1. ELT 213 APPROACHES TO ELT I Silent Way WEEK 6
Assist. Prof.Dr. Seden Eraldemir Tuyan

2. ALM: possible to form habits for classroom communication but
difficult to transfer these habits for communication outside of the classroom
challenged by some others in 1960s, especially by approaches related to human cognition

3. For Chomsky,
Language acquisition cannot take place through habit formation because people make sentences which they haven’t heard before
Everyone has a knowledge of underlying abstract rules so they understand and create novel utterance
Thus, language acquisition is NOT a product of habit formation, but IS a rule formation: people acquire a language using their own thinking processes, or cognition, to discover the rules of the language they are learning.

4. Cognitive Approach
Studies on human cognition lead to the establishment of Cognitive Approach (Celce-Murica, 1991).
In opposition to behaviorism, which largely ignores mental processes, the cognitive approach deals with mental processes like memory and problem solving.

5. Cognitive Approach According to Piaget and Vygotsky
Focuses on how people think, understand and know about the world
Emphasizes on learning how people comprehend and represent the outside world within themselves and how our ways of thinking about the world influence our behaviour
According to Rogers and Maslow
Assumes that people have positive values, free will and deep inner creativity, which leads them to choose life-fulfilling paths to personal growth

6. Cognitive Learning Theories
Learning involves the transformation of information in the environment into knowledge that is stored in the mind:
Learning occurs when new knowledge is acquired or existing knowledge is modified by experience
Cognitive learning theories are used to explain simple tasks, such as remembering the name of a new friend, as well as the complex ones, such as interpreting an abstract drawing
This approach of learning focuses on how children process information through attention, memory, thinking, and other cognitive processes.

7. In Cognitive Approach,
Learners are responsible for their own learning
Learners formulate hypotheses to discover the rules of the language
Errors are inevitable as learners are testing their hypotheses
Cognitive Approach affected language teaching and material development; however not language teaching method developed from Cognitive Approach directly; some innovative methods were developed only.

8. The Silent Way (Gattegno) shares some basic principles with the Cognitive Approach.
E.g. “Teaching should be subordinated to learning”: not teaching but learning process dominates (learner-centered)
According to Gattegno, we initiate the learning process by ourselves by activating our inner resources (perception, awareness, cognition, imagination, intuition, etc.): Learner Autonomy.

9. Related Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqLzbLCpack
(diane larsen freeman)
(sound color chart)

10. Observations and Principles
Observation 1. The teacher starts pointing L2 sounds which are similar to L1 sounds.
Principle: The teacher goes from familiar to unfamiliar. Languages share a number of features, sounds being the most basic.
Observation 2. The teacher speaks very little, only when needed.
Principle: Learners already have an experience of language learning. The teacher helps only when necessary.

11. Observation 3: The teacher does not model the sounds but uses gestures.
Principle: Student’s “inner criteria” need to be developed. The student takes the responsibility of learning.
Observation 4: Students take turns tapping out the sounds.
Principle: Students’ actions show whether the students have learned
Observation 5: Students help each other.
Principle: Ss should rely on each other as well as themselves

12. Observation 6: The teacher uses gestures and L1 to help them learn.
Principle: T. works with the Ss while Ss work on the language.
Observations 7 & 8: Ss learn the sounds of new colours by tapping out the names of their classmates. / T points to a rod and three colours on the colour chart and Ss respond “rod”
Principle: Students’ familiar knowledge (old context) helps them learn the unfamiliar ones (new context). The teacher’s interference is very little.

14. Rectangle chart and Fidel (Spelling chart) (Spanish)

16. Observation 9: T. points to the words “a” and “rod” on the word chart
Principle: Reading is worked on from the beginning but after speaking.
Observation 10: T. is silent at the table and waits till a student points to a rod and says ‘A rod’.
Principle: The teacher's silence leads to the student's autonomy, learner initiation. It also stops the teacher from being the center

17. Observation 11: T. points to a particular rod and taps out a blue rod on the sound-color chart.
Principle: Meaning is achieved through perceptions (senses), not translation.
Observation 12: S. has trouble in saying ‘a pink rod’; the T. doesn’t help but only looks at the other Ss.
Principle: Group cooperation is the norm.

18. Observation 13: T. accepts the correct pronunciation of another student
Principle: Too much praise and/or criticism makes Ss less self-reliant. Teacher’s actions should not interfere with students developing their own criteria.
Observation 14: T. helps a student’s mispronunciation by the help of gestures
Principle: Errors are important. They are the road signs.
Observation 15: In case of an error, T doesn’t supply the correct language until all self-correction options have failed.
Principle: Self correction over teacher’s correction.

19. Observation 16: T. mouths the sound but does not vocalize it
Principle: Students should listen to themselves
Observation 17: A student has a problem in pronunciation; T. works with her a bit longer before the lesson proceeds.
Principle: Learning rates are different. Progress is more important than perfection.
Observation 18: T. listens attentively.
Principle: By his silence, the teacher frees himself to observe the Ss behaviors.

20. Observation 19: T says ‘Take the green rod’ ONLY ONCE.
Principle: Students should learn attentively.
Observation 20: Ss take turns issuing and following commands
Principle: Ss should engage in meaningful practice without repetition
Observation 21: Ss practice commands with compound objects
Principle: Elements of language are introduced logically, expanded upon what Ss already know

21. Observation 22: Ss take turns tapping out sentences of their own choice
Principle: Autonomy is gained by exploring and making choices.
Observation 23: Some Ss tap out simple commands, some more complex ones.
Principle: Language is for self-expression
Observation 24: T. asks Ss for their reactions to the lesson
Principle: Feedback from students gives information to the teacher.

22. Observation 25: No homework
Principle: Some learning takes place naturally as we sleep
Observation 26: Ss learn a number of different linguistic structures
Principle: Syllabus is linguistically structured
Observation 27: Sentences are practiced with different combinations
Principle: Syllabus is not linear but in a cycle format
Observation 28: Writing is practiced through creating sentences
Principle: Speaking, reading and writing reinforce one another

23. Reviewing the Principles
Goals of the Ts:
Language should be used for self-expression, so Ss should be independent and should develop inner criteria
Ss should rely on themselves so T only gives them what they absolutely need.
Role of Ts & Ss:
T is a technician or an engineer
Ss should make use of what they know
“The teacher works with the students; the student works on the language” (Gattegno).

24. Characteristics of teaching/learning process:
Study of language starts with the basic building blocks, its sounds (sound-color charts)
Associations are made between the sounds Ss already know and the new ones
Situations help students focus on the structures of the language and help them perceive meaning (generally one structure at a time)
Minimum spoken cues; Ss are guided to produce structures
Lots of practice (without repetition)
Autonomy is gained by exploring the language and making choices
Ss feedback helps T and encourages Ss for to take responsibility.

25. Nature of interaction:
S-T (T is silent)
S-S.
Students’ Feelings:
When the feeling of a student interferes, T works with him/her
Ss feedback
Ss are encouraged to cooperate so a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere.
Language/culture viewed:
Language is generally unique though sharing some features
Culture is inseparable from language.

26. Areas of lang. emphasized:
Pronunciation from the beginning (melody of the lang)
Focus on the structure (but no explicit grammar rules)
Vocab is limited at the beginning
No structural syllabus: starts with what Ss know and one structure is built to the next
All four skills from the beginning (the sequence: Ss learn to read and write what they have produced orally).
Role of L1:
Meaning is made clear not by translation but by focusing on Ss perceptions
L1 can be used for some instructions or during feedback sessions
New sounds in L2 are built on already existing ones in L1.

27. Evaluation:
Ss are assessed all the time
T is responsive to immediate learning needs (teaching is subordinated to learning)
No praise or criticism (to help inner criteria).
Error correction:
Errors are natural
Errors are used as a basis for deciding where further work is necessary
T works with the student for self-correction
Peer-correction is used as well
T corrects only if there is no correct answer from the self and the peers.

28. TECHNIQUES Sound-color chart Teacher’s silence Peer correction Rods
Self-correction gestures
Word chart
Fidel charts
Structured feedback.