History of Language Teaching

Language teaching is a field in which fads and heroes have come and gone in a manner fairly consistent with the kinds of changes that occur in youth culture. Prior to the twentieth century, language teaching methodology vacillated between two types of approaches: getting learners to use language versus getting learners to analyze a language. Both the classical Greek and medieval Latin emphasized on teaching people to use foreign language. They were used as lingua francas all over Europe. During the renaissance, the formal study of the grammar of Greek and Latin became popular through the mass production of printing books.

Since the European venaculars had grown in prestige and utulity people in one country begen to learn language of another country. At the time, the most famous teacher and methodologist was Johann Amos Comenius that used some tecniques: use imitation instead of rules to teach, have student repeat, use limited vocabulary initially, help student practice reading and speaking, and teach through picture to make it meaningful.

By the beginning of nineteenth century, the analyrical grammar-translation approach not only for teaching Latin but also for modern languages. However, by the end of nineteenth century the direct method had begun to function as a viable alternative to Grammar-Translation. It is published by Francois Gouin in 1880.

The Direct Method beecame very popular in France and Germany. In 1886, the international Phonetic Assoiation was established and developed the International Phonetics alphabet (IPA).

Quite apart from the Reform movement in Europe, Emile de sauze implemented the Direct method inthe public school in Cleveland, Ohio. The endeavor was not too successful since there were too few foreign language teacher in America. Later the Modern Language Association of America endorsed the Reading approach with emphasis on some of great works of literature and philosophy. It held sway in U.S.A until the late 1930s and early 1940s. When World War II broke out the U.S. military hired linguists to help teah languages and develop material: the audiolingual approach (Fries 1945).

Nine Twentieth-Century Approaches to Language Teaching. There are nine approaches that the writer lists in this chapter: Grammar-Translation, Direct, Reading, Audiolingualism, Oral-Situational, Cognitive, Affective-Humanistic, Comprehension-Based and Communicative.

In Language Teaching Approaches ESL/EFL Teachers shall learn more about the various approaches and methods available and find out which practices have proved successful.