Unit 15 - Approaches to language teaching

What is an approach to language teaching?

An approach to language teaching may refer to our view of language and our view of how language learning takes place. We may think, for example, that language is a set of grammar rules, and that language learning takes place by learning those rules and using them to work out the meaning of texts through translation. Sometimes approaches also refer to the ways or methods of teaching that we use in the classroom and that are based on these views.

Approach	View of language
Presentation, practice and production (PPP)	Grammatical structures and functions are the most important aspect of language.
Lexical approach	Vocabulary is the most important aspect of language.
Functional approach	Functions are the most important aspect of language
Communicative approaches	Communication is the most important aspect of the language.
Grammar-translation	Language is made up of grammatical rules.
Total physical response (TPR)	Grammatical structures and vocabulary are the most important aspect of language.
Guided discovery	Language has patterns of meaning and use.
Content-based learning	Grammatical, lexical, functional areas and skills are all important.
Content and language integrates learning (CLIL)	Language serves to communicate meaning. All aspects of language help communicate meaning, e.g. skills, discourse, lexis, grammar, functions.

Reference:

Spratt, M., Pulverness, A., & Williams, M. (2012). The TKT Teaching Knowledge Test Course Modules 1,2 and 3 (Vol. Second edition). United Kingdom: Cambridge English.