Top 10 Effective Methods of Teaching English
Top 10 Effective Methods of Teaching English
The methods of teaching English differs from person to person. Teaching a language has different ways and paradigms. A teacher in a classroom with 25-50 students, is the sole speaker striking facts and theories at the students, is the traditional teaching method.
Like any other topic, teaching language has undergone a lot of changes. It has shifted to role-plays, interactive games, short visuals, etc. from the traditional ways.
10 Effective Methods of Teaching English
In the history of teaching languages, there are many teaching approaches and techniques, with some being more well-known and successful than others. Language teaching methods are reliant on and affected by various hypotheses of language learning. The historical backdrop of language teaching advances in multiple ways.
There are a lot of methods of teaching English, and we've listed a few that are very famous and active methods.
¹Grammar-cum-Translation Method
²The Direct Method
³The Audio-Lingual Method
⁴Suggestopedia
⁵The Silent Way
⁶Total Physical Response
⁷Community Language Learning
⁸Communicative Language Teaching
⁹Task-Based Learning
¹⁰Lexical Approach
1. Grammar-cum-Translation Method
The name itself explains the functionality of the grammar-cum-translation method. This is one of the popular methods of teaching English in grammar orientation. However, it depends on a ton of interpretation. The technique is the conventional or 'old style' language learning method.
A few nations approach this teaching style. The fundamental thought behind this strategy is that the students become familiar with all grammar rules to translate various sentences easily.
Yet, many teachers recognise this technique as incapable since it does not include the spoken form of the language and communication skills are ignored. 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 builds strong language writing skills.
2. The Direct Method
The audio method is also known as the direct method, which involves thinking and speaking in English. Here the communication between the teacher and the student is strictly in English, and the student is barred from using their native language. This way, the student can get a stronghold on the accent and fluency, the frequency of grammatical errors in this would be less.
This method is widely used as it helps the students learn the English language in a way a native English speaker would speak like and not the orthodox textbook way.
The following principles and procedures that guide the natural method are,
- Teachers and students both use the target language in the classroom.
- Students tend to have daily sessions on vocabulary and sentences.
- Grammar is instructed inductively.
3. The Audio-Lingual Method
The audio-lingual method is also recognized as the Army Method. During the first world war, the American Armed forces started escalating oral courses known as the 'Military particular Training Program' (ASTP). Instructive organisations later received it as an audio-lingual method.
It is among the common methods of teaching English and striking highlights of the audio-lingual method are,
- Language teaching starts with communication; the material is educated before it is offered in composed structure.
- The objective language is the study hall's main language; the student's primary language isn't utilised.
- The teacher is the role model for the student; student-to-student interaction happens in chain drills.
The army method is identified with the natural method. The most significant difference between the audio-lingual method and the natural method is its focal point of teaching. The natural method focuses on the learning of vocabulary, while the audio-lingual practice focuses on communication.
4. Suggestopedia
Suggestopedia is a behaviourist theory developed by Georgi Lozanov, the Bulgarian psychotherapist in the 1970s. It is listed in the methods of teaching English and uses the environment, music, decoratives, etc., for learning the language.
It depends a lot on the atmosphere and the physical environmental factors of the class. When teachers prepare to utilize the Suggestopedia method, there's a great deal of craftsmanship and music included. Each suggestopedia exercise is divided into three unique stages:
- Deciphering
- Concert Session
- Elaboration
5. The Silent Way
The silent way leans mainly on the student's self-sufficiency. The teacher demonstrates only as a facilitator attempting to urge students to be more efficient in their learning.
The fundamental of these lines of teaching is for the teacher to state practically nothing so that students can assume responsibility for their education. This learning method follows a basic schedule, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation continually drilled and reused for support.
Further, the teacher assesses their students through their mistakes, and they may never set a conventional test as students are urged to address their language blunders.
6. Total Physical Response
Total Physical Response, also called TPR, is a methodology that follows 'learning by doing. For example, apprentices will learn English through a series of activities, "Close the door", "Stand up", "Open your book", and "Stroll to the window and open it."
Most of the class time in TPR lessons involves doing drills in which the teacher commands students using the imperative mood. In the beginning, students learn the meaning of the commands they listen to by direct observation.
With TPR, the most significant aptitude is aural perception, and everything else will be regular.
7. Community Language Learning
Community language learning is one of the innovative methods of teaching English. It is a language-teaching approach in which students cooperate to create what parts of a language they might want to learn. It depends on the counselling approach.
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.
In contrast to a ton of different methods and ways to deal with teaching English as a Second Language, a great deal of the native language is utilized for translation purposes.
8. Communicative Language Teaching
The thought behind this methodology is to assist students with conveying all the more successfully and effectively in sensible circumstances that they may wind up. Therefore, this teaching includes concentrating on important capacities like thanking, complaining, suggesting, inviting, and requesting directions to give some examples.
Communicative Language Teaching has the following qualities:
- The point is to make the student achieve communicative capability, for example, utilizing language precisely and appropriately.
- Communicative Language Teaching underscores the elements of a language rather than the principles.
- Utilize techniques to energize student cooperation in typical habitats- information gap exercises, role-play, group, and pair work.
9. Task-Based Learning
Task-based language teaching is also called task-based instruction. The principal point of this way to deal with learning is task finishing.
Typically, the teacher sets relevant and exciting tasks. Then, students are required to draw on their information in English to finish the job with as few mistakes as could be expected under the circumstances.
Such assignments can incorporate visiting a specialist, directing a meeting, or calling customer care for help.
10. Lexical Approach
The lexical approach in language teaching looks to create a proposition for a schedule plan and language teaching established on a view of language in which lexis assumes a focal job.
The Lexical approach depends on computer studies that have recently distinguished the most customarily utilized words. This approach in teaching centres around vocabulary is 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.
