This week’s readings focused on the
variety and individuality of methods. Chapter 1 of Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach walked the reader
through a lesson plan. The lesson plan was presented; the author analyzed the
lesson by asking questions about the method used, technique, student
involvement, etc. This drew the reader’s attention to the detail put into
lesson plans and that little aspects can affect the whole lesson. In chapter 2,
the author explained that the difference between approach and method is that an
approach “is a set of assumptions dealing with the nature or language,
learning, and teaching” while method was described as an “overall plan for
systematic presentation of language based upon a selected approach” (Brown 14).
He then outlined various methods and concluded by stating that educators need
to learn from the old methodologies and appreciate the value of “doing”
languages interactively, of the emotional side of learning, of absorbing and
analyzing language, and of pointing learners to the world in which they will
use the language.
“Is There No Best Method – Why?” by
Prabhu addresses that each educator is unique and that the best method varies
from one teacher to another in the sense that it is best for each teacher to
operate with his or her own sense of plausibility at any given time. To say
that different methods are best for different teaching contexts is not helpful
because it leaves that educator to look for the best method for a specific
context. Also, to say that all methods are partially true is are unhelpful because
it does not say which part is the valid part. Educators need to find the
method(s) that work best for them and in what contexts because each educator
has a different level of comfort teaching different styles on which they should
maximize.
In Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach I enjoyed reading the lesson plan in chapter 1
and all of the questions that can be asked. Right after reading the lesson
plan, I thought it was a well thought through plan that did not need
improvement. After reading the questions, I began to look at each part more
closely. Would it have worked better in other ways? All of the different
methods in chapter 2 interested me because they each took such a radical
approach to language learning. Which method would I have benefited from the
most out of the ones presented? The least? Some of the methods, such as the Silent Way ,
Community Langauge Learning, and Suggestopedia, seem too extreme to teach a
second language. How could someone learn how to speak a language without
hearing it from their language instructor? Regarding the article Is There No
Best Method – Why?” by Prabhu, I appreciated the individual approach it took
when it came to language teaching, or any teaching for that matter. There is no
best method because each teacher is different and has different ways of going
about the language process. There is a large variety in methods that no single
one should be labeled as “right” or “wrong”, but instead be seen as another
opportunity to teach.
