examples. They learn paradigms such as verb conjugation, and they learn the
native equivalents of vocabulary words.
Interaction: student-teacher and student-student. Most interaction is teacher-student:
student initiated interaction; student-student interaction is minimal.
View of language; culture: Literary language is seen as superior to spoken language.
Aspects of Language; The Approach Emphasizes: Vocabulary, grammar emphasized;
reading, writing are primary skills. Pronunciation and other speaking or listening skills are not
emphasized.
Role of Students’ Native Language : Native language provides key to meanings in target
language and it is used freely in class.
Means for Evaluation: Tests require translation from native to target and target to native
language. They also require applying grammar rules and answering questions about foreign
culture.
Response to Students’ Errors : heavy emphasis placed on correct answers.
In the Control Class most activities were based on the concept of language acquisition
as habit formation which was reinforced by the teacher by means of controlled repetition and
manipulation. Both the lessons and the materials were teacher-centered. Grammar was taught
deductively. Presentation and study of grammar were followed by teacher’s controlled practice
in the form of exercises and drills.
- The teacher writes down the grammar point on the board.
- The teacher gives explanations of the rules or structures.
- The teacher gives examples to illustrate the rules or structures introduced.
- Practice: the teacher asks students to use the target language to make up sentences.
- Practice: the teacher gets students to do some quite controlled exercises at sentence
level such as gap-fill exercises, sentence completion, matching, or translation.
The teacher is the controller of the learning environment in the traditional teaching.
Power and responsibility are held by the teacher and they play the role of instructor (in the form
of lectures) and decision maker (in regards to curriculum content and specific outcomes).
Language classrooms predicated on this approach are characterized by rote learning,
memorization, and repetition.