zkouška - otázky

e into the other (the ability to communicate is not a goal)
Primary skills
to read and write, little attention is given to speaking and listening, none to pronunciation
The role of the teacher
traditional authority in the classroom
it is very important that students get the correct answer (if students make errors or don’t know an answer, the teacher supplies them with the correct answer)
Attention
to similarities between the target language and the native language
to the form of the target language, grammatical rules
Goals of teachers
students need to learn about the grammar rules and vocabulary of the target language (provides good mental exercise, develop their minds)
Characteristics of the teaching process
students study grammar deductively (are given rules and examples, then applying the rules to other examples)
The interaction
little student initiation, little student-student interaction
most of the interaction – teacher to the students
Emphasized
Vocabulary and grammar
Reading and writing are the primary skills
memorizing grammatical paradigms, verb conjugations and words
Accomplishing of evaluation
Written tests – translation from native language to the target language or vice versa
Questions about the foreign culture or to apply grammar rules

Useful techniques of this method:
translation of a literary passage - into native language, passage provides the focus for vocabulary and grammatical structures, may be excerpted from some work from the target language literature, the translation may be written or spoken, not translate idioms literally, but understand their meaning
reading comprehension questions- 3 types of questions (a) students answer questions in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage, (b) the answers may not be contained in the passage itself, (c) students speaks about their own experience
synonyms/antonyms – students are given words and are asked to find antonyms/synonyms in the reading passage
deductive application of a rule – grammar rules are presented with examples
cognates – students are taught to recognize and cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns that correspond between the languages and memorize words that look like cognates but have different meaning
fill-in-the-blanks – students are given a series of sentences with words missing, they fill in the blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type
memorization – students are given lists of vocabulary and their native equivalents and are asked to memorize them, they also memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms
use words in sentences –in order to show that students understand the meaning and use of a new vocabulary item, they make up sentences in which they use the new words
Composition - the teacher gives the students a topic to write about in the target language. The topic is based upon some aspect of the reading passage of the lesson.



The Silent Way
Radek Veverka Aj/Tv
Karel Černohorský Aj/Tv
Ajmet2
- discovery/exploratory method - (
Caleb Gattegno founded The Silent Way as a method for language learning in the early seventies.
Some of Cattegno's basic theories were that "teaching should be subordinated to learning" and "the teacher works with the student; the student works on the language". 
New general approach to language teaching.
Learners are more responsible for their own learning, engaged in formulating hypotheses in order to discover the rules of the target language.
Speakers form rules, which allow them to understand and create new utterances.
Errors are inevitable and are signs to the teacher that students are testing their hypotheses.

The Silent Way is also well-known for its common use of small coloured rods of varying length (cuisinere rods) (a picture 1) and colour-coded word charts depicting pronunciation values, vocabulary and grammatical paradigms.  It is a unique method and the first of its kind to really concentrate on cognitive principles in language learning.


Teachers using the Silent Way want their students to become highly independent and experimental learners.  Making errors is a natural part of the process and a key learning device, as it is a sign that students are testing out their hypostheses and arriving at various conclusions about the language through a trial and error style approach.  The teacher tries to facilitate activities whereby the students discover for themselves the conceptual rules governing the language, rather than imitating or memorizing them - Brown (1994:63) expresses this as being a process whereby "students construct conceptual hierachies of their own which are a product of the time they have invested."

In addition to the idea that students become more autonomous learners and "develop their own inner criteria for correctness" (Larsen Freeman, 1986:62), another key objective was to encourage students to work as a group - to try and solve problems in the target language together.

Based on these principles and using the techniques described below, it was hoped that students would eventually be able to actively use the language for self-expression, relating their thoughts, feelings and perceptions.




Key Features

(1)  Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats what is to be learned.

(2)  Learning is facilitated by accompanying (mediating) physical objects.

(3)  Learning is facilitated by problem-solving involving the material to be learned.






Cuisinere rods (small rods of varying color and length) are typically used in this method to introduce vocabulary and syntax, along with colorful wall charts.  Instruction in this method typically starts with sounds, the basic building blocks in any language.  The teacher usually provides single words or short phrases to stimulate the students into refining their knowledge of the language with as little correction/feedback from the teacher as possible.





Typical Techniques

Sound-Color Chart - 
(The teacher refers students to a color-coded wall chart depicting individual sounds in the target language - students use this to point out and build words with correct pronunciation)

(2)  Teacher's Silence
      (Teacher is generally silent, only giving help when it is absolutely necessary)

(3)  Peer Correction
      (Students encouraged to help each other in a cooperative and not competitive spirit)

(4) Rods
      (Rods are used to trigger meaning, and to introduce or actively practice language.  They can symbolize whatever words are being taught and be manipulated directly or abstractly to create sentences)

(5)  Self-correction Gestures
      (Teacher uses hands to indicate that something is incorrect or needs changing - eg. using fingers as
       words then touching the finger/word that is in need of correction)

(6)  Word Chart
      (Words are depicted on charts, the sounds in each word corresponding in color to the Sound-Color
       Chart described above - students use this to build sentences)

(7)  Fidel Chart
(A chart that is color-coded according to the sound-color chart but includes the various English spellings so that they can be directly related to actual sounds)

(8) Structured Feedback
      (Students are invited to make observations about the day's lesson amd what they have learned)



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Comments

Like almost all methods, this one has had its fair share of criticism.  The method encourages the teacher to assume a distance that prevents him/her from providing direct guidance when at times such guidance would be helpful.  It is criticized as being too focused on building structure, and misses out on cultural input through the language, and the silence of the teacher can prevent students from hearing many active models of correct usage that they may find useful.  In trying to create a less teacher-orientated classroom, many say that the Silent Way goes too far to the opposite extreme.

Other problems are a little more practical in nature.  Getting together the "classic SW" prerequisite materials can take a lot of time and money - there is the sound-color chart, 12 word charts each containing around 500 words, and 8 Fidel Charts for the English language alone.  And don't forget the actual cuisinere rods as well!  In order to maximize the learning potential of students using the Silent Way, teachers would have to be prepared to invest quite heavily in materials.

S u g g e s t o p e d i a -


- suggestopedia – the application of suggestion to pedagogy.

This method has been developed in order to help students to overcome the barriers to learning, to eliminate the feeling that they cannot be successful and thus to accelerate the learning process for everyday communication. Simply, to make the learning process work more effectively by full use of mental powers that students have.

Emphasize on: vocabulary is emphasized, grammar is dealt with minimally – it is believed that students will learn best by using the language. Speaking communicatively is emphasized.
Positive suggestion: the students are going to be successful: on conscious (we tell them) as well as unconscious level (which is more powerful – music, visualization – students are asked to close their eyes and to concentrate on their breathing – after a minute or two a scene or event is described in a great detail – the students have the impression they are really there
- Native language translation is used to make the target language clear – as the course proceeds, the teacher uses the mother tongue less and less.
- Evaluation conducted on students’ class performance – not on test which could threaten the relaxed atmosphere.
- Errors are not corrected immediately – emphasis on students communicating the meaning.

The scheme of the lesson:

Visualization - Choose a new identity (names + occupations – pantomime, questions about the occupation) – learning a short dialog – role play – a long handout distributed to students, the story outlined (mother tongue, target language, pantomime) – the First concert – the Second concert
Survey done on a class in Egypt, 16 students, 2 hours 3 times a week

I. An unusual classroom:
- students seated in cushioned armchairs arranged in semicircle facing the front of the room
- dim lightning
- soft music as a background
→ learning is facilitated in a relaxed, friendly, comfortable environment.
- Posters on the wall (scenes from America, grammatical information)
→ a student can learn from what is present in the environment, even if his attention is not directed to it – Peripheral Learning: absorbing the necessary fact effortlessly.
II. The personality of the teacher.

The teacher is the authority in the classroom. But the method can be only successful if the students trust and respect him/her. Only then they can undergo infantilization – adopting a childlike role. If they feel secure they can be more spontaneous.

- The teacher speaks reassuringly. “It will just come naturally. Sit back and enjoy yourself.”
→ Student will accept and retain the information better if he trusts the teacher.
- The teacher is supportive – learning the language will be easy and enjoyable.“ You won’t need to try to learn.” There also was a suggestion that students feel themselves replying fluently in English to the questions posed to them – increasing their confidence,
→ Psychological barriers are recognized and aimed to be desuggested.
The teacher invites students to take a mental trip with her.
→ The learner’s imagination is activated, which helps to the learning process.
The teacher presents the grammar and vocabulary only briefly – it is not the main aim but the means for communication.
The teacher reads the dialog with a musical accompaniment, matches her voice to the volume and intonation of the music → both hemispheres are activated, unity between conscious and unconscious level is achieved– the unconscious supported by the music – learning is easy and pleasant.
Often changes activities (dialog, question-and-answer, repetition, translation,..) → novelty aid acquisition.
The teacher uses ball in a question –and-answer game → learning can be fun, focusing not on linguistic forms but on using the language.
The teacher doesn’t correct the mistakes immediately, at first ignores it, corrects later
→ emphasis is on the content, not form.
III. Students
Interactions between a student and the teacher or between students are initiated from the very beginning of the course. The students can respond nonverbally or with a few target words. Later on the students have more control over the target language – more appropriate responds.
Choose new names and identities → promotes feelings of students’ feeling of security and allows them to be more open.
Read a dialog that can be used immediately in a conversation – practical/easy/applicable/use/sense
They use the new English as if they were at a party → their attention is off the form of language and on the process of communicating – very effective.
Students auditioning for a play – the fine arts integrated into the teaching process → enable to reach the unconscious, slow pace. The second concert follows, normal rate of speed
IV. Studying materials
There is both the target language and the mother tongue → the meaning is made clear.
Homework: to read the dialog if the wish again before going to bed and in the morning → the distinction between conscious and subconscious is most blurred – optimal learning can occur.
Students are given hats to wear for different characters in the dialog →dramatization is a particularly valuable way of reducing barriers to learning.
My opinion:
Well, I have seen both the film and read the hand out so I can compare these two sources a little.
First I was a bit disappointed with the fact that the students were not seated in semi-circle but in rows – one row behind another. So, they could not see each other. On the other hand they perfectly knew the back sides of their colleagues.-) The other weak point in my opinion was that they could speak with a neighbour only and were thus isolated from the others. Group speaking is a good way how to save some time, but the teacher is incapable of identifying potential pronunciation mistakes of single students. But identifying mistakes was not the aim of this method at all – on the contrary.
As for the cushioned armchairs.-) – these were simple chairs – nothing special. And the dim lightning was not dim at all.Next, the text was in my opinion rather difficult for complete beginners. Actually, we do not know what level they were. I guess that they must have been intermediates as they could understand her instructions and react in an appropriate way. Actually, she spoke in English all the time and in a natural pace – without any respects – which could be aimed too. The students could have felt that they are not treated like non-native speakers but like everybody else from native speakers. And this could have provided them with self-confidence too. Last but not least, the teacher was very lively, expressive and promoting. I had a positive impression of her. I am not sure whether this method could be used implicitly but I would definitely let myself inspired and use it to refresh my own lessons. Namely, using pantomime when explaining new words or phrases, throwing a ball when practising already know vocabulary and definitively a positive feedback and support given to students no matter what method it is.
English Teaching MethodsMichaela Vlková

THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

Students usually know the rules of language usage, but they are unable to use the language.

We want the students to be able to apply their knowledge. It is through interaction between speaker and the listener ( or leader and writer).

EXPERIENCE

We are in a class of immigrants to the United States.
They work with a handout the teacher gave them. There is a newspaper article.

Teacher – asks questions about the article:
What does the autor express?
How could you say it differently?
What does some difficult word mean?
What is a prediction and what is a statenent in the article?

Students – can not speak their native languages
are high intermediate level of English so they can study the small intentions in the language like – what did the autor mean? Why did he use this word? (emphasis,…)

Next activity:
a role-play
the students are all employees of the same copany. One is a boss
they are having a meeting to discuss what will probably occur as a result of their company meeting with another company
they have 15 minutes and then they can elicit some vocabulary


Principles:
use authentic language ( newspapers)
real situations ( asking for job, askin