The Silent Way v.2

The Silent Way
Aproximación a la Didáctica de la Especialidad.
Mauricio Chandía B.
[email protected]
The Silent Way
• The Silent Way is the name of a method of a language teaching

devised by Caleb Gattegno.
• It is based on the premise that the teacher should be silent as much

as possible in the classroom but the learner should be encouraged to
produce as much language as possible.
• Elements of the Silent Way, particularly the use of color charts and
the colored Cuisenaire rods, grew out of Gattegno’s previous
experience as an educational designer of reading and mathematics
programs.
Learning hypotheses
• 1. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than

remembers and repeats what is to be learned.
• 2. Learning is facilitated by accompanying physical objects.
• 3. Learning is facilitated by problem solving involving the material to be
learned.
Theory of language and learning
• The sentence is the basic unit of teaching, and the teacher focuses on
propositional meaning, rather than communicative value. Students
are presented with the structural patterns of the target language and
learn the grammatical rules of the language through largely inductive
processes.
• Gattegno sees vocabulary as a central dimension of language learning
and the choice of vocabulary as crucial.
Principles
• The teacher should start with something the students already know
and build from that to the unknown. Languages share a number of
features, sounds being the most basic.
• The more the teacher does for the

students what they can do for
themselves, the less they will do for
themselves.
• Language learners are intelligent and bring with them the experience
of already learning a language. The teacher should give only what
help is necessary.
• Language is not learned by repeating after a model. Students need to
develop their own ‘inner criteria’ for correctness—to trust and to be
responsible for their own production in the target language.
• Students’ actions can tell the teacher

whether or not they have learned.
• Learning involves transferring what one knows to new contexts.
• Reading is worked on from the beginning but follows from what
students have learned to say.
• Silence is a tool. It helps to foster autonomy, or the exercise of
initiative. It also removes the teacher from the center of attention so
he can listen to and work with students. The teacher speaks, but only
when necessary.
• Student attention is a key to learning.
• Students should engage in a great deal of meaningful practice without
repetition.
• Language is for self-expression.
• The teacher can gain valuable information from student feedback.
What are the goals of teachers who use the Silent Way?
• Students should be able to use the language for self-expression—to

express their thought, perception, and feelings.
What is the role of teacher?
• The teacher is a technician or engineer.
• The teacher should respect the autonomy of the learners in their
attempts at relating and interacting with the new challenges.
What is the role of the students?
• The role of the students is to make use of what they know, to free
themselves of any obstacles that would interfere with giving their
utmost attention to the learning task.
What are some characteristics of the teaching/learning
process?
• Students begin their study of the language through its basic building
blocks, its sounds.
• This provides valuable information for the teacher and encourages
students to take responsibility for their own learning.
What is the nature of student-teacher
interaction?
• For much of the student-teacher interaction, the teacher is silent.
• Student-student verbal interaction is desirable (students can learn from one
another) and is therefore encouraged.
How are the feelings of the students dealt
with?
• The teacher constantly observes the students. When their feelings
interfere, the teacher tries to find ways for the students to overcome
them.
How is language viewed?
• Languages of the world share a number of features. However, each
language also has its own unique reality since it is the expression of a
particular group of people.
How is culture viewed?
• Their culture, as reflected in their own unique world view, is
inseparable from their language.
What areas of language are emphasized?
• Since the sounds are basic to any language, pronunciation is worked
on from the beginning.
What language skills are emphasized?
• All four skills are worked on from the beginning of the course,
although there is a sequence in that students learn to read and write
what they already produced orally.
What is the role of the students’ native
language?
• Meaning is made clear by focusing students’ perceptions, not through
translation.
• Students can learn from one another. The teacher’s silence
encourages group cooperation.
How is evaluation accomplished?
• The teacher’s silence frees him to attend to his students and to be
aware of these needs.
How does the teacher respond to student
errors?
• Student errors are seen as a natural, indispensable part of the
learning process. Errors are inevitable since the students are
encouraged to explore the language.
SU
M
M
AR
Y
QU
TI IZ
M
E

The Silent Way v.2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Silent Way v.2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Silent Way v.2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Silent Way

Aproximación a la Didáctica de la Especialidad.

• The Silent Way is the name of a method of a language teaching

• It is based on the premise that the teacher should be silent as much

• 1. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than

• The more the teacher does for the

• Students’ actions can tell the teacher

• Students should be able to use the language for self-expression—to

You might also like