The Audiolingual Method

Lecture No. 4

AUDIOLINGUALISM
1.1. AL = descriptive linguistics + behavioural psychology
Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) 1942
Audiolingualism claimed to have transformed language teaching
from an art to a science.

2. APPROACH
2.1. Theory of language:
structural linguistics (1950s) > reaction to traditional grammar
Language = a system of structurally related elements for the
encoding of meaning.
The elements were phonemes, morphemes, words, structures and
sentence types.

1. elements in a language were thought of as being linearly

produced in a rule-governed (structured) way
2. Language samples could be described at any structural level of
description (phonetic, phonemic, morphological, etc.)
3. Linguistic levels were thought of as systems within systems:
phonemic system morphemic system systems of phrases,
clauses, sentences, etc.

2.2. Learning Theory

Behaviourism is an empirically based approach to the study of
human behaviour.
The occurrence of behaviours is dependent upon three crucial
elements in learning:
a stimulus, which serves to elicit a behaviour

The Audiolingual Method

Lecture No. 4

a response, which is triggered by the stimulus

a reinforcement, which serves to indicate that the response is
appropriate.

Reinforcement is a crucial element in the learning process

Most important learning principles of Audiolingualism:

1. Foreign language learning is basically a process of mechanical
habit formation. Habit formation is facilitated by memorizing
dialogues and performing drills.
2. The development of listening and speaking skills provides the basis
for the development of the other language skills.
3. Analogy provides a better foundation for language learning than
analysis.
4. Word meanings can only be learnt in a linguistic and cultural
context and not in isolation

3. DESIGN
3.1. The specification of learning objectives
Primary objective: oral proficiency
The focus in the early stages is on oral skills, with gradual links to
other skills as learning develops.
3. 2. The syllabus
product centred syllabus: a linguistic syllabus > contains the key
items of phonology, morphology and syntax of the language
language skills are taught in the order of listening, speaking,
reading, and writing

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Lecture No. 4

3. 3. Types of learning and teaching activities

Dialogues and drills provide the basis for audiolingual classroom
practices.
Correct pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation are
emphasized.

3. 4. Learner roles
reactive role: they respond to the stimuli, have little control over
the content, pace or style of learning.
imitators of the teachers model or the model speaker on tape.
not encouraged to initiate interaction because it may lead to
mistakes.

3. 5. Teacher roles
central and active
T provides a model of the target language
T controls the direction and pace of learning
T monitors and corrects the learners performance

3. 6. The role of teaching materials

Instructional materials > teacher-oriented
In the early stages of learning > exposure to the printed word may
distract attention from the aural input
Textbook > texts of dialogues and cues for drills and exercises.
Tape recorders
Language laboratory

The Audiolingual Method

Lecture No. 4

4. PROCEDURE
Typical classroom activities in audiolingual lessons:
repeating each line of the dialogue individually and in chorus
memorizing dialogues
reading aloud dialogues in chorus: one half of the class saying one
speakers part and the other half responding
drills

(repetition,

backward

build-up,

chain,

substitution,

transformation, question-and-answer)
little grammatical explanation
use of minimal pairs
completing a dialogue

5. REASONS FOR THE DECLINE OF AUDIOLINGUALISM

Language learning > boring and unsatisfying
theoretical attack on audiolingual beliefs by Noam Chomsky >
rejected the structuralist approach to language description + the
behaviourist theory of language learning
Chomsky argued for a new language learning theory:
Human language use is created anew from underlying
knowledge of abstract rules.
Sentences are not learnt by imitation and repetition but
generated from the learners underlying competence