THE ORAL APPROACH (OA)AND SITUATIONAL LANGUAGE TEACHING(SLT)

Circumstance
The origin of this approach began with the work of the British applied linguists in the
1920s and 1930s. In this time, many applied linguists developed basis for the principled
approach to methodology in language teaching. One of the methods born in this time was
Direct method. However, DM had no scientific foundation for approach to teaching
English. They, Harold Palmer and A.S. Hornby made their effort to develop a more
scientific approach foundation. The result of this was appearance of OA.

Premises foundation
The Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching relied on the structural view of
language. Both speech and strucure were seen to be the basis of language and, especially,
speaking ability. And structures must be presented in situations in which they could be used.

Besides, vocabulary was considered one of the most important aspects of foreign language
learning and grammar as the underlying sentence patterns of the spoken language.

The ultimate goal

The ultimate method goal is speaking ability.

Theoretical basis for the OA and SLT

Speech- regarded as the basis of language and structure – considered the heart of speaking
ability.
Secondly, knowledge of structures must be linked to situations in which they could be used.
Another theoretical basis for this is the ealier Oral approach of the British school of language
teaching.

Who will benefit most

Children will receive benefits most in this method. This demand small sized groups and
active environment with concrete objects and visual aids. The teacher has initial and directed
role. He/ she is required to be a skillful manipulator, using questions, commands and server
as a model.

How does OA and SLT lesson go

The teacher model first by repeating words, structures in isolation several times. Then he/
she offer choral imitation what he/ she said. Next asks some individual students to repeat the
model in order to check pronunciation. The teacher isolate sounds, words,… which cause
trouble before replacing in them in context. Students use old patterns they already learnt as
the connection to the new ones. The teacher manipulate, use gesture, use concrete ojects,
cue words to model, to correct errors. Most students have to practice asking and answering .
the lesson is carried out with speaking activities first and then reading and writing ones.

Similarity and difference from DM

Like the DM, this method adopts an inductive approach. Nevertheless, unlike the DM, OA
and SLT has developed based on the theoretical basis.