TEACHING ENGLISH

THE SILENT WAY METHOD

Teaching Method, Bachelor Degree VIII Professor, Elmer Jorge Guardado, Mat October 18th, 2013

Silent Way Method Every teacher has their own method to teach a subject, but as we know, every method has a specific propose in each subject, hence, teacher has to have a previous knowledge about every teaching method and think, what is the best method to do in class? And what is the goal that I want to achieve? In this research paper will show the silent way method and will be divided into three questions: What is silent way method? Why to use the silent way method? How to use the Silent Way Method?

What is silent way method? The silent way as audio-lingual method, both are focus in production of sounds and structures of the target language. Silent Way was an eccentric linguistic called Caleb Gattegno. His method is based on the belief that successful languages learners are autonomous and independent from the teacher, fostering the ability to self-monitor make the method learner-centered in a curious way.

The general goal set for language learning is near native fluency in the target language, and correct pronunciation and mastery of the prosodic elements of the target language are emphasized. Teachers speak from sixty five percent to ninety five percent of the time in traditional classrooms it is difficult to find teachers who are comfortable with the required silence of the Silent Way, thus limiting the number of teachers available to teach employing this method, due to, teachers always think, they have to teach and the student has to listen, without they giving an opinion and doing the class bored and the student less interest from class. When the teachers teach new language, he/she has to use a method in which the student has experience and from experience get a meaningful learning.

The Silent Way belongs to the latter tradition, which views learning as a problem-solving, creative, discovering activity, in which the learner is a principal actor rather than a bench-bound listener (Richards, 1987). According to pedagogys researcher, one of the best way people have a meaningful learning is by discovering activity, due to, the teacher let the student to know by themselves how is the correct pronunciation of a word, or which is the phrase that the teacher wants the students to discover through the technique;

however, inside the silent way method there are another method in which are related with this method and there are Inductive teaching also called discovery teaching or inquire teaching is based on the claim that knowledge is built primary from a learners experience (Teaching Diverses Language, 2005), also inductive teaching is a constructivist model of teaching that is more student centered. In inductive teaching first provide examples, then have students practice and figure out the rule them. This method of teaching is more experiential and based on a guided learning by discover and Deductive teaching also called direct instruction is much less constructivist (Teaching Diverses Language, 2005). Deductive teaching is a more traditional form of teaching. In deductive teaching you typically provide information, share specific examples of the concept or skill being taught, and then allow students to practice the skill being taught.

The Silent Way makes it easy for students of foreign languages to master grammar at a very early stage in their study due to, this method help the students to get good pronunciation and dominate the foreign langue by themselves expressing thought feelings, etc. and independent from the teacher having rely by themselves

Why to use the silent way method?

Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers.

Discovery learning is a powerful instructional approach that guides and motivates learners to explore information and concepts, embrace new knowledge, and apply new behaviors back on the job. Using this methodology, organizations can educate their employees quickly and with higher levels of retention than traditional training methods. (Gomez)

Learning is facilitated by accompanying by physical objects.

The rods and the color-coded charts provide physical foci for student learning and also create memorable images to facilitated student recall. They are used to introduce vocabulary (colors, numbers, adjectives, verbs) and syntax (tense, comparatives, plurals, word order)

Principles of the teacher usage silent way method

The student should be able to use the language for self-expression to express their thought, perceptions, and feelings.

Be able to independence from teacher The student be able to rely by themselves (Larsen, 2000)

What language skills are emphasizing?

All four skill areas worked on from beginning (reading, writing, speaking, listening); pronunciation especially, because sounds are basic and carry the melody of the language. Structural patterns are practiced in meaningful interactions. Syllabus develops according to learning abilities and needs. Reading and writing exercises reinforce oral learning. (Ferguson, 1959) Advantage and disadvantage Advantage

Students interact not only with teachers but also with each other. - Students correct the errors themselves and teachers view these errors as the responses to the teaching and give students some hints and help. - The student learn they must give the teacher their attention in order not to miss what he says (the student attention in the key to learn) Disadvantages - Students may be confused with the symbols of the colored wooden rods. -Students waste too much time struggling with a concept that would be easily clarified by the teachers direct guide.

- In trying to create a less teacher-orientated classroom, many say that the Silent Way goes too far to the opposite extreme. (Essay)

How to use the Silent Way Method? Material The sound/ color rectangle chart. A wall chart made up of different colored rectangles; each color represents a phoneme (sound) of the language, enabling learners to work on fine distinctions in the phonetics and prosody of the language, both on the level of production and of listening and recognition.

Word Charts

Wall charts on which the words are written with the same color code as the rectangle chart. These charts display the structural vocabulary of the language: about 500 words.

The Fidel (spelling charts)

These show all the possible spellings for each phoneme and which also use the same color code as the rectangle chart. The Fidel is particularly useful for languages such as English and French, which have complex and irregular spellings.

Cuisenaire rods

Rods are used to create clear and visible situations that enable students to understand how a given concept is expressed in the language. (Hanson., 2000)

Technique In the silent way classroom, the teacher keeps talk to a minimum (thus the name of the method). Learners produce utterance in response to commands, question and visual cues. (Nunan)

Auxiliary technique A pointer. Representing everyday scenes and very spare in style, these pictures encourage students to use their imagination to suggest interpretations. They are used to introduce common vocabulary and also to serve as a starting point for stories created by the students or to encourage discussion The teacher or the learner can show a word or a sentence while maintaining the essential characteristic of language - its ephemeral nature. The pointer creates the dynamic of the language by introducing the element of time in relation to the different charts, which are in themselves, static. The use of the pointer is one of the ways in which the teacher calls on the learners to use their mental powers. In concluding, this method is characterize for an autonomous process and learner independent from the teacher, and main purpose to teach the silent way method it is to achieve the correct pronunciation and according to this method, also, has a native fluency. But not all teachers can to do this method, due to, a lot teachers stills giving the old methods. As a teacher, we have to be innovative teachers, doing new things to catch the student attention in our classes.

Bibliografa
Essay, C. (s.f.). Cyber Essay. Recuperado el 17 de 10 de 2013, de Cyber Essay: http://www.cyberessays.com/Term-Paper-on-Advantages-And-Disadvantages-Of-SilentWay/33070/ Ferguson, D. C. (1959). CAL. Recuperado http://www.cal.org/about/history.html el 19 de 10 de 2013, de CAL:

Gomez, R. J. (s.f.). Paradigm Learning. Recuperado el 18 de 10 de 2013, de Paradigm Learning: http://www.paradigmlearning.com/our-approach/what-is-discovery-learning.aspx Hanson., G. (2000). une education pour demain. Recuperado el 19 de 10 de 2013, de http://www.uneeducationpourdemain.org/en/silent-way-en/213-caleb-gattegno-silent-waypresentation Larsen, D. (2000). Technique and priciples in language Teaching. New York: Oxford University. Nunan, D. Teaching English to Young Learners. Anaheim: USA. Richards, J. y. (1987). The Silent Way. En J. y. Richards, The Silent Way. Reino Unido: Cambridge University Press. Robert, R. (14 de september de 2012). elt-resourceful. Recuperado el 10 de Octubre de 2013, de elt-resourceful: http://elt-resourceful.com/2012/09/14/the-silent-way-suggestopaedia-tpr-andother-designer-methods-what-are-they-and-what-can-we-learn-from-them/ Teaching Diverses Language. (2005). National Institute.

UNIVERSIDAD CAPITAN GENERAL GERARDO BARRIOS. Km. 113 Carretera del Litoral, Desvo a Santa Mara Usulutn, El Salvador. PBX. (503) 2662-0846 LESSON PLAN Teachers name: Celina Arely Morales Date: Oct. 18th, 2013 Time: 15 min. Subject: English Section: A Unit: 2 Career: Bachelor Degree in English. Level: B1

Topics:

Teaching Methods Principles of the Method The teacher has to be in silent during the activity.

Activities Techniques Teacher Greeting. Students Timing

Teaching Resources

Identifying Gives colors by instructions. Students have to response looking at some commands. blocks. Around table. colors Silent Way.

Listen attentively to the instructions given by the 5 min. teacher. Look at some block and identify colors. 5 min.

Tables. Whiteboard.

Blocks.

Gestures. (in response to commands )

5 min.