The document discusses shifts in approaches to teaching English as a second language, including moving from a focus on communicative language teaching and methods to post-method pedagogy and task-based language teaching, as well as incorporating critical discourse. It also provides discussion prompts and instructions for an activity analyzing these shifts and their implications for language education.

1. POST-METHOD ERA
 Understanding Post-method
pedagogy: Transcending the
limitations of the concept of
method
 Communicative language
teaching. Task based language
teaching
WEEK 4

2. Agenda
• Your voices on the readings
• Discussion of Task-based vs Communicative language learning
• Discussion of Kumar’s article on shifting trends in TESOL

3. Tips for writing successful and meaningful blogs
1. Avoid sentences like “I really like Kumar’s Chapter 4” Delve into the
ideas and theories in the articles, not your overall responses.
2. Synthesize the readings. Try to find a common theme in all readings.
Don’t only focus on one reading each week.
3. Ask meaningful questions. Move beyond reading for
comprehension, read for critical knowledge building by asking good
questions to yourself as a pre-service teacher and to your fellow
classmates.
4. Write about what makes you passionate in the readings. Quality is more
important than quantity. Create a log that is worthwhile reading in the
future. That will help you see your own evolving teacher knowledge
and identity.
5. See blogs as important identity construction sites not as a simple class
assignments (where it’s always easy to cut corners by just typing stuff
that’s not impactful to you and others)
6. Finally, BLOG regularly. Blogs are part of your course requirement and
count as part of your final grade.

4. YOUR VOICES…

5. Nate says…
• I feel that Brown closed this chapter quite nicely, with addressing
the dynamic nature of the classroom. While all the approaches
throughout the chapter seemed very beneficial to learners, no one
approach should not be adopted. This reminded me of the similar
mindset towards methods. Just like with methods, a teacher must
keep in mind that theoretical stances are always changing and
student needs are all different. There are different approaches for
different circumstances.

6. Melissa says…
• Brown discusses the concept of "post method" and taps into the
different approaches within a language classroom. First, he
discusses that it is better to focus on the approach the teacher uses
for language teaching (effective tasks and techniques) instead of a
method for all. As future teachers, we have to be aware of the
learner's context and offer the appropriate blend of tasks for each
student. Before entering the education program, I had ignored and
was oblivious about the fact that a learner's needs and
geographical, social, and political contexts play a vital part on
teaching and learning. We need to consider their context and apply
our teaching to their specific needs to appropriately educate them.
Now, I have learned to be more focused on the learners'
background and specific needs, apply it to the approach I am going
to use, as well as reflect on my own experiences and practice, to
effectively teach every diverse student I will come across in the
future.

7. Melisa adds…
• Kumar (the article) suggests that creating a new method is not the
way to go, but instead it is to find a new way to help and advise
teachers to create a sense of plausibility. Method should not be
considered valuable anymore. Post method pedagogy helps
language teachers be cautious and value the learner's
context, carefully assess and treat the learner, and appropriately
work with diverse students with aid from "local assessments of
students' strategies for learning". And finally, he discusses critical
discourse emphasizing on the importance of "extending the
educational space to the social, cultural, political language use", not
just settling on teaching the pragmatic domains of language use. It
is to consider the culture and knowledge within the personal
experiences of the students and teachers. Teachers have to create a
sense of awareness on beliefs, identities and overall structure
within the classroom environment.

8. Lauren says…
• In the beginning of his essay Kuma describes the modern way we
should be thinking about TESOL practices. He states that before
1990 TESOL was in a period of awareness but now we are in a
period of awakening. I like how he says this, as teachers we learn so
many pedagogies, methods and techniques we need to take what
we think is best look at our students and figure out what is most
beneficial for our classroom. We should not just be aware of these
teachings we should be “awakened”, figure out how to put these
practices into action.

9. Ryann says…
• I want to call attention to a statement Brown makes on page 41. He
states, that the problem with the term "method"is that it connotes
a fixes set of classroom practices that serve as a prescription. That a
method can be applied to any classroom to cure the issues despite
context and leads to learning. As we have discussed in
class, teaching calls for a pedagogy of particularity. Can we really
diagnose what is needed in a classroom and prescribe a remedy?
There is not a method for all. As much as we may want an "easy
solution" TESOL is complex and as Brown state son page 44, out
approaches to language teaching must be designed for specific
contexts of teaching.

10. Ryan says…
• While reading I thought about how useful many ELL students may see
CLT. I'm sure many ELLs would enjoy what is described as purposeful
lessons that they can use day-to-day which promotes communicative
fluency while still improving grammar. CLT focuses on meaningful
exchanges outside of the classroom and is said to use creative classroom
activities including games, role playing scenarios etc. to practice this
communicative capacity and motivate students. While reading this
article, this method sounds wonderful and effective. However, research
found three serious doubts on the efficacy of CLT including its
authenticity, acceptability and adaptability. Based on classroom
observations it has been found that the application of this method really
isn't up to par and there is actually very little communicated in the L2
classroom as learners did not have genuine interaction in the classroom.
CLT appears to be based off exaggerated claims and misrepresented
ideas. Kumar also states that this method lacked adaptability meaning it
could not be adapted for various contexts of language teaching to meet
different sociocultural demands. Kumar suggests that this pedagogy is
center-based and out of sync with local
linguistic, educational, social, political and cultural needs (64).

11. Brown chapter 3
• To assume a gap between theory and practice is dysfunctional
indeed!: The Dysfunction of the Theory-Practice Relationship
• What were your responses to the questions on page 44?

12. Communicative Language Teaching
• In your groups, define some of the principles of CLT

13. CLT
• In the 1970s, educators began to question if they were really
achieving the goal of language classes. Some observed that
studenst were producing accurate sentences, but they were not
usin the language in appropriate context for appropriate
communicative purposes.
• In 1980s there was a shift from focused based linguistic centered
approach to a Communicative Approach which highlighted the
importance of communicative competence (Hymes, 1971)
• The main goal of teaching a language is to communicate in the
target language.

14. Main principles of CLT
• Communication is purposeful. Language is for communication.
Students use language with a communicative intent.
• The use of authentic and real world contexts. Materials should
help students to develop strategies for understanding language a it
is actually used.
• Teacher is a facilitator: Monitors student performance and acts as
an advisor
• Students are communicators. They are actively engaged in
negotiating meaning.
• Both fluency and accuracy are important. Teachers’ job is to provide
appropriate feedback.

15. Versions of CLT
• Indirect approach: Incidental learning without a specific focus on
form, rules and language principles (String version of CLT).
• Direct approach: Carefully structured tasks for learners. Aid
;learners to develop communicative strategies.

16. Watch and Evaluate
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QirhNeIwQ0w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGDxCg90Its
• Define some of the tenants of CLT and TBL through these videos.
What are some of the principles/theories represented in these
lessons? Do they fit into the descriptions you have read so far? Why?
Why not? Do they seem to you more language/learner/learning
centered?

17. Task-based learning
• In your groups, define some of the principles of task based learning.

18. Task-Based
“Task is an activity which requires learners to use language, with
emphasis on meaning, to attain an objective” (p.50)
Tasks contribute to communicative goals.
• Aims to provide learners with a natural context for language use.
• Learners need to complete a task to have abundant opportunities
to interact.
• Meaning is primary.
• There is always some sort of a problem to solve (genuine problem-
solving activity)
• Task completion has priority.

20. Watch and Evaluate
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QirhNeIwQ0w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGDxCg90Its
• Define some of the tenants of CLT and TBL through these videos.
What are some of the principles/theories represented in these
lessons? Do they fit into the descriptions you have read so far? Why?
Why not? Do they seem to you more language/learner/learning
centered?

21. Other approaches
• Learning-Centered
• Cooperative Learning
• Interactive Learning
• Whole Language Education
• Content-Based Instruction
• Lexical Approach
• Multiple Intelligences

22. Kumar’s 2006 article
• In your groups, please define these three main theoretical and
pedagogical shifts in the field of TESOL. Our class facilitators will be
mentoring you during the process of defining and discussing the
main shifts.
• 1) From CLT to TBL
• 2) From Method based to Post-Method
• 3) From systemic discovery to critical discourse

23. SHIFT # 1: From CLT to Task-based…
 CLT develops as a response to the Audiolingual method
 Scholars find shortcomings with CLT: Prabhu (1987), Chick
(1996), Shamim (1996), Li (1998), Yu (2001), etc.
 Holliday (1994) adapts the CLT by suggesting an appropriate methodology
(method that is sensitive to sociocultural demands)

24. SHIFT # 2: From method to post-method
• Problem with method: “[method] reflects a particular view of the world
and is articulated in the interests of unequal power relations”
(Pennycook 1989)
• Prabhu – what really matters is the need for teachers to learn “to operate
with some personal conceptualization of how their teaching leads to
desired learning – with a notion of causation that has a measure of
credibility for them”--sense of plausibility!

25. SHIFT # 3: From systemic discovery to critical
discourse
During 1990s, the TESOL profession took a “critical turn”
Teaching languages is also about ideologies. Teaching a language is
about creating cultural forms that give meaning to learners’ lived
experiences
Language teaching is a value-laden activity.
New ways of looking at classrooms: Participatory pedagogy

26. An important perspective to take with you
today…
“We have been awakened to the necessity of making methods-based
pedagogies more sensitive to local exigencies, awakened to the
opportunity afforded by postmethod pedagogies to help practicing
teachers develop their own theory of practice, awakened to the
multiplicity of learner identities, awakened to the complexity of
teacher beliefs, and awakened to the vitality of macrostructures–
social, cultural, political, and historical– that shape and reshape the
microstructures of our pedagogical enterprise.”
(Kuma 75)

27. CREATE YOUR GROUP’S VISUAL
VISUAL ART ON LANGUAGE
EDUCATION:
IN GROUPS OF THREE, DRAW A
METAPHOR FOR YOUR DEFINITION
OF TEACHER AND CLASSROOM FROM
A POST-METHOD PEDAGOGY
PERSPECTIVE
What is your definition of a language
teacher?
How do you define classrooms and
classroom interaction?