| In recent years a debate has developed over which | | | | are given a communication task such as a role play |
| approaches to structuring, planning and implementing | | | | and are expected to produce the target language |
| lessons are more effective. Theorists and | | | | and use any other language that has already been |
| practitioners are constantly arguing about how | | | | learnt and is suitable for completing it. |
| language acquisition takes place and how best to | | | | Task-based Learning (TBL) |
| facilitate this. Many approaches and methods have | | | | Task -based Learning offers an alternative to PPP for |
| been developed which have had a substantial impact | | | | language teachers. In a task based lesson the |
| on language teaching, although a lot of these | | | | teacher doesn't pre-determine what language will be |
| procedures are rarely exclusively used in the | | | | studied, the lesson is based around the completion of |
| classroom. | | | | a central task and the language studied is determined |
| The approaches adopted in the classroom are usually | | | | by what happens as the students complete it. |
| determined by the students' needs, goals, and | | | | The Communicative Approach |
| learning styles. For example, a beginner may have an | | | | The Communicative Approach to teaching highlights |
| immediate need for communicating basic needs of | | | | the importance of functional language as opposed to |
| everyday life. For that student, a communicative | | | | focusing specifically on grammar and vocabulary. |
| approach may be the most helpful. A student who | | | | Learners are taught to apply various language forms |
| speaks well but has difficulty reading and writing may | | | | in various contexts and situations such as making a |
| need a different approach. It is most common for | | | | hotel reservation, purchasing airline tickets, ordering at |
| the ESL teacher to use an eclectic approach, which is | | | | a restaurant, booking tickets to a show, asking for |
| a combination of the structural or communicative | | | | directions etc. It is this constant exposure to |
| approaches, in order to meet the needs of all | | | | language in realistic situations which is thought to aid |
| students. We will now look at some of the more | | | | language acquisition. Also, students are given a clear |
| traditional and popular approaches to teaching | | | | reason for communicating in the form of role plays |
| methodology. | | | | and simulations. Accuracy of the language used is |
| Presentation, Practice and Production (PPP) | | | | seen to be of less importance than communicating |
| During an initial teacher training course, most teachers | | | | successfully. |
| will become familiar with the PPP paradigm. A PPP | | | | During these communicative activities the teacher |
| lesson would proceed in the following manner: | | | | does not intervene as the purpose of such activities |
| Firstly, the teacher presents an item of language | | | | is too simulate real communication. Although |
| in a clear context to get across its meaning. This | | | | communicative activities are widely used by teachers |
| may be done in a variety of ways either through a | | | | it is quite difficult to define exactly what a |
| text, a situation build, a dialogue etc. | | | | communicative approach is. This is because most |
| Students are then asked to complete a | | | | teaching methods are aimed at improving |
| controlled practice stage, where they may have to | | | | communication irrespective of the techniques |
| repeat target items through choral and individual | | | | employed. The Communicative Approach is also seen |
| drilling, fill gaps or match halves of sentences. All of | | | | to erode student accuracy in pursuit of fluency. The |
| this practice demands that the student uses the | | | | Communicative Approach has however been adopted |
| language correctly and helps them to become more | | | | in classrooms all over the world and has, in many |
| comfortable with it. | | | | ways, made an invaluable contribution to the |
| Finally, they move on to the production stage, | | | | profession of English Language Teaching. |
| sometimes called the 'free practice stage'. Students | | | | |