Audio-Lingual method

Audio-Lingual method

Preface

The Audio-Lingual  method is based on the theory that  language learning is a question of habit formation.  It has its origins in Skinner’s 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.

Table of content

Preface ……………………………………………………………………………………...... 1

Table of content ……………………………………………………………………………… 2

Background ………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Theory of language ………………………………………………………………………….. 4

Theory of learning …………………………………………………………………………… 4

Objective ………………………………………………………………………………….…. 4

Syllabus ……………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Learner’s role ………………………………………………………………………………..  4

Teacher’s role ……………………………………………………………………………….. 4

The role of instructional materials …………………………………………………………... 5

Procedures …………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Strengths ……………………………………………………………………………………... 6

Weakness …………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

References …………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Background

Audiolingualism came about as a result of a number of developments in linguistics, psychology, and politics. In the 1940s, linguists at the University of Michigan and other universities were engaged in developing materials for teaching English to foreign students studying in the U.S. Their approach, based on structural linguistics, relied on a contrastive analysis of the students' native language and the target language, which they believed would identify potential problems in language learning. Lessons consisted of intensive oral drilling of grammatical patterns and pronunciation. The approach became known variously as the Oral Approach, the Aural-Oral Approach, or the Structural Approach.

At approximately the same time, the United States was drawn into World War II and needed personnel who were fluent in foreign languages. Upon finding a lack of Americans with sufficient language skills, in 1942 the U.S. government developed the Army Specialized Training Program, an oral-based program based on intensive drilling and study. The success of this program convinced a number of prominent linguists of the value of an intensive oral approach to language learning. Most American schools and universities, however, continued to employ the Grammar-Translation Method or the Reading Method well into the 1950s.

In 1957 Russia launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, causing the U.S. government to become concerned about Americans' isolation from scientific advances in foreign countries due to their lack of proficiency in foreign languages. The National Defense Education Act of 1958 provided funds for developing foreign language teaching materials and training teachers, and language teaching specialists set about developing new teaching methods. They drew upon the earlier Structural Approach and the Army program, as well as on principles of behaviorist psychology. The new approach, which Yale professor Nelson Brooks dubbed audio-lingual (Brooks, 1964, p. 263), claimed to have transformed language teaching into a science.

The Audiolingual Method was widely adopted in the U.S. and Canada and served as the principal approach to foreign language teaching in the 1960s. The method's decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s was brought about by two factors. First, linguist Noam Chomsky questioned the theoretical basis for the method, particularly the assumption that external conditioning could account for all language learning (Chomsky, 1959). Second, some language teachers and students experienced frustration with the method's avoidance of grammar explanations, its heavy emphasis on rote memorization and drilling, and its failure to produce conversational ability in the foreign language (Hadley, 2001). These developments led to the eventual abandonment of the method, although some of its practices, such as dialogue learning and pattern drills, continue to be used in some foreign language programs.

The theory of language

The theory of language was structural linguistics or structural view of language that had developed the traditional grammar. The primary of structural linguistic used oral language as media of learning. Before learning how to write and read, the important thing is learn how to speak.

The theory of learning

The theory of learning of Audiolingual method was behavioral psychology with the three elements which are stimulus – response – reinforcement.

The objectives

The objectives of Audio lingual method are short and long term objectives.

-          The short term consists of first; the structure of sound, form and order in the new language, second; acquaintance with vocabulary items, and third; meaning especially verbal symbol.

-          The long term is get knowledge and competency as native speaker.

The Syllabus

Audio lingual method is used linguistic syllabus which contains the key items of phonology, morphology, and syntax of language.

Learner roles

The learners are directed to have skill and produce correct responses. They play reactive role by responding the stimuli.

Teacher roles

The roles of teacher are central and active. The teacher is dominated the method of learning and models target of language.

The role of instructional materials

It is a guide the teacher to develop language mastery of the learner. Tape recorder and audiolingual equipment have central role in audiolingual course.

Procedure

Audio lingual method is oral approach to language learning by involving extensive oral instructions and drills in the teaching process.

Teaching Procedure.1 (example) :

      Listen (more than once) to a conversation.

      Have class repeat each line. (several times)

      Use backward build-up drill.

      Ss adopt the role of the conversation and dialogue with the teacher.

      Repetition drill- mimic the teacher’s model.

      Chain drill- 1/ Ss have opportunities to say his/her lines. 2/ let Ss use expression to communicate.

Teaching Procedure.2 (example) :

      Substitute drill- Use the cue.

      Transformation drill- e.g. change affirmative sentences to negative sentences; active- passive

      Through actions and examples, Ss have learned to answer Qs following for the pattern T modeled.

Strength :

1. This method focus in L2.

2. The student can master the lesson.

3. Good pronunciation and so much vocabulary.

 Weakness :

1. By using this method continually, students will be bored.

2. Must be taught by the Native speaker.

Conclusion

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.

REFERENCES

http://hafidgeorge.blogspot.com/2001/08/Audio-Lingual  method.html

http://teflpedia.com/ Audio-Lingual  method

https://www.google.com/search?q=teachers+role&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=Audio-Lingual  method =org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial

www.google.co.id/#psj=1&q=procedure+of+audio+lingual+method