Session 01: historical development of modern language teaching

Question 1

Describe the Grammar Translation Method

Answer 1

• teaching like Latin and Greek: translation, focus on words and grammar
• knowledge of words (building blocks) and grammar rules (building rules)
• goal: knowledge about language, not the use of skills of language

Question 2

Whats the Direct Method?

Answer 2

“language teaching has to be turned around”
- speaking the langauge is more important than grammar and translation
- skills before knowledge, focus on oral skills, monolinguism and clarity
- experience-oriented, inductive learning

Question 3

What is the Audiolingual Method?

Answer 3

• inclusion of learn-psychological information
• structuralism & behaviorism
• pattern drills, repetition, imitation
• improvement of oral skills, orientation towards authentic everyday-situations
• push towards monolingualism (only Eng in lessons)

Question 4

What is the Imparting (vermittelnde) Method?

Answer 4

goal: student activation
- enlightened monolingualism ( aufgeklärte Einsprachigkeit): in case of need, explain it in German
- cyclic repetition of grammar

Question 5

What is the Audiovisual Method?

Answer 5

• visual media (e.g films) as an addition to teaching material
• focus on authentic speaking situations
• critics: teacher= media technician, no creative or cognitive activation of students

Question 6

What is Communicative Didactics?

Answer 6

• teacher= assistant in learning process, not just giving information
• goal: inductive, self-discorvering complete activation of students
• tasks demanding both cooperation and autonomy
• expansion of social forms

Question 7

What is the Intercultural Didactics?

Answer 7

• globalization: intercultural communication
• foreign language teaching as a preparation for cultural differences and foreign communication systems
• focus: socio-cultural charasteristics of foreign culture (Friedenserziehung)