Methodology and Pedagogy

In providing the language teachers with tools designed for a specific teaching situation, several different disciplines are involved. Pedagogy, which is a science of teaching, has much to contribute here. Teachers in every country are familiar with textbooks which teach “classroom language”, a variety of the English language remote in several ways from the mother tongue. It is worth considering the commonest shortcomings of schoolbook descriptions of foreign language:

a) they are mostly based on the written language; the spoken form is often neglected;

b) they reflect a generalized literary usage;

c) they rarely correspond to the interests and behaviour of the learners.

The responsibility lies with the teacher to provide the best choice of the kinds of language that are to be taught; to design new courses and to provide appropriate text materials.

The knowledge of pedagogy contributes to the whole teaching/learning process by providing the essential pedagogical techniques and classroom procedures: a framework of selection and organization of the items and materials that are being taught. The effective teaching techniques remain an important part in the teacher’s preparation.

Everyone knows that the natural aptitude for learning a foreign language varies greatly in different pupils. It varies in children as well as adults, though perhaps not to the same degree. What is required is the faculty of observation, quick imitation, adaptiveness to grasp the phenomena of the new language and memory to retain them. I

t is the teacher’s task to make the teaching/learning process enjoyable, fruitful and creative. The teacher must be sure that learnings are coordinate and not compound. He must adapt the materials at hand to the needs and progress of his pupils. He must have all available information about the common essential learnings his students have had in the past and are going to have in the future.

As it was mentioned above, pedagogy is the science which deals with teaching and educating of youngsters. One branch of pedagogy is didactics which is primarily concerned with general ways of teaching. Methodology, as compared to didactics, studies specific ways of teaching a definite subject. Thus, it may be considered special didactics.

In TEFL general principles of didactics (the principle of conscious approach, differentiated and integrated instruction, activity, visuality, accessibility, durability, individualization, novelty, and others) are applied, which in their turn, influence and enrich didactics. Some principles and techniques have stood the test of experience, and are recognized as standard principles by all those whose work is to design courses in foreign language teaching.

Toffler (1974) suggests a pedagogical strategy to link learning to action. By doing this we change the source of motivation. The motive to learn is no longer the fear of a teacher’s power to grade or the displeasure of the parent, but the desire to do something useful, productive and respected – to change a community, to make a dent, even a small one, on reality.

Джерела:
Близнюк М.І. Курс лекцій з методики викладання англійської мови. – Чернівці: ЧДУ, 1999 – с.