PRESENTATION ON

The Postmethod Condition:

Emerging Strategies for

Second/ Foreign Language

Teaching

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies in L2 pedagogy show a shift away from the conventional concept of method to “postmethod condition.”

It refigures the relationship between theorizers and teachers by empowering teachers with knowledge, skill and autonomy.

It also reshapes the character and content of L2 teaching and classroom research.

POSTMETHOD CONDITION

It enables teachers to

theorize from practice and

practice what they theorize.

CONT.

In the past years, there were evaluative thoughts on the nature and scope of method (Allwrght: 1992, Brown: 1991).

We have also seen the emergence of alternative ideas to redefined our understanding of method (Kumaravadivelu:1992).

CONT.

These studies caution us against the

uncritical acceptance of untested

methods as well as against the search

for the best methods and even against

the very concept of method itself.

Method analysis is one thing and

teaching analysis is quite another

(Mackey:1965).

CONT.

If the concept of method authorizes

theorizers to centralize pedagogic

decision making, the post method

condition enables practitioners to

generate location-specific and

classroom oriented innovative

practices.

CONT.

The post method condition searches for an

alternative to methods rather than an

alternative methods.

From the practitioner’s point of view, none of

them can be realized in the purest form in the

actual classroom because they are not derived

from classroom experimentation but

artificially transplanted into the classroom

(Nunan:1991).

CONT.

Syllabus designers and textbook

producers do not follow the philosophy

of a given method and even the

teacher do not fully conform to its

theoretical principles in classroom

(Kumaravadivelu:1993).

It signifies teacher autonomy.

CONT.

It promotes teachers how to

1. teach autonomously

2. analyze and evaluate their own

teaching practice

3. initiate changes in their classroom

and

4. monitor the effects of such changes

CONT.

The next feature of post method

condition is Principled Pragmatism

which can be followed by developing

‘the sense of plausibility’

(Prabhu:1990) which is the subjective

understanding of what teachers do.

CONT.

Kumaravadivelu talks

about 10 strategic frame

works which are consist

of macrostrategies and microstrategies. Macrostrategies arenot considered of any one specific theory or not considered by a single set of theoretical principle or classroom procedures.

CONT.

10 macrostrategies are…

CONT.

A. Maximize learning opportunities

B. Facilitate negotiated interaction

C. Minimize perceptual mismatches

D. Activate intuitive heuristics

E. Foster language awareness

CONT.

F. Contextualize linguistic input

G. Integrate language skill

H. Promote learner autonomy

I. Raise cultural consciousness

and

J. Ensure social relevance

1. MAXIMIZE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

Teacher is the creator of

learning opportunities and

utilizer of learning

opportunities created by

learners.

CONT.

Teachers maintain a balance between their

role as planers of teaching acts and their

role as mediators of learning acts.

Effective result encourages teacher to

modify their lesson plans according to their

feedback.

CONT.

As a utilizer of learning

opportunities created by learners

both teacher and learner are

cooperative in classroom.

2. FACILITATE NEGOTIATED INTERACTION:

Meaningful learner- learner and

learner- teacher interaction in class.

Learner should actively involve in all

activities in classroom.

Learner should be given freedom and

encouragement to initiate talk.

CONT.

L2 learners need to be provided with opportunities for negotiated interaction in order to accelerate their comprehension and production.

Opportunities to modify enables learners to move beyond their current receptive and expressive capacities. (Long:1081)

CONT.

Some microstrategies…

A. Design group activity

B. Small group arrangement and

C. Asking referential questions

(Brock:1986)

3. MINIMIZE PERCEPTUAL MISMATCHES:

It determines the relative success

or failure between teacher’s

intention and learner’s

interpretation.

There are ten potential sources of

perceptual mismatch.

(Kumaravadivelu:1991)

CONT.

A. Cognitive

B. Communicative

C. Linguistic

D. Pedagogic

E. Strategic

CONT.

F. Cultural

G. Evaluative

H. Procedural

I. Instructional and

J. Attitudinal

4. ACTIVE INTUITIVE HEURISTICS:

Heuristics means to discover things

within oneself.

Grammar contraction can be neatly

analyzed and explain explicitly.

Enough textual data will be provided

by the teacher.

CONT.

Grammatical information can be conveyed through indirect examples.

They should encounter linguistic structure in inductive way.

It enlarges learner’s comprehension and retention skill.

5. FOSTER LANGUAGE AWARENESS:

It is the combination of consciousness

raising and input enhancement

(Rutherford:1987).

It defines learners’ sensitivity and

awareness of the nature of language

and role in human life.

CONT.

It helps learners to sensitize

themselves to aspects of L2.

6. CONTEXTUALIZE LINGUISTIC INPUT:

Connected text is the main foundation

of language study (Sweet:1899/1964).

Words should be practiced in sentence

and sentence should be practiced in

meaningful context but nether

isolated nor disconnected.

CONT.

The phonological form which L2

learners practice depends on the

content of discourse and the

syntactic, semantic and pragmatic

features can not be understood in

isolated linguistic components.

CONT.

linguistic input should be

contextualized for learner’s benefit.

Isolated items will result in

pragmatic dissonance, depriving the

learner of necessary pragmatic cues

and make the meaning harder.

CONT.

The responsibilities for

contextualizing linguistic input

lie more with teacher than

with syllabus or textbook

designer.

7. INTEGRATE LANGUAGE SKILL:

The nature of L2 learning

involves an integration of

listening, speaking, reading

and writing.

CONT.

Reading exposure is “the primary

means of developing reading

comprehension, writing style and

more sophisticated vocabulary

and grammar” (Krashen: 1989).

CONT.

Listening activities help to make the broader connection between function and expression of language (Rost: 1990).

Language knowledge and language ability are best developed when language is learned and used holistically (Rigg: 1991).

CONT.

Learners do not focus on one skill at a

time.

When the teacher follows textbooks,

learners are supposed to move from

one language skill to another.

Learners use language skills in

different combination.

8. PROMOTING LEARNER AUTONOMY:

Learner autonomy involves…

A. helping learner to learn

B. equipping them with means for

their learning

C. making strategies explicit and

systematic

CONT.

Steps to promote learner autonomy…

A. psychological preparation

B. strategic training

CONT.

Teacher wishing to promote learner

autonomy can…

A. help learner to take

responsibility for their learning

B. bring about necessary changes

C. help learner understand what

the strategies are

9. RAISE CULTURAL CONSCIOUSNESS:

Cultural consciousness…

A. creates an awareness and empathy

toward the culture of L2 community

B. helps to conduct in culturally

appropriate

C. helps to find the differences of life

CONT.

The teacher’s task is to create a

network of mental association

similar to the way a native

speaker does.

The learner can be cultural

informant like the teacher.

10. ENSURE SOCIAL RELEVANCE:

L2 learning is deeply embedded in the

social context.

We can not separate classroom life

from the dynamics of social

institutions.

CONT.

The social context includes some

issues…

A. motivation for L2 learning

B. the goal of L2 learning

C. the problems of L2 learning

CONT.

Social contexts contribute to the

emergence of various communicative

competences.

The learner is not becoming an

imitator native speaker but a person

who can stand between the two

languages.

CONCLUSION

The strategic framework is not a closed set

of formula rather it is an interim term

which can be modified, expanded and

enriched. The frame can be used to

transform classroom practitioners into

strategic teachers and researchers.

Postmethod condition can potentially

reshape L2 teaching, teacher education

and classroom organization.