THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH (CA)

1. Learning Theory: Little is known about the learning theory of “The Communicative Approach". Activities that involve real communication promote learning. Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning process.

2. Language Theory: Language is for communication. The goal of language teaching is to develop "communicative competence". Using the language appropriately in social contexts is important and communicative competence should be acquired.

What is language according to the Communicative Approach?

A) Language is a system for expression of meaning.

B) The primary function of language is for interaction and communication.

THE TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE METHOD (TPR)

1. Learning Theory: There are three hypothesis:

A) Innate Bio-program: There exists a specific, innate bio-program for language learning, which defines an optimal path for first and second language development. Children develop listening competence before they develop the ability to speak. They make “a blue-print” of the language first. They develop "a cognitive map" of the language during listening process.

B) Brain Lateralisation: The brain has two main parts: left hemisphere, and right hemisphere , which have different learning functions. If both hemispheres are activated, learning is more effective.

C) Stress (an affective filter): Stress intervenes between the act of learning and what is to be learned. The lower the stress is, the greater the learning becomes.

THE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING (CLL)

1. Learning Theory: CLL advocates a holistic approach to language learning. "True human learning" is both cognitive and affective. This is termed "whole person learning". A group of ideas concerning the psychological requirements for successful and "non-defensive” learning are collected under the acronym (SARD).

Security: Students should feel secure to enter into a successful learning experience. Classroom atmosphere, students' relations with each other, teacher's attitude to students all affect students' feelings of security.

Attention: Attention is the learner's involvement in learning.

Aggression: is to show what has been learnt for "self-assertion” like a child who tries to show what he/she has learnt. The child tries to prove the things he/she has learnt.

THE SUGGESTOPEDIA (Georgi Lazanov)

1. Learning Theory: People use 5-10% of their mental capacity. In order to make better use of our mental reserves, limitations need to be desuggested. Students should eliminate the feelings that they cannot be successful and thus, to help them overcome the barriers to learning. Psychological barriers should be removed. There are six principle theoretical components through which desuggestion and suggestion operate and that set up access to reserves:

1. Authority: People remember best when the new information comes from a reliable authoritative source.

THE SILENT WAY (SW) (Caleb Gattegno)

1. Learning Theory: Cognitive Psychology is the basis. Language learning is not habit formation. It is rule formation. Language learning has a sequence from the known to the unknown. Students induce the rules from examples and the languages they are exposed to, therefore learning is inductive

2. Language Theory: Languages of the world share a number of features (e.g. every language uses subject, object; every language has adjective, adverb, verb  ...etc.) However each language is unique. Language is for self expression (to express thoughts, perceptions, ideas and feelings). "Cognitive Coding" helps learners learn the language. "Colour rods" and "Fidel Chart" are used for cognitive coding.

THE AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD (ALM)

1. Learning Theory: Learning is based on the principles of Behaviourism. (Mim-mem approach). Habit Formation is essential. Rules are induced from examples. Explicit grammar rules are not given. Learning is inductive. Habit formation is actualised by means of repetitions and other mechanical drills.

2. Language Theory: Language is based on descriptive linguistics. Every language is seen as its own unique system. The system is comprised of several different levels. (i.e. phonological, morphological, and syntactic). There is a natural order of skills. 1. Listening, 2. Speaking, 3. Reading,   4. Writing. Everyday speech and oral skills are important. Perfect pronunciation is required. Language is primarily for Oral Communication.

THE DIRECT METHOD (DM)

DM was born as a reaction to GTM because GTM cannot prepare learners for real life language situations in which oral communication is the media.

1. Learning Theory: Inductive learning is essential. There is a direct relation between form and meaning. L2 learning is similar to L1 acquisition. There is a direct exposure to the target language. Exposure of Long chunks in the target language. Learning occurs naturally.

2. Language Theory: Language is for oral use. Each language is unique. There is a direct relation between form and meaning. No other language should interfere when learning a language.

THE GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD (GTM)

1. Learning Theory: Deductive learning is essential. First, the teacher gives rules explicitly then the rules are reinforced with examples and exercises.

2. Language Theory: Language is for understanding the literature. Translation is the way to learn the language. Oral communication is not primarily important. Written language is superior to spoken language. Students also learn the structure of their own native language. Those who study a foreign language become more cultured and intellectual.

3. Culture: Culture is limited to literature and fine arts.

4. Teachers' Role: Teacher is the strict authority. Classes are teacher centred.