Chapter 6

The Audiolingual Method

The Audiolingual Method is a method of foreign or second language teaching which emphasizes the teaching of speaking and listening before reading and writing.

It uses dialogues as the main form of language presentation and drills as the main training techniques. More tongue is discouraged in the classroom.

It is also named the aural-oral method, or mim-mem method because the method uses exercises such as pattern practice dialogues that make use of the mimicry (imitation) and memorization of material presented as a model.

Background

1) It is originated in the USA during the World War II.

2) There was a need for people to learn foreign languages rapidly for military purposes.

3) It borrowed from the principles of contrastive analysis.

4) The structure of the language was identified with its basic sentence patterns and grammatical structures.

5) Behaviorist psychology was influential over this method.

6) Aural-oral procedures were widely adopted for teaching foreign languages.

7) English 900

Notes:

Contrastive analysis:

the comparison of the linguistic systems of two languages, for example the sound system or the grammatical system. It was developed and practiced in the 1950s and 1960s, as an application of STRUCTURAL LINGUISTICS to language teaching, and is based on the following assumptions:

a. the main difficulties in learning a new language are caused by interference from the first language

b. these difficulties can be predicted by contrastive analysis

c. teaching materials can make use of contrastive analysis to reduce the effects of interference

Theoretical Basis

Theory of language

1) Structural linguistics with Bloomfield and Fries as its representatives.

2) Language as a system of structurally related elements for the expression of meaning.

3) Views of language:

Elements in a language are produced in a rule-governed/structured way

Language samples can be exhaustively described at any structural level

Language is hierarchically structured.

Language is speech, not writing

Languages are different.

Basic Principles

Theory of learning

1) Behaviorist psychology

2) The three crucial elements for learning to happen:

a stimulus

a response

reinforcement

3) The application of this theory to language learning

4) Language learning: a mechanical process of habit formation

Basic Principles

Main features

1) Separation of language skills into listening, speaking, reading and writing

2) Emphasis on listening and speaking skills

3) Use of dialogues as the chief means of presenting language

4) Emphasis on mimicry, memorization, and pattern drills

5) Discouraging the use of mother tongue in the classroom

6) Use of language lab

Objectives

The objectives of language teaching are to help the students to have:

accurate pronunciation;

correct grammar;

automatic and accurate response in speech situations.

Techniques

1) Dialogue 2) Pattern practice

3) Repetition 4) Substitution

5) Question-and-answer 6) Expansion

7) Clause combination 8) Backward build-up

9) Chain drill 10) Completion

11) Minimal pairs

Procedures

1) The teacher reads a dialogue, students listen.

2) Students repeat after the teacher.

3) Dialogue is practiced between the teacher and students.

4) Dialogue is practiced between students.

5) Students perform the dialogue.

6) Students do drills and pattern practice.

7) Students work in pairs on the dialogue, substituting some words.

8) Students review the lesson by reading the dialogue.

Summary and Comments

Advantages:

1) The first method to have a theory

2) Making language teaching possible to large groups of learners

3) Emphasizing sentence production

4) Emphasizing control over grammatical structures

5) Emphasizing development of oral ability

6) Simple techniques

7) Making use of language lab

8) Separation of language skills

Disadvantages:

1) Lack of effectiveness

2) Boredom caused by endless pattern drills

3) Developing language like behavior instead of competence

4) Learners having little control over their learning

5) Teacher’s domination of the class

6) Teacher-oriented materials