Reading from Approaches & Methods in Language Teaching (Richards & Rogers), chapter 6.
Salient Points/Notes from Book
The Silent Way is the brainchild of Caleb Gattegno and I think it got its sart in the mid-sixties. The basic premise is that the teacher should be as quiet as possible, while the students speak the target language as much as possible. The underlying hypotheses:
- Learning happens when the learner discovers and creates rather than remembers and repeats
- Accompanying (mediated) physical objects enhance learning
- Learning also results from problem-solving about the material presented
They use Cuisenaire rods and color-coded phonology charts called Fidel charts as primary aids.
The authors cited a wonderful quote from Benjamin Franklin that I must have heard many times over the years, and forgotten each time:
Tell me and I forget,
teach me and I remember,
involve me and I learn.
Focus on:
- Grasping the “spirit” of the language, not just its component forms
- Propositional meaning rather than communicative value
- Functional vocabulary
Process chain: attention (to teacher), production (through manipulatives), self-correction (primarily with help of peers) and absorption (in cognitive exercise of learning).
Syllabus is structural, planned around grammar and related vocab. Items introduced according to:
- Grammatical complexity
- What has been taught previously
- How easily it can be presented visually
Teacher modeling is minimal. They usually present the item once, typically using nonverbal cues. Little correction from teacher, but rather from group, which works cooperatively, not competitively. The teacher’s role is to teach, to test, to get out of the way.
The teacher is like a dramatist: writes the script, chooses props, sets mood, models action, designates players, and is critic for performance.
Pronunciation charts are called “Fidels.” If a language has two different symbols for the same sound, they are colored alike. A pointer wielded by the teacher is tapped to indicate intonation and phrasing. Stress is shown by touching certain symbols.
That’s it for the notes. My reaction.
This seems to be a system that is not well suited for kids, since they seem to need more structure and variety. Constant problem-solving groups, with little adult engagement, just doesn’t seem dynamic enough for that age. Likewise, I would really suck at learning that way. I need more explicit instruction, and repetition. The method reminds me a bit of the detective work we did in Turkish class. If I didn’t get the instructor’s cue the first time, I remained in the dark. And I felt rotten the whole time.
It’s not a method that would appeal to me. I like more fluidity and spontaneity within a structure. I enjoy the active involvement with students (in the target language, assuming their competency is functional) and the surprises that emerge. I don’t need to have control, and don’t mind stepping back, but I like to step back in to discover what has emerged.
Thus, as far as the “thou”: what kind of students benefit from this approach?
The “I”: It doesn’t sound like much fun to me, because it doesn’t pop the lid off of each student’s creativity in a way that I can enjoy. And I think that’s the part of teaching I most anticipate: seeing the interactions in a more naturalistic way.
The “Thou”: It sounds like such a specialized approach that I wonder in what educational settings it is (or has been) used. I read that it was used for Peace Corp training. Would it be used in US or international public schools? The manipulatives are reminiscent of Montessori.