Cognitive Development in English Language Teaching - Rajesh Lane (pride and prejudice read TXT) 📗

Form- focused teaching, which emphasizes the teaching of the rules of grammar, structures, the development of vocabulary and the sounds of language; and
[ ii ] Meaning-focused teaching, which emphasizes language use, communication or fluency and appropriacy of expression in different situations. (“Methods of Teaching English, Block-II”,65)
Communicative language teaching places the emphasis on language meaning and it’s use appropriacy and fluency as opposed to the earlier form-focused objectives of correctness, usage and practice.
There were different positions held in ELT, there were the extremists who wanted no grammar teaching at all. There were those whose objectives were to teach communication. (for example A Brumfit, Johnson, Maley etc) and others who wanted to teach the grammar of the language through communication ( for example Prabhu ). (“Methods of Teaching English, Block-II”,70).

All these studies discussed above make clear that the purpose of language acquisition is to improve the communicative competence, which is the capacity to use language in speech community.
Present syllabus which are available have difficulties in language acquisition. They give much importance to teacher and the text-based learning situations. These syllabuses keep the learner as passive recipients; not give any chance to their creativity.
English as a second language functions as a lingua-franca (Link language) to unite various linguistic-cultural ethnic group of people. The need is communication served by English. So there is a thirst to acquire English. The matter then is to improve the second language acquisition easily. Various methods, approaches, techniques were introduced to hurry up language learning considerably. The available methods are Grammar Translation method, Direct Methods, Audio-lingual method, Communicative language Teaching, Total Physical Response, Silent way, Computer Assisted language learning, Community language learning, The Natural Approach, Suggestopedia and so on. They have merits and demerits of their own.
Grammar Translation method focuses on the items of grammar and their use. It is based on the translation of source language into target language. And it emphasizes the memorization of rules and vocabulary. It is difficult to memorize all the rules and vocabulary of the language.
Direct method argues that foreign languages can be taught without translation or the use of learner’s native tongue if meaning is conveyed directly through demonstration and action. Direct method needs native teacher or the native fluency.
Audio lingual method is a linguistic or structure – based approach to language Teaching. It advocates linguistic syllabus, which contains the key items of phonology, morphology and syntax of the language arranged according to their order of presentation. Here the students first hear a model dialogue, either read by the teacher or on tape; then they repeat each line of the dialogue individually and in chorus. Correction of mistakes of pronunciation or grammar is direct and immediate. Audio lingual method is based on behaviour psychology of repetition and memorization. So there is no possibility to produce the utterance which are not heard earlier. The mimicry and memorization method is a cremation of learner’s creativity.
Communicative language teaching breaks all the structure-based grammar- governed teaching methods. According to communicative language teaching communication is the ultimate aim. It was received by Wilkins who introduced Notional, Functional syllabuses, Hymes who introduced communicative competence, Howatt who introduced strong and weak version and by many other experts. Communicative language Teaching introduces problem-solving tasks. It needs materials of maps, charts, things etc. It does not give any importance to learner’s emotion.

Total Physical Response method is linked to memory connection ie., the stronger memory association will be recalled. It depends on motor activities of repetition and recall. It expects the learner’s to use the action, pronunciation, gesture of teacher. It argues human brain and nervous system are biologically programmed to acquire language.
The silent way supports to learner’s cognition. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats what is to be learned. It recommends teachers and students to be in a more co-operative position. In which silence is considered the best vehicle for learning; because in silence students concentrate on the task to be accomplished. Language learning is near-native fluency in the target language, and correct pronunciation and mastry of target language are it’s aim. Silent way gives importance to pronunciation and structure of grammar rules. It would be difficult to attain language proficiency easily.
Computer assisted language learning depends on computer-centred teaching. It avoids the teacher. Here the problem of the learner cannot be solved. Contexts gets less attention. Machine overpowers man, so the learner cannot get fluency by speaking with machine.
Community language learning supports counseling among teacher learner and peer-group. Here teacher gives the advise on usage and fine points of grammar. Learner’s are expected to ask questions. Here the learner’s fear on grammar may increase while he speaks.

Natural approach sees communication as the primary function of language. It avoids the attention on structure by language teacher, by the learner, or in language teaching materials. Natural approach recommends the unconscious process of acquisition to improve effective communication. Natural approach supports the meaning to be clear but not necessarily to be accurate in all details of grammar. Here teacher commands every classroom activities. So there is no chance to learner’s to be involved.
Suggestopedia’s significant feature is the concentration on the centrality of music and musical rhythm learning. It recommends the use of musical therapy. This music function seems to relax learner’s as well as to structure, pace and puntuate, presentation of linguistic materials etc. According to suggestopedia the students are not to read vocabulary memorization and acquiring habits of speech, but to learn the acts of communication. It supports the activities of acting, singing etc. It highly recommends yoga and other gymnastic exercises to bring up concentration. Suggestopedia gives no chance to learner’s and their creativity.
Using various methods of teaching is not important, the teacher must have known how to use the teaching method in a proper way, and simultaneously the teacher must have known the remedy to the problems face by the students.
At U .G level teacher facilitates contexts to speak; also