Question:

Submitted by Shifera, Ethiopia

Can I Define Teaching Methodology in terms of  teacher role, learner role, teaching materials, teaching objectives?

Dr Richards Responds:

In developing a framework for a course the core principles that serve to support the teaching and learning processes need to be clearly articulated. The goal is to develop a coherent set of principles that reflect how teaching and learning should be approached in the course. This results in a statement of the “teaching philosophy” of the course and serves as the basis for decisions about classroom methodology. The following statements describe the teaching philosophy supporting a secondary school EFL English program:

• There is a consistent focus throughout on learning English in order to develop practical and functional skills, rather than as an end in itself.
• Students are engaged in practical tasks that relate to real-world uses of English
• Realistic and communicative uses of English are given priority.
• Maximum use is made of pair and group activities in which students complete tasks collaboratively
• There is an appropriate balance between accuracy-focussed and fluency-focussed activities
• Teachers serve as facilitators of learning rather than presenters of information
• Assessment procedures reflect and support a communicative and skill-based orientation to teaching and learning.
• Students develop an awareness of the learning process and their own learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses
• Students develop the ability to monitor their own learning progress and ways of setting personal goals for language improvement.

Thus we can see from the above that methodology reflects the philosophy of the course, the goals of the course, the teacher’s principles, the kinds of activities that will be used as well as the role of teachers, learners, and materials in the teaching process.