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Language teaching methodologies
Listed below are brief summaries of some of the more
popular second language teaching methods of the last
half century.
The Direct Method
In this method the teaching is done entirely in the target language. The
learner is not allowed to use his or her mother tongue. Grammar rules
are avoided and there is emphasis on good pronunciation.

Grammar-translation
Learning is largely by translation to and from the target language.
Grammar rules are to be memorized and long lists of vocabulary learned
by heart. There is little or no emphasis placed on developing oral ability.
Audio-lingual
The theory behind this method is that learning a language means
acquiring habits. There is much practice of dialogues of every situations.
New language is first heard and extensively drilled before being seen in
its written form.

The structural approach
This method sees language as a complex of grammatical rules which are
to be learned one at a time in a set order. So for example the verb "to
be" is introduced and practised before the present continuous tense
which uses "to be" as an auxiliary.
Suggestopedia
The theory underlying this method is that a language can be acquired
only when the learner is receptive and has no mental blocks. By various
methods it is suggested to the student that the language is easy - and in
this way the mental blocks to learning are removed.

Total Physical Response (TPR)
TPR works by having the learner respond to simple commands such as
"Stand up", "Close your book", "Go to the window and open it." The
method stresses the importance of aural comprehension.
Communicative language teaching (CLT)
The focus of this method is to enable the learner to communicate
effectively and appropriately in the various situations she would be likely
to find herself in. The content of CLT courses are functions such as
inviting, suggesting, complaining or notions such as the expression of
time, quantity, location.

The Silent Way
This is so called because the aim of the teacher is to say as little as
possible in order that the learner can be in control of what he wants to
say. No use is made of the mother tongue.
Community Language Learning
In this method attempts are made to build strong personal links between
the teacher and student so that there are no blocks to learning. There is
much talk in the mother tongue which is translated by the teacher for
repetition by the student.

Immersion
This corresponds to a great extent to the situation we have at our
school. ESL students are immersed in the English language for the whole
of the school day and expected to learn math, science, humanities etc.
through the medium of the target language, English.
Immigrant students who attend local schools find themselves in an
immersion situation; for example refugee children from Bosnia attending
German schools, or Puerto Ricans in American schools. .
Task-based language learning
The focus of the teaching is on the completion of a task which in itself is
interesting to the learners. Learners use the language they already have
to complete the task and there is little correction of errors.
(This is the predominant method in middle school ESL teaching at
Frankfurt International School. The tasks are subsumed in a major topic
that is studied for a number of weeks. In the topic of ecology, for
example, students are engaged in a number of tasks culminating in a
poster presentation to the rest of the class. The tasks include reading,
searching the internet, listening to taped material, selecting important
vocabulary to teach other students etc.)

The Natural Approach
This approach, propounded by Professor S. Krashen, stresses the
similarities between learning the first and second languages. There is no
correction of mistakes. Learning takes place by the students being
exposed to language that is comprehensible or made comprehensible to
them.
The Lexical Syllabus
This approach is based on a computer analysis of language which
identifies the most common (and hence most useful) words in the
language and their various uses. The syllabus teaches these words in
broadly the order of their frequency, and great emphasis is placed on
the use of authentic materials.

Here there are new teaching methods/techniques we have studied
1. Flipped Classroom (Inverting our classes):
The Flipped Classroom Model basically involves encouraging students to
prepare for the lesson before class. Thus, the class becomes a dynamic
environment in which students elaborate on what they have already
studied. Students prepare a topic at home so that the class the next day can
be devoted to answering any questions they have about the topic. This allows
students to go beyond their normal boundaries and explore their natural
curiosity.

2. Design Thinking (Case Method):
This technique is based on resolving real-life cases through group
analysis, brainstorming, innovation and creative ideas. Although
“Design Thinking” is a structured method, in practice it can be quite
messy as some cases may have no possible solution.
However, the Case Method prepares students for the real world and
arouses their curiosity, analytical skills and creativity.
Ewan McIntosh, an advocate of Design Thinking, created The Design
Thinking School as part of his “No Tosh” consulting group. No Tosh
harnesses the creative practices of some of the best media and tech
companies in the world to coach teaching methods to implement the
concept. Design Thinking for Educators also provides teachers with an
online toolkit with instructions to explore Design Thinking in any
classroom.

3. Self-learning:
Curiosity is the main driver of learning. As a basic principle of learning, it
makes little sense to force students to memorize large reams of text that
they will either begrudgingly recall or instantly forget. The key is to let
students focus on exploring an area which interests them and learn about it
for themselves.
A perfect example of a teaching technique based on self-learning is outlined
by Sugata Mitra at the TED conference. In a series of experiments in New
Delhi, South Africa and Italy, the educational researcher Sugata Mitra gave
children self-supervised access to the web. The results obtained could
revolutionize how we think about teaching. The children, who until then did
not even know what the internet was, were capable of training themselves in
multiple subjects with unexpected ease.
A common technique for exploring self-learning is the use of Mind Maps.
Teachers can create a central node on a Mind Map and allow students the
freedom to expand and develop ideas. For example, if the focus is the Human
Body, some students may create Mind Maps on the organs, Bones or Diseases
that affect the human body. Later the students would be evaluated according
to the Mind Maps they have created and could collaborate with each other to
improve each others Mind Maps and come to a more comprehensive
understanding of the Human Body.

4. Gamification:
Learning through the use of games is one of the teaching methods that
has already been explored especially in elementary and preschool
education. By using games, students learn without even
realizing. Therefore, learning through play or „Gamification„ is a learning
technique that can be very effective at any age. It is also a very useful
technique to keep students motivated.
The teacher should design projects that are appropriate for their
students, taking into account their age and knowledge, while making them
attractive enough to provide extra motivation. One idea may be to
encourage students to create online quizes on a certain topic. Students
can challenge their peers to test themselves and see who gets a higher
score. In this way, students can enjoy the competition with peers while
also having fun and learning.

5. Social Media:
A variant of the previous section is to utilize social media in the
classroom. Students today are always connected to their social network
and so will need little motivation to get them engaged with social media in
the classroom. The ways you can use teaching methods are quite varied
as there are hundreds of social networks and possibilities.
A good example is the initiative carried out by the Brazilian Academy of
Languages “Red Ballon”, which encouraged students to review the tweets
of their favorite artists and correct grammatical errors that they
committed in an effort to improve their English language skills!

6. Free Online Learning Tools:
There is an array of free online learning tools available which teachers
can use to encourage engagement, participation and a sense of fun into
the classroom. Teachers can create an interactive and dynamic classroom
environment using, for example, online quizzes to test student‟s
knowledge.
We can create Mind Maps, Flashcards, Quizzes, Course and
even Flowcharts and share study resources directly with each student
online and even apply the Flipped Classroom Model to your teaching
methods.
As you can see, technology has created many teaching techniques that
can help you connect better with your students.

7-EDMODO for Collaborative Learning
Edmodo is a multifaceted application that creates a sort of “digital
classroom.” You can store class materials, communicate with students
and families and post alerts, grades and assignments.
However, its greatest advantage is that it‟s an interactive space for
students.
It has an interface that looks somewhat like Facebook, but it‟s a closed,
secure network just for teachers and students. Similar to non-academic
social networks, it‟s a place for students to participate in polls, share
events and have discussions together online.
Students are much more likely to read in English if it involves
the connection with their classroom community and peers. Edmodo can
help bring English out of the textbook and make it feel like a natural
part of the online chatting and posting they already do every day.

8-Blogs for Creative Writing
You might be thinking, “but what‟s the difference between blogs and
regular writing assignments? Isn‟t it just a different platform for the
same thing?”
No. Because actually, modern blogging platforms are snazzy, interactive
and customizable. But we‟ll get into that later.
Here are some reasons blogging will be beneficial to your students:
It gives students a chance to be creative and empowers their voices.
Their work will have an actual audience online, which gives their English a
practical, non-abstract purpose.
As they read one another‟s blogs, they can reflect on their own learning
and get ideas from others. This also supports a sense of community
within your classroom.
And with features like blog comments or messages, students will learn
how to give and receive constructive feedback.
Blogs can be a pretty motivating form of self expression, even for the
students who aren‟t passionate about writing.

Classroom-friendly Blogging Platforms
Edublogs : Edublogs is a student community platform that‟s a part of the
popular blogging site WordPress. There‟s a group class website, which is
good for publishing calendars and assignments, as well as study
resources. Students can also individually publish their work or be
involved in forums.
Blogger :This is a pretty typical blogging site. It‟s easy to use and free.
Many believe it to be easier than WordPress.. This may be a good option
if students are doing more individual posts and less community classroom
interaction.
Write about: Write About, like Edublogs, is a classroom writing
community. It‟s great for its variety of features, including space for
journaling, writing assignments, student portfolios and more. There‟s also
a nice “writing starters” option, which gives your students writing
prompts and inspiration. Write About also lets students post publicly or
privately and get feedback from their peers and teachers

9-Skype for Real Conversations
We ‟re probably already familiar with the popular video chat program
Skype. But it‟s also an excellent tool to give students real English
conversation practice with native speakers.
If our school is located in an area with very few native English speakers,
Skype lets them practice the skills we‟ve been teaching without buying a
plane ticket.we can ask some of our friends from the ESL world (or even
other English-speaking friends and family) to donate an hour or two for
Skype conversations with your classroom.
We can also encourage students to use Skype for individual language
exchanges

10-Video Games for Motivated Practice
Video games can get a bad rap. But they‟re not always just mind
melters. Quite the opposite, in fact!
A lot of students say that video games are a big help in picking up the
language.
For many students, the motivation to beat the game helps them stay focused
and gives them the drive to practice.
Apart from that competitive urge, video games can also be like a kind
of alternative literature. They often involve a quest with a traditional
narrative structure: there‟s an introduction, rising action, climax, descending
action and conclusion.
You can recycle your favorite book-focused exercises, like character analysis,
plot analysis and writing about the world and culture of the game.
Progress journals are also an option: daily charting of what happens in the
game and how many points were earned.
It‟s great to read stories in class too, but video games may be more
motivating to some students who like more interaction.

Great Video Games for ESL Practice
Final Fantasy A role playing game that focuses on a group of characters
who fight against an evil villain.
Atelier Iris A game involving wandering alchemists and secrets within
the city of Avenberry.
Lunar (Silver Star) One of a series of role playing video games that take
place on an uninhabitable moon, Lunar, ruled by a goddess named Athena.
Pokemon A game based on the original anime series. In the original
version, the idea is to collect Pokemon critters to beat other trainers
and their Pokemon.
Oblivion (Action Elder Scrolls IV) Action role playing game. The
objective of the game is to thwart a cult that wants to open portal gates
to a demonic realm named Oblivion.
When looking at education, the important thing is to think about it
multidimensionally. There‟s nothing wrong with teaching in quite
traditional ways, if you keep it balanced with other varied methods. Let
your imagination fly and remember to keep yourself entertained, too.
Enjoy!

Isparta Gazi Social Sciences High School TÜRKİYE
Profılırana Gımnazıa Hrısto Botev
BULGARIA
Zespol Szkol Ogolnoksztalcacych nr 3 w Katowicach POLAND
Lıceul Teoretıc Mırcea Elıade
ROMANIA
Stredna Odborna Skola Polnohospodarstva A Sluzieb Na
Vidieku SLOVAKIA
Centre Educatıu Balaguer
SPAIN