Language Teaching: Methods and Approaches

 Feb, 2^nd, 2024

What is the difference between method and approach in language teaching?

It is very interesting that English is currently the main communication language used worldwide. But even in the medieval ages, Latin and Greek remained the common languages of communication between speakers of different languages. Perhaps at that time there were teachers teaching these languages and perhaps they had problems with their students. This brings us to the importance of knowing the difference between a method and an approach in language teaching.

A method is a specific, systematic way of teaching, consisting of a set of procedures and techniques. It provides a detailed plan or step-by-step guide. For example, the grammar translation method focuses on lessons in the student's native language, in which students translate text and learn grammar rules. This method is good for understanding written text but not good for spoken language. As we can see everything has a purpose and is well structure for the student to learn the language, mainly the structure.

On the other hand, approach is an extensive concept that includes theories, beliefs and principles of language learning and teaching. It gives us the general direction and philosophy of language teaching, but does not recommend specific methods.

In conclusion, choosing the right method or approach for language teaching is very important for effective learning. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, and understanding them can help us to better meet the needs of our students.