THE AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD

The Audio-lingual method is the product of historical circumstances. It is also called Oral method or the Army method. This method of Language learning is a style of teaching used in teaching foreign language. It was based on the principles of behaviour psychology and on behaviour ideology. This approach to language learning was similar to another, earlier method called the Direct Method which advised that students be taught a language directly, without using the students native language to explain new words or grammar in the target language. However, the Audio-lingual method didnt focus on teaching vocabulary. New material is presented in the form of a dialogue. This means that the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for the students to sample in the same structure. In audio-lingualism, there is no explicit grammar instruction- everything is simply memorized in form. The idea is for the students to practice the particular construct until they can use it spontaneously.

Principles of the Audio-lingual method: Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed in order. Speaking and listening competence preceded reading and writing competence. There is a pre-reading period at the beginning of the course. Use of the mother tongue, Spanish, is permitted to the teacher but discouraged among and by the students. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills. For example: Teacher: Theres a cup on the tablerepeat Students: Theres a cup on the table Teacher: Book Students: Theres a book on the table. The emphasis is on having students produce error free utterances.

 Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context. Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects and pictures. Abstract vocabulary is taught through association of ideas. There is abundant use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids. Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation.

Hints for Using Audio-lingual drills:

1. The teacher must be careful to insure that all the words which students will make, are actually within the practiced pattern. For example; the use of the AUX verb Have and Have as a main verb. 2. To establish a system, drills should be conducted as rapidly as possibly so as to insure automaticity. 3. Ignore all errors of pronunciation when drilling for a grammar practice. 4. The teacher is the choir director so he should use shortcuts to keep the pace using hand motions, signal cards, notes 5. Use normal English stress, intonation and juncture patterns conscientiously. 6. Drill material should always be meaningful. If the content words are not known, teach their meanings. 7. Short periods of drill (about 10 minutes) with alternative acitivities to avoid fatigue and boredom. 8. Introduce the drill in this way: a. Focus (by writing on the board, for example) b. Exemplify (by speaking model sentences) c. Explain (if a simple grammatical explanation is needed) 9. Dont stand in one place; move about the room standing next to the students to check their production. So you will know who to give more practice to during individual drilling.

Strategies for the Audio-lingual method: 1. Dialog Memorization: Students are given a short dialog to memorize, and then they must use mimicry to present the dialog. Objective: Experiment with language and non-verbal elements. (eg.gesture) to achieve an effect for a particular purpose and audience. Dialog Person 1: Good morning, Bill. Person 2: Good morning, Sally. Person 1: How are you? Person 2: Fine thanks, and you? Person 1: Fine. Where are you going? Person 2: I'm going to the post office. Person 1: I am too. Shall we go together? Person 2: Sure. Let's go. 2. Backward Build Up: Provide students with the sentences fragments found in the materials section. Students repeat each part of the sentences starting at the end of the sentence and expanding backwards through the sentence adding each part in sequence. Objective: Participate in a variety of shared language experiences. Example Teacher: Repeat after me: Post office Class: Post office Teacher: to the post office Class: to the post office Teacher: going to the post office Class: going to the post office Teacher: I'm going to the post office. Class: I'm going to the post office.

3. Transformation Drill: The teacher provides a question which must be transformed into a statement. An extension of this activity is to have the students make a question out of a statement.

Objective: Select from a range of word choices and use simple sentences patterns to communicate ideas and information. Transformation Activity The teacher asks the question and the students must transform the question into a statement. Here are some questions to get you started: 1. Do you like school? 2. Are you having fun? 3. Did the cat climb the tree? 4. Complete the dialog: Have the students fill in the blanks in the dialog provided. The proper English word must be inserted into the text. This activity is much like a cloze activity. Objective: Make connections between text, prior knowledge, and personal experiences. Complete the dialog. 1. Yesterday we went for a ___________________ around the school ground. The school is a __________________ building. The door is ________________________. On our walk we saw____________________________. We _________________________ to walk. 2. My name is _________________________. I am ____________________ years old. My hair is _______________________. My dress is ___________________________. 5. Dictation: Using any piece of literature at the students reading level, read the piece aloud several times. Have the students write

down what they hear. The idea is to write what they have heard as literally as possible.

Objective: Listen purposefully to determine main ideas and important details. 6. Flashcards: Using flashcards with words that are relevant to them brainstorm other words about the word on the card. A new word could be chosen each day. Objective: Make connections between texts, prior knowledge and personal experience.

pig geese milk town friend

school kitchen wedding truck brother

teacher cow harvest book calf

7. Chain Drill: A chain of conversation forms around the room as the teacher greets or questions a student and that student responds then turns to the next student and greets or asks a question of the second student and the chain continues. Objective: Participate in shared language experiences. 8. The Alphabet Game: The teacher picks a category, such as the supermarket. Then the first student says, "I am going to the supermarket. I need a few apples." (The first student names something beginning with A.) The second student says, "I am going to the supermarket. I need a few apples and I need a few bananas." The game continues in this manner with each consecutive student adding an item beginning with the next letter after repeating the items named before their own. Objectives: Participate in shared listening experiences. Share ideas and experiences in large and small groups.

Today Despite being discredited as an effective teaching methodology in the 1960s, audio-lingualism continues to be used today, although it is typically not used as the foundation of a course, but rather, has been relegated to use in individual lessons. As this type of lessons is very teacher centered, it is a popular methodology for both teachers and students.