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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

PAGROLY COLLEGE OF

EDUCATION

NAME: FWALO INESS

COURSE: ENGLISH METHOD

PROGRAM: SECONDARY TEACHERS DIPLOMA

COMBINATION: ENGLISH / RE

NAME OF THE LECTURER: MR.WALAPWA

ASSIGNMENT NO: 1

ASSIGNMENT QUESTION: The audio Lingual method which is based on Skinners conditioning

theory is highly criticized by many as deficient in enabling learners to think and apply their knowledge.

a. Why is this method being criticized? Cite the weaknesses of the method.

b. Defend this method as skinner would have done with illustrations considering the number of

learners in the Zambian context who have passed through this method.

DUE DATE: 9TH July 2012

LECTURERS COMMENTS:

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The Audio-lingual Method (ALM) or audio lingualism grew out of foreign language teaching

approaches developed during World War 2 at the University of Michigan in order to rapidly

develop effective oral-aural skills in foreign languages for military personnel. In this paper, I

discuss reasons to why this method being criticized? The paper concentrates on the weaknesses of the

method.

In the same vein, the paper defends this method as skinner would have done with illustrations considering

the number of learners in the Zambian context who have passed through this method. Charles Fries and

Robert Lado are credited with the association of behaviourist psychology and a contrastive

structural analysis of the target language to produce the following principles for foreign language

learning:

Foreign language learning is basically a process of mechanical habit formation. Good habits are

formed by giving correct responses rather than by making mistakes. By memorising dialogues

and performing pattern drills the chances of producing mistakes are minimized.

Language skills are learned more effectively if the items to be learning in the target language are

presented in spoken form before they are seen in written form. Analogy provides a better

foundation for language learning than analysis. Analogy involves the processes of generalization

and discrimination. The meanings that the words of a language have for the native speaker can

be learned only in a linguistic and cultural context and not in isolation. (Rivers, 1964)

The audio-lingual method was thus based on the oral language, which was presented in small,

carefully controlled structural units and practised through mimicry-memorisation and drills or

pattern practice. Errors were to be avoided at all costs, since only good habits should bereinforced.

The Audio-Lingual method is based on the theory that language learning is a question of habit

formation. It has its origins in Skinners principles of behavior theory. Since learning is thought

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to be a question of habit formation, errors are considered to be bad and to be avoided. Further,

teachers reward students by saying Good! and praising the class when they perform well.

The Audio-Lingual method addresses a need for people to learn foreign languages rapidly. It is

best for beginning level English classes in a foreign language setting. All instruction in the class

are given in English. A dialog is presented for memorization. The teacher asks the class to

repeat each line of the dialog. Expansion drills are used for difficult sentences. The teacher

starts with the end of the sentence and the class repeats just two words. A series of pattern

practice drills then follow the introduction of the dialog.

One of the key principles of the Audio-Lingual method is that the language teacher should

provide students with a native-speaker-like model. By listening, students are expected to be able

to mimic the model. Based upon contrastive analyses, students are drilled in pronunciation of

words that are most dissimilar between the target language and the first language. Grammar is

not taught directly by rule memorization, but by examples. The method presumes that second

language learning is very much like first language learning.

According to Larsen-Freeman (1986:87) The Audio-Lingual method is based on the theory that

language learning is a question of habit formation. It has its origins in Skinners principles of

behavior theory. Since learning is thought to be a question of habit formation, errors are

considered to be bad and to be avoided. Further, teachers reward students by saying Good!

and praising the class when they perform well.

The Audio-Lingual method addresses a need for people to learn foreign languages rapidly. It is

best for beginning level English classes in a foreign language setting. All instruction in the class

are given in English. A dialog is presented for memorization. The teacher asks the class to

repeat each line of the dialog. Expansion drills are used for difficult sentences. The teacher

starts with the end of the sentence and the class repeats just two words. A series of pattern

practice drills then follow the introduction of the dialog.

One of the key principles of the Audio-Lingual method is that the language teacher should

provide students with a native-speaker-like model. By listening, students are expected to be able

to mimic the model. Based upon contrastive analyses, students are drilled in pronunciation of

words that are most dissimilar between the target language and the first language. Grammar is

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not taught directly by rule memorization, but by examples. The method presumes that second

language learning is very much like first language learning.

Basic method of teaching is repetition, speech is standardised and pupils turn into parrots who

can reproduce many things but never create anything new or spontaneous.

Pupils became better and better at pattern practice but were unable to use the patterns fluently in

natural speech situations. Mechanical drills of early Audio-Visual approach criticised as being

not only boring and mindless but also counter-productive, if used beyond initial introduction to

new structure.

According to Larsen-Freeman (1986,87). Audio-Visual materials were open to same sort of

misuse. Tendency to regard audio-visual materials as a teaching method in themselves, not as a

teaching aid.

Soon became clear to teachers that audio-visual approach could only assist in presentation of

new materials. More subtle classroom skills were needed for pupils to assimilate material and

use it creatively. This final vital phase was often omitted by teachers.

New technology caught publishers and text-book writers unprepared - very few commercial

materials were available in the early stages. Those that did exist stressed oral and aural skills and

didn't develop reading and writing skills.

New materials necessitated extensive use of equipment with all associated problems of black-

out, extension leads, carrying tape-recorders from classroom to classroom. Some schools set up

Specialist- Language rooms, but teachers still had to set up projectors and find places on tape.

Equipment could break down, projector lamps explode, tapes tangle - not sophisticated

equipment of today. Hardware involved extra time, worry and problems, and, for these reasons

alone, its use gradually faded away.

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Series of classroom studies threw doubt on claims made for language laboratory. Showed that

this costly equipment did not improve performance of 11+ beginners, when compared with same

materials used on single tape-recorder in classroom

But Audio-Lingual/(Visual approach did mark start of the technological age in language

teaching and it did introduce important new elements emphasised need for visual presentation

and possibility of eliciting language from visual cues. It placed far more weight on use of foreign

language in classroom by both teacher and pupil, and the language used was of far greater

practicality.

More gifted and energetic teachers used new courses with great success - moved forward to

open-ended question and answer work and extended dialogue, designed own supplementary

materials, exercises and worksheets.However, generally teachers were disillusioned and

dissatisfied with the new methods - at a time when whole secondary education was being

reorganised with advent of comprehensive schools.

Weaknesses of audio lingual method are that, Basic method of teaching is repetition, speech is

standardised and pupils turn into parrots who can reproduce many things but never create

anything new or spontaneous.

Secondly, Pupils became better and better at pattern practice but were unable to use the patterns

fluently in natural speech situations. (Rivers,1986).

Mechanical drills of early Audio-Visual approach criticised as being not only boring and

mindless but also counter-productive, if used beyond initial introduction to new structure.

Audio-Visual materials were open to same sort of misuse. Tendency to regard audio-visual

materials as a teaching method in themselves, not as a teaching aid. Soon became clear to

teachers that audio-visual approach could only assist in presentation of new materials. Moresubtle classroom skills were needed for pupils to assimilate material and use it creatively. This

final vital phase was often omitted by teachers.

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New technology caught publishers and text-book writers unprepared - very few commercial

materials were available in the early stages. Those that did exist stressed oral and aural skills and

didn't develop reading and writing skills.

New materials necessitated extensive use of equipment with all associated problems of black-

out, extension leads, carrying tape-recorders from classroom to classroom. Some schools set up

Specialist- Language rooms, but teachers still had to set up projectors and find places on tape.

Equipment could break down, projector lamps explode, tapes tangle - not sophisticated

equipment of today. Hardware involved extra time, worry and problems, and, for these reasons

alone, its use gradually faded away. Series of classroom studies threw doubt on claims made for

language laboratory. Showed that this costly equipment did not improve performance of 11+

beginners, when compared with same materials used on single tape-recorder in classroom.

Bernard K (2003) argues that, But Audio-Lingual/(Visual approach did mark start of the

technological age in language teaching and it did introduce important new elements emphasized

need for visual presentation and possibility of eliciting language from visual cues. It placed far

more weight on use of foreign language in classroom by both teacher and pupil, and the language

used was of far greater practicality.

Wilbroad H. (1976) supports that, Audio Lingual method is vital in that, More gifted and

energetic teachers used new courses with great success - moved forward to open-ended question

and answer work and extended dialogue, designed own supplementary materials, exercises and

worksheets. However, generally teachers were disillusioned and dissatisfied with the new

methods - at a time when whole secondary education was being reorganized with advent of

comprehensive schools.

In conclusion, there are many methods of teaching languages. Some have had their heyday and

have fallen into relative obscurity; others are widely used now; still others have a small

following, but contribute insights that may be absorbed into the generally accepted mix.

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References:

Bernard K (2003) Grammar Pedagogy in Second and Foreign Language Teaching, (1991)

TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 3 Autumn.

Larsen-Freeman, Diane. (1986) Techniques and Principles of Language Teaching, Oxford

University Press

Rivers J. (1964) Audio Lingual and Teaching Methods, London, McGraw Hill

Wilbroad H. (1976) English for Foreigners, Chicago, Prentice Hall

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