MOTTO: Learning is directly linked to the amount of brain activities in our own heads.

This article serves as a brief introduction to the history of language teaching and to the most useful ideas in CLT-related constructive approach to teaching and learning: student- and teacher-oriented methods, independent/autonomous learning, learning styles and strategies as well as learner profiles.

• We do not learn only by listening to the teacher talking about things but we have to be active thinkers (and speakers) ourselves in class.
• If we do not think about the things that are taught, we will learn very little. Even better, we have to be forced to explain things in our own words and that is a proof of how much we really have learnt.
• Active thinking will link the new information to the old one.
• But how do we process the information and turn it to knowledge? No-one knows the answer. But we do know that if we are exposed to many methods, styles, strategies and profiles we will soon find the ones that work for us.

Use it or lose it! This idea works for languages.

METHODS

There is not much point in me analysing all the language teaching methods of the past in my articles since I only want to promote the communicative language teaching approach. CLT is actually not a systematic method but rather a collection of student-centred principles to be followed in order to make the students use the language and learn it that way.

As for learning styles, strategies and student profiles I decided to deal with them under the headings in the menu on the left. It seems to me it is much easier for the readers to get an idea how to make use of learning styles, strategies and profiles if the ideas are linked directly to a specific language skill area.

Nevertheless, I will briefly explain about the methods of the past in case there are any teachers to whom these are new ideas of some interest. I have discussed the changes in teaching methods extensively in my article ‘My history as a language learner and teacher of English’. I have been learning and teaching languages using all of the methods below.

Teacher-oriented methods

The tape recorder on the left looks ancient but it was seldom used in the translation method classes. Audio-lingustic method meant the introduction of tapes, small C-cassettes and VHS-cassettes. CDs and DVDs came in use some 30 years ago. The last photo shows a Dodson way how to teach ‘to be able to’ in a low-achieving class.

• The translation method, applied up to the early 1970s, translations from the mother tongue into the target language and vice versa, only translation was taught and tested
• The audio-linguistic method: in the early 1980’s, meant a step forward towards real usage of language and developing reading, listening and writing in particular and elementary speaking skills too, recordings were used but the real benefits of CLT were not recognized yet
• The Dodson bilingual method, introduced to serve the low-achievers in particular in the 1980s, close to lexical approach where phrases are learnt by heart and learnt via mother tongue stimuli.

Student-oriented methods

• Suggestopedia, in the 1980s, meant a big leap towards student-centered activities in class, empasis on a relaxed atmosphere in class, learning by doing and working in pairs, games and role plays were introduced, mother tongue was used and relaxing background music too, very demanding for teachers and not very widely used
• Communicative language teaching, CLT, adopted the best parts of suggestopedia and the classroom practices changed gradually the more student-centered ideas were spread in the 1990s, the scope and goals of language teaching were totally revised the way they are seen today, the role of teacher changed to one of an organizer and learning fasciliator, class activities were run by students: pair or groups work, work station activities, co-operative learning, presentations to other students, hands-on practical experiments, task-based or inquiry-based approach, flipped learning, versatile feedback and assessment, all skill areas taught and tested

Independent / autonomous learning: in the mid-1990s, the aim was a gradual change to make the students completely autonomous learners, still used to some extent in high-ranking classes and the use of computers and the internet promote this type of learning a lot: library study during lessons, finding the information in books or in the internet texts or videos, applying it, checking answers on their own, each student making progress at their own pace with or without others choosing the tasks themselves

Thanks to computer technology, distance learning and ample number of internet podcasts and videos on just about anything, very many students prefer to learn things at the computer instead of attending lessons or lectures. At its best, if these sources are reliable and of good quality, learning can be very effective. Anyway, we are now going through a transition period but it seems to me this kind of learning is very much on the increase.

Now we have a dilemma or do we: Which method above should we choose?

To me the decision is simple: Choose the CLT, ‘student-oriented method‘ and work towards ‘Independent learning’ even if your class might never make it. With beginners take some elements from ‘Teacher-oriented method’ but keep it to the minimum and apply CLT at an early stage.

The reason I am writing these articles is that I think very many teachers have not realized the full potential of CLT or simply do not know what and how to change their class practices.

Visual, auditive and kinestethic learners need stimuli of their own.

LEARNING STYLES

The of the latest developments in language teaching are the introduction of learning styles and strategies. They are also discussed in more detail under each skill area.

However, there are some things to consider in case you have not paid attention to these matters. Each of us is different and has an individual way of learning. Traditionally people are divided into 3 categories as to their learning style. The styles are closely linked to Learner profiles, which I discuss under heading ‘Differentiation’.

• Visual learners: make use of images and videos, they learn by visualizing things, they need to see the instructions written on the screen or board
• Auditive learners: make use of speech and video explanations, they learn by listening, they rely on listening to instructions and asking them to be repeated
• Kinestethic learners: need to work actively, take notes, carry out experiments, work with their hands or body, move about in class

Whose style is the teacher supposed to favour? Once again the answer is in my opinion simple: In fact every one of us uses all of these styles even if we may favour one or two of them. Consequently, when planning the lessons the teacher should make use of photos and videos, recordings and listening tasks and keep the students active in groups. In every lesson.

The main thing is that you take each group into account when planning a lesson. As aresult the students are willing to learn and active during the lesson, working with others at their own level.

LEARNING STRATEGIES

The third idea to consider are effective learning strategies, i.e. the ways we help and guide our students to learn words and grammar more easily, how to become better readers, speakers, writers and listeners.

The use of the word ‘strategy’ implies that there is serious thought and reasons behind the ways and approaches we take in order to enhance learning. The teaching of learning strategies is an essential part of increasing the students’ motivation. Teachers should remember that when we modify our teaching to a more learner-centred direction we have to tell the students why we are doing it and how they can apply different learning strategies and why.

For example, my wife started to memorize English words better when I told her to read them on a tape, in Finnish first and after a second in English. She listened to the recording while cycling to the evening school. So the key for her was to realize she is an auditive learner. After that it was easy for me to find her a way to learn words effectively.

I myself am a very visual and to some extent kinestethic learner. I often saw and memorized the words in pictures with funny associations. I wrote the words on paper, too. I also had to use Finnish-English word lists and cover the other one when memorizing the words.

I will deal with the strategies separately when each skill area is discussed.

LEARNER PROFILES

Are you a green, blue, grey or a red learner? What about your students? Are you able to take learner profiles into account in your lessons?

Since it is obvious to CLT teachers that students utilize different styles and strategies in learning because of their personalities, we teachers should do something about it when we plan lessons. I discuss these principles under heading ‘Differentiation’ in four articles and give a lot of practical and realistic tips on what to do. After all, we cannot escape this issue and have to solve it the best way we can. ‘Learner profiles’.