Audio Lingual Approach

Advantages 

It aims at developing listening and speaking skills which is a step away from the Grammar translation method

The use of visual aids has proven its effectiveness in vocabulary teaching. 

Disadvantages 

The method is based on false assumptions about language. The study of language doesn’t amount to studying the “parole”, the observable data. Mastering a language relies on acquiring the rules underlying language performance. That is, the linguistic, sociolinguistic, and discourse competences. 

The teachers' role 

The role of teacher in class is like an orchestra leader, directing and controlling the language behavior of his students. He is also responsible for providing his students with a good model for imitation. 

The students' role 

The role of the students is they are imitators of the teacher’s model of the tapes he/she supplies of model speakers. They follow the teacher’s directions and respond as accurately and as rapidly as possible. 

The objective of the audiolingual method is accurate pronunciation and grammar, the ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations and knowledge of sufficient vocabulary to use with grammar patterns. Particular emphasis was laid on mastering the building blocks of language and learning the rules for combining them. It was believed that learning structure, or grammar was the starting point for the student. Here are some characteristics of the method: language learning is habit-formation, mistakes are bad and should be avoided, as they are considered bad habits, language skills are learned more effectively if they are presented orally first, then in written form, analogy is a better foundation for language learning than analysis, the meanings of words can be learned only in a linguistic and cultural context. 

Approach 

Structuralism 

The structural view to language is the view behind the audio-lingual method. This approach focused on examining how the elements of language related to each other in the present, that is, ‘synchronically‘ rather than ‘diachronically‘. It was also argued that linguistic signs were composed of two parts, a signifier (the sound pattern of a word) and a signified (the concept ormeaning of the word). The study of language aims at describing the performance ,the“parole” as it is the only observable part of language. 

Behaviorism 

Behaviorism is a philosophy of psychology based on the proposition that all things which organisms do — including acting, thinking and feeling—can and should be regarded as behaviors. It contends that leaning occurs through associations, habit formation and reinforcement. When the learner produces the desired behavior and is reinforced positively, it is likely that behavior be emitted again. 

Two techniques 

It is a very useful method because the teachers and the students have an important role. So, one of the best techniques that we as a teachers can use in our classes is the repetition because in this way we engage our students to develop their listening and speaking skill and the method reject the use of the mother tongue that it is our purpose to teach in a successful way. 

Another good techniques is to encourage good habits to our students because in this way they are going to respond quickly in every situation that we as a teacher present them for example, in grammar and pronunciation they are going to use an efficient vocabulary and they will build complex sentences base on the previous vocabulary that they put into practice.

Audio-lingual SWOT 

S: Strengths: 

• It is a very useful method because the teachers and the students have an important role.

• The teacher must encourage the students to change the old native language habits.

• The students are able to learn more vocabulary.

• The students are imitators of the teacher’s model.

W: Weaknesses: 

• Speaking and repeating are the skills that this method improves, not writing.

• Repetition is not only the way to learn.

• The students could be bored.

• The teacher in class is like an orchestra leader.

O: Opportunities: 

• Students may learn through flashcards or others aids.

• Students can pay attention in the pronunciation of the words.

• Students can keep in their minds the meanings of the words.

T: Threats: 

• This method doesn’t have grammar rulers.

• This method develop only speaking skill.

We supported the previous information from the following site: http://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/the-audiolingual-approach/

To develop listening and speaking skills when we are learning a foreign language is challenging for all, especially for our students, that is why we as teachers should learn about the Audio Lingual Method and apply it in the classroom. This method included in this e-folio is very important and useful for teachers who want to foster and develop communicative skills by audio that is listening and lingual- speaking, so we must learn about this method and think if we would use it in our teaching.