Zbigniew Miśkiewicz gr 2AZ01

Tell me and I forget
Teach me and I remember

Involve me and I learn
Benjamin Franklin

THE SILENT WAY

It is a language teaching method created by CALEB GATTENGO that makes extensive use of silence as a teaching method.It is not usually considered a mainstream method in language education.It was first introduced in Gattegno’s book “Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools:The Silent Way in 1963”.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES

The three basic tenets of the approach are that learning is facilitated if the learner discovers rather than remembers or repeats, that learning is aided by physical objects, and that problem-solving is central to learning.

  • The T uses SILENCE as the teaching technique

AIM

  • to help beggining-level Ss gain basic fluency in the target language
  • An important part of of this ability is being able to to use the language for self -expression ;Ss should be able to express their thoughts,feeling and needs in the target language.
  • to teach and review pronunciation
  • to teach and review structures
  • to teach and review vocabulary(functional and versatile words are seen as the best choice)

TEACHER-STUDENT ROLE “The T works with the Ss,the Ss work on the language”.

TEACHER / STUDENT
emphasizes the Ss self-reliance / actively explore (learning consist of “trial and error” and deliberate error making)
1.is silent as much as possible / peer correction
2.communicate with the Ss by word mounthing or hand gestures / self-correction
3.gives Ss time for self-correction before giving them the answer to a question
4.Suspens judgement and criticism.

LEARNING PROCESS

  • the T capitalizes on Ss knowledge when introducing new material,always bulding from the known to unknown
  • task-based learning( f.ex. building the Floor Plan of the house with rods)
  • problem-solving activities
  • translations and rote repetitions are avoided
  • conveing meaning through Ss PERCEPTION and MEANINGFUL CONTEXT

1.STUDING SOUNDS

  • the sounds are associated to different colours using a sound –color chart

2.STUDING STRUCTURES

  • one new structure at the time(reviewing the old ones)
  • INDUCTIVE APPROACH

3.VOCABULARYFUNCTIONAL AND VERSATILE

EVALUATION

  • is carried out primarily by observation
  • the T may never give a formal test
  • the T is constantly assesing Ss by observing their actions
  • this allows T to respond stright away to any problem the Ss may have

FEEDBACK

1.through Ss’ errors(errors are seen as natural and necessery for learning and can be a useful guide as to what structures need more practice)

2.by asking the Ss at the end of the lesson

  • when evaluating the Ss ,T expects them to learn at different rates,and Ss are not penalized for learning more slowly than their classmates;T look for steady porgress in the language not perfection

TEACHING MATERIALS

1.colored CUISENAIRE RODS

2.the SOUND COLORED CHART

3.the WORD CHART

4.the FIDEL CHART

  • physical objects gather students’ attention and create memorable images for student recall
  • rods, pictures, objects, or situations are other aids used for presentation in order to connect sounds and meanings

ADVENTAGES / DISADVENTAGES
  • learning is facilitated if the learners discover rather(through their awareness) than remembers or repeat
/
  • excessive degree of teacher’s self-restraint can be seen as aloof

  • teach Ss self-reliance
/
  • lack of real communication - it is difficult to take the approach beyond the very basics of the language

  • for logistical reasons it is limited to relatively small groups

EXERCISES

GRAMMAR AND FUNCTION WORDS

The rods can be used for teaching we and she, this and that, my

vs mine, where and who, is she, did she, could she, would she:

yes, everything a student needs for establishing an unshakeable

base. Easiest of all are the spatial prepositions. For example, you

can show the difference between in and on, on top of vs on,

between vs among, on the end vs at the end, etc.

MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION

• Series of Actions - Have a student stand up, go to the door, open it, take someone’s

book, give it to someone else, etc. While these activities are in progress, ask the student

as well as class members what he/she is doing. When the student sits back down, ask

“What did you do?” Then ask someone else: “What did X do?”

• The Construction Game – Build a very simple structure of

rods and ask the students to tell you how to build another,

identical, one. Don’t follow instructions until the students

have made their sentences as correct and as precise as

possible. Later, use a folder to hide one student’s building

effort from the eyes of class members giving him or her

instructions.

WRITING

Restriction Games are used to stimulate students’ imaginations and to get a wide variety of solutions to the same challenge. Examples:

• Make a sentence with took and ran (plus as many other words as you like).

• Complete the sentences: (again, add as many other words as you like)

o …don’t have much …

o Did Ali … yesterday?

• Make a sentence containing as many of the words on chart X as possible.

PRONUNCIATION AND READING

Silent Way Word Charts contain almost all the

function words of a language, with color coding to

indicate pronunciation. Students can “see” the

differences between this and these, for example,

and the teacher can point to other words containing

the vowel or consonant sounds giving them

problems. Once beginning students feel sure of the

meanings and pronunciations of the words on one or

two Word Charts, these can be used as “landmarks”

to conquer more and more of the language.

MASTERY OF VOCABULARY THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTION

The T may take advantage of a spontaneously occurring situation to supply the students with the expressions they need to talk about this subject in a new language. The words supplied by the teacher are then put on home-made charts that go up on the wall and are used in future word games, stories and other activities. Because the Silent Way does not follow a text book or step-by-step program, the teacher and students are free to make the most of the unexpected, when it occurs in the classroom.

WHERE TO FIND IT:

Silent Way Rods, Charts and books by Caleb Gattegno: available from Educational Solutions, Inc., 99

University Place, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10003-4555, phone: (212) 674-2988, email

. Website:

Articles on teaching, learning, The Silent Way, Dr. Caleb Gattegno, etc. and this handout! Go to and then follow the links