unnecessary.

33. Because… • They help students learn to be fluent speakers • Give them opportunities to practise language they know • Are interesting and fun • Help to strengthen group relationships

34. Grammar exercises • Practise the modals: insert the appropriate forms. • I’m sorry, but I must leave early (have to). • When I was young, I played with dolls (used to). • We should try to stay calm (ought to). • Teachers must prepare lessons. (have to). • Teenagers should be in bed by 11 o’clock (be supposed to). • After he left, we could speak more easily (be able to).

35. Grammar exercises • Practise the modals: insert the appropriate forms. • I’m sorry, but I must … (have to). • When I was young, I … (used to). • We should … (ought to). • Teachers must … (have to). • Teenagers should … (be supposed to). • After he left, we could … (be able to).

36. Because… • They improve grammatical accuracy • Give students opportunities to use the grammar in different mini-contexts • (the more meaningful and interesting the better)

37. L1 for presenting new items to a class • a man • go • a thing • an apple • a computer • only • think • very • young • big

38. Because… • The easiest, quickest and often most accurate as a ‘way in’ to vocabulary meanings. • Reflects students’ intuitive strategies • Saves time for use of the item in English contexts • Acknowledges and respects the students’ L1 • Research support for use of L1 in vocabulary teaching (Laufer, 2008)

39. Game-like procedures • Procedures that are games, but lead to learning • Quick Bingo (vocabulary) • Guessing games (question forms) • Brainstorms with a time-limit (oral fluency) • How many things can you think of to say about this picture in one minute?

42. Because … • Game-like activities are fun and motivating • Increase attention and participation • Contribute to a positive classroom climate • Prevent discipline problems • Encourage playful use of language (Bell, 2012)

43. To summarize • We can – and should – learn from the various methods, from professional and research literature, from colleagues and students, from conferences… • But the bottom line: • It is the teacher’s own decision how to teach, based primarily on the answer to the question: • What will get my students to learn English well?

44. P.S. Isn’t this what is happening anyway? • To some extent. • But an underlying uneasiness due to: • Dissonance between the official method and the reality of the classroom. • This dissonance should be faced and solved • by releasing teachers from the pressure to use TBLT • and sanctioning their right to teach the way they believe is best for their students’ learning.