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Murodov Sh.D. teacher Interfaculties Department Of Foreign Languages
Azimov A.Kh.
chief Interfaculties Department Of Foreign Languages
METHODOLOGY AND ITS THEORETICAL BASES
Annotation: Teaching English is challenging. However, in this globalized world learning foreign languages is necessary. So as potential teachers, we should ask ourselves the following questions, how should I teach English to my pupils? What is the best way for them to learn? At present, English is one of the most important and growing subjects in our primary schools and it is also present in our curriculum. Moreover, many schools are adopting bilingual programs. Though there is abundant legislation stipulating how teachers must proceed and how they should incorporate the different approaches and methodologies, it is the teachers themselves who are expected to design and plan the lessons.
Key words: curriculum, foreign language, methodologies, language, corrects pronunciation, different methods, grammatical structure, approach.
Learning a foreign language as if it were a mother tongue would be the ideal way, since the need to learn grammar and structures would be obviated. This is difficult if the teachers themselves are non-native and is therefore one of the most complicated aspects. Thus, we consider it very important to investigate how to teach English in each situation. Sometimes it is not a matter of teaching English but a matter of teaching in English. The main purpose is to create a new method made of all the different methods already known and take advantage of all the positive features in each method. However, just a simple mixture of all methods would not be enough since we are dealing with very different situations regarding age, level and resources. Therefore, the main idea is to use all the methods in a varying proportion depending on the circumstances. Learning a foreign language may cause stress and anxiety and in order to mitigate this problem, teachers could follow a Natural approach involving teaching in a setting as close as possible to the one people learn their mother tongue.
As a theoretical base and precedents, and since I have had the English Teaching Method subject this academic year, I will follow the subject theory, in which we can find the different English Methods used nowadays and their main characteristics.
The Methods are as follows:
1. The Grammar Translation Method
2. The Direct Method
3. The Audio-lingual Method
4. The Total Physical Response
5. The Communicative Language Teaching
6. Task-based Language Learning
First of all we consider it important to define the Word methodology. METHODOLOGY: A system of ways of doing, teaching or studying something (Cambridge Dictionary).
According to Traits: Describes concrete ways of Teaching. Another definition: Tries to be as precise as possible giving examples of how to teach following a determined method.
English Methodologies: The Grammar-Translation Method This was the predominant method in Europe during the nineteenth century. Reading and writing basically works, leaving aside the more oral expression and comprehension. Classes focus on the teacher, who provides grammar rules and vocabulary to be memorized. Grammar is taught with explanations in the native language and only later applied in the production of sentences through translation from one language to another. The sentence is the basic unit of learning and practising the language. Most sessions are based on phrase translation from one language to another. The student's native language is the medium of instruction, that is, it is used to explain new items and to make comparisons between the target language and the native language. As already mentioned, the mother tongue is kept as a reference in the process of learning a second language.
The principles on which this method could be defined are based on the following points:
1. Translation interprets the words and phrases of a foreign language in the best possible way.
2. Structures of language are best learned when compared and contrasted with the mother tongue.
In this method, while the textbook is used, the teacher will translate every word and phrase from English into the mother tongue. Translation from one language to another is a very important goal that students should acquire. Authority in the classroom is the teacher and key skills to be learned are reading and writing. The sentence is the basic unit of learning and practice of new language. Most lessons are based on translation into the mother tongue. • Accuracy is greatly emphasised. It is expected that students acquire competent translation skills • Grammar is taught deductively, through presentations and studio grammatical rules, which are then practised through translation exercises. The intent was to teach grammar in a systematic and organised way. The students' native language is the medium of instruction. It is used to explain new
items and to make comparisons between the language learned and mother tongue. This method has some disadvantages, among which we highlight that it gives students the erroneous idea that a language is a collection of words that are isolated and independent. The method also decreases student motivation since it leads to frustration and boredom. Equal relevance is not attributed to the four major skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading and writing. This method involves less preparation of didactic lectures by the teacher, and teacher's ability to speak English correctly is not taken into account. Moreover, almost no class time is allotted for students to produce their own sentences, and even less time is spent on oral practice (productive or reproductive). The classroom experience does not allow students to develop theie own style. In addition, there is often little contextualization of grammar. As we can see, the Grammar-Translation method is very antiquated, it does not mean that we can not use it at all, but we need to consider many other issues while teaching to our pupils. At some point and in some circumstances the Grammar-Translation method may be useful, but in general we recommend that it should not be over-used.25
The Direct Method. The Direct Method was born in France and Germany in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century and was consecrated in the United States with Sauveur and Maximilian Berlitz (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). The appearance of this method was a response to dissatisfaction with the grammar-translation method. Its creators argue that a language can be taught without translation or the use of the native language if learning is based on demonstration and action. The language is best taught using it actively in class, rather than using analytical procedures that focus on the explanation of grammatical rules. Teachers should encourage direct and spontaneous use of the language learned in class. Thus, students will be able to learn the language and induce grammatical rules. The vocabulary learned can be used to teach the new one, using mime, shows and clips. It' involves the immersion of students in the target language in the same way that they learned their mother tongue. It is focused on preparing students to use the language in order to achieve communication. All language learning is done in the language you want to learn and new learning is taught orally. The new vocabulary is taught through demonstration and focuses primarily on speaking and listening, giving much importance to correct pronunciation.
Students must devote much class to oral practice. The key principles
are:
1. Instructions in class are made exclusively in the target language. Students must learn to think and communicate in the target language.
25 Richards, J. y Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.
2. Only learn the vocabulary and phrases every day during the initial phase of the class. in the following phases grammar, reading and writing is introduced.
3. Communicative skills are taught gradually using question-answer exchanges between teacher and students.
4. The vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects and images. Abstract vocabulary is taught by association of ideas.
5. Both oral production and listening comprehension are taught.
6. Correct pronunciation is emphasised. Some of its main features are: • Students must learn to think and communicate in the target language.26 The role of students is not passive. • culture (history, geography, day-to-day life) of the speakers of the language is studied. Although language-teaching materials are not used in Suggestopedia, the learning environment plays such a central role that the important elements of the environment need to be briefly enumerated. The environment (the indirect support materials) comprises the appearance of the classroom (bright and cheery), the furniture (reclining chairs arranged in a circle), and the music. This is not to say, however, that certain elements of the approach cannot be taken and incorporated into the more eclectic approach to language teaching widely in evidence today. The use of music both in the background and as an accompaniment to certain activities can be motivating and relaxing. Attention to factors such as décor, lighting and furniture is surely not a bad thing. Dialogues too have their applications. Perhaps most importantly of all the ideas which create conditions in which learners are alert and receptive, can only have a positive effect on motivation. Whether these conditions are best created by the use of classical music and the reading of dialogues is debatable, but there is no doubt that Suggestopedia has raised some interesting questions in the areas of both learning and memory.
The Audio-Lingual Audio-Visual Method The Audio-lingual Method appeared as a result of the need to possess good oral and aural mastery of a foreign language during and after World War II. We find this method named in different books of the 60s. Its well-defined principles were developed by Moulton, between 1961 and 1963 (Stern, 2001). It is closely linked to behaviourism, the elements of repetition and habit formation. This method proposes a learning process based on listening and oral production as opposed to writing and reading. The material presented is based especially on dialogues and exercises as major learning techniques. In this method, the use of the mother tongue in the classroom is not recommended, although the use of the mother tongue in the classroom or materials is not as restrictive as it is in the direct method. The lessons are organised by grammatical structure and presented through short dialogues. Generally students repeatedly hear different
26 Johnson, K. E. The Sociocultural Turn and Its Challenges for Second Language Teacher Education. // TESOL Quarterly., - London., 2006: - 235- bet.
conversations and focus on mimicking the pronunciation and grammatical structures in these dialogues. Simple and active practice is emphasised. The intention is to prevent learning the language from being a mental burden and make it a relative effort through repetition and imitation. The Audio-lingual Method has introduced memorising dialogues and imitative repetition as specific learning techniques. It is an interpretation of learning in terms of stimulus and response.
The main objectives of this method are to develop oral proficiency in the language through a wide choice of vocabulary, and to make the students capable of communicating using language learned automatically. Its basic principles are:
1. Listening and oral production should be taught before writing and reading.
2. Instructions and exercises are given in the target language. Language forms occur within a context.
4. Mistakes are carefully avoided because they lead to the formation of bad habits. 5. The teaching methods are geared to provide students with a native-speaker model.
6. Positive reinforcement helps students develop good habits.
7. The teacher leads, guides and controls the learning of students in the target language.
8. Language is seen as culture-related.
9. Dialogue is the way to present vocabulary, structures, and is learned through repetition and imitation. Interaction occurs between student and teacher. The student imitates the teacher. 27
Methodology, Repetition as a learning method is used, and no opportunity is given to students to create anything new or be spontaneous. Students become very good at the practice of speaking, but are unable to use the patterns fluently in natural communication contexts. • It may be a mistake to regard audio-visual materials as a teaching method in themselves, instead of as a a didactic tool.
In learning a second language, the teacher must know the different methods of teaching and learning of this language. This will help him to know which method to apply in each context. Teaching a foreign language involves many different methods. There is no recommended method for learning a second language, but some seem more appropriate than others. As mentioned earlier, the main aim of this work is to develop an eclectic approach through the analysis of existing methodologies coupled with our own experiences studying abroad in an internship in a bilingual school where English was taught by natives. The aim, at all times, was to develop an approach as similar as possible to the approaches used by natives.
27 Johnson, K. E. The Sociocultural Turn and Its Challenges for Second Language Teacher Education. // TESOL Quarterly., - London., 2006: - 235- bet.
We have summarised the existing methodologies We have seen their main characteristics and we have seen how they are used. We would now like to focus on the main strengths of each particular method and combine them into a new flexible whole. However, since education is not an exact science, we would like to go a step further and adapt this proposed method to the different situations and levels which abound in primary education. At the same time we will bear in mind that the fact that we are not natives impedes us from teaching in exactly the same way as natives. We can though, mitigate our weaknesses by developing additional material. Moreover, the methodology we propose is not to help primarily teachers, but students, and the learning process. Consequently, involving students in the learning process is a major objective. As a future member of the teaching profession and as an ex-student in our primary school system, I really missed the motivational part of the process. In my view, a motivated student is the best thing a teacher could have, but it is very difficult to find selfmotivated students. So besides the proposal of an eclectic method where some metholdological elements could be included, we would like toenhance our method by including a motivational componenet which draws the students into the learning process and makes him more enthusiastic about learning English. So a key component of our eclectic method developed from the existing methods is the new motivation factor. It involves the use of new technologies in our classes. The problem is that new technologies are a very general concept nowadays, but to be specific we would like to introduce video games. Very general concept nowadays, but to be specific we would like to introduce video games. We consider that video games are immensely attractive to students and this should be taken advantage of.
References:
1. Richards, J. y Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.
2. Franciso Jose Francisco Carrera, (2014). English Language Teaching Methodology
3. Пассов Э. И. Общительный метод обучения иностранного разговора. -Москва., 1985: - 10 - bet.
4. Johnson, K. E. The Sociocultural Turn and Its Challenges for Second Language Teacher Education. // TESOL Quarterly., - London., 2006: - 235-bet.
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6. Harmer J. The Practice of English Language Teaching. - London., 2001: -64-bet.
7. Jalolov J. Chet tili o'qitish metodikasi. - Toshkent., 2012: - 48-bet.
