Reflections on some common teaching methods: Grammar Translation, AudioLingual, Communicative Language .Teaching Good points and drawbacks

Luận văn về Phương pháp lí luận dạy học. Đây là luận văn về sự so sánh giữa 3 phương pháp GT, ALM và CLT. Trong này có mô tả chi tiết về advantages và disadvantages của 3 phương pháp kể trên, so sánh các phương pháp này giữa Việt Nam và một số nước khác. Cuối cùng bày tỏ quan điểm và đưa ra suggestions cho bài luận.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Hanoi National University of Education

Faculty of English

ASSIGNMENT ON BACKGROUND TO ELT

METHODOLOGY

Title of the Project

Reflections on some common teaching methods: Translation, Audio-Lingual, Communicative Language

Teaching -Good points and drawbacks

INSTRUCTOR:

STUDENT:

GROUP:

Academic Year: 2021 – 2022

Người duyệt Người ra đề thi

(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên) (Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)

TABLE OF CONTENT

Part 1: Introduction 1

Part 2: Main content 2

2.1 Literature review 2

2.1.1 Grammar-Translation Method 2

2.1.2 The Audio-Lingual Approach 4

2.1.3 The Communicative Approach 6

2.2 Discuss/ Implication in language teaching 7

2.2.1 Personal opinion 7

2.2.2 Compare learning methods between the other countries 9

and Vietnam 2.2.3 Recommendations for language teaching and learning 10

Part 3 : Conclusion 11

Part 1: Introduction

1.1 The reason for choosing this topic

In the era of international integration, English is becoming increasingly popular and plays an important role in life With such a strong development trend, it not only affects but also impacts the method of English education around the world including Viet Nam In the English Proficiency Index (EPI) of 100 countries where English is not their native language, countries on the top list of countries with the highest rates of English proficiency include Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway In Asia, the seven highest countries are consisting of Singapore (10th), the Philippines (27th),

Malaysia (30th), South Korea (32nd), China (38th), India(50th) and Japan(55th) While, Vietnam fell from 52nd in 2019 to 65th in the ranking in 2020 In other words, VietNam reached 473/800 EF EPI points, dropped 13 places and continued to be in the low English proficiency group In Southeast Asia region, Vietnam ranks fourth behind some countries namely Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia and higher than countries such as

Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar I think the reason for the decreasing English level of Vietnamese people is the education of our country outdated in

comparison with the world, the capacity of teachers is limited, the teaching facilities and conditions have not been invested much Consequently, there is a large part of students who have studied for many years, but in the end, they still cannot communicate with foreigners The fundamental goal of learning a foreign language is to use it effectively in communication, not just grades or achievements Therefore, we need to think of a new direction in learning and teaching English For this direction to be feasible and offer high efficiency in learning and teaching students, first of all, it is integral to study the methods that have been applied in the education system in Vietnam as well as other countries in the

world This reasons why I choose the topic of reflections on some common teaching methods: Grammar-Translation, Audio-Lingual, Communicative Language

Teaching - Good points and drawbacks

1.2 Subject and scope of the research

In this thesis, the studied subjects are three methods which are extremely prevalent

in second language teaching and learning, they are Grammar-Translation, Audio-Lingual and Communicative Language Teaching Furthermore, I will discuss some benefits and disadvantages of them in this essay

I will research and analyze these methods well both internationally and

domestically

1.3 Objectives

Through reflecting and analyzing three methods: Grammar-Translation, Audio-Lingual and Communicative Language Teaching in this thesis, the purpose is to gain valuable lessons and hands-on experience to find new teaching methods that meet the current learning requirements of the student The second goal is to contribute to

improving the quality of teaching and developing a comprehensive personality of the student 1

Moreover, this will give teachers a comprehensive and multidimensional view of teaching reasoning methods to apply in teaching practice, so this application can help improve their teaching skills Not only teachers but also students can develop cognitive capacity through the interaction between teachers and students, between transmitting and perceiving systems of scientific knowledge, cognitive skills, techniques and practice

1.4 Research assignment

With the objectives mentioned, the thesis sets out the following tasks:

Firstly, gathering information on three methods including Grammar-Translation, Audio-Lingual and Communicative Language Teaching from a variety of reliable sources,

of which the main source is textbook material for an overview and the positive together with negative aspects of these methods

Secondly, comparing these three educational methods in Vietnam and other

countries around the world and providing the main content of the essay

Thirdly, giving the attitude of experts and professors about the prevalent theoretical methods mentioned above From there, carefully analyze their perspectives in teaching method and give my own opinion

Finally, summarizing the presentations in the thesis and proposing some solutions

on how to teach the target language

1.5 The contributions of this paper

Firstly, the thesis topic contributes to the research development of innovative and feasible measures for specific activities of the practical teaching process in Vietnam

Secondly, the thesis can be a useful reference for teaching from suggestions for second language teaching

Part 2: Main content

First of all, we need to contemplate popular methods in order to find the best solution

in teaching and learning English

2.1 Literature review

2.1.1 Grammar-Translation method

a,Theoretically

The Grammar-Translation Approach, which is acknowledged as a traditional teaching method, stemmed from classical Greek and Latin teaching methods Grammar-Translation is an old method and it was invented by Prof Karl Plotz in the 16th century Over a century between 1840 and 1940, GT became one of the most dominated methods

in Europe in teaching foreign languages This method is prevalently put into practice in Vietnam for about 20 years from 1970 to 1990 The GTM focuses on forming two main skills: reading and writing In other words, reading and writing skills are more prominent than listening and speaking skills It is mandatory that students learn the language rules, remember vocabulary and grammar by repeating them many times ( Fazal et al., 2017) Additionally, the student will need to translate from the second language into their native language or vice versa It is forbidden to make any mistakes; if students make an error in grammar or vocabulary, teachers have in charge of correcting them immediately to avoid making the same mistake next time

Design:

The students will read the text in the coursebook and the teacher asks them to translate the text into their native language Teachers help students with vocabulary they have no clue Then, the teacher demands the student answer questions related to this passage If it is correct, the teacher calls on another student to read the next question If the answer is incorrect, the teacher selects a different student to supply the correct answer,

or the teacher gives the right answer by herself

The advantages and disadvantages :

Advantages:

+ students are trained very carefully in grammar and absorb a large amount of vocabulary

+ teachers can prepare lectures easily

+ suitable for large classes, crowded students

+ test students and get results quickly

+ students have the opportunity to learn vocabulary not only in their second

language but also in their first language

Disadvantages:

+ the student is less able to communicate

+ less attention to pronunciation

+ teachers require the accuracy of the grammar, leading to the psychology of students being afraid of the wrong, lack of confidence, using rigid and stereotyped words + less activity during class time

+ reduces students’s creativity in speaking and writing skills

+ the teacher is considered to be the center of the lesson leading to tedious

psychology for students, the students become passive

+ little student-student interaction

b, Researchers’ perspective

The GTM receives much criticism from experts and professors around the world I will give the view of two authors against the GTM:

According to Owen (2003) using the first language in the Grammar-Translation Approach will limit the learners' exposure to the second language and waste time because each time they process language information, they must use the thinking of the first language In other words, they always think of ideas in their native language and then translate them into the second language, which makes information processing slow

Besides, the GTM makes learners mistakenly think that the first language has a close relationship with the second language In other words, it is not right when people try

to render sentences from the mother tongue to the target language For example, when saying ‘‘I achieved my dream’’ if this sentence is translated into Vietnamese, it means you will make your dream come true, but native speakers will use the phrase ‘‘ I fulfilled my dream’’ in reality Sometimes using the content in the second language translated into Vietnamese seems very bad and difficult to understand When a native speaker says ‘‘give

me a ring’’ if it is translated into Vietnamese, it will simply give a piece of jewellery that you wear on your finger but we do not understand that this sentence also has another meaning is to call me (Newson, 1988)

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Although the Grammar-Translation Approach was censured for focusing too much on imitation and memorization as well as the uneven development of English skills, there are several views on the positive side of this method I will give some views which are in favor of the GTM:

Instead of thinking that the GTM has many shortcomings, Moghahed (2011) stated that the translation method can be associated with communication skills in teaching and still improve both writing and speaking skills for students The reason why this method is not appreciated is that it is used in the wrong way, leading cause of the

separation of language from communication functions

According to Zulprianto (2012) the GTM was rejected for paying too much attention to grammar, ignoring the importance of the remaining skills The Audio-Lingual and the Communicative Approach have innovative methods to promote learners's English proficiency; nevertheless, they are in charge of teaching grammar just in different ways Learners will spend an amount of time on this method, but in return, they have a deep understanding of grammar It reinforces learners' predictability and grammar penetration

to write correct sentences in academic texts He said that if everyone could only speak but not write, they will be illiterate people Grammar is regarded as the backbone of any language Even though grammar is not a sufficient condition to master a language, it is a crucial factor to conquer foreign languages Besides, GT is also a tool to support students

in developing communication skills In the survey, Zulprianto found that most students were quite interested in discussions and group work on translation-related activities

2.1.2 The Audio-lingual Approach

a, Theoretically

Developed in the 1950s and 60s, especially during the second world war, it has been referred to Army Method or Michigan Method The Audiolingual Method or Audio-Oral Method emphasizes teaching speaking and listening skills before reading and writing Unlike the Grammar-Translation method, this method properly meets the need of all learners to form and develop all four skills but prioritize the development of speaking, listening before reading and writing The provision of language knowledge such as

phonetics, vocabulary and grammar is integrated into the teaching process The Listening-Speaking method does not allow the use of native language in class; encourages

maximum use of English in the teaching process and it is emphasized to develop two main speaking and listening skills Teaching through practicing structures and through applied exercises, learners self-discovery and learn similarities (compared to their mother tongue) about sentence structure, speech and giving out the language rules Design:

The teacher reads a passage in the textbook and then requests students to imitate the conversations they provide For example,

Teacher: she is going to the hospital

Student: she is going to the hospital

In case the student forgets to read the entire sentence correctly:

Teacher: she Student: she

Teacher: she is going to

Student: she is going to Teacher: she is going to the hospital Student: she is going to the hospital

It means that when the teacher reads a sentence in the dialogue, students will repeat until they remember and use it spontaneously Moreover, students also practice the types

of exercises such as answering the questions in the book, some alternate exercises and structural transformation If the student responds correctly, the teacher will compliment them on this answer immediately The teacher also utilizes wall pictures, posters or

flashcards to illustrate for students

The advantages and disadvantages:

_ Benefits:

+ suitable for beginners

+ strongly develop listening and speaking skills, focusing on pronunciation

+ vocabulary is enhanced via visual aids (slides, posters, flipcharts, video and audio, wall pictures, flashcards)

+ it is helpful if teachers utilize this method to teach a large group of students + the learner tends to use sentences of more standard language and academic style + Audio-Lingual Method is the premise for the development of Communicative Language Teaching

_ Drawbacks:

+ the teacher plays a central role, while the student is in the passive role

+ there is no interaction among students

+ students have to repeat word-for-word in dialogue which brings about boredom and meaningless

+ repetition does not promote students' innovation

+ four skills are developed unequally, teachers and students pay all attention to speaking and listening skills whereas they do not attach any importance to reading and speaking skills

+ the teacher asks students to speak as accurately as possible, so students are afraid of being wrong in communication

b, Researchers’ perspective

This approach has been criticized by some researchers, we have different views about whether or not people should use L1 in the Audio-Lingual Method:

(Jeremy, 2001) Students should use their native language in class instead of being banned, the second language seems very difficult for students at elementary and intermediate levels When giving topics that need profound expertise of students not only

in books but also in real life such as law, environment or climate Low-level students have trouble making their own opinions if they are not permitted to speak their native

language Language restriction is one of the barriers that students can debate about these topics Nevertheless, Eldridge (1996) stated that using the first language in the classroom will help students get closer to the second language through encoding the language from L1 into L2 Students are not under pressure and feel comfortable using their native

language because it is so natural However, Eldridge also found that there is no

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confirmation to prove that L1 improves proficiency in learning L2 In the survey at a secondary school which is located in turkey, Eldridge claims L1 brings only short-term benefits to learners Although not wholeheartedly in denial of the role of L1, Eldridge suggested learners should expose to L2

Secondly, this approach is not appreciated by stereotyping (Freeman, 2000) In this method, the teacher is like the orchestra conductor to guide the students, and the students completely follow the teacher's instructions without any idea of their own

Similarly, Richards and Rodgers (1987) stated that The Audio-Lingual Method makes the learners' L2 become modeled and mechanical The theoretical basis of this approach is also very weak Furthermore, this approach does not help learners communicate in real situations because the way of imitating learning will not stay in students' minds for a long time, learners are easy to forget

However, others who believe that the ALM has some positive aspects.( Harmer, 1998) Students who are trained through repetition are pretty good at learning When students form a habit of producing correct sentences in communication, they will have the conditions to develop the target language Similarly, Anderson and Bachman (2009) stated that the ALM forms and promotes speaking skills for learners If learners achieve

competence in speaking skill, the remaining three skills are quite good Speaking skill plays an important role because it acts as the outer shell of each person Sometimes, we are not very good at listening, reading, and writing skills but as long as we specialize in speaking skill, others will appreciate us

2.1.3 The Communicative Approach

a, Theoretically

The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) was created in 1970 and the Audio-Lingual Method is the foundation of this approach These days, CLT is the most prevalent approach all over the world because the purpose of this method is to help

learners communicate in many practical situations Through CLT, learners are permitted

to participate in activities such as skits, interviews, debates, jigsaw activities, picture strip story and so on This would hopefully encourage students to communicate actively, bringing them great joy to learn faster and remember longer Additionally, this method emphasizes the interaction between teacher-student and student-student

Design:

As I mentioned before, CLT bring students many activities in the classroom Normally, the teacher will divide students into several small groups to compete together Each group will play a different character to create a situation, if they play a role-plays What’s more, the teacher can give a few pictures with vivid images for children to create their own stories The teacher also gives a piece of passage from newspapers or books and asks students some questions associated with this passage if they participated in the discussion session or surveys The counselor has a set cards without writing any word and these cards are shuffled, then they requires the student predict the names of the pictures

on the cards

The advantages and disadvantages:

_ Advantages:

+ By using real-world situations, children will get social experiences Hence, the students gradually improve their correct pronunciation skills as well as the ability to improvise in similar communication situations

+ With diverse and interesting communication topics, children will be exposed to new structures and words This helps learners not only master listening and speaking skills but also reading and writing skills

+ the students are the center, while the teachers are facilitators when student's word is encouraged and admitted, they will become more interested in communication + Enhances learner's confidence and adaptation when placed in a new

environment

_ Shortcomings:

+ Low-level students are not cut out for studying CLT and engaging in verbal communicative activities

+ If the exams are based on grammar, communicative fluency might not be suitable

+ CLT does not concentrate on accuracy and ignores student's errors

Consequently, most students tend to use sentences with incorrect grammar

b, Researcher’s perspective

There are number of attitudes which appreciate the role of CLT:

(Johnson, 1982) Learning methods are related to communication which promotes the learning process With a central role, students participate directly and express their own thoughts In a creative environment, learners have many opportunities to practice communication skill

By carefully understanding and listening to students' opinions in this exciting learning space Teachers do not consider themselves the students' superior, whereas they are regarded as close friends of the students Teachers avoid putting pressure on students

as much as possible Besides, they become analyst, organizer, or mentor instead of acting

as a center They are in charge of planning ahead appropriate ideas and objects.( Richard

& Rodgers, 2001)

It is realized that this method has many advantages, but it can not avoid criticism from researchers ( Rashtchi & Keyvanfar, 2007) stated that the Communicative Approach

is an effective learning method for intermediate or advanced students Because these students have enough knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation On the contrary, this will be a big obstacle for beginners and low-intermediate students As a result, every student with uneven individual competence will not reach good results This unintentionally causes boredom for high-level students as well as puts pressure on

students who lack grammar and pronunciation skills

( Pica, 2000) It seems that focusing too much on communication can be

detrimental to students in the long run Learners cannot absorb all four skills, especially reading and writing skills because they do not have chances to acquire grammar rules

2.2 Discussion/ Implication in language teaching

2.2.1 Personal opinion

Firstly, after carefully examining the views of researchers on the GTM method, which have been mentioned in detail above In my opinion, the views of each researcher

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are equally convincing Firstly, I will give information about the beneficial effects of GT People tend to criticize GT as a learning method that makes students passive, lacks

listening and speaking skills, and reduces confidence in communication To me, grammar

is like building a house To build a stable house, it is integral to have a foundation

Grammar is a base for learners to develop other skills and express a message accurately, clearly, and specifically As Zulprianto said before, grammar is the backbone and a

fundamental factor for learners to gradually conquer the second language Some people think that speaking skills should be prioritized in teaching, but if we can only speak without understanding grammar rules, our conversation with others will become

meaningless In communication, a grammatically accurate expression will surely make the conversation more interesting and exciting as well When using grammar rules

proficiently, people will form a habit of organizing language right from the moment when the idea is just formed, leading to learners how to arrange the structure to convey precise information What’s more, the grammatical influence of the second language on the mother tongue in recent years has shown that proficiency in utilizing the target language’s grammar also increases the ability to use the mother tongue To put it another way, after acquiring great expertise in using the grammar of the foreign language, this language gives you more flexibility in using the first language, helping people to speak and write their mother tongue more accurately and scientifically By way of illustration, there are a large number of idioms in English such as: save for the rainy day, still water run deep or a clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast and so on When learners comprehend these idioms, they also understand more about them in Vietnamese

On the other hand, I also can not deny that GT offers some negative effects on learners With Owen, he argued that learning the mother tongue and the second language

at the same time caused students to form slow logical thoughts I have come to the same conclusion because if students concentrate on translating grammar and vocabulary, it will slow down the learner’s reflexes For instance, when listening to an English sentence, instead of listening to understand, the language acquisition process occurs by listening, then checking the grammar or translation in the head and finally understanding Similarly, the speaking process happens the same way: think in your native language, translate it in your head and finally speak

Secondly, from my perspective, the Audio-Lingual Method has not only benefits but also drawbacks Through repeating a conversation, students have the opportunity to form a habit of creating correct sentences ALM helps learners develop speaking skills, while promoting the remaining skills such as listening, reading, and writing Good

speaking will help learners be impressed and appreciated by others However, repeating a conversation correctly until you don't forget it has some fundamental disadvantages Teaching methods in ALM are no different from teaching a parrot how to speak Whoever teaches or says anything, it also imitates and presents like that, this reduces students' creativity and thinking If the teacher does not have a high level of expertise and good speaking skills, students are very likely to make pronunciation mistakes like their

teachers In addition, ALM does not help students gain confidence in communication because they are afraid of being wrong

Thirdly, the advantages of the Communicative Language Teaching outweigh the