Situational Language Teaching
A. Introduction
Situational language teaching is a term not commonly used today, but it
is an approach developed by British applied linguists in the 1930s to the
1960s, and which had an impact on language courses which survive in some
still being used today (Richards & Rogers, 1986).
The Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching relied on the structural
view of language. Both speech and structure were seen to be the basis of
language and, especially, speaking ability.
B. Technique of
Situational Language Teaching (SLT)
1. Vocabulary
control
Vocabulary was seen as an essential component
for reading proficiency. The second emphasis was on reading skills.
2. Grammar
control
Also the interest was focus on the grammatical
content of a language course. It has been believed that an analysis of English
and a classification of its principal grammatical structures into sentence
patterns (or situational tables) could be used to assist learners to
internalize the rules and sentence structures.
C. The Main
Characteristics of the Approach
Language teaching begins with the spoken language. The target language is the
language of classroom. New language points are introduced and practice
situationally. Vocabulary selection procedures are followed to ensure that an
essential general service vocabulary is covered.Items of grammar are graded
following the principle that simple forms should be taught before complex ones.
D. How can SLT be
characterized at the levels of approach, design, & procedure?
1. Approach
a. Theory of language
The Structural view of language is the view behind the Oral Approach and
Situational Language Teaching. Speech was viewed as the basis of language and
structure as being at the heart of speaking ability.
b. The theory of learning
The theory of learning underlying Situation Language Teaching is behaviorism,
addressing more the processes, than the conditions of learning. It includes the
following principles:
- Language learning is
habit-formation.
- Mistakes are bad and
should be avoided, as they make bad habits.
- Language skills are learned
more effectively if they are presented orally first, then in written form.
- The meanings of words can be
learned only in a linguistic and cultural context.
2. Design
a. Objectives
- Teach a practical command of
the four basic skills of a language, through structure.
- Accuracy in both pronunciation
and grammar.
- Ability to respond quickly and
accurately in speech situations.
- Automatic control of basic
structures and sentence patterns
b. The syllabus
Situational Language
Teaching used a structural syllabus and a word list, where the structures
are always taught within sentences, and vocabulary is chosen according to how
well it enables sentences patterns to be taught.
c. Types of learning and teaching
activities
Situational Language Teaching employs a
situtational approach to presenting new sentence patttern and drill-based
manner of practicing them.
By situation (Pittman) means the use of:
- Concrete objects
- Pictures
- Realia
- Wich together with actions
gestures can be used to demonstrate the meanings of a new language items.
d. The role of instructional material
Situational Language Teaching is dependent
upon:
- Textbook: Contains organized
lessons planned about different grammatical structures.
- Visual aids: They are produced
by the teacher or commercially produced. They consist on wall charts,
flashcards, pictures and so on.
e. Learner roles
In the initial stages the learner is required
simply to:
- Listen and repeat what the
teacher says
- Respond questions and commands
f. Teacher roles
- In the presentation stage the
teacher serve as a model (setting up situations)
- Then he becomes like the
skillful conductor.
3. Procedure
Typical procedure in Situational Language
Teaching include:
- Procedures that move from
controlled to freer practice of structures.
- Procedures that move from oral
use of sentence patterns to their automatic use in speech, reading and writing.
A typical situational Language Teaching lesson
would start with stress and intonation practice. Then the main body of the
lesson might consist of:
- pronunciation
- revision (to prepare for new
work if necessary)
- presentation of new structure
or vocabulary
- oral practice (drilling)
- reading of material on the new
structure, or written exercises.
E. Activity
representing the method
1. First
activity:
The students should say sentences representing
that they can see in the pictures. They have to say immediately what the
picture represent.
Example:
The student said:
- Yesterday it was
sunny and today it’s raining.
- There is a book and
there are two students.
- She was eating
noodles.
- They were coocking
fruit.
2. Second
activity:
The teacher will show some images to the
student and the teacher will say the action that is happening in the pictures.
The students have to repeat that at least 2 times.
F. Advantages &
Drawbacks
1. Advantages
- Suitable for introduction to
the language.
- Oral production without risk.
- An accessible method for
teachers if they have good curriculum.
- Is a method that does not
requires many resources
- Is a good method if we use it
in teaching pronunciation or vocabulary
- Its strong emphasis on oral
practice, grammar and sentence patterns conform to the intuitions of many
practically oriented classroom teachers.
2. Drawbacks
- A boring teacher who is not
sure about he's teaching
- The learner has no control over
the content of learning. He is required simply to listen and repeat what the
teacher says and to respond to questions and commands.
- This method do not account for
the fundamental characteristic of language namely the creativity and uniqueness
of individual sentences.
G. Conclusion
SLT emphasis on oral practice, grammar and sentence pattern, conform to the
intuitions of many language teachers and offer a practical methodology suited
to countries where national EFL/ESL syllabuses continue to be grammatically
based it continues to be widely used.