ULSHB/ FLSL DER/Anglais L3S5

MODULE: Language Teaching Methodologies (L.T.M)

Title: Humanistic approaches

Language Teaching Methodologies (L.T.M)

Four methods, developed in the 1970s and 1980s, have had a considerable impact upon
language teaching even if they are rarely used exclusively in ‘mainstream’ teaching. They are
frequently described, together, as humanistic approaches because in three out of the four cases
at least, the designers are primarily concerned to lower the students’ affective filters, and so
remove a psychological barrier to learning. Nevertheless, as many commentators point out,
there are elements in the Silent Way or Total Physical Response which seem entirely teacher-
centred and may, indeed cause exactly the kind of anxiety which humanist theorising aims to
prevent.

1- Community Language Learning:

In the classic form of Community Language Learning (CLL), students sit in a circle. It is
up to them to decide what they want to talk about. A counsellor or a ‘knower’ stands outside
the circle. The knower provides or corrects target language statements so that if, for instance,
a student says something in their own language, the knower can then give them the English
equivalent for them to use.

A student says what he or she wants to say either in English or in his or her first language.
In the latter case the knower translates it into English, in effect ‘teaching’ the student how to
make utterance. The student can now say what he or she wants to the circle. Later, when
students are more confident with the language, they can be put in lines facing each other for
pair-work discussion.

In some CLL lessons the students’ utterance- helped or provided by the knower- are
recorded onto tape to be analysed later. There is often a period for reflection during which
students comment frankly on how they felt about the activity. In all of these cases teachers
help students achieve what they want, offering help and counsel to the ‘community’ of the
class. The job is to ‘facilitate’ rather than to ‘teach’.

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 The influence of CLL in mainstream teaching has been fairly pronounced. The idea that
students should reflect upon their learning experiences is now widely accepted.

2- The Silent Way:

One of the most notable features of the Silent Way is the behaviour of the teacher who,
rather than entering into conversation with the students, says as little as possible. This is
because the founder of the method, Caleb Cattegno, believed that learning is best facilitated
if the learner discovers and creates language rather than just remembering and repeating what
has been taught. The learner should be in the driving seat, in other words, not the teacher.

In the Silent Way learners interact with physical objects too, especially Cuisenaire rods.
There is a problem-solving element involved too, since students have to resolve language
construction problems for themselves.

In a classic Silent Way procedure, a teacher sounds while pointing to a phonemic chart- or
to an arrangement of Cuisenaire rods. A student imitates the teacher and the teacher indicates
(silently) if he or she is correct. If not, another student is prompted to help the first student. A
third or fourth student is prompted if necessary until a correct version of the phoneme is
produced. The class continues with the teacher pointing to different phonemes while the
students work out what they are- and then how to combine them. Later, students can point to
elements on the chart or arrange the Cuisenaire rods in such a way that they have provided a
stimulus for the language in the same way as the teacher did. They and their colleagues have
to work out the correct language is.

Through all this procedure the teacher indicates by gesture or expression what the students
should do and whether or not they are correct. Examples and corrections are only given
verbally if no student can do it first time round. Thus it is up to the students- under the
controlling but indirect influence of the teacher- to solve problems and learn the language.

To some, the Silent Way has seemed somewhat inhuman, with the teacher’s silence acting
as a barrier rather than an incentive. But to others, the reliance students are forced to place
upon themselves and upon each other is exciting and liberating. It is students who should take
responsibility for their learning; it is the teacher’s job to organise this.

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 The Silent Way has had a direct influence on mainstream teaching by promoting the use
of phonemic charts and pointing to objects and sounds, and Cuisenaire rods, and an indirect
one in the use of discovery techniques.

3- Suggestopaedia:

Developed by Georgi Lozanov, Suggestopaedia sees the physical surroundings and

A feature of Suggestopaedia is referred to as ‘infantilisation’; that is the teacher and

Suggestopaedic lesson has three main parts. There is an oral review section in which
previously learnt material is used for discussion. This is followed by the presentation and
discussion of new dialogue material and its native language equivalent. Finally, in the
‘séance’ or ‘concert’ session, students to relaxing music while the teacher reads the new
dialogue material in a way which synchronises with the taped music. During this phase there
are also ‘several minutes of solemn silence’ and the students leave the room silently.

The emphasis on lowering the affective filter is now accepted as an important part of all
teaching. Music is frequently used in classes too, though not necessarily in the ways and the
type that Lozanov recommended.

4- Total Physical Response (TPR):

The originator of TPR, James Asher, worked from the premise that adult second language
learning could have similar developmental patterns to that of child language acquisition. If
children learn much of their language from speech directed at them in the form of commands
to perform actions, then adults will learn best in that way too. Accordingly, TPR asks students
to respond physically to the language they hear. Language processing is thus matched with
physical action.

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 Like many other methodology devisers, Asher sees the need to lower the affective filter
and finds that organising physical actions in the classroom helps to do this. A typical TPR
class might involve the teacher telling students to ‘pick up the triangle from the table and give
it to me’ or ‘walk quickly to the door and hit it’. When the students can all respond to
commands correctly, one of them can then start giving instructions to other classmates.

Critics of TPR point out that this kind of teaching may be appropriate for beginner
learners and question how TPR ties in with any real-world needs. Asher himself says it should
be included together with other methods. Yet certain features of TPR have had an influence.
In TPR students do not have to give instructions themselves until they are ready. This kind of
pre-speaking phase was considered of vital importance by Stephen Krashen and Tracey
Tarrell in their book The Natural Approach. And in responding to commands students get a
lot of comprehensive input, and in performing physical actions they seem to echo the claims
of Neuro-linguistic programming that certain people benefit greatly from kinaesthetic activity.