CHAPTER: 18 APPROACHES OF TEACHING ENGLISH

 

CHAPTER: 18

APPROACHES OF TEACHING ENGLISH

This Chapter Deals with

Introduction

Structural Approach

Meaning of Structural Approach

Definition of Structural Approach

Kinds of Structure

Characteristics of Structures and Structural Approach

Principles of Structural Approach

Aims and Objectives of Structural Approach

Criteria of Use

Merits of Structural Approach

Demerits of Structural Approach

Conclusion

Approaches of Teaching English

Introduction: In teaching learning process we use different teaching methods and approaches. Approach is a component of method. An approach describes the nature of the subject matter to be taught. it denotes the reach that the teacher aims at to realize by his teaching, and it is sometimes what we believe in terms of its effectiveness. It is only a notion or idea which may or may not be effective or accepted. We can say that an approach is axiomatic or a self-evident way of reaching the goals. In the other words of Anthony, “It states a point of view or philosophy or an assumptions which one believes but cannot necessarily prove”. It needs no support to justify its effectiveness as we have discussed earlier. In our country, English is taught as first language as well as second language. There are various approaches which are used for teaching English language with effectively. There are some recent approaches in teaching English as a foreign language-:

(i)                 Structural Approach

(ii)               Situational Approach

(iii)              Communicative Approach

(iv)             Constructive Approach

Structural Approach

Introduction: In the present times, English has assumed the significance of a true world language. The structural Approach is the outcome of researches made in the field of teaching English as a foreign language. Due to the changing form status of of English, many methods and approaches have been adopted in teaching English language. The shortcoming of one method or one approach gave birth to another method or approach. An approach is a component of a method. In order to achieve the objectives of teaching English, the teacher must have to know different methods and approaches and its merits and demerits. Structural approach is an approach not a method. The American Structural Linguistic supported this approach for teaching a target language. They regarded English as a living and evolving thing and not merely as a form of expression. It is also known as Aural Oral Approach, Aural Linguistic Approach and Structural Approach. This approach was popularized in India by Central Institute of English, Hyderabad.

Meaning of Structural Approach: Language is no way an automatic process but it is learnt. The child does not know any language, when he born. He begins learning of language by making various isolated sounds. He imitates single words and then group of words and at last sentences. Therefore, the structural approach is the arrangement of words in such a way as to form a suitable pattern. Structural approach of teaching English means teaching the basic structures of English to the students. This approach can be called an improvement over direct method. The students learn a foreign language effectively by structural approach.

Definition of Structural Approach: The following are the definitions of structural approach given by eminent scholars-:

 “Structural Approach is a scientific study of the fundamental structures of the English language, their analysis and logical arrangement”                                         

  Brewington

“The Structural Approach to English, is teaching the learner certain selected structures in a certain order”

C. S Bhandari

“The structural Approach is based on the belief that in the learning of a foreign language, mastery of structures is more important than the acquisition of vocabulary”

Menon and Patel

 

“Structures or Patterns is made of words which are arranged in a specified order. Therefore it is called Structural Approach”

                    Siva Mohan and Man Singh

On the account of the above definitions of Structural Approach, we conclude that structures may be defined as the tools of language. Just a carpenter, a blacksmith or a goldsmith works with his tools much in the same way, the teaching and learning process of a language is worked upon by its tools. The tools of a language are its sounds, stress, rhythm and intonation, its words or vocabulary and structures. Working with these tools a teacher aspires to develop the language skills of reading, writing, speaking and understanding. We can conclude in a single line that the structural approach to teaching English is teaching the students on the basis of structures.

 

Kinds of Structure: Structures can be divided into the following four categories-:

(i)     Sentence Pattern: A sentence pattern is a model for a sentence, which will be of the same shape and construction although made of different words e.g He went to school, Open the window, Sit down etc. There are also certain to put words correctly into the sentences. the sentence pattern structures are as given below with examples-

(i) Patterns having two parts (S+V)

Example- Birds Fly, Sita sings etc

(ii)   Patterns having three parts (Subject+Helping verb+Main verb)

Example- I am reading, He is sleeping etc.

(iii)   Pattern having four parts (Subject+Helping verb+ Main verb+Object)

Example- He is reading a book; Sita is singing a song etc.

(iv)   Pattern beginnings with question word like when and where etc-:

 Example- where do you leave?

                  What can Hari do?

                  When will you come?

(v)  Patterns beginning with a question verb-:

Example- Is ho dancing?

Can you do this?

Am I right?

(vi)  Pattern with show command and request-:

Example-: Switch up the TV

Sit down

Please give me your book

Look at me kindly.

(vii)   Patterns with there-:

Example-: There are some students inside the classroom

There is a large crowd in the cinema hall

(ii) Phrase Pattern: A phrase is a group of words that gives a meaning with its being a sentence. This phrase pattern has an independent meaning and its structure follows certain order of words. As per Example-: There are two pens in my pocket, Birds fly in the sky, Thanks you, that is right, the red flsg, the young man, in the dark, cause behind it, in the sky, in my pocket, under the table etc are some of the examples of phrase pattern structures.

(iii) Formulas: Formulas structure consists of such group of words as are used by in day to day conversation or on certain occasion. As per Example-: Good Night, Well-Come, Excuse me, Sorry, for the delay, God Bless you, May I take this one etc.

(iv) Idiomatic Structure: Idioms are the necessary adornments of language. They beautify it. Though they are not perfect grammatical units but they convey the meaning. The isolated words in them cannot be taken to mean anything. For Example-: All of a sudden, all in all, In black and white etc. It has no individual meaning but it has a meaning when it is used in a group. 

Characteristics of Structures and Structural Approach

(i)     Structures are based on the word order.

(ii)    Every structure embodies an important part of grammar.

(iii)  The 275 structures form the core of English, which a student at secondary stage must know.

(iv)   Structures are carefully graded as regards the form and meaning.

(v)   The structures are graded in a naturally following way such as -: I saw her, I saw her sleeping.

(vi)  The structures are introduced with the help of situation.

(vii)  It is based on child centered activity.

(viii)  It emphasizes the need of speech.

(ix)    It stress on gradation and selection of structures according to the level of students.

Principles of Structural Approach 

(i)     Teaching Language Habits-: It teaches to the students to form language habits of the target language especially the habit of ordering words in a standard practice as distinguished from order of words in the mother tongue.

(ii)   Important to child’s activity -: Structural Approach gives importance to the activity of the child rather than the activity of the teacher.

(iii) Importance of speech-: It gives importance to speech which is the basis of acquiring other skills like reading and writing.

(iv) Mastery of Structures-: One structure should be taken at a time. Emphasis should be laid on constant revision of the structures previously taught. this will help in permanent learning.

(v)   Use of text books-: In preliminary stage use of text books should be avoided. Reading and writing should be introduced after three or four month of schooling. This ensures that before the other skills are developed, the pupils have acquired control of same speech units.

(vi) Methods and situations of teaching-: language cannot be taught in a vacuum. Hence proper situation should be created to make the learning of language interesting for the students. Grammar and translation should be avoided. It should be taught indirectly. Mother tongue should not be used for teaching rather it may be used for giving direction.

(vii)  Principles of selection-: The principles of covering the selection of structures are as follows-: Principles of usefulness, Principles of simplicity, Principles of productivity, Principles of teachability, Principles of realistic situation, Principles of flexibility and Principles of occurrence.

(viii)Principles of Gradation of structures-: The following are the devices for grading the structures-:                           (a) Principles of simplicity.

                                                   (b) Principles of usability

                           © Principles of Teachability

   (d) Principles of difficult level.

(ix) Principles of Maxims, Use of audio visual aids and Black board work-: The teacher can easily create a healthy learning environment for teaching structures by using black board and audio visual aids.

Aims and Objectives of Structural Approach: The aims and objectives of structural approach are as given below-:

(i)         To lay proper emphasis on the aural-oral approach, active methods   and the condemnation of formal grammar for its own shake.

(ii)      To lay the foundation of english by establishing through drill and repetition of about 275 graded structures.

(iii)     To enable the children to mastery over essential vocabulary of about 3000 root words for active use.

(iv)   To teach the four fundamental skills of language e.g Reading, Writing, Speaking and Understanding.

(v)      To teach Grammar and composition with the reading lesson.

Criteria of Use: Selection and gradation of structures is an important step in teaching structures to the students. It is done on the basis of ability, age, mental condition, level or the time that the students have learnt he language. After the selection of structures, they should be put in a suitable order. This is called gradation of structures. The gradation of structures can be done on the basis of the followings-:

(i)                 Structures which identify things and persons.

(ii)               Structures which locate them in space.

(iii)             Structures which fix them in time.

To conclude in the word of Randolph Quirk, “ The structural Approach brings us nearer to an understanding of the most characteristics human activity and nearer to linking it up with the rest of man’s patterned and systematic behavior”

Merits of Structural Approach: The merits of structural approach are as given below-:

(i)                   In structural approach, speech is emphasized.

(ii)                 It can be adopted in all the stages of education.

(iii)                It is based on scientific principles.

(iv)                It is helpful in teaching prose and poetry.

(v)                  In this approach, students become more active.

(vi)                 Language taught in a meaningful situation.

(vii)                 Oral work is emphasized.

(viii)         It is based on constant drill work.

(ix)                  It develops good vocabulary.

(x)                    It helps in becoming mastery over structures.

(xi)                  It helps in developing speaking skills.

(xii)           It deals with teaching one item at a time.

(xiii)         It has advantages over direct method of teaching English language.

(xiv)         It create appropriate learning environment.

(xv)           It utilizes the learning experiences in his mother tongue.

(xvi)         It helps in developing all the language skills.

(xvii)       It is totally child centered.

(xviii)     It helps in developing the skill of pronunciation.

(xix)         Learning becomes more stable and everlasting.

(xx)           It promotes the use of natural and everyday language.

(xxi)         It helps in developing the skill of expression.

(xxii)       It enables the student to speak English fluently.

(xxiii)     It helps the students in learning the grammar aspects of the language.

(xxiv)     It is based on the psychological principles.

(xxv)       By the time the students completes his school education he should have mastery over 275 basic structures and 3000 vocabulary.

(xxvi)     Maximum students can be taught at a time.

(xxvii)   The class room environment is totally interesting and effective.

(xxviii) This approach systematizes the work of syllabus makers, text book writers and teachers.

(xxix)     It amounts “Economy of Efforts” because the work of the teacher is thoroughly stream-lined which permits a minimum of wastage. 

 Demerits of Structural Approach: Some scholars charge some allegations against this approach on the basis of the demerits which this approach seems to have-:

(i)                 It is only applicable at lower stage.

(ii)               The learning is totally mechanical without understanding the nature of the language.

(iii)             No more emphasis on textbooks.

(iv)              It is not actually helpful in teaching prose, poetry and grammar.

(v)                No more suitable for the higher classes.

(vi)              No more helpful for crowed classes.

(vii)            Trained teachers are not available to teach by this approach.

(viii)          Time consuming.

(ix)             Child is not important.

(x)               Uninteresting reading material.

(xi)             The skill of reading and writing is neglected.

(xii)           Vocabulary is neglected.

(xiii)         Mechanical drilling.

(xiv)          It will not be successful only if we have structurally graded syllabus.

(xv)            It demands rigid methodology.

(xvi)          Unsuitable for teaching present text books.

(xvii)        No problem solving.

(xviii)      It demands too much teaching material aids for teaching.

(xix)         It does not tell the teacher how a new item should be presented or drill should be conducted. The teacher himself has to think over.

(xx)           Mother tongue is totally ignored by this approach.

(xxi)         Prof. R. N. Ghosh has pointed out that this approach emphasizes on oral presentation, teaching of structural items, monolingual presentation, mechanical drilling and rigid sequencing of structures resulting in the production of uninteresting reading materials.

(xxii)       According to Gandhi and Trivedi, “This approach requires nicely planned text books which should have a regular frequency of the language material used there in. Till such text books are produced, the structural approach will have to be at the mercy of deficient tools”. 

Conclusion: Nothing can be taught through, though everything can be learnt. English can be best learnt with the help of this approach. Its material is selected and graded according to the pr5inciples of simplicity, usability, Flexibility and other more. To become a good teacher the stress should be given on most suited method to the learner. The law of exercise is also applicable to this approach according to which the more frequently a response is practiced, the better it is learned and longer it is remembered. Supporting the structural approach Shanti Sarup says, “The special virtues of the structural approach lies in the fact that at every stage the objective of teaching and learning are very clearly defined and are attainable”