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The Oral Approach, or Situational Language Teaching (SLT), is an approach developed by British applied linguists between the 1930s and the 1960s. While it is unknown to many teachers, it had a significant influence on language courses until the 1980s. Textbooks such as Streamline English (Hartley and Viney, 1979) were designed following the principles of the SLT approach.
Structuralist Background
The Oral Approach or Situational Language Teaching is based on a structural view of language. Speech, structures, and a focus on a set of basic vocabulary items are seen as the foundation of language teaching. This view was similar to that held by American structuralists, such as Fries. However, what distinguishes the Situational Language Teaching approach is its emphasis on the presentation of structures in specific situations.
Behavioristic Background
The behavioristic view of language learning constitutes the cornerstone of Situational Language Teaching. The approach gives primacy to the processes over the conditions of learning. The following processes are noted in this approach:
- The act of receiving knowledge or material.
- Repetition to fix that knowledge or material in memory.
- The use of the knowledge or material in actual practice until it becomes a personal skill.
The behaviorist theory of learning is based on the principle of habit formation. Mistakes are discouraged to avoid bad habit formation. Following the premises of behaviorism, a teacher presents language orally, then in written form.
SLT Objectives
The objectives of Situational Language Teaching involve the accurate use of vocabulary items and grammar rules to achieve practical mastery of the four basic skills. Learners must be able to produce accurate pronunciation and use grammar correctly.
The ultimate aim is to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations with an automatic control of basic structures and sentence patterns.
Vocabulary and Grammar Control
Situational Language Teaching is characterized by two major features:
- Focus on both vocabulary and reading is the most salient trait of SLT. Mastery of a set of high-frequency vocabulary items is believed to lead to good reading skills.
- An analysis of English and a classification of its prominent grammatical structures into sentence patterns (also called situational tables) are believed to help learners internalize grammatical rules.
The Syllabus, Techniques, and Activities
The Situational Language Teaching syllabus is designed based on a word list and structural activities.
Grammar teaching involves a situational presentation of new sentence patterns and drills to practice these patterns.
The teacher moves from controlled to freer practice of structures and from oral use of sentence patterns to their automatic use in speech, reading, and writing.
Typical Lesson in the Situational Language Teaching Method
According to Situational Language Teaching, a lesson starts with stress and intonation practice, followed by a revision and presentation of new material (mainly structures or vocabulary). The teacher then proceeds to oral practice and drilling of the elements presented. Finally, the lesson ends with a reading activity or written exercises.
Advantages of SLT
Situational Language Teaching is still attractive to many teachers who believe in the structural practice of language. Its practicality in teaching grammar patterns has contributed to the survival of the approach until recently. Additionally, its emphasis on oral practice still attracts support among language teachers.
Disadvantages of SLT
Many premises underlying the approach have been criticized. For example, Chomsky (1957) demonstrated that the structural and behavioristic approaches to language are unfounded as they do not explain the fundamental feature of language learning: the ability to create novel and unique sentences.
Children do not acquire their mother tongue through repetition and habit formation. There must be, however, an innate predisposition that leads them to a certain kind of linguistic competence.
Read More on Situational Language Teaching
Check out Richards & Rogers’ book: Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) and Brown’s book: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (6th Edition).
References
To read more on Situational Language Teaching and other methods:
- Richards, J. C., & Rogers, T. S. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching: A Description and Analysis. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (4th ed.). New York: Longman.
- Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton.
- Hartley, B., & Viney, P. (1979). Streamline English: Departures. Oxford University Press.
Other Sources
- Wikipedia: Language Pedagogy
FAQs
What is Situational Language Teaching (SLT)?
Situational Language Teaching (SLT), also known as the Oral Approach, is a language teaching method developed by British applied linguists from the 1930s to the 1960s. It emphasizes the teaching of vocabulary and grammar through structured, controlled practice, often in specific situational contexts.
What are the main principles of SLT?
The main principles of SLT include a focus on high-frequency vocabulary and key grammatical structures, teaching language through spoken interaction, and presenting language items in context. The method relies heavily on repetition, drills, and the practice of sentence patterns to promote habit formation and ensure accurate language use.
How does a typical SLT lesson look?
A typical SLT lesson begins with stress and intonation practice, followed by a review of previously learned material. New language structures or vocabulary are introduced in context, often through a situational presentation. This is followed by oral practice and drilling of the new elements. The lesson concludes with reading activities or written exercises to reinforce the learning.
What are the advantages of using SLT?
SLT is practical for teaching grammar patterns and has a clear, structured approach that many teachers find useful. Its focus on oral practice helps learners develop speaking skills and build confidence in using the language. The method’s emphasis on high-frequency vocabulary and situational contexts aids in developing functional language proficiency.
What are the criticisms of SLT?
Critics, such as Noam Chomsky, argue that SLT and similar behaviorist approaches do not account for the innate ability of humans to generate novel sentences. The method’s reliance on repetition and drills may not effectively foster the creative and flexible use of language. Additionally, SLT’s focus on accuracy over communicative competence can limit its effectiveness in real-world language use.
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