Responses To Frequently Asked Questions

Running Head: FAQS IN METHODS
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Responses to Frequently Asked Questions:

Second Language Methods in Practice
Part I: Define the terms as they relate to L2 learning and teaching.
1. Method: a set of activities that guide teaching. A method is based upon techniques and
principles.
2. Communicative Competence: is a measure of language proficiency which takes into
account a language users grammatical competency, discourse competency and their
ability to cope in language situations where a communication breakdown may occur or
there is unfamiliar language being used. It encompasses a learners ability to
communicate proficiently in contexts where they must take into account the participants
and the cultural and social norms required to communicate effectively.
3. Approach: an approach is based on a set of principles, it is not a method but a jumping off
point for influencing the methods and techniques one chooses for their instruction.
4. Curriculum Development: is the process of planning and implementation of a language
program where a needs analysis influences what kind of skills and knowledge the
program (and its courses) will contain and adhere to in its curriculum.
Part II: Respond to the questions as they relate to L2 teaching and learning.
1. How can Task-based language teaching and Cooperative learning work together? Discuss three
features of this combined approach and describe a sample activity.
Task-based language teaching and Cooperative learning could work very well together in
a setting where task-based learning focused on tasks that required learners to assess their
strategies for completing a task alongside completing a task. Essentially both methods
are the same means to an end, in that they both focus on communication through
strategizing and working together. Three features that could be combined into this
approach could be opinion gap exercises where students have to work together to
strategize not only language use but also the task itselfcoming up with opinions on an
issue or possible solutions to an issue. Another feature could be a task where learners
have to strategize on how they will divide up a large task where they have to work
individually and then cooperatively to complete a task (each has a piece of information
that the whole group needs to finish the task).
2. Describe three principles/features which are included in Communicative language teaching that the
Audio-lingual method lacked.
The audio lingual method lacks the authentic material which CLT utilizes to give realworld relevance to language learning. CLT is much more student centered where
students interact and communicate with one another while the audio-lingual method is
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very teacher-centered and any student to student interaction is tightly controlled by the
teacher. The audio-lingual method also focuses on practice with one form at a time
whereas CLT allows students to complete a function using a variety of forms and likewise
allows students to use a form in a variety of functions.
3. How can the Grammar-translation method and Learning Strategy Training be applied in an ESP
context?
The grammar-translation method and Learning Strategy Training could be applied to a
context where a learner needs the language for limited oral communication. Possibly an
academic context where a learner is learning a specific language to study material in that
language but attends classes in their L1. A possible context could be the teaching of
Hebrew or Greek to theology students so that they can gain a better understanding of
ancient writings and manuscripts. A strategy that may help students in this context would
be guessing meaning in context, using a translation dictionary, glossing and note taking
during reading, and keeping a vocabulary journal. International medical students must
learn to read English, as much of the literature published in the medical fields is done in
English. Therefore, grammar-translation and Learning Strategy Training would be an
ideal coupling of method and training in an ESP context. Students would benefit from
reading strategies for reading in English as well as from the grammar translation method
as their oral proficiency is not a main concern in this context.
Part III. Read the scenarios and imagine that you will be teaching these courses.
Considering the specific needs of your student population, identify (a) on predominant
method to teach the course and (b) one or two secondary methods to guide course planning.
Provide a detailed rationale for your choices, identifying the advantages of the selected
methods for the targeted situation.
Youve accepted a position teaching EAP (English for Academic Purposes) in a Korean language
institute. The majority of students hope to come to the U.S. to pursue advanced degrees (BAs or
MAs) at U.S. universities. Youve been given total freedom to choose materials and structure the
course. The students have studied English for six years in a predominantly structure-based high
school curriculum.
I would adopt the Direct Method because I feel it still offers the structured environment
that the students are accustomed to but I would take as communicative approach to
teaching as I feel the learners would benefit from being introduced to the approach that
they will encounter when they come to the U.S. However, within this method and
approach, I would use content-based tasks for the class materials and activities and I
would have some kind of project-based alternative assessment throughout the course.
For example, students could keep journals so that at the end of the course they could see
the process and the product of the language growth. I would focus heavily on teaching
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strategies, such as guessing meaning from context, predicting, inferencing, and

summarizing in order to develop higher order skills so that the students would be better
prepared for the types of tasks that they will encounter in their academic disciplines. I
also think it would be helpful to begin to introduce students to different genres of writing
so they are familiar with need for discourse/discipline specific writing skills. As I have
stated, I would opt for a combination of task-based and project-based learning to guide
my course planning. Although the Direct method does not allow for as much language
learning in order to develop communicative competence as some of other methods that
are more influenced by CLT, I would choose tasks which gave opportunities to practice
communicating and, at the very least, and whenever possible give genuine opportunities
to communicate. I think in this context, teaching students the conventions of written
academic English and the formal register of speaking would be most beneficial to those
hoping to enroll in an English medium university. In this way, the Direct Method gives
students the structure they were used to while they learn and practice the language
without being bogged down with explicit grammar instruction. I also chose this method
because it focuses a lot of attention on pronunciation which I feel would be an important
to an international student hoping to attend a university in the U.S. As a native-speaking
instructor in Korea, I may be one of the few opportunities that the Korean students have
to practice their pronunciation so I think the Direct Method would most allow for ample
opportunities to practice.
You are teaching an ESP course to foreign-born certified nurses in a rural hospital in the Midwest U.S.
The nurses are given time off from work to take this required course during their first year of
employment. The director of the hospital is aware of the fact that you know nothing of nursing; youve
been hired because of your recent BA/MA in TESL/TEFL. Youve been asked to start teaching the
course within a month.
I would choose a content-based and task-based learning approach in this scenario. I dont
need to learn the content, rather I would need to be familiar with the language used in the
context of nursing. I think if I used the content and context of nursing to teach English I
could engage the certified nurses in a way that another method maybe would seem like
learning English for the purpose of learning English. Although it will serve this group of
certified nurses well to have English language skills outside of their jobs, I have been
hired to teach them English for their jobs and anyway that I can incorporate job
vocabulary into language learning would be most beneficial. This approach would allow
the nurses to learn English through content that most of them are already familiar with
thus possibly breaking barriers to learning. I would be working with what they already
know to teach them something new. I know traditionally, the intent of content-based
learning is to teach both the content and the language but I chose this approach in this
scenario because part of the approach is the content drives the language. I would use
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some of the techniques from community language learning, specifically building and
fostering a language community environment and becoming a language counselor. I
think building a non-threatening language community works best with adults. I would
also adopt a situational syllabus so that nursing situations could dictate the language that I
teach.

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Running Head: FAQS IN METHODS

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions:

strategies, such as guessing meaning from context, predicting, inferencing, and

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