[Mr. E English]

With regards to a teaching ‘approach’ or methodology we need to turn to the wonderful research the university linguistic departments have done into language acquisition.

Those in the know have now concluded that there is no single method or approach to teaching or learning a foreign language that actually works. Instead we learn through a mix of methods, hence the new teaching focus on the ‘eclectic’ approach, i.e. using all the methods combined and mixed to best facilitate learning.

The particular approach that a teacher uses at any one particular time will depend on a whole array of factors; the language point being taught, the level of the students, the age of the students, the cultural and educational background of the students, the lesson and activity aim. I find that I use the communicative method, audio-lingual, even grammar-translation (shock, horror!) sometime all in the same 60 minute lesson.

The point is, I think, that as teaches we should be aware of all these methods and approaches, their relative strengths and weaknesses, how they work in practice and how they apply to the students sat in front of you. They are the tools of our trade and we should select the best tool according to need not fashion.