The Processability Method and Proficiency-Oriented Instruction
This is a five-part video series looking at some of the major language teaching methods.
The first video looked at Grammar Translation, Direct Method, and Audiolingual Method.
The second video explored the Natural Approach and TPR.
The third video explained Communicative Language Teaching, task-based instruction, cooperative
learning, project-based learning and problem-based learning.
The fourth video discussed Content-Based Learning and Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching.
This video will look at the Processability method and Proficiency-Oriented Instruction.
The Processability method is referred to as "Teach what is teachable" by
Lightbown and Spada.
This approach focuses on the reality that learners all over the world acquire certain
language features in the same order pretty much regardless of what their native language
is or what their target language is.
Therefore, if they learn in a specific order and do not seem to be able to jump over a
particular stage, shouldn't we teach in that same order.
I suspect many teachers will agree with this concept in general, but find the practicality
of it in the classroom too difficult to enact.
One would hope that textbook authors would consider the development stages of language
as they write their books, but it seldom happens in actuality.
Communicative Language Teaching though does not really believe that any specific order
of presenting linguistic features needs to be adhered to because learners are able to
pick out of whole language aspects they need to learn and ignore what is beyond them.
The last approach I want to discuss is Proficiency-Oriented Instruction.
I call this an approach because it presents general guidelines that can be accomplished
through numerous methods and techniques.
Lightbown and Spada would label this the "Get it right in the end" approach.
Proficiency-Oriented Instruction attempts to combine the noticing hypothesis and form-focused
instruction with communicative language teaching.
It believes there should be balance between fluency and accuracy practice and activities
in class.
In fact, balance is a good word for most of its theories.
For example, the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing should be taught
individually as well as at times integrated together.
Grammar and specific language functions should be noticed and taught at times while at other
times the focus should be on meaning and communication.
There should be a combination of authentic language along with modified comprehensible
input.
It believes the student determines what is taught in class and how it is taught.
In other words, a variety of learning styles should be used in the activities and if students
should spend time exploring and interacting in the target language
with each other.
The teacher facilitates and guides the lesson.
If a learner stumbles into a language feature other than what the instructor anticipated,
then those needs are addressed before returning to the original language lesson.
Proficiency-Oriented Instruction attempts to solve the issue that Communicative Language
Teaching has with relative few students reaching communicative competence and if they do, it
takes a long time for it to happen.
By combining fluency and accuracy, Proficiency-Oriented Instruction tries to take advantage of the
best techniques in both worlds.
In this video we explored the Processability Method and Proficiency-Oriented Instruction
approach.