The audiolingual style of language teaching

Typical teaching techniques  
·        dialogues, structure drills, exploitation activities  
Goal  
·        getting students to ‘behave’ in appropriate situations  
Type of student  
·        non-analytical, non-academic  
Learning assumptions  
·         ‘habit-formation’ behaviourist theory  
Classroom assumptions  
·        teacher-controlled classroom  
Weaknesses from a SLA research perspective  
·        inadequate form of grammar  
·        no position on other aspects of language knowledge or use  
·        inefficiency of habit-formation as a means of teaching use  
Suggestions for teaching  
·        use for teaching certain aspects of language only  
·        be aware of the underlying audiolingual basis of many everyday techniques

The communicative style of language teaching

Typical teaching techniques

·        information gap, role-plays, tasks  
Goals

·    getting students to interact with other people in the second lang­uage, in the classroom and outside  
Type of student

·    field-independent students rather than field-dependent students, extroverts rather than introverts, and less academic students rather than academic students  
Learning assumptions

·    learning by communicating with other students in the classroom: laissez-faire

·        some use of conscious understanding of grammar  
Classroom assumptions

·        teacher as organizer, not source of language knowledge   
Weaknesses from a SLA research perspective

·        lack of views on discourse processes, communication strategies, etc.

·        black box model of learning

·        lack of role for the first language  
Suggestions for teaching

·        use with appropriate students in appropriate circumstances

·        supplement with other components of language

·        avoid trivialization of content and aims

the Task-based learning style of Teaching

Typical teaching techniques  
·       meaning-based tasks with definite outcomes  
Goals  
·     fluency, accuracy, complexity  
Type of student  
·     possibly less academic  
Learning assumptions  
·     language acquisition takes place through meaning-based tasks with a specific short-term goal  
Classroom assumptions  
·     teaching depends on organising tasks based on meaning with specific outcomes  
Weaknesses from a SLA research perspective  
·     lack of wider engagement with goals, learner groups etc  
·     lack of a role for first language  
·     reliance on a processing model as opposed to a learning model  
Suggestions for teaching  
·   use in conjunction with other styles not as a style on its own  
·   useful as a way of planning and preparing lessons

The mainstream EFL style of language teaching

Typical teaching techniques  
·        presentation, substitution, role-play  
Goals  
·        getting students to know and use language  
Type of student  
·        any  
Learning assumptions  
·        understanding, practice, and use  
Classroom assumptions  
·        both teacher-controlled full classes and internal small groups  
Weaknesses from SLA research perspective  
·        combination of other styles  
·        lack of role for the L1  
·        drawbacks of mixture of styles  
Suggestions for teaching  
·        do not worry about the mixture of different sources  
·        remember that even this rich mixture still does not cover all aspects relevant to L2 teaching

Other styles of language teaching

Typical teaching techniques

·        CLL, Suggestopedia, confluent language teaching, self-directed learning

Goals

·        Individual, development of potential, self-selected

Type of student

·        Those with personal motivations

Learning assumptions

·        Diverse, mostly learning by doing, or a processing model

Classroom assumptions

·        Learner’s freedom of choice

Weaknesses from a SLA research perspective

·        Either no view of learning or idiosyncratic views

·        Little attention to learner variation

Classroom assumptions  
·        Usually small groups with cofigurative or prefigurative aims  
Suggestions for teachers  
·        A reminder of the importance of the students' feelings  
·        Open discussions with students over their needs and preferences