Language teaching methods

Language teaching methods Language teaching methods The debate concerning language teaching methods has a long tradition. Although there is language teaching in all countries, many countries developed their own language pedagogy.   For many years English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers used the same language pedagogy everywhere namely Communicative Language Teaching. CLT is now the ruling, central paradigm in language teaching, which has shaped the thinking of the teachers. Teachers usually use CLT as a language teaching method; however, I think that this is not the only way to learn a language properly. First of all, the CLT method neglects the context in which the language teaching takes place. For example, there was a native speaker of English who travelled to Japan. He did not know anything about the culture and their language pedagogy, but he thought that CLT is the only way to teach a language, so it proved him that the other ways of teaching a language are failing (Bax, 2003). I disagree with him because I think if there is an emphasis laid on context, it leads the teachers to a more effective teaching. Secondly, teachers in the teacher trainings are taught to use methodology and to not to take into account what the context is. A teacher, who did a teacher training course, stated, The context of things was basically up to the teacher to try and apply the methodology to contexts (Bax, 2003, p. 282). It is stated, that methodology is only one factor of the successful language learning (Bax, 2003). If a teacher is taught and encouraged to use only the methodology, he or she reduces the chances of the learner in successful language learning. In my opinion, cultural specificity should not be neglected on the teacher training courses. To summarise, teachers should be taught to take context into account. Thirdly, some people say that methodology is essential to learning a language, but in my opinion the needs of the students are more important. Many people learn a language properly with other methods in those countries where teachers do not use CLT. There is the perfect example of the teacher who teaches in the Czech Republic, where not CLT is the used language pedagogy, and she did not understand how the students were able to learn to speak English quite well without it. However, on the other hand I have to assume that CLT is used world-wide, and it seems to be very successful. As Harmer (2003) points out, Methodology is fundamental to the learning of language classrooms where teachers are working (p. 24). It is true that teachers have to plan their classes, and they cannot only rely on the context in which the teaching takes place. I do not deny the importance of the CLT, but I think that other approaches may be more successful. In conclusion, I have to admit that not only CLT is the best solution when learning a language. Teachers have to take into consideration the context in which the language teaching takes place, and they cannot neglect the students needs and wishes. As I have mentioned, teachers do not really pay attention to the context because they were taught to use methodology. In short, the needs of the students are substantial, but the students also have to play an active role in their own language learning. (553 words) References : Bax, S. (2003). The end of CLT: a context approach to language teaching. ELT Journal, 57(3), 278-287. Harmer, J. (2003). Popular culture, methods, and context. ELT Journal, 57(3), 288-294. Lee, I. (1998). Supporting greater autonomy in language learning. ELT Journal, 52(4), 282-289.

What aspects of your life would you most like to keep and why

There are many aspects of my life which have become important to me and the way I live day to day. Many of the things which I include myself I can easily live without and are merely acts of procrastination which I would be better of abandoning, yet there are some things which improve me as a person and are vital to my well being. The first and most important of aspect of my life which every person needs to have, for a secure and happy way of life is family; and our ability to rely upon our family to always love and care for us. It is my parents who raised me and cared for me when no one else would they are the reason I am living the way of life I am today. Family is important because they give us the significance that we need to feel. They act as our own group of loyal supporters which we all crave to have. In a world that never stops moving for anyone, those closest to will, they will share in my sorrows and be joyous in my success. Our parents, siblings and relations are all that we have and they are who mould us into great people and the provide us the motivation to do great things and make the positive influence on society that keep the human race moving forward. Another aspect of our aspect of my life which I would want to keep is my religion. Islam was too first given to by my family, yet now it has become a complete way of life for me. It gives us humans the sense of purpose which we strive for and it instructs us on how we should act and behave to not only others around us but ourselves. Religion also has the ability to unite billions of people around the world to one common belief, and this common ground which we share with each other is invaluable because too much now days people focus on our differences yet fail to acknowledge the similarities; the belief in God. Religion is a central part of my life and makes up part of my identity, without which I am nothing. The internet is an aspect of my life which over the years has become a pivotal part of my life. It is a treasure trove of information that can provide you up to date news as well is an encyclopaedia of knowledge about history and connects people worldwide. The internet has revolutionised my way of life, and the fact that it has been phased into my life does mean that with time one could become used to living without it again. I use the internet in all aspects of my life and it comes to use from being used for school work and keeping connected with friends and family living too far away to contact any other way. The final part of my life which I would like to hold onto until I am old and grey is my participation in sports; sport is beneficial to my mind and body in so many ways; from the obvious facts of reducing body fat and increasing stamina to its ability to help me fight away depression and anxiety. Sports gives us a sense of belonging and helps us fit in with other people who we may not normally meet or talk to. If I am able to continue my involvement in sports then in the future it would lower the chances of me suffering from illnesses and diseases and also continue to give me that competitive edge over others who I may meet in the world of work. Participation in sport gives me that sense of achievement and confidence which is not always found in other aspects of life and therefore I will continue my affiliation with it for as long as possible. We as a human race must strive to maintain the ability to celebrate and learn from the past, for if men and women are freed from tradition and the experiences of history and the family environment, we will be but clueless beings; making the same mistakes of those who have already come before us and be moulded by eccentrics and maniacs, which would only be detrimental to the development of the humanity.

The Human Quest to Belong is Characterized by Both Belonging and Alienation

Belonging involves triumphing over failure to belong. This is seen in Peter Skrzynecki’s anthology Immigrant Chronicle. The poem St Patricks College explores the persona’s struggle to overcome alienation in his search for belonging. The poem Feliks Skrzynecki explores the persona witnessing his fathers triumph to belong. The picture book The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan explores the things initial failure to belong, which is then overcome. St Patricks College explores the personas failure to belong into the school society.The imagery â€Å"our lady watched/ with outstretched arms† gives the persona hope that he will belong in this school. This gives an early sense of triumph in his quest to belong. This is then inverted when the statues face is seen to be â€Å"overshadowed by clouds†. This use of pathetic fallacy gives early warning that the school will not be a place where he belongs, but a place were he will fail to belong and become out casted. The personif ication heightens this feeling of exclusion by having a personal bond created between the two, which is then broken by the clouds.This gives a further feeling of isolation from the school. The persona then tells of his exclusion from the school when he reminisces on his bus trips. â€Å"caught the 414 bus/ like a foreign tourist/ uncertain of my destination†, in this line the simile is coupled with the use of tautology. The simile of the persona being a foreign tourist gives him a lack of permanence in society, that he is a nomad with no sense of place. This is then contrasted with the repetition of â€Å" eight years† which shows how in this time he should have found a sense of belonging.The persona referring to himself as a tourist, also shows how he is out casted from society and not accepted. This also gives a feeling of exclusion faced by the persona. The tautology of â€Å"foreign tourist† is used to increase the feeling of exclusion. At the end of the per sonas schooling he reflects on his time at the school and the effort that his parents had gone though to get him through it. He still feels that it had not been a worthwhile sacrifice, but hopes that after school he could o something to make it worthwhile for them. that the darkness around me /wasn’t â€Å"for the best†/ before I let my light shine†. This line uses the imagery of darkness surrounding the persona to show his regret and alienation that he faced from his schooling. He then repeats his mother’s line of â€Å"for the best† but this time showing her how she had been wrong. This puts a negative tone on the line. Hope is then gained for the persona when he states, â€Å"before I let my light shine†, which indicates that in the future he will triumph and belong into society.Feliks Skrzynecki explores the personas failure to belong in society, and his father triumph over belonging. The father is seen to have â€Å"kept up only with th e Joneses/ of his own minds making†, the alliteration of â€Å"minds making† helps add emphasis to he line. This reinforces the feeling of his belonging in is own mind due to the added emphasis now placed on â€Å"mind†. The quote also utilises the cliche of â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† as a metaphor for people conforming to societies expectations in a search for belonging. Feliks however, chooses to belong only within his own mind, and not conform to society.This shows how he has a sense of belonging within his own mind. Feliks is seen to have â€Å"loved his garden like an only child†. This quote utilises the simile to portray the message of his belonging within the garden. Comparing the garden to an only child turns Feliks’ instincts to love and protect onto the garden. This is then reinforced later in the stanza when he is seen to walk around the garden from â€Å"sunrise to sleep†. The quote also utilises the high modality w ord love which gives added depth to just how strong the connection between the two are.A father and son share a unique bond, utilised in this line, where father and son belong together, this is now placed on the father and garden. This also acts to create a sense of jealousy between the son and the father, as the father cares for the garden not his son. This shows how the son has failed to belong with the father. â€Å"like a dumb prophet/ watched me pegging my tents/ further and further south of Hadrian’s wall†, this quote uses the extended metaphor of Hadrian’s Wall as his old culture. The persona is seen to be moving away from his old culture as he attempts to embrace the Australian Culture.The paradox of the father being a dumb prophet indicted not him being stupid, but silent as he watches his son move further away from him and their Polish heritage. By using the word â€Å"tents†, the persona describes himself as unsettled and impermanent, this give s the impression that he still belongs nowhere. The repetition of further and further indicate that the father and son are growing apart and will never return to their previous feelings of belonging. The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan explores the journey of the â€Å"thing† as it attempts to find a place of belonging.Initially, it is seen to be alienated from the rest of society by a high angle shot of it at the beach. This shot allows for the whole scene to be viewed and for greater contrast to be made. The thing is seen I the middle of the beach, however it stands out from the rest of the beach goers. Its bright red colour is in contrast to the rest of the grey people and grey city. The high angle shot is able to show the hundreds of people who all belong together in grey clothing, while also showing the insignificance of the thing as it sits alone.The thing is then later seen walking through the streets. All of the people surrounding it are the same height and wearing the same b lack suits, showing how they all belong to this conformist society. The thing however is seen at least three times as tall as the people, and in bright red, completely opposing the people of the city. This flat angle shot shows how the thing is still alienated from society. In the final pages of the book the thing triumphs over its quest to belong when it finds its new home.The low angle shot of the area shows the size and excitement of the place. It shows for the first time in the book colours, which give the thing a sense of belonging, as it now no longer stands out. The sky is seen to be blue and sunny, giving the place a feeling of happiness. The thing is seen to finally have triumphed over its quest for belonging. Belonging involves triumphing over failure to belong. This is seen in Skryzynecki’s anthology Immigrant Chronicle and Shaun Tan’s The Lost Thing.

Lost Generation Theme - 745 Words

The Lost Generation and Camaraderie Created by War Rats scuttling around. Lice crawling everywhere. Diseases spreading like wildfire. Imagine living in conditions like this for weeks on end. Add bullets constantly whizzing past, bombs being dropped, poison gas permeating the air, and this is the reality for soldiers in the trenches, and the men in All Quiet on the Western Front. Paul, the narrator and a German soldier, along with fellow classmates, join the army after being persuaded by their teacher. Based on their teachers description of war, they enter believing war will be a glorious experience. Their beliefs are quickly shattered by the first death they witness. Throughout the novel Paul loses many of his friends and sees†¦show more content†¦The theme helps illustrate the power of war in irreversibly changing men, and making them feel uncomfortable or lost in previously familiar places. Before the war the young men did not have roots in the community, and after the w ar they have nothing to go back to. Remarque transmits the theme that the generation after the war feels foreign and uncomfortable in their environments with the motif of the lost generation. The use of comradeship emphasizes the importance of a brotherhood that comforts each other, and makes each other feel safe. Paul explains, They are more to me than life, these voices, they are more than motherliness and more than fear; they are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere: they are the voices of my comrades (212). Paul shows that camaraderie in the war is of utmost importance to the soldiers. The close relationships and strong bonds developing during the war enable the soldiers to remain hopeful and sane. Comradeship motivates the men to keep going, especially when they want to give up. While explaining how war created comradeship, Paul says, What does he know of me or I of him? Formerly we should not have had a single thought in common—now we sit with a goose between us and feel in unison, are so intimate that we do not even speak (94). In the novel Paul and Kat share a goose. He explains that Wessinger 3 before the war they did not know each other, but sharing the experiencesShow MoreRelatedThemes Of The Lost Generation794 Words   |  4 Pagesfor the United States. After seeing countless deaths of soldiers in a war many didn’t believe in, the years after World War I were times when people lost hope in classic principles such as bravery and courage. The â€Å"Lost Generation† were people who saw the horrors of the war throughout their life. 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