Concepts on The Methodology of Teaching English

The task of methodology is to enhance the process of teaching English by empowering and

facilitating teachers to work proficiently. Teaching involves a continuous analysis of one’s own

work, the experiences of other teachers and the search for new means to improve teaching.

When teaching a foreign language a teacher must think about the specific qualities offered to

students of a certain mother tongue. That means that the methodology of teaching English has to

take into account the problems posed by the English language for the students who will learn it.

The methodology of teaching English stands in relation with several challenges or problems:

1.What to teach? That means the amount of knowledge, skills and habits that students have to

obtain within the process of learning the language.

2.What are the aims of teaching? When a teacher is sure of the aim of teaching, he/she will

have the easiness of reaching the intended goal.

3.How to teach? In this case one can call to mind the principles upon which teaching of English

is based, the means, methods, fashion and tactics used in teaching in order to achieve the required

final completion.

The answers to these questions define the echelon of methodology as a science. As a

consequence it determines the nature of the problems to be dealt with.

For successful teaching, teachers are required several initiatives. The teacher has:

･To awaken and develop the potentiality and ability of students for studying.

･To help students develop habits through frequent repetition.

･To inspire, to kindle the interest of the student in studying.

･ Also, the teacher should know how to go from easy stages to more difficult ones.

These area few of ideas of language teaching set forth by H.E.Palmer that have proved to be

sound and effective even today. And as Robert Lado emphasized, when teaching English one should

be aware of the following principles:The Economic Journal of Takasaki City University of Economics vol.48 No.3 2006

･ Speech before writing.

･The development of habits by means of pattern practice.

･The cultural approach. This last one principle is of great importance as it means the

understanding of language in terms of indigenous meaning.

A Historical Outline of Language Teaching

The history of education must have a great future. However, if we ignore the past we will not

understand the present or hold a view for the future.(1)

1. The Beginnings

2. The Grammar -Translation Method

3. The beginnings of the Analytical Methods

4. The Intuitive Method

5. Searching for New Paths

6. The Direct Method

7. New Tendencies in Teaching Foreign Languages

Total Physical Response

Among these new methods, perhaps one of the most interesting is the TPR (Total Physical

Response) introduced by James J. Asher, a Professor of Psychology at San Jose State University in

San Jose, California. In his book Brainswitching he presented an approach to stress-free language

learning. Influenced by Nobel Laureate Roger Sperry, who put accent on the concept that each

hemisphere of the brain can process information independently, Asher did more research on the

brain and provided a background on the concept of dual brain solving problems in foreign language

learning. According to Asher a problem in any practical area of human activity can be successful

with brainswitching. Brainswitching is characterized by ingeniously moving some information to

the other side of the brain. He says:

My hypothesis is that in acquiring a second language, we must first decode the strange noises

through the right side of the brain before the left-brain is ready to talk

The work of George Lozanov

In the history of language teaching Georgi Lozanov developed another teaching approach that

appears to eradicate the grammar based-left brain approach of learning a foreign language.

After many years of research looking for new methods to help his students learn faster, the

renowned Bulgarian psychologist and educator achieved some prodigious results. He developed a

new approach to accelerate learning. He introduced new components of suggestion techniques and

relaxation to learning. He called these methods Suggestopedia or Suggestive- accelerative

approaches to learning. Suggestopedy or suggestology in pedagogy accelerates language learning.

It is the study of the power of suggestion in the learning circumstances. The teacher is enterprising

and responsible for presenting in class a large amount of information while taking away learningobstacles and students’ inhibitions. The teacher uses the power of music, drama, dance and movement. Students listen, watch and then perform the material taught in class.

Types of English Lessons

The fundamental form of instruction in class is the lesson. Each lesson has its own function. It

helps the students with acquiring habits and abilities, with the capacity of understanding, speaking,

reading and writing English.

There are lessons that communicate new knowledge (1), lessons of developing skills, and

reinforcing the knowledge (2), combined lessons (3) lessons of revision (4) and lessons of verification

the knowledge and appreciation of the effort (5) done by the students.

 Lessons of communication the knowledge.

 Lessons of reinforcing of knowledge and of developing skills and abilities

 Combined lessons

 Lessons of revision

 Lessons of verification and testing

The importance of pronunciation in English

Language cannot be separated from sound. I can even say that language is sound. When we talk

or when we sing we use our throats to make sounds. The throat is the center of creating the sound.

Unless we are able to make sounds and to hear them properly we cannot communicate in a

language, even if that is the mother tongue or a foreign tongue.

The pronunciation of the sounds in a language includes stress, rhythm and intonation. Each

language has its own specific pronunciation system. In early childhood it is not difficult for us to

acquire the specific intonation ad pronunciation of our native tongues. We need no formal

instruction. However, it is quite different with a foreign language we want to master. The difficulty

starts when the learner of a second language unconsciously passes the sounds the rhythm and

intonation of his native language to the new language he/she is learning.

The importance of extra-curricular activities

The extra-curricular work is an important aid in the instruction and education of students. It is

closely connected with the work in class and it supplements it. It offers numerous possibilities for

instruction and education.

I think there are three types of extra-curricular work with foreign languages:

1.) Individual work

2.) Group work

3.) Mass work

These three types of work are closely connected with one-another.

1. In individual work the teacher appoints a student to make a short report on a certain subject,

or to prepare some visual material for the English classes (pictures, schemes, tables) also to

check on the Internet information on different subjects.

2. Group work includes circles created for a special task. Such tasks may be:

･The organization of reading, or speech competitions

･The organization of literary soiree

･The organization of a foreign language corner with exhibitions of written papers with a

collection of pictures, cards etc. that can be changed from time to time, for example, every

week.

･Conversations circles that consist on discussions of films or music, rock or pop.

3. The mass form of extra-curricular activities in the field of foreign languages can take the

form of school festivals. On such occasions the students may perform scenes or acts from

movie, a play or even puppet-shows. Competitions may be organized, for example speech

competitions or interpretations of literary fragments, or even making a short movie in

English.

source : http://www1.tcue.ac.jp/home1/k-gakkai/ronsyuu/ronsyuukeisai/48_3/tamura.pdf

summary : I believe that the various approaches 

The most successful practice, it helps to get students' attention. 

invite them, offering an atmosphere that is attractive and reduce the fear or embarrassment, in the classroom. 

all the children would want a comfortable and fun learning.