Audio Lingual and CLT

"There is, in a sense, a 'strong' version of the communicative approach and a 'weak' version. The weak version which has become more or less standard practice in the last ten years, stresses the importance of providing learners with opportunities to use their English for communicative purposes and, chracteristically, attempts to integrate such activities into a wider program of language teaching.....The 'strong' version of communicative teaching, on the other hand, advances the claim that language is acquired through communication, so that it is not merely a question of activating an existing but inert knowledge of the language, but of stimulating the development of the language system itself. If the former could be described as 'learning to use' English, the latter entails 'using English to learn it.' "

**Distinctive features of the Audiolingual Method and the Communicative Approach**
Audio-lingual	Communicative Language Teaching
1. Attends to structure and form more than meaning	Meaning is paramount #We think 'sturucture' and 'form', both of them are the basis of meaning(CLT).
2. Demands memorization of structure-based dialogs.	Dialogs, if used, center around communicative functions and are not normally memorized.
3. Language items are not necessarily contextualized.	Contextualization is a basic premise.
4. Language learning is learning structures, sounds, or words.	Language learning is learning to communicate. # I wonder how learners communicate with each other without the knowledge of words and phrases, grammar and structures.
5. Mastery, or"over-learning" is sought. # It depends on the teacher's how-to, it's not always.	Effective communication is sought.
6. Drilling is a central technique.	Drilling may occur, but peripherally.
7. Native-speaker-like pronunciation is sought.	Comprehensible pronunciation is sought.
8. Grammatical explanation is avoided. # We could find the same statement as the right one, i,e,"Any device which helps the learners is accepted - varying according to their age, interest, etc."on Fries' book, "On the Oral Approach".	Any device which helps the learners is accepted - varying according to their age, interest, etc.
9. Communicative activities only come after a long process of rigid drills and exercises.	Attempts to communicate may be encouiraged from the very beginning.
10. The use of the student's native language is forbidden. # I don't know why.	Judiciouis use of native language is accepted where feasible.
11.Translation is forbidden at early levels. # Our study attributes this to "Direct Method".	Translation may be used where students need or benefit from it. # The same statement is seen on "On the Oral Approach".
12.Reading and Writing are deferred till speech is masterd.	Reading and Writing can start from the first day, if desired. # Audio lingual method reffers to the same statement.
13. The target linguistic system will be learned through the overt teaching of the patterns of the system.	The target linguistic system will be learned best through the process of struggling to communicate.
14. Linguistic competence is the desired goal. # I think the goal is different from above.	Communicative competence is the desired goal(i.e. the ability to use the linguistic system effectively and appropriately).
15. Varieties of language are recognized but not emphasized.	Linguistic variation is a central concept in materials and methodology.
16. The sequence of units is determined solely by principles of linguistic complexity.	Sequencing is determined by any consideration of content, function, or meaning which maintains interest.
17. The teacher controls the learners and prevents them from doing anything that conflicts with the theory.	Teachers help learners in any way that motivates them to work with the language.
18. "Language is habit"so errors must be prevented at all costs.	Language is created by the individual often through trial and error. # "Creating , generating, or coining" of the word or language is not so easy for ESL/EFL learners, I'm sure. (Japanese junior high learners just have 3 lessons per a week.)
19. Accuracy, in terms of formal correctness, is a primary goal. # Accuracy work should never be omitted, because fluency work results from accuracy.	Fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal; accuracy is judged not in the abstract but in context.
20. Students are expected to interact with the language system, embodied in machines or controlled materials.	Students are expected to interact with other people, eigher in the flesh, through pair and group work, or in their writings.
21. The teacher is expected to specify the language that students are to use.	The teacher cannot know exactly what language the students will use. # How ambiguous it is. Actually can they plan the syllabus ?
22. Intrinsic motivation will spring from an interest in the structure of the language. # Of course the structure itself has no interest,but without doubting teachers device new materials.	Intrinsic motivation will spring from an interest in what is being communicated by the language.

Morphology/form/structure versus Meaning/function/interacitve communication are the basis for this distinction.

But CLS teaching has the same overlapped definition as audio lingual method, it means CLS is the newer theory than audio lingual method and the former is completed and reinforced by the latter.

Thus the theory is created through other theories, and new one will naturally cover the old one. It's not too exaggerated to say that the new theory has to be more completed generally. If not it's ignored or waisted.

As to Japanese junior high level English education, audio lingual method is preffered more than CLS. Because they've just started English and they don't know even "i". "i +1" never happens.

We teachers aim at "Communicative competence", but we have to consider the students situation and individual development well. If we do so , we had better adopt the "graded method", I think.

As soon as they start English "Communicative competence" are required for them. Without knowing ABC does it really count most ?....I wonder.

You can see"the Japanese Curriculum sample"

The method or theory adopted by teacher depends on the environment around students , we should not adopt the popular method so easily.

The learning/teaching Enligh situation is exactly different respectively in each country .

"Audio Lingual Method" and "CLT"

What is the difference between them ?

You can see"the Japanese Curriculum sample"

Why don't you go to "the Natural Approach"??

"Audio Lingual Method" and "CLT"

What is the difference between them ?

function newpage(f){ w=window.open("curriculum.htm","Newpage","width=480,height=240,scrollbars=1,resizable=0,toolbar=0,menubar=0,location=0,directories=0,status=0"); } You can see"the Japanese Curriculum sample"

Why don't you go to "the Natural Approach"??

You can see"the Japanese Curriculum sample"