1.

Grammar-cum-Translation Method
The strategy of teaching English in grammar orientation depends on a ton of interpretation. The
technique is the conventional or ‘old-style method of learning a language. The main thought behind
this strategy is that the students become friendly with all grammar rules to translate various
sentences easily.

Furthermore, it does not allow the learners to think directly in the target language. Thus, it hinders the
creation of a direct link between thoughts and expression. Consequently, this technique doesn’t
improve the student’s communicative ability in the language but only builds strong language writing
skills.

Also Read: Why English is an Important Language

Grammar–translation classes are usually conducted in the student’s native language. Grammatical
rules are learned analytically; students learn grammar rules mechanically and then practice the rules
by doing grammar practice and translating sentences to and from the target language. Students are
more attentive in order to make sentences that are being translated than to their content. When
students reach more advanced levels of achievement, they may translate entire texts from the target
language. Tests often involve translating classical texts.

2. The Direct Method

The Audio method is also known as the direct method, which involves thinking and communicating in
English. This communication between the teacher and the student is strictly in English, and the
student is barred from using their native language. This way helps everyone to work on their
speaking language and try to improve it step by step.

Direct Method was developed by studying how children learn their native tongue. Think about how
you learned to speak your first language. You listened to adults and older children, then started trying
out language, using trial and error, action and reaction, to develop your speaking ability. This is the
core idea behind the direct method of copying this natural language learning process.

It is a natural method, this method typically focuses more on speaking and listening than on reading
and writing. Having said this, there’s plenty of room for reading and writing in the direct method
classroom.

The best part of DM comes from the fact that it’s a natural method; because it replicates how we
learned our native language, it feels more inborn to our children and allows them to learn English
 more deeply than other methods. (Note that for students who haven’t been taught in this way, it can
be a little tough at first. And after a few days, they’ll get used to it.

3. The Audio-Lingual Method

The audio-lingual method is also known as the Army Method. The audio-lingual methods are:

 Language teaching starts with communication; the material is educated before it is offered in a
composed structure.

 The objective language is the main language; the student’s primary language isn’t utilized.

 The teacher is the role model for the student.

With the outbreak of World War II armies needed to become orally proficient in the languages of their
allies and enemies as quickly as possible. This teaching technique was initially called the Army
Method and was the first to be based on linguistic theory and behavioral psychology.

The Audio-lingual Method was widely used in the 1950s and 1960s, and the emphasis was not on
the understanding of words, but rather on the acquisition of structures and patterns in common
everyday dialogue.


4. Suggestopedia
The method involves using the environment, music, decoratives, etc., for adopting the language. It
depends a lot on the atmosphere and the physical environmental factors of the class. When teachers
are made to use the Suggestopedia method, there’s a great deal of craftsmanship and music
included.
The approach is based on the power of suggestion in learning; the notion being that positive
suggestion would make the learner more receptive and, in turn, stimulate learning. Lozanov holds
that a relaxed but focused state is the optimum state for learning. In order to create this relaxed state
in the learner and promote positive suggestions, suggestopedia uses music, a comfortable and
relaxing environment, and a relationship between the teacher and the student akin to the parent-child
relationship. Music, in particular, is central to the approach.

Unlike other methods and approaches, there is no apparent theory of language in suggestopedia and
no obvious order in which items of language are presented. Each suggestopedia exercise is divided
into three unique stages:

 Deciphering

 Concert Session

 Elaboration
5. Total Physical Response
Total Physical Response, also called TPR, is a method that follows ‘learning by doing. For example,
the new learner will learn English through a series of activities, “Close the door”, “Stand up”, “Open
your book”, and “Stroll to the window and open it.” With TPR, the most significant aptitude is aural
perception, and everything else will be regular.

The majority of class time in TPR lessons is spent doing drills in which the instructor gives
commands using the imperative mood. Students respond to these commands with physical actions.
In the beginning, students learn the meaning of the commands they listen to by direct observation.
After they learn the meaning of the words in these commands, the teacher provides a command that
uses novel combinations of the words the students have learned.

6. Community Language Learning

Community language learning is a language-teaching process in which students cooperate to create
what portion of a language they might want to learn. It depends on the Understanding.

CLL is most likely one of the English teaching methods where the student feels the most secure.
There’s an extraordinary accentuation on the relationship and bond between the student and teacher.

7. Communicative Language Teaching

The thought behind this method is to help students convey all the more successfully and effectively in
a sensible situation they may wind up in. So, this teaching includes focusing on essential capacities
like thanking, complaining, suggesting, inviting, and requesting directions to give some examples.

There are some learning and teaching techniques that can be used in Communicative Language
Teaching class, for example, role play, information gap, language exchanges, simulation, discussion,
games, pair work, and group work. All these techniques can engage the learners in the
communication process.

The Communicative Language Teaching approach focuses on giving students the skills to clearly
and confidently communicate in real-world situations with native speakers of their target language.

It is an approach for second and foreign language teaching which mainly focuses on developing
communicative competence. This approach emphasizes the use of language for meaningful
purposes in authentic situations.
8. Task-Based Learning
Task-based language teaching is also called task-based instruction. The motive of this way to deal
with learning is task finishing. Typically, the teacher sets relevant and exciting tasks. Then, students
are required to complete their tasks in English to finish the job with as few mistakes as expected.
Such assignments can incorporate visiting a specialist, directing a meeting, or calling customer care
for help.

Task-based learning is a way of language learning where learners are given interactive tasks to
complete. In order to do this, they need to communicate. Once the task is complete, then the teacher
discusses the language used.

9. The Silent Way

The Silent Way is a language-teaching method created by Caleb Gattegno that makes immense use
of silence as a teaching technique. The method emphasizes the autonomy of the learner; the
teacher’s role is to monitor the students’ efforts, and the students are encouraged to have an active
role in learning the language.

Pronunciation is seen as fundamental; beginning students start their study with pronunciation, and
much time is spent practicing it each lesson. The teacher demonstrates only as a facilitator
attempting to urge students to be more efficient in their learning.
Like Suggestopedia, the Silent Way faced lots of criticism. In one sense, the Silent Way was too
harsh a method, and the teacher too distant, to encourage a communicative atmosphere. Students
required more guidance and overcorrection than the Silent Way permitted. Teachers had to resist
their instinct to spell everything out in black and white, to come to the aid of students at the slightest
downfall.

10. Lexical Approach

The Lexical approach depends on computer studies with the most customarily utilized words. This
approach in teaching centers around vocabulary securing and teaching lexical lumps arranged by
their recurrence and use. Teachers of the Lexical Approach place an extraordinary accentuation on
bona fide materials and practical situations for increasingly important learning.

Fluency does not depend on a set of generative grammar rules and a separate store of isolated
words but on the ability to rapidly access this inventory of chunks. These chunks occupy a crucial
role in facilitating language production and are the key to fluency. Two points to remember about
lexical chunks: learners are able to:

 comprehend lexical phrases as unanalyzed wholes or chunks.

 use whole phrases without understanding their constituent parts.

APPROACH, METHOD, AND TECHNIQUE

An approach describes the theory or philosophy underlying how a language should be
taught; a method or methodology describes, in general terms, a way of implementing
the approach (syllabus, progression, kinds of materials); techniques describe specific
practical classroom tasks and activities. For example:

 Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach with a theoretical

underpinning that a language is for communication.
 A CLT methodology may be based on a notional-functional syllabus, or a
structural one, but the learner will be placed at the centre, with the main aim
 being developing their Communicative Competence. Classroom activities will be
chosen that will engage learners in communicating with each other.
 CLT techniques might include role-plays, discussions, text ordering, speaking
games, and problem-solving activities.

SOME DIFFERENT APPROACHES, METHODS, AND

TECHNIQUES
The Audiolingual Approach

 The Audiolingual Approach is based on a structuralist view of language and

draws on the psychology of behaviourism as the basis of its learning theory,
employing stimulus and response.
 Audio-lingual teaching uses a fairly mechanistic method that exposes learners
to increasingly complex language grammatical structures by getting them to
listen to the language and respond. It often involves memorising dialogues and
there is no explicit teaching of grammar.
 Techniques include listening and repeating, oral drilling to achieve a high level
of accuracy of language forms and patterns. At a later stage, teachers may use
communicative activities.
CLIL - Content and Language Integrated Learning

 CLIL is an approach that combines the learning of a specific subject matter with
learning the target language. It becomes necessary for learners to engage with
the language in order to fulfil the learning objectives. On a philosophical level,
its proponents argue that it fosters intercultural understanding, meaningful
language use, and the development of transferrable skills for use in the real
world.
 The method employs immersion in the target language, with the content and
activities dictated by the subject being taught. Activities tend to integrate all four
skills, with a mixture of task types that appeal to different learning styles.
 Techniques involve reading subject-specific texts, listening to subject-based
audio or audio-visual resources, discussions, and subject-related tasks.
CLT - Communicative Language Teaching (The Communicative Approach)

 CLT emphasises that the main purpose of language is communication, and that
meaning is paramount. The goal of the Communicative Approach is to develop
learners’ communicative competence across all four skills. It has been the
dominant approach in mainstream language education for many decades.
 Most methodologies use an amalgamation of a structural and a functional
syllabus, with a relatively common consensus having emerged concerning the
order in which language elements should be taught. Language is generally
contextualised, and communication is encouraged from the start. Native speaker
input is seen as highly desirable, though not essential. Much teaching is learner-
centred.
 Techniques are an eclectic mix - with techniques often borrowed from a range of
other approaches. Because of this, it is often criticised for a lack of robust
theoretical underpinning. Specific activities and games are chosen for their
perceived effectiveness in relation to the knowledge or skills being taught.
Typical activities include physical games such as board races and running
dictations, information exchange activities, role-plays – and any tasks and
games that involve communication between learners.
DOGME

 DOGME is a humanistic communicative approach that focuses on

conversational interactions where learners and the teacher work together on the
development of knowledge and skills.
 In terms of method, it generally eschews the use of textbooks and published
materials in favour of real communication and the development of discourse-
level skills. Language may be scaffolded by the teacher, with attention paid to
emergent forms. Topics are chosen based on their relevance to the learners.
 Techniques include conversational activities and exposure to the language
through real-life texts, audio, and video materials.
Grammar Translation

 An approach to language study is generally used to prepare students for reading

classical texts, notably Latin, in their original. It is thought that students benefit
from learning about the ideas of classical thinkers, and from the rigour of rote
learning and the application of grammatical rules.
 The method commonly involves students learning grammar rules plus
vocabulary lists based on the content of chosen texts. These are then applied to
the written translation of texts from and into the target language. The teaching is
usually done in the students’ native language. There is little emphasis on
speaking, other than to recite sections of text.
 Techniques include rote learning and drilling, translation activities, and
recitation.

This approach is not really used in teaching Modern Foreign Languages but is still
sometimes the basis for the teaching of classical languages such as Latin or Greek.

The Lexical Approach

 An approach based on the notion that language comprises lexical units (chunks,
collocations, and fixed phrases). Grammar is secondary and is acquired through
learning these chunks.
 The method focuses on learning sets of phrase-level, multi-word vocabulary and
linguistic frames that can be manipulated by the learner using substitutions and
adaptations. This can be done through adapting many standard EFL activities.
 Techniques could include searching texts for lexical units, collocation matching
games, lexical drills and chants, story-telling, role plays using fixed and semi-
fixed expressions, activities with de-lexical verbs and examining concordances.
The Natural Approach

 An approach to language learning that seeks to mirror how we learn our first
language.
 Methods focus on the possibility of ‘acquiring’ a second language rather than
having to learn it artificially. Teaching is by a native-speaker teacher; the
syllabus mirrors the order in which we acquire our first language; there is an
initial ‘silent phase’ when the learner assimilates aspects of the language,
before moving onto producing it. Errors are seen as important attempts to form
and use appropriate rules.
 Techniques focus on meaningful interactions and may include listening and
following instructions; ordering activities; memory games; miming activities;
describing and guessing games.
The Silent Way

 The Silent way sees the process of learning a second language as a cognitive
task, with learners as intelligent autonomous individuals, who can infer language
use from well-structured input.
 The methodology employs a graded structural syllabus, with the elements of
language presented in a deliberately artificial way, using teaching aids such as
charts and Cuisenaire rods.
 Techniques involve, for example, mapping individual sounds and sequences
onto the colours or physical characteristics of the teaching aids, then having
students infer rules based on recognising the systematic similarities and
differences in the input material.
Situational Language Teaching (SLT)

 This approach views language as a purposeful means of achieving goals in real-

life situations.
 The method employs oral practice of sentence patterns and structures related to
these specific situations. It often uses props and realia in practice activities.
 Techniques include drills, repetition and substitution activities, spoken
dialogues, and situational role-plays. Oral practice aims towards accuracy and
mastery of the situational language, moving at a later stage to the other three
skills.
 Grammar Paraphrasing-
 This method of teaching English is a classic one used since the 16th century. This approach
was improvised for teaching the Latin language, which was not commonly learned and spoken
by people. The method of teaching English focused on translating the texts in Latin to the
native language and then gaining it, in line with the grammatical rules and vocabulary of Latin.
The rote learning method is the most used method to learn vocabulary.
 Later on, this method was used to learn other languages that were considered a second
language. Thus, it applies to English as well.
 This approach lacks in the fact that it is not a very good way of teaching to communicate
appropriately in English.
 Though this old-fashioned method has received a lot of criticism in modern times, many
institutions still use it, especially by those who want to study English scientifically.
 Natural Method –
 This English language teaching method, also known as the direct method, seems to be a
response to the Grammar translation technique. In this process, the teacher who is aiming to
teach English as a second language, asks the learner to think in English so that they can
communicate in English.
 The technique aims at building a connection between thought and expression. It required the
teacher to strictly prohibit the student from using his/her native language. The learner is
supposed to perfectly express himself/herself in English, with proper accent and usage of
grammatical skills.
 This method of teaching English is used in modern times and is useful in teaching to
communicate in English. As the student thinks and talks in English in real-life situations, they
learn the language accurately, and there is no rote learning or translation. This might take
some time, but whatever is learned has a long term effect on our memory.
 Audio Lingual –

 This method of teaching English was initially called ‘the Army Method,’ as it was devised
during the second world war when it became necessary for soldiers to learn the language of
their opponents. It resembles a direct method in a way. This approach is based on thinking in
the language and expressing thoughts in the same. And in the process, learning happens.
 The Teaching process is based on Skinner’s theory of behaviorism and his representative
experiment of operant conditioning. According to which a positive reinforcement helps in
learning new things.
 In this approach, the student is supposed to learn the language’s structure and everyday
usage rather than emphasize understanding the words. Patterns of commonplace discussions
are taught, and the learners repeat it, followed by testing. This process is carried on until the
student answers correctly.
 To sum up, the process of the audio-lingual method is characterized by conventional drilling of
set phrases which are used in daily communication, and grammatical rules are not
emphasized upon, the vocabulary taught is contextual, the technique uses audiovisual aids. It
focuses on pronunciation, and, lastly, any correct response is immediately reinforced
positively.
 The method of teaching English is used until now and is suitable for learning to communicate
properly in English or any other second language. Still, extensive relearning and memorization
led to a lack of routine learning of English, which developed an obstacle in diverse
communication.

 Humanistic Approach –

 During the 1970s, teaching and learning course underwent a radical change wherein the
learner’s innate potential and acquired skills were the focal point of the education process. A
few teaching methods were devised based on this idea, and these were grouped under the
title of the humanistic approach.
 
Communicative Language Teaching-

This broad term is an accepted standard of teaching English in modern times. It does not focus on
grammatical fluency. Instead, it emphasizes on communicating the meaning of the message; in other
words, it focuses on how well a person (non-native speaker) can deliver in the English language.

The various characteristics of this method are:

1. Interaction in English language results is a proper understanding of the language.

2. Students are taught strategies to understand English.

3. The experiences of the students are focused on making up the content of the lessons.

4. Authentic text in English is used for teaching

5. Principled Eclecticism: This refers to the variety of teaching methods, depending on the aptitude of
the learner. Different methods are put together to suit the requirement of the student.

Any single method has its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore it may not be suitable for a specific
learner, so the teacher in this approach uses a combination of techniques to make the language
understandable.

 Task-Based Approach – This approach focuses on competencies the students want to

develop and is based on the idea, why is English taught? Rather than what is shown. So here,
the language is learned by doing certain activities and relating English to daily conversation.
The tasks given range from ‘ordering in a restaurant’ to ‘reviewing a movie,’ and the grammar
and vocabulary revolve around the job itself.
 Project-Based Approach – as a teacher, you need to ask yourself why your students have
come to learn English. Now keeping their requirements in mind, you need to devise a project
which the learner works on. The project might be a role-play or a presentation.
 Lexical Syllabus – In this approach, the teacher is supposed to develop the student’s
vocabulary, which is specific to their needs. The word list, if found to be big, is categorized
under different headings. For, e.g., the coronary syndrome is terms related to medicine, and
so their word list will consist of these words.
 Usage of Smartphones in the Classroom – Smartphones have become an inevitable part
of our existence. It also provides many essential tools to students like a dictionary, reference
apps, or grammar apps. The only thing is that we must guide students about how to use it.

We utilise multiple teaching methodologies to get the best results for our students, you can find some
of these listed below:
 Concept Checking – Taking time to check students understanding by asking carefully
devised questions specific to the topic, as opposed to generic, closed questions.

 Drilling – Repetition of words and phrases in a teacher-student synchronised manner so that

students can focus on pronunciation and better memorise them.
 Eliciting – Providing the meanings of words through examples, drawings or definitions and
asking students try to provide the words. This gives students a chance to show what they
know and keeps them involved.
 Guided discovery: These exercises prompt students to work out grammatical rules for
themselves.
 Presentation-Practice-Production – The teacher presents the grammar first, then the
students practise in a controlled way before a more free-standing practice.
 Reading and listening skills – Teachers use lead-ins, pre-teaching vocabulary, gist and
specific information tasks along with consensus-building to form a process which helps
students improve their comprehension skills. This is amplified by using authentic recordings
and texts taken from the internet, newspapers, and magazines.
 Speaking skills – Students take turns paraphrasing with a focus on varying intonation,
repeating tasks to improve performance and lots of practice to develop fluency.
Personalisation and the natural cultural knowledge gap that exists between our international
students are used to generate interest and listening.
 Task-Teach-Task – Students are first given a task that requires them to use grammatical
structures which will be the focus of the lesson. The teacher observes how the students
perform the task and then builds on their errors, gaps and successes before practising. This is
particularly useful for higher level mixed-nationality groups whose members are familiar with
the structures to varying degrees.
 The Phonemic chart – All our teachers are familiar with the phonemic symbols and provide
transcriptions of words with troublesome pronunciation. As students pick up the symbols this
provides them with the independence to check the pronunciation of new words in their
dictionaries.
 The Lexical Approach – We place a strong focus on vocabulary, particularly collocation, and
draw students’ attention to the way words often appear together in semi-fixed phrases.
 Study Skills – Students are shown ways to help them study English outside the classroom
which gives them independence, particularly in the area of recording and revising lexis.
 Writing – We teach writing as a process, helping students to review, evaluate and improve
their compositions, moving from a draft to a polished product.
 Weekly Progress Tests – Students are tested at the end of each week on the vocabulary
covered in order to assess the success of the teaching and learning and to recycle the
language.