Principles of Work-Ing With Different Age Groups

Principles of Work-
ing with Different

Age Groups
Plan:
1) Introduction
2) Direct way method
3) Grammar- translation method
4) Audio-lingual method
5) Total Physical Response
6) The Silent Way
7) Task- Based language learning
Introduction
There is a large number of methods used in teaching dif-
ferent age group. According to academic research, lin-
guists have demonstrated that there is not one single
best method for everyone in all contexts, and that no
one teaching method is inherently superior to the others.
Also, it is not always

possible – or appropri-
ate – to apply the same
methodology to all
learners, who have dif-
ferent ages, objectives,
environments and learn-
ing needs.
1. Direct way.
In this method the teaching is done entirely in the target

language. The learner is not allowed to use his or her mother
tongue. Grammar rules are avoided and there is emphasis on
good pronunciation
Essentials
No translation
teaching concepts and vocabulary through pantomiming,
real-life objects and other visual materials
Oral training helps in reading and writing
Grammar is taught indirectly
Techniques using direct way
Question/answer exercise –
the teacher asks questions
of any type and the student
answers
Student self-correction – when a student makes a mis-

take the teacher offers him/her a second chance by giv-
ing a choice.
Conversation practice – the students are given an oppor-
tunity to ask their own questions to the other students
or to the teacher..
2. Grammar-translation method
Learning is largely by translation to and from the target
language. Grammar rules are to be memorized and long
lists of vocabulary learned by heart. There is little or no
emphasis placed on developing oral ability.
This method focuses on reading and writing and has de-

veloped techniques which facilitate more or less the
learning of reading and writing only. As a result, speaking
and listening are overlooked
3. Audio-lingual method
The theory behind this method is that learning a language means acquir-
ing habits. There is much practice of dialogues of every situations. New
language is first heard and extensively drilled before being seen in its
written form.
Drills and pattern practice are typical (Richards, J.C. et-al. 1986):
Repetition: the student repeats an utterance as soon as he hears it.
Inflection: one word in a sentence appears in another form when re-
peated.
Replacement: one word is replaced by another.
Restatement: the student rephrases an utterance.
Examples
Inflection: Teacher: I ate the sandwich. Student: I ate the sandwiches.
Replacement: Teacher: He bought the car for half-price. Student: He
bought it for half-price.
Restatement: Teacher: Tell me not to smoke so often.
Student: Don't smoke so often!
4. Total Physical Response (TPR)
TPR works by having the learner respond to simple com-
mands such as "Stand up", "Close your book", "Go to the
window and open it." The method stresses the importance
of aural comprehension
TPR can be used to teach and practise many things.
Vocabulary connected with actions (smile, chop, headache,
wriggle)
Tenses past/present/future and continuous aspects (Every
morning I clean my teeth, I make my bed, I eat breakfast)
Classroom language
(Open your books)
Imperatives/Instructions
(Stand up, close your eyes)
Storytelling
Why should I use TPR methodin
the classroom?
It is a lot of fun, students enjoy it and it
can be a real stirrer in the class. It lifts the
pace and the mood.
It is very memorable. It really helps stu-
dents to remember phrases or words.
It is good for kinaesthetic learners who
need to be active in the class.
It can be used in large or small classes. It
doesn't really matter how many students
you have as long as you are prepared to
take the lead, the students will follow.
Why should I use TPR methodin
the classroom?
You can extend this by playing Simon Says. This
time when you give a command, students should
only do it if you say "Simon says..." at the start. I
might say, "Simon says, 'slice some bread'" or "Si-
mon says, 'chop an onion'" and the students must
do the action. However if I say, "Whisk an egg" the
students shouldn't do this. If anyone does the ac-
tion that Simon doesn't say then they are out and
have to watch for the mistakes of the other stu-
dents.
A game I like to play is to organize the students
into a circle around me, I say the word and the last
person to do the action is out. This person then
stands behind me and watches for the student who
does the action last. Eventually there is only one
student, she is the winner.
5. The Silent way
-This is so called because the aim of the teacher is to

say as little as possible in order that the learner can be
in control of what he wants to say. No use is made of
the mother tongue
-As the name implies, silence is a key tool of the

teacher in the Silent WayFrom the beginning levels,
students do 90 percent or more of the talking
-Being silent moves the focus of the classroom from

the teacher to the students,[]and can encourage coop-
eration among them.
How to use Silent way method?
Silence can be used to help students correct their own errors.
Teachers can remain silent when a student makes a mistake to
give them time to self-correct;
-they can also help students with their pronunciation by
mouthing words without vocalizing, and by using certain hand
gestures.
-When teachers do speak, they tend to say things only once so
that students learn to focus their attention on them.
-A Silent Way classroom also makes extensive use of
peer correction. Students are encouraged to help their class-
mates when they have trouble with any particular feature of the
language.
Example
The teacher shows the learners a small red Cuisenaire rod and a
bigger blue one and says ‘The blue one is bigger than the red
one'. The learners repeat this. The teacher then substitutes the
rods to produce other models, and finally encourages the learn-
ers to produce their own comparisons.
6. Task-based language learning
The focus of the teaching is on the completion of a task which in it-
self is interesting to the learners. Learners use the language they al-
ready have to complete the task and there is little correction of er-
rors.
(This is the predominant method in middle school ESL teaching at
Frankfurt International School. The tasks are subsumed in a major
topic that is studied for a number of weeks. In the topic of ecology,
for example, students are engaged in a number of tasks culminating
in a poster presentation to the rest of the class. The tasks include
reading, searching the internet, listening to taped material, selecting
important vocabulary to teach other students etc.)
Advantages:
It is a strong communicative approach where students spend a lot of
time communicating. PPP lessons seem very teacher-centred by
comparison. Just watch how much time the students spend commu-
nicating during a task-based lesson
It is enjoyable and motivating.
5 Favorite Task-based Activities
1. Road Trip
Have your students ever asked you where you are go-
ing to travel over winter break or summer vacation?
Why not let them help plan a trip for you?
It is not important whether you take one of these pro-
posed trips or not, but it will help your students feel
like they are making an impact on your life, the same
way they know that you are impacting their lives.
When they are done, have them present their trip to
the entire class. Your class, as a whole, can now vote on
which trip you are going to take! Of course, they should
be able to explain why they made the choice that they
made, especially if they chose a trip other than the one
their group created for you.
2. Department of Tourism
Each small group should decide where they would like to
travel, if that has not already been determined, and what
they would use in a poster campaign to advertise that locale
based on what they know about the place.
3.Designing a brochure for a company
4. Making survey and presenting results
5. Interview about working conditions.

u r
y o
f r
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o u n!!
k y ti o
a n ten
Th a t

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Principles of Work-

ing with Different

Also, it is not always

In this method the teaching is done entirely in the target

Student self-correction – when a student makes a mis-

This method focuses on reading and writing and has de-

-This is so called because the aim of the teacher is to

-As the name implies, silence is a key tool of the

-Being silent moves the focus of the classroom from

3.Designing a brochure for a company

4. Making survey and presenting results

5. Interview about working conditions.

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