The Best Methods For Teaching Languages ​​

In this article you will learn about the best methods for teaching languages.

By language is meant the language of a people or a nation. It is a system of signs, which allows people to communicate using words and gestures. When it comes to teaching languages, it is important to distinguish between a mother tongue – the language spoken where you were born – and foreign languages ​​that you learn through life.

Learning a new language gives you the opportunity to adopt a new system of characters, its rules and its way of working.

When it comes to teaching languages , we need to look at specific procedures to determine which methods are most appropriate to achieve this goal.

Methods for teaching languages

The grammar and translation method

The oldest method of teaching languages, and perhaps the most traditional, is what is sometimes called the grammar and translation method. It focuses, as the name suggests, on grammar and translation of texts and phrases from one language to another.

This method pays special attention to the grammatical rules and structures that are common to different languages. It emphasizes similarities in universal grammatical patterns. This means memorizing thousands of words and rules, as well as sentences taken out of context.

The direct method

At the end of the 19th century, the so-called direct method emerged. This method focuses on verbal communication, regardless of the specific grammar of the sentences used. The idea is that people who learn a language can make themselves understood even if the grammatical structure they use is not perfect.

In this method, you learn the grammar intuitively, and mistakes are eliminated as you learn. Gradually, one establishes the right relations between the words of the foreign language and the situations to which it relates. This is where the term “direct” comes from.

The audiolingual method

At the same time, the audiolingual method has much in common with the direct method. Both prioritize the spoken language, with an emphasis on oral expression and listening. The difference is that this method uses repetition of words and phrases as a strategy for teaching.

The best methods for teaching languages

Through the ages, various methods have been used and applied to teach foreign languages. Although it is impossible to choose one method as the absolute best, some methods are probably better than others.

Take, for example, the communicative method. It is more than a method – it is an approach to how to teach foreign languages, using a process that is more functional than structural. In other words, the most important aspect is communication, instead of just learning the grammar of the foreign language.

The communicative method takes each of the previous methods into account, and focuses on the practical need to learn a foreign language. The goal is a permanent acquisition of the ability to interact communicatively and contextually.

When it comes to teaching languages, one works within the communicative method with activities centered around problematic situations, where one banishes grammatical rules to the background. It is still important for the student to internalize these rules, but communication is the primary goal.

These “problematic situations” refer to different scenarios that a person may encounter in their daily life. This can be at work, at an airport or during a trip. It can be about situations where you have to buy something, or where you need to be able to ask for help in difficult situations. To be able to handle these situations, you need to gradually develop your ability to use the foreign language.

Teaching languages: communication is the key

We must point out that the method you choose to teach a foreign language should always be adequate. You also need to take into account that each student has their individual characteristics and ways of learning. Educators therefore need to be flexible in their choice of method. You also need to be able to combine relevant aspects from each of them.

Repetition, memorization and knowledge of grammatical rules can be valuable strategies for learning a new language. But they should be at the service of problem solving and decision-making in situations such as those one works with within the communicative method. The goal should be for people to be able to understand and make themselves understood in different languages.