From week 2 to week 6, we have been exposed to individual approaches one after another, which are inspiring and thought-provoking. When reflecting upon each approach, I kept thinking about applying it into my own teaching context. But one of the concerns during the course is that integration of the approach with other methods or ideas may be a better way. After this "post-method" session, I feel relieved to get the theoretical foundation.
Teaching and learning in the practical level is quite a complicated issue. According to Richard & Rogers (2001), a method refers to “a specific instructional design or system based on a particular theory of language and of language learning” (p.244), invloves three elements as approach, design and procedure. Just take design as an example, syllabus, objectives, roles of learner, teacher and teaching materials, should all be taken into consideration. There is no method that "one size fits all". Contingency should be a major concern in the process of class instruction.
One of the principles of instructed second language acquisition summarized by Ellis (2005) is that "instruction needs to ensure that learners develop both a rich repertoire of formulaic expressions and a rule-based competence". In my teaching context, which is half exam-oriented, both sides of the coin need emphasizing.
References:
Ellis, R. (2005). Principles of instructed second language acquisition. System, 33, 209-224
Richards, J. & Rogers, T. (2001). Approaches and Methods in language teaching, 2nd ed. NewYork: Cambridge University Press.
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Chanjuan,
ReplyDeleteAnd in that respect, I really like what Kumaravadivelu(1994)says about the postmethod condition being able to reshape the character and content of L2 teaching, teacher education, and classroom research. He talks about how,in practical terms, it motivates a search for an open-ended, coherent framework based on current theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical insights that will enable teachers to theorize from practice and practice what they theorize. "So empowered, teachers could devise for themselves a systematic, coherent, and relevant alternative to method, one informed by principled pragmatism" (p.27).
I get it. Now to the practicalities.
Ciao, Mike
Kumaravadivelu, B. (1994). The Postmethod Condition: (E)merging Strategies for Second/Foreign Language Teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 28(1), 27-48.
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