Philosophy and the Future Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy and the Future - Assignment Example The last theory that he put forward was that a person should accept the fact of absurdism and in this way, he would lead a better life. The reason behind this is that a person knows that life has no meaning and in that way, he would live his life to the fullest. Absurdism is one philosophy which actually denies a proper meaning to life. Many philosophers have argued against this. If absurdism is a belief that is universally accepted then it can be argued that the meaning of philosophy itself is nothing because since life has no purpose then why should one actually assess its outcome and search for a way of living. Not believing in life would actually mean not believing in one’s own existence. A logical explanation to the meaning of life is essential and it must be considered. The meaning of life is one thing that a person must analyze so that he understands his own existence. It is something that a person derives from learning and knowledge. Absurdism is actually an easy way out that a person discovers when he denies his search of life. Absurdism is actually living a life of self-denial. Meaning of life can be understood on the basis of religion as is accepted by many. It can also be based upon the principles of utilitarianism which i ndicates that the purpose of leading a normal life is dependant upon the principle of happiness which indicates that a person performs those acts which would bring about the maximum happiness. Religion and utilitarianism teach a person about his own existence, about the purpose of life and the creation of a happy and healthy world. Human beings are finite beings. Despite that many philosophers have put forward the theory about the existence of God who as explained is an infinite, Supreme Being. This means that human beings definitely have the power to consider and examine the infinite being.  

Forrest Gump Essay Example for Free

Forrest Gump Essay Forrest Gump is a movie whose title is named after its main character, Forrest Gump. The main character is not a fast-witted fellow, who kills time in waiting for the bus by sharing the story of his life to anyone who sits with him on a bench in the bus stop. He always remembers the time when he met Elvis Presley, and also when his dear mother died. He shares stories about going to college and how he dealt with his new life in that new environment, and proudly tells strangers about how a scholarship grant has helped him enter college. He recalls stories about him entering the army. As a member of the army, he was sent to Vietnam. From this experience, he returned to his country of origin as a hero because in Vietnam, he was able to save his friends in the army. Since he was able to make himself a hero, he shares to strangers how many presidents of different countries he has already met. He also recalls how he got wealthy by setting up a business. He looks back to the days when he was very engrossed into professional ping-pong. He is telling people who sits beside him on the bench about his popularity which he got from running to and from one country to another, for three consecutive years (McCarthy, 1994). All these stories which Forrest Gump keeps on sharing to strangers seem different from each other. However, when one takes a better and closer look at it, the sum of Forrest Gump’s stories revolves around Jenny. Jenny is the one true love of Forrest. He falls in love with this girl so deeply that he never notices other girls. He thinks about her every now and then. He is too enamoured with too many thoughts about Jenny. Because Forrest Gumps life is not perfect, he loses Jenny along the way. Everything that Forrest does from that time on was towards finding Jenny. With much perseverance, and also even luck, he was able to find Jenny once again. They reconnect with each other. With this reunion, Forrest finds out that he and Jenny have a son together. Jenny, however, was almost dying all through the years. He is suffering from a disease which has no treatment or medication. Then again, even after knowing this, Forrest still decides to marry Jenny. After a very short period of time, Jenny dies from the incurable disease. What Forrest did was to raise their son even when Jenny was no longer around. He became a father to his son on his own (McCarthy, 1994). Forrest Gump, in this story, is a very good representation of the genre â€Å"innocent at large†. His snippets of wisdom are very sensible although they are very simple. He is also slow-witted. The way he looks portrays innocence because he is donning a buzz-cut hairstyle. The world around Forrest Gump is undeniably a stressful and a hectic one, but even if he is living in this kind of world, he is still able to look at the world in a good way. He still thinks that the world is a nice place to live in. While Forrest looks very innocent, viewers will still understand and see that he is not completely innocent, and that he also knows things. It simply goes to show that Forrest defies the stereotype of a hero. Heroes are expected to be man enough, to be smart, fit and almost perfect. Forrest still managed to be a hero despite all his imperfections. Jenny, on the other hand, was the opposite of Forrest. While she knew a lot about the world and was rich with experiences, she is constantly confused. She hooks up with boys she barely knows; she does drugs, and battles thoughts and attempts of suicide. She only decides to settle down with Forrest when she was almost dying, and this time, she sounded and acted more matured. Again, she defies the stereotype of smart people making smart decisions, since Jenny, being knowledgeable, being the women who taught Forrest how to read and write, is the same woman who always creates poor decisions (McCarthy, 1994). As a reader, it is easy to relate with Forrest Gump because there are times when wishes and dreams are achieved even without the conventional way of reaching it. It can be related to the many times people do not believe in what I can do or what opinions I am capable of making. It can also be as simple as doing everything in my power to buy my dream pair of shoes, or the book I have been meaning to read for the longest time, and even when getting them seems impossible, I end up having them land on my hands. The movie discussed many things about family, marriage and society. Throughout the entire film, we can see that Forrests mother is very supportive of him. She supported him even though a lot of people think that he has no future with his IQ that is below average. She pushed him to do normal things despite what other people say. She even went as far as to entertain the indecent wishes of the school principal just so Forrest can enter school. In all these examples, the role of the mother as a family member who supports other members is clearly shown. The film also explored the family theme in Lieutenant Dans determination to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors who died in battle. Lieutenant Dans only wish is to be killed in action and nothing else. This reflects the tendency of members of a family to follow the choices in life of fellow members. However, Lieutenant Dan failed to follow the footsteps of his ancestors because he was saved by Forrest. Marriage is discussed in the movie in the scene where Forrest proposes to marry Jenny. Forrest made it clear that she loved Jenny despite the fact that he is â€Å"not a smart man. † Upon learning that he has a child that also has his name, Forrest also gladly assumed the role of a father even though his intelligence is below average. In addition, Forrest and Jenny got married even if Jenny is already dying. These events show that marriage should be founded on the responsibility of each member and their love for each other (McCarthy, 1994). Society was also discussed in the film because it was shown that Forrest had to go through many challenges as he tried to accomplish things that normal people accomplish. His classmates didnt like him in the school bus and he was always bullied in school. His classmates even chased him with their pickup truck. Forrest was able to break through the challenges that society presented though through his talents and skills. Since he can run very fast, Forrest was able to go through college with a scholarship for playing football. His talent in ping-pong also allowed him to go to China and play with their leader. In the military, his fast rifle assembly skills made him look good in the eyes of his commander. While these instances are exaggerated, they do make it clear that it is possible to be accepted by society if you willingly share your talents and skills to other people. Critics absolutely love Forrest Gump. It sparked intense debate among critics about whether the film was promoting conservative or liberal values. Roger Ebert praised Eric Roths screenplay and Tom Hanks acting. Some critics though, did not like film. Entertainment Weekly and The New Yorker said that the film reminds them of Disney because the film tends to reduce history to a colorful theme park. Currently though, the film is considered a classic among many film critics. Forrest Gump is also rated very high in various movie review websites (McCarthy, 1994). I love the film because it is very touching and deep but is still interesting and funny. Forrest Gump is very inspirational because he achieved so many things in life despite the fact that he has a very low IQ. Its not only Forrest though who made his victories and successes possible but also the people around him: his mother, Bubba, Lieutenant Dan, and even Jenny. This shows that society also works to help us achieve our goals no matter what our skills are. I also like the film because it went through a long part of the United States history but it presented it in a comedic and sarcastic way. Since Forrest does not know the real depth of the issues that surrounds him, history looks less serious people would normally think. The film gives the impression that everything that has happened to the world, including the Vietnam War, can be viewed as ridiculous and probably unnecessary. Bubba died needlessly in battle just because he had to serve in the war. His dreams ended just like that and Forrest was willing to accept the death of his friend. Forrest Gump is a great movie that everyone must watch. If you want to dig deep into the emotions of people and the issues of society, this is an excellent film to watch. Truly, Forrest Gump is a classic that entertains and educates its viewers. Reference McCarthy, T. (July 11, 1994). Forrest Gump. Variety Online Magazine. Retrieved 18 December 2008 http://www. variety. com/index. asp? layout=Variety100reviewid=VE1117487968content=jumpjump=reviewcategory=1935cs=1p=0.

Edna O’Brien’s Country Girls Trilogy :: Country Girls Trilogy

Edna O’Brien’s Country Girls Trilogy   Ã‚  Ã‚   In all honesty, I chose to read The Country Girls Trilogy by Edna O’Brien because it was the only text that I could get my hands on. After reading it though, I’m glad I had the luck of choosing it. I realized, while reading the trilogy, that throughout my course of study, I have not read very many female authors. I may have read a few short stories along the way, but most books that I have read for classes and for pleasure have been written by men. I saw the difference in writing styles as I read the first paragraph of the book and immediately liked the change of pace and detail-oriented style. I also found that I really connected with the main characters, Caithleen and Baba, whose real name is Bridget. I found it interesting that I invested such interest in two characters whose personalities are so different from my own. Caithleen was the narrator in the first two books, and I found that I connected with her most because of her details and innocence. The t rilogy represents three phases of these women’s lives from their girlhood, to losing loves and the trials of marriage. Through it all, their interesting friendship changes according to the events in their lives until a sad and untimely end. I’m not sure that that I would want a friendship like Caithleen and Baba’s, but at least that had each other in the end, when the rest of the world seemed to have forgotten them. The excerpt in Colm Toibin’s anthology, The Penguin book of Irish Fiction, is from the first book in O’Brien’s trilogy called The Country Girls. For purposes of this paper, I will discuss the excerpt itself, and then the rest of the first book of O’Brien’s trilogy.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Excerpt from The Country Girls was taken from chapter fourteen. In this passage, Baba and Caithleen have just moved to Dublin to live on their own. They moved into a boarding house run by a German couple and the girls feel as if they are finally living their lives. Baba is in search of a rich man to take care of her so that she no longer has to deal with the little people in life. She drags Caithleen, who goes by Cait, to dances and bars in hopes of finding whatever she can get.

Counseling Class Final Exam Paper Essay

After this class and taking all the different assessments and inventories, my number one career choice as of right now is an Elementary School Teacher. The tests have actually helped me learn a lot about myself and helped me determine what certain fields of work I would succeed in. Being an Elementary School Teacher would be a fulfilling career, and would allow me to be creative and interact with children, which are two things that are very important to me. 2. On the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator, my four letter word was INFJ, which stands for introversion, intuition, feeling, and judgement (although my scores between extroversion/introversion and judgement/perception were a point off). According to the Myer-Briggs personality description, INFJs prefer occupations that involve the big picture, involve conceptual awareness, and lead to a better understanding of the spiritual, emotional, of future needs of people. They want their work to have impact or meaning and for it to bring them admiration and respect. Different occupations that seem to be attractive to INFJs include education consultant, English teacher, fine arts teacher, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, scientist, and other occupations that allow INFJs an opportunity to make their own creative contribution. The list of occupations INFJs seem to enjoy include a lot of education type career choices, so elementary school education would be right up my alley, according to this assessment. Being an elementary school teacher would allow me to be creative and also allow me to help children learn, not only academically, but socially as well. My Holland Code was ISA which stands for Investigative, Social, and Artistic. Investigative people are known as â€Å"The Thinkers†. These are people who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. Artistic people are known as â€Å"The Creators†, They have artistic innovation or intuition abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity. Social people are known as â€Å"The Helpers† and are people who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, or help. Elementary education is a Social college major. According to the occupational scales on the Strong Interest Inventory, I scored a 56 for Elementary School Teacher, which means I share interests with women in that occupation and would probably enjoy the work. Teaching & Education was also number two on my tops five interest areas. The personal style scale reveals many different things. As for my work style, I prefer working with people, I enjoy helping others, and I am outgoing. In a learning environment, I prefer academic environments; I learn well through lecture and books, and I seek knowledge for its own sake. As for my leadership style, I am comfortable taking charge of and motivating others, I enjoy initiating action, and I express my opinions easily. I think being an elementary school teacher would be a good match for me, according to the Strong Interest Inventory. It would allow me to observe, investigate, and solve problems, as well as help and inform children, and it would also allow me to be creative; which fulfills all aspects of my Holland Code. My top five values according to the Work Values Inventory are Altruism, Way of Life, Prestige, Economic Returns, and Security. Altruism is present in work which enables one to contribute to the welfare of others. As an Elementary school teacher, I would definitely be contributing to the welfare of my students and helping them to blossom and thrive in academic and social settings. Way of Life is associated with the kind of work that permits one to live the kind of life she chooses and to be the type of person she wished to be. Elementary school teachers normally work nine months out of the year. Those other three months off would allow me to spend time doing other things I love, like vacationing or spending quality time with my family. Also, I plan on being a parent after I get married and find a stable job. My schedule would correlate with the schedule of my future children and allow me to spend more time with them, which is very important to me. Prestige is associated with work which gives one standing in the eyes of others and evokes respect. An elementary school teacher may not be the most prestigious job in the eyes of some, but it definitely is in the eyes of the students. When I was in elementary school, I admired all of my teachers greatly. Educating the next generation and giving them a solid foundation on which to apply further education, I believe, is a very respectable career. Economic returns is associated with work which pays well and enables one to have the things wanted. Elementary school teachers make a decent amount of money, and although it might not be the highest paying job, I’m willing to push this value to the side to fulfill the others and do something I would really truly enjoy. Confucius once said â€Å"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. † Security is associated with work which provides one with the certainty of having a job even in hard times. According to the Eureka program, there are very many estimated jobs in elementary education within the next 20 years and the estimated growth is above average. My top ten skills based on my skill assessment results were Integrity, Questioning, Synthesizing, Tact, Understanding, Dependability, Tenacity, Advising, Cooperating, and Investigating. As an Elementary School teacher, I think you definitely need integrity. Actually, i listed this skill as a Very Satisfying skill, and is also listed as a Very Satisfying skill for Elementary school teachers. I think as an Elementary School teacher you need to be able to synthesize many different elements into your lesson plans. As for tact (a keen sense of what is appropriate, and what to say or do to avoid giving offense), I think it is an important skill for every career choice. I listed tact as a Very Satisfying skill and many Elementary School Teachers listed tact as a Moderately Satisfying skill. Understanding and dependability are very important skills for any career choice and are especially important when working with younger kids. I listed dependability as a Moderately Important skill and many Elementary School teachers did as well. Advising could be a helpful skill while trying different methods of learning certain subjects. Also important if a student was seeking my help. Cooperating is an important skill, because as an Elementary school teacher, not only will i be working with children, but I will also be interacting with their parents and other teachers. 6. Going forward from this class, I plan on majoring in Liberal arts at either Cal State Fullerton or Cal State Long beach, and from there I plan on getting my teaching credentials and ultimately becoming an Elementary School Teacher!

Audio Lingual Method

1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235. Audio Lingual Method The Audio lingual method or the Army Method is a style of teaching used in language Instruction. It is based on behaviorist ideology, which professes that certain trait of living things, and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement and correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. So in the Audio Lingual Method, the instructor would present the correct model of a sentence and the students would have to repeat it. The teacher would then continue by presenting new words for the students to sample in the same structure. In audio lingual’s there is no explicit grammar instruction so that everything is simply memorized in form. The idea is for the students to practice the particular construct until they can use it spontaneously. In this manner, the lessons are built on static drills in which the students have little or no control on their own output; the teacher is expecting a particular response and not providing that will result in a student receiving negative feedback. As mentioned, lessons in the classroom focus on the correct imitation of the teacher by the students. Not only are the students expected to produce the correct output, but attention is also paid to correct pronunciation. Although correct grammar is expected in usage, no explicit grammatical instruction is given. Furthermore, the target language is the only language to be used in the classroom. This method is one of the three main ways to teach a foreign language. Along with â€Å"the direct method,† the audio lingual approach keeps the majority of the language instruction in the target language. Audio lingual teaching concentrates on drills that teach grammar while the direct method concentrates more on vocabulary. When the grammar of the target language is explained in the native language, the method is called communicative language teaching. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The method relies on drilling, habit formulation, and the use of a language lab, which might remind you of your high school language class. Grammar is not taught outright, but instead language is taught in its correct grammatical structure. Although the method made sense for its original purpose and was successful in allowing basic communication. The Audio-lingual Method is still in use today, though normally as a part of individual lessons rather than as the foundation of the course. These types of lessons can be popular as they are relatively simple, from the teacher's point of view, and the learner always knows what to expect. But it has been heavily criticized, especially by linguist Noam Chomsky. The rigidity of the method left little room for the spontaneity of free-flowing conversation, which made it difficult to use the language in the real world. Audio Lingual Method 1 GGGV 2044 METHODS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Semester 2 2009/2010 AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD: A DISCUSSION (INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT) LECTURER: DR. HAMIDAH BT. YAMAT @ AHMAD LISA KWAN SU LI A123040 TESL/2 2 1. 1 INTRODUCTION The Audio-lingual Method (ALM), by its very name – â€Å"audio† and â€Å"lingual† – refers to a language teaching approach that focuses on two aspects of language, namely listening and speaking.Unlike its predecessor, the Grammar Translation Method, which focuses on reading and writing skills, this approach chooses to emphasize on the first two stages in the natural order of language learning (listening, speaking, reading followed by writing) with the belief that learners who are better speakers and listeners consequently make better readers and writers. The ALM has a firm foundation in the theories of both structural linguistics and behavioural psychology, and thus incorporates techniques and strategies that advocate the conce pts and assumptions of language learning from both schools of thought.The structural linguistics view of language learning says that language is learned through awareness and specific attention to the patterns and structure of the language. One of the ALM’s main characteristics is its use of repetition and drills that draw learners’ attention to the patterns of the target language which are subsequently memorized and repeated to automaticity. Language learning from the view of behavioural psychology on the other hand, occurs by conditioning and habit formation of accurate responses to stimuli. The right response for a stimulus is modelled by the teacher beforehand and then drilled into the learners repeatedly until such responses become a â€Å"habit† that enables learners to successfully produce accurate responses without clues or prompting by the teacher. This discussion aims to further understand the Audio-lingual Method and explore the advantages and disadva ntages of employing it in the second language classroom. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S.However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å"†¦ by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U.S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficien t in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALMSome of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoke n, and write what he has read.Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language.Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects.In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning.The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills.Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson.Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substi tute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners.Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciati on are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well.Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning.New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise.This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative com petence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory.Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontan eous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural.With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress.They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence?If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Foru m of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125)One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue.Students are require d to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa.Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the l earners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235.