The Audiolingual Method ALM
Definition [Lat. audire „to hear ,‟ lingua„tongue‟] ,‟ lingua„tongue‟] (also audio-lingualism) The The Au Aud diolin ioling gual Met Method is a method of fore foreig ign n lan language teaching which emphasizes the teaching of listening and speaking before ore readi ading and writing. ting. It I t use uses dialogues as the main form of language presentation and drills as the main ain training techniques. Mother tongue is discouraged in the classroom.
Historical Backgr kground und
Background ounded during The The Au Aud diolin ioling gual Met Method was f ounded
World War II (1939-1945 ) for military purposes in the USA: The U.S. military required people to speak and understand foreign languages.
At that time, the U.S. government found it a great necessity to set up special language-training programs for military personnel . The method was popular in the 1950s and 1960s especially in the US but also widely used in many other parts of the world. The method died out in the 70s.
It adapted many of the principles and procedures of the Direct Method in part as a reaction against the lack of speaking skills of the Reading Approach. Charles Fries (1945) led the way in applying principles from structural linguistics in developing this approach. In 1957 principles from behavioral psychology psychology (Skinner) were incorporated. incorporated.
Obj Objecti ctives and and Pr Princip nciples
The Purpose • The purpose of language learning is to attain conversational proficiency proficiency in the foreign language and to use it communicativ communicatively ely.. • Teacher’ eacher ’s goal: Focus on on students’ pronunciation, and train train their ability a bility of listening and speaking through dialogues and drills and enabling them to acquire new habits.
*Accurate
pronunciation and and gram gramm mar
*Ability to respond quickly and
accurately in speech situations *Knowledge of sufficient
vocabulary to use with grammar patterns.
THEORETICAL BASE
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Principles • The audiolingual method is based on the principles of behavioral psychology and structuralism and the aural-oral approach to language teaching, (behavioural) psychological base • This linguistic and (behavioural) contains the following beliefs about language and language learning:
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NATURE OF LANGUAGE:
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Speech = language. Spoken Spoken language comes oral language is before written language = oral language prioritised over writing. Writing Writing should be postponed.
• Each language has its own unique structure structure and rule system. system. (the theory of Structural linguistics) • Focus on the structure. Vocabulary Vocabulary will be learnt later. Principles of Structural Linguistics
Underlying approach, the influence of linguistics
Attention to the different different levels of a language (phonetics, phonology phonology,morphology ,morphology,, and syntax)
Skills are sequenced: 1. Listening, 2. speaking, 3. reading 4. and writing.
Developed in this order
Underlying approach, the influence of linguistics • Teaching each ing points points are are determined dete rmined by contrastive analysis between L1 and l2.
Examples:
• Arabic: VSO • English: SVO SVO • Arabic: • English: horses, dogs and cats
NATURE NA TURE OF LANGUAGE LEARNING: BEHA BEHAVIOURISM VIOURISM
1 Language learning ( as a process of habit-formation) is learned through forming habits, through conditioning & reinforcement. 2 Positive Reinforcement (of correct responses) makes behaviour occur again and become a habit. Three crucial elements for any kind of learning: stimulus, response reinforcement
3 Forming new target language habits mans overcoming native language habits. The major challenge of foreign language teaching is getting students to overcome the habits of their native language. Principles (Linguistics and Behavioural Psychology) Psychology)
Principles - Behaviorism
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The more often something is repeated, the stronger the habit and the greater the learning, hence, the i mportance of repetition and drills.
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Positive reinforcement helps the students to develop correct habits. Thus, the method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and over-learning: learning is mechanic.
Characteristics and Techniques
Characteristics • New structural patterns patterns and vocabulary are presented through conversations. • Vocabulary is strictly limited and learnt in context. • Great Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation. pronunciation. • Emphasis on mastering grammatical grammatical patterns. • Little or no grammatic g rammatical al explanations are provided; grammar is taught inductively. inductively.
Inductively? • Explicit teaching of grammar is avoided. • The grammar point is taught ONLY in wellconstructed contexts. • The grammar point is taught through wellchosen clear examples. examples. • The grammar point is over-taught creatively.
He is a prince.
She is a witch.
I am a student.
He isn’t a cowboy.
She……… a caveman.
I …………….. a spy.
They are students. They aren’t football players.
They are football players They ……… students.
You are students. You …football players.
1. Structure Structuress are sequenced sequenced and taught taught one at a time. time. The teacher insures that all of the utterances which students make are actually within the practiced pattern. pattern. In the previous example, only ONE grammatical grammatical structure is being taught: BE in simple present. Similarly, the use of the AUX verb have should not suddenly switch to have as a main verb 1. A repetitive drill is used: A model is given and then students are asked to practice the model.
2. The The use use of of pictures and highlighting the relevant constructions make it unnecessary to explain grammar g rammar explicitly / The model and listenin listening g to the dialogue make it unnecessary to explain grammar explicitly /
The Techniques
Typical Procedure / strategies/ activities in an ALM Course Drills and pattern practice are are essential in the Audiolingual method. (Richards, (Richards, J.C. et-al. 1986).
Here is a typical procedure in an audio-lingual course. Usually, Usually, a lessons begins b egins with a model dialog. •Students hear the dialogue. •Students repeat each line of the dialogue. •Certain key words or phrases may be changed in the dialogue. •Key structures from the dialogue serve as the basis for pattern drills of different different kinds. t he pattern drills •The students practice substitutions in the More details:
(1) Listen to the dialog, (2) repeat the dialogue ( a repetition drill ), Objective: listen carefully carefully and attempt to mimic (imitate) the teacher's model as accurately accurately as possible. Repetitive drills can also also be used to teach structural structural patterns. patterns. Student repeat repeat an utterance as soon as they hears it (individually or in chorus). In a repetitive drill , a model is given and then students are asked to practice the model focussing on on accurate pronunciation & grammar. (3) Memorize dialogue ( Dialog Dialog Memorization),
(4) Act / perform the Dialog (Role playing) Students use mimicry and applied role playing to present present the dialog and e xperiment with language and non-verbal elements (eg. . Gesture)..
Backward Build Up, also called Expansion drill:
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Target Pattern: Those boys will be eating in the cafeteria tomorrow.
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TEACHER Repeat after me:
The purpose of this drill is to break down a long and/or difficult sentence into smaller parts starting with the end of the sentence and having the class repeat just the last two words. Since students can do this, the teacher adds a few more words, and the class repeats this expanded phrase building the phrases little by little until the entire sentence is being repeated.
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Tomorrow in the cafeteria tomorrow will be eating in the cafeteria tomorrow Those boys will be eating in the cafeteria tomorrow. tomorrow.
Example of the use of the "backward buildup" technique
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Exercises in Backward Building) Target Pattern: I'm going to the post office. TEACHER Repeat after me: post office. CLAS S Post office. TEACHER To the post office. CLASS To the post office. TEACHER Going to the post office . CLASS Going to the post office. TEACHER I'm going to the post office. CLASS I'm going to the post office.
Objective:
Cha Ch ain Dri Drilll:
• A chain of conversation forms around around the classroom as the teacher greets or questions a student and the latter responds and then turns to the next studentand greets greets or asks him a question and the chain continues. Very similar to a Moroccan culture
game in
A chain drill gives students an opportunity to practice (the lines in a dialog) individually
• • •
• •
Example: Teacher: 'Good morning, Jose’. Student: 'Good morning, teacher.‘ Teacher: 'How are you ?' Student: ' Fine, thanks. And you?' The teacher: ' Fine.‘ The student then turn to the one sitting beside him and greet her
Substitution / Replacement drills:
Objective: practice creating new sentences and learn which parts of speech occupy which positions (slot).
key word or phrase in • one key a sentence or pattern patter n (from a dialogue) is selected and Example: replaced by another Te Teacher : He bought the car for for half-price.
Te Teacher: the book There are Student: Student: He bought th the e book for for Simple Substitution Exercises half-price. (Single-slot substitution) and Alternatively the pattern could be: Multiple Substitution Exercises Te Teacher: He bought the car for for (Multiple-slot substitution) half-price. He bought it for half price. Te Teacher : telev levis isio ion n
Tra T ran nsfo form rmatio ion n / Restatement Drill:
• Students change one type of sentence into another – an affirmative sentence into a negative or an active sentence into a passive, for example.
Objective:
• Examples: • From statements to questions: • The teacher provides a statement : "She is going to the post office." Then transforms it into a question. "Is she going to the post office?”
• Teacher: “They are going to the theatre” Students: • From questions to statements: • An extension of this activity is turning a statement into an a n order: order: • Teacher : He makes a lot of noise. Student : Don't make a lot of noise!
F ill in the the blank nks s,
Students fill in the blanks in the sentences provided provided by inserting the proper proper English words. This activity is much like a close activity.
• They are students.
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• They are football players • They ……… students •
He is a prince.
• He isn’t a cowboy. •
Examples: fill in the gap using am, is or are/ am not, isn’t and aren’t:
They aren’t football players
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I am a student. I …………….. a spy
Dialog completion Completing Conversations Conversations
• the teacher can erase a number of selected words from a dialog and ask the students to supply the missing words which they have probably already memorized.
Complete the Dialog:
• An alternative exercise could be to have students write complete sentences following specific patterns on sequences of words such as I , , go , supermarke superm arket t and he, need, butter.
Dictation:
Objective:
• Using any piece of • Listen purposefully to literature literature at the students' determine main ideas reading level, the teacher and important details. reads the piece aloud several times. The students then write down what they th ey hear. hear. The idea is to write what they have heard as literally as possible.
F lashc hca ards:
• A flashcard or flash card is a piece of paper that is used as a learning aid.
Objectives:
The Th e Alp Alph habet Game: • The teacher picks a semantic field, such as the supermarket the supermarket . And says: "I am going to the supermarket . I need a few apples." (The teacher names something beginning with A A.) .) The first student says , "I am going to the supermarket. I need a few apples and I need a few bananas." The game continues in this manner with each consecutive student adding an item beginning with the next letter after repeating the items named before their own.
Objectives: shared • Participate in shared listening experiences. Share ideas and experiences in large and small groups.
Use of minimal pairs
Examples: Minimal pairs are words that are similar in pronunciation except for one sound
pair word s, such as 'sheep,' 'ship' ; ' leave,' 'live'; and 'he's,' ' his‘
Objective: Enabling the students to hear the difference in pronunciation between the words in each pair and drill them in saying the two sounds
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Other Techniques echniqu es Question/answer drill - Verbal Question/Answer Exercises Grammar games
The following example illustrates how more than one sort sor t of drill can be incorporated into one practice session : “Teacher: There's a cup on the table ... repeat Students: There's a cup on the table Teacher: spoon Students: There's a spoon on the table Teacher: eacher : Book Bo ok Students: There's a book on the table Teacher: On the chair 34 Students: There's a book on the chair
DM and ALM The The audiolin ioling gual approa roach to lan language teachi aching ng has a lot of si similari ariti tie es with the direct method.
Direct Method & ALM Similarity
Both were considered as a reaction against the shortcomings of the Grammar Tra Tran nslat lation ion method, both reject the use of the mother tongue and and advocat advocate e teaching language directly without using L1, both are oral-based approaches that
stress that speaking and listening competences precede reading and writing competences.
Direct Method & ALM Diversity
• But there are also some differences.
The dire irect method focuses on the • The teaching of vocabulary while the audiolingual method focuses on grammar drills with sentence patterns.
Direct Method & ALM
• It also, unlike the Direct Method, has a strong theoretical base in linguistics and psychology. psychology. Principles from behavioral psychology (Skinner, (Skinner, 1957) were incorporated incor porated into the theory. theory. • It was thought that the way to acquire the sentence patterns of the target language was through conditioning - helping learners to respond correctly to stimuli through shaping and reinforcement. • Learners could overcome the habits of their native language and form the new habits required to be target language speakers.
Teach eacher/stude er/student nt role role:: • Most of the interaction is initiated by the teacher. • The teacher is a model of the target language to be imitated, he exerts control over the student • By listening to how it is supposed to sound, students should be able to mimic the model. • Students sh should ‘overlearn ‘overlearn’, ’, learn to answer automatically without stopping to think.
Materials Mat erials in an Audio-Lingual Lesson • Use of lab, audio tapes and visual aids • Flashcards (A flashcard or flash card is any of a set of cards bearing information, as words or numbers, on either or both sides, used in classroom drills or in private study. One writes a question on a card and an answer overleaf. ... (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashcards en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashcards))
What aspects of language and culture are emphasized? The method 1. Emph Emphas asiz izes es the the tea teach chin ing g of spea speaki king ng and and lis liste teni ning ng bef before ore reading and writing (Priorities in the Abilities Hierarchy: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) -the order 2. 3.
children follow when learning their native language Uses dialogues an and dr drills. Emphasis on structure structure;; oral/aural skills, pronunciation through lab setting, minimal pairs. Everyday speech is emphasized in the Audio-lingual Method. The level of complexity complexity of the speech is graded, so that beginning students are presented with only simple patterns.
1. Vocab ocabul ular ary y is is kep keptt to to a mini minimu mum m whi while le the the students are mastering the sound system and grammatical patterns. 41
Language & Culture Cul ture • Language cannot be separated from culture. Culture is not only literature and the arts, but also the everyday behavior / lifestyle of the people who use the target language. One of the teacher’s teacher ’s responsibilities is to present information about that culture.
Role of Mother tongue Discourages use of mother of mother tongue in classrooms (Use of the • Discourages mother tongue by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the students. )
• The idea is that the native language and the target language have separate linguistic systems. They should be kept apart so that the students’ native language interferes as little as possible with the students’ attempts to acquire the target language.
What about errors? How does the teacher respond to student errors? • Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent learner errors. • Errors lead to the formation of bad habits. When errors do occur, they are immediately corrected by the teacher. • Mistakes= imperfect learning: the formation of the habit is not complete.
How is evaluation accomplished? • Students might be asked to distinguish between words in a minimal pair, for example, or to supply an appropriate verb form in a sentence.
Pros and Cons: Advantages Vs. Vs. Drawbacks Of the Audiolingual Method
Advantages with using ALM 1) Students are taught a foreign language directly, directly, without using the students’ native language in the classaroom. They try to explain new words or grammar in the target language directly. 2) Students become good at pattern pattern since they get a chance to practice and master a number of audiolingual techniques such as repetition, inflection, replacement and restatement.
3. The audiolingual method is said to be a selfteaching method. 4. It aims at developing listening and speaking skills through through repetitition repetitition which is a step away from from the Grammar Translation Translation method.. 5. It gives the learner the ability to communicate quickly because of the emphasis on speaking and listening 6. There is an abundant use of language languag e laboratories, tapes and visual aids.
Disadvantages with using ALM Audiolingualism
stresses the mechanistic mechanistic aspects of language learning and language use. It t urn
Students into parrots who produce many things but never create anything new or spontaneous : Dialogues recited and Memorized Boring and mindless -
Mimic native speakers dependence on mimicry and memorization Emphasize the “Form”, not the “Meaning”. correction and not on understanding understanding Emphasis laid on correction the message. It was also known as the Mim-Mem method because students students would mime and memorize dialogues before going on with drills.
cons • The audiolingual method doesn‟t method doesn‟t focus focus on teaching vocabulary vocabu lary,, the teacher drills students primarily in the use of grammar. grammar. • This type of lesson is highly teacher center ce nterer erd. d.
Criticism • The Audiolingual approach came under criticism from different sides: • -Jeremy Harmer « Audiolingual methodology seems to banish all forms of language processing that help students sort out new language information in their own minds » • -Rebecca Domar « Reading is easier than understanding the spoken word because in reading one can proceed at the speed which suits him best, one can re-read that which he did not understand at first reading, one can look up unfamiliar words. All this is impossible when listening to someone talk. F or similar re reasons asons writing ting is easi asier than than sp speaking aking.. » …,
• A drill is an instructional exercise exercise aimed at perfecting perfecting a skill s kill by regular and repeted practice. • Introduce the drill in this way: • a. Focus (by writing wri ting on the board, for example) • b. Exemplify (by speaking model sentences) • c. Explain (if a simple grammatical explanation is needed) • d. Drill
• Drills: • What are drills? • Why are drills essential in in the audiolingual method? (What theoretical bases of linguistics or psychology make make drills essential in the audiolingual method?)
Drill • Drills are presented in the order of increasing complexity of student response. • Thus: imitation first, single-slot substitution next, then free response last.
Types of Drills:
A mechanical drill • A mechanical drill is one where only one answer is acceptable and where comprehension is not required in order to produce a correct response. • Example: book --> this is a book. pen --> this is a pen. What techniques is this one? Substitution, replacement
Meaningful drill drill is one where only one answer is • A meaningful drill acceptable, but understanding is required in order for the student to produce a correct response.
Example:
Teacher reads a sentence I'm hot. I'm cold. I'm thirsty. thirsty. I'm hungry. hungry.
Student chooses a response I'll get you something something to eat. I'll turn on the air conditioning. I'll get you something to drink. I'll turn on the heater heater..
What technique is represented by this drill? drill ? Multiple choice selection
Communicative drill A communicative communicative drill is one where more than one answer is possible but the choices open to students are rather limited and understanding is essential.
Example: Teacher
Student completes cues
- What time did you get up on Sunday? - What did you have for breakfast?
- I got up _____ . - I had _____ .
What type of technique is represented represented by this drill? Sentence completion
Another type of drill could called creative “drill”? requiring a free response as in questions requiring students to: compare argue comment analyze etc.
LANGUAGE TEACHING in Practice • An audio-lingual lesson • Audio-lingual class-room activities • Conduct oral/aural drills and pattern practice.
• We shall see two lessons from ......................Program. • Observing each lesson, answer the following questions:
Questions 1. How How are are the the the theor oret etic ical al guid guidel elin ines es of of the the audiolingual method applicable in the classroom? 2. How many vocabs are used in each listening material? 3. What are the grammar points in each lesson? 4. Which types of drills are used in each lesson? 5. How How are are the the voc vocab abss of of the the fir firsst les lesso son n enforced in the second one? 6. Are Are ther there e an any drill drillss in the lesson lessonss wher where e gr grammar ammar is taught non-inductively non-inductively? ?
The decline of Audioligualism • Audiolingualism Audiolingualism reached reached its period period of most widespread use in the 1960s and was applied both to the teaching of foreign language in the United States and to the teaching of English as a second or foreign language.
The International Phonetic Association •
The International Phonetic Association lays emphasis on the teaching of oral language. Created Created in 1886, its declaration of principles is compiled in six articles:
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“1. Foreign language study should begin with the spoken language of everyday life.
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2. Pupils must be familiarized with the sounds of the FL. Conventional spelling is postponed.
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3. The most common sentences and idiomatic phrases must be introduced at a first stage. Dialogues, descriptions and narratives will follow in a natural, easy way.
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4. Inductive way for first levels. Grammar must be postponed.
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5. The FL meaning must be explained with direct reference reference to objects or concepts and not to the native language.
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6. When writing is introduced, a sequence is recommended recommended from reproduced texts to free composition. Translation belongs to the most advanced stage of the course. “
Thank you for your attention
ACTIVITIES (Diane Larson-Freeman) • A Check your understanding of the Audio-lingual Method. • 1 Which of the following techniques follows from the principles of the Audio- Lingual Method, and which ones don't? Explain the reasons reasons for your answer. answer. • a The teacher asks beginning-level students to write a composition about the system of transportation in their home countries, If they need a vocabulary word that they don 't know, they are told to look in a bilingual dictionary for a translation. • b Toward the end of the third week of the course, the teacher gives students a reading passage. The teacher asks the students to read the passage and to answer certain questions based upon it. The passage contains words and structures introduced during the first three weeks of the course. • c The teacher tells the students that they must add an 's' to third person singular verbs in the present tense in English. She then gives the students a list of verb s and asks them to change the verbs into the third person singular present tense form.
ACTIVITIES (Diane Larson-Freeman)
• 2 Some people believe b elieve that knowledge of a first first and second language can be helpful to learners who are trying to learn a third language. What would an Audio-Lingual teacher say about this? Why?
ACTIVITIES (Diane Larson-Freeman) • B Apply what you have understood about the Audio-Lingual Method. • Read the following dialog. What subsentence pattern is it trying to teach ? • SAM Lou 's going to go to college next fall . • BETTY Where is he going? • SAM He's going to Stanford. • BETTY What is he going to study? • SAM Biology. He's going to be a doctor. build- up, repetition , chain, single • Prepare a series of drills (backward buildslot substitution, multiple slot substitution, transformatinon, and question-and -answer] designed to give beginning level EFl students some practice with this structure. If the target language that you teach is not English, you may wish to write your own dialog first. It is not easy to prepare drills. so to check yours, you might want to try giving them to some other teachers.
• 2 Prepare your own dialog to introduce your students to a sentence or subsentence pattern in the target target language you teach.
