Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Fishead soup]

What approach do you use?

[frankly speaking]

Fish Head, do you really use the Audio Lingual Approach? I assume that you voted for it since you started the thread?

Do you work for Berlitz school? I didn't know that anyone still primarily used the Audio Lingual approach.

Personally, I find that a combination is best. No one approach suits the needs of the students.

Whatever approach that you use if you don't focus on whole language learning, then students will not be balanced. I don't know how many students I have had that can hold a conversation, but cannot write a simple logical paragraph.

I would say because the majority of new teachers in Korea have no background or knowledge of EFL and how to teach it they primarily focus on communicative approach.

Though communicative approach has its merits and offers native speakers a chance to dominate the field, it does have its limitations. I actually find that it is better suited for ESL rather than EFL.

[carpetdope]

For me, the direct approach usually ends with a total physical response. Wait - we're talking about dating, right?

[edwardcatflap]

I would agree that most teachers probably use a mixture of approaches according to their aims for individual lessons or activities.

[guava]

I'm a believer in songs, oh! "I'm A Believer" is a pretty good song, haha.

Here's an example of a song to base a lesson plan on:

ABBA : When I Kissed The Teacher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hEY2XoLlXg&feature=related

[T-J]

Grammar translation. Flame away.

[Chaucer]

Content Based Language Teaching

Used Audiolingual to learn Korean--it was awesome.

[caylia]

[Fishead soup]

[tomato]

Could you please define each of those terms?

[afsjesse]

For an entire academic year I have been saturated with these terms in my TESL 1 and 2 methods classes. I prefer to use the Communicative Approach intermixed with a touch of TPR for vocab every now and then. It's all about meaning! I had to make a big transition from G.T. to C.A. and the results are amazing in my Spanish class that I teach at Minnesota State Uni.

That's my two cents.

[tomato]

AFS Jesse must have had a better ESL program than I did, because I can't remember most of these terms.
I looked them up for the benefit of myself and anyone else who might be in the dark.

I first heard of the grammar translation approach from a reactionary faculty member who opposed anything new. As I understand it, it entails translating from one language to the other, just as its name suggests.

The direct approach involves eliminating the student's first language.

If I understand the audiolingual approach correctly, it involves mimicking dialogues and drills in audiotapes, videotapes, and sundry other technological gadgets.

In the OP's poll, I checked Total Physical Response because that's what comes closest to what I practice. TPR, as it is commonly abbreviated, involves running when you say that you are running and jumping when you say you are jumping.

The communicative approach involves practicing for situations such as asking for directions and ordering food.

I prefer not to have the students translate because that involves the students' own language. I would like for them to think "cat" when they see a cat, without even thinking �고양이.�

I use the grammar translation approach for myself, though. I read children's picture books in the library because that's about all my level of proficiency is good for. I find an occasional Korean picture book which could be translated into English and prove valuable in the English classroom.

My last job was in a public school. I found it impossible to use the direct approach since it involves eliminating the student's own language, and they wouldn't let me eliminate the homeroom teachers.

I prefer this approach in dealing with Koreans outside the English school, hence my ongoing battle with the Miriam Ferguson Society.

The audiolingual approach never had much of an attraction for me. It's hard enough to apply foreign language education to the real world without wasting time repeating dialogues over and over. I had a foster brother who attended a French class which used this approach. He was able to say, "Vous dinez avec nous?" when it was time for dinner, but not much else.

I checked Total Physical Response because that's what comes closest. I study Korean Sign Language and I use sign language in English. My contention is that sign language might incorporate other parts of speech besides verbs more easily than Asher's program.

Other participants on this board can use the term edutainment in a disparaging sense, but I call myself an edutainer and I hold my head up high. I enjoy learning and I want my students to enjoy learning.

The communicative approach doesn't hold much attraction for me. Whenever a therapist or workshop leader asks me to role play, I find it uncomfortable and embarrassing.

Here is a good Website where I got most of this information:
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/imora/almmethods.htm#ALM

[edwardcatflap]

The communicative approach was designed for teachers to set up realistic situations where the students could exchange information, ask and answer questions etc...using language they would need in real life. It was an attempt to get away from repeating things like 'the monkey is in the tree' over and over again (the audio lingual approach). Role plays are only a small part of this. The idea behind them is to encourage students who are not completely comfortable talking about their own lives. I don't like taking part in role plays either but I think it's one of those activities when you should break the rule about not doing anything in the class room you wouldn't want to do yourself, as many students get a lot out of them. The grammar translation method comes from teaching dead languages like Latin and Greek where it's useful. How anyone can still advocate an approach like this for a living language, where you don't actually produce any of the target language orally, is beyond me.

[T-J]

[Dragoon]

I prefer whatever method is the least amount of work..on my part anyways.