methodology definition in english language

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English Language Teaching: Approaches, Methods, and Techniques

Written by: Mike Turner

June 15, 2021

Time to read 5 min

When we are looking at the effectiveness of our teaching, we often get tied up in the minutiae of classroom practice. However, sometimes it’s useful to take a bit of a step back and examine what we are doing more broadly.  

In order to look at our different options as teachers, it is handy to use a consistent framework. I am indebted to several writers on TEFL methodology, but I have chosen specifically to apply the useful distinctions between  approach ,  method , and  technique made by Richards and Rogers in their 1986 work  Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (London: CUP). Although the book is now 25 years old, it still provides one of the neatest and most accessible descriptions of some of the most influential approaches. The terminological distinctions they draw are particularly useful and are summarised below. I have then applied them, as succinctly as I can, to a variety of current and historical approaches. The list is not intended to be exhaustive, but I hope it will allow teachers to contextualise their own practice.

Approach, Method & Technique

An approach describes the theory or philosophy underlying how a language should be taught; a method or methodology describes, in general terms, a way of implementing the approach (syllabus, progression, kinds of materials); techniques describe specific practical classroom tasks and activities. For example:

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach with a theoretical underpinning that a language is for communication.

A CLT methodology may be based on a notional-functional syllabus, or a structural one, but the learner will be placed at the centre, with the main aim being developing their Communicative Competence. Classroom activities will be chosen that will engage learners in communicating with each other.

CLT techniques might include role-plays, discussions, text ordering, speaking games, and problem-solving activities.

Some Different Approaches, Methods & Techniques

The audiolingual approach.

The Audiolingual Approach is based on a structuralist view of language and draws on the psychology of behaviourism as the basis of its learning theory, employing stimulus and response.

Audio-lingual teaching uses a fairly mechanistic method that exposes learners to increasingly complex language grammatical structures by getting them to listen to the language and respond. It often involves memorising dialogues and there is no explicit teaching of grammar.

Techniques include listening and repeating, and oral drilling to achieve a high level of accuracy of language forms and patterns. At a later stage, teachers may use communicative activities.

CLIL - Content and Language Integrated Learning

CLIL is an approach that combines the learning of a specific subject matter with learning the target language. It becomes necessary for learners to engage with the language in order to fulfil the learning objectives. On a philosophical level, its proponents argue that it fosters intercultural understanding, meaningful language use, and the development of transferrable skills for use in the real world.

The method employs immersion in the target language, with the content and activities dictated by the subject being taught. Activities tend to integrate all four skills, with a mixture of task types that appeal to different learning styles.

Techniques involve reading subject-specific texts, listening to subject-based audio or audio-visual resources, discussions, and subject-related tasks.

CLT - Communicative Language Teaching   (The Communicative Approach)

CLT emphasises that the main purpose of language is communication, and that meaning is paramount. The goal of the Communicative Approach is to develop learners’ communicative competence across all four skills. It has been the dominant approach in mainstream language education for many decades.

Most methodologies use an amalgamation of a structural and a functional syllabus, with a relatively common consensus emerging concerning the order in which language elements should be taught. Language is generally contextualised, and communication is encouraged from the start. Native speaker input is seen as highly desirable, though not essential. Much teaching is learner-centred.

Techniques are an eclectic mix - with techniques often borrowed from a range of other approaches. Because of this, it is often criticised for a lack of robust theoretical underpinning. Specific activities and games are chosen for their perceived effectiveness in relation to the knowledge or skills being taught. Typical activities include physical games such as board races and running dictations, information exchange activities, role-plays – and any tasks and games that involve communication between learners.

DOGME is a humanistic communicative approach that focuses on conversational interactions where learners and the teacher work together on the development of knowledge and skills.

In terms of method, it generally eschews the use of textbooks and published materials in favour of real communication and the development of discourse-level skills. Language may be scaffolded by the teacher, with attention paid to emergent forms. Topics are chosen based on their relevance to the learners.

Techniques include conversational activities and exposure to the language through real-life texts, audio, and video materials.

Grammar Translation 

An approach to language study is generally used to prepare students for reading classical texts, notably Latin, in their original. It is thought that students benefit from learning about the ideas of classical thinkers, and from the rigour of rote learning and the application of grammatical rules.

The method commonly involves students learning grammar rules plus vocabulary lists based on the content of chosen texts. These are then applied to the written translation of texts from and into the target language. The teaching is usually done in the student’s native language. There is little emphasis on speaking, other than to recite sections of text.

Techniques include rote learning and drilling, translation activities, and recitation.

This approach is not really used in teaching Modern Foreign Languages but is still sometimes the basis for the teaching of classical languages such as Latin or Greek.

The Lexical Approach

An approach based on the notion that language comprises lexical units (chunks, collocations, and fixed phrases). Grammar is secondary and is acquired through learning these chunks.

The method focuses on learning sets of phrase-level, multi-word vocabulary and linguistic frames that can be manipulated by the learner using substitutions and adaptations. This can be done through adapting many standard EFL activities.

Techniques could include searching texts for lexical units, collocation matching games, lexical drills and chants, story-telling, role plays using fixed and semi-fixed expressions, activities with de-lexical verbs and examining concordances.

The Natural Approach

An approach to language learning that seeks to mirror how we learn our first language.

Methods focus on the possibility of ‘acquiring’ a second language rather than having to learn it artificially. Teaching is by a native-speaker teacher; the syllabus mirrors the order in which we acquire our first language; there is an initial ‘silent phase’ when the learner assimilates aspects of the language, before moving on to producing it. Errors are seen as important attempts to form and use appropriate rules.

Techniques focus on meaningful interactions and may include listening and following instructions; ordering activities; memory games; miming activities; and describing and guessing games.

The Silent Way

The Silent way sees the process of learning a second language as a cognitive task, with learners as intelligent autonomous individuals, who can infer language use from well-structured input.

The methodology employs a graded structural syllabus, with the elements of language presented in a deliberately artificial way, using teaching aids such as charts and Cuisenaire rods.

Techniques involve, for example, mapping individual sounds and sequences onto the colours or physical characteristics of the teaching aids, and then having students infer rules based on recognising the systematic similarities and differences in the input material.

Situational Language Teaching (SLT)

This approach views language as a purposeful means of achieving goals in real-life situations.

The method employs oral practice of sentence patterns and structures related to these specific situations. It often uses props and realia in practice activities.

Techniques include drills, repetition and substitution activities, spoken dialogues, and situational role-plays. Oral practice aims towards accuracy and mastery of the situational language, moving at a later stage to the other three skills.

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| | | | | | | My Wordlists Legacy activities Advanced Dictionary         Wordsmyth     Standard   Lookup History methodologies a body of methods, principles, and rules used for a specific activity or branch of knowledge. the study of the organization of the sciences and the methods of scientific inquiry. Subscriber feature methodological (adj.), methodologically (adv.), methodologist (n.) Subscribe for ad-free Wordsmyth and more ELT Concourse teacher training ELT Concourse home A-Z site index Teacher training index Teacher development For teachers For trainers For managers For learners About language Language questions Other areas Academic English Business English Entering ELT Courses index Basic ELT course Language analysis Training to train Transcription What is methodology?  An essential guide A dictionary definition of methodology is a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity This is a very brief guide.  For more in this area, see the list of related guides, linked at the end. There are two common ways to define methodology in English Language Teaching and, graphically, this is how they look: The left-hand set was developed by Anthony in 1963.  The right-hand set was developed from Anthony's definition later and appears in Richards and Rogers, 2001.  Briefly: It actually doesn't matter all that much which breakdown you accept.  Both are fairly arbitrary and subjective ways of breaking down a complex area. It is worth pointing out that not all methodologies will fit neatly into the categories above. For example, Communicative Language Teaching, the current dominant methodology, has a good theory of language but little to say concerning a theory of learning.  Some earlier methodologies such as Situational Language Teaching were similarly deficient but some, audio-lingualism, for example, had very clear theories both of what language actually is and how people learn languages. The extent to which, if at all, the various models and concepts of language and learning actually reflect reality is, of course, quite another matter. It is, however, often quite possible to work backwards from what is observed in the classroom (techniques and procedures) and deduce the approach a teacher favours or to work from the materials an institution uses (the method or design) to see what principles (the approach) the institution is favouring.  The Delta examination, e.g., explicitly asks you to do that. It is common for some ways of doing things to be referred to as method or methodology but this is to misunderstand the terms as they are used in our field.  In non-technical language, of course, method just means a way of doing something but that is not how it should be used in ELT.  For example: Structuring a lesson along the lines of Test > Teach > Test or Presentation > Practice > Production is not to use a methodology.  It is simply a way to arrange procedures and tasks in a lesson.  Both these structures can inhabit very different methodologies. Taking an inductive approach in which learners are asked to figure out the patterns and rules from language examples or a deductive approach in which learners are given the rule and asked to apply it to language are just ways to approach making things learnable and accessible.  Neither qualifies as a methodology. Making lessons learner centred by, for example, negotiating the syllabus with the learners, making feedback routines come from the class rather than the teacher or encouraging peer-teaching and peer-correction does not count as a methodology.  It may be an approach to classroom management but it is not a methodology. Even approaches taken by people who claim to be employing a methodology may not really qualify.  Dogme, for example, is an approach to teaching which sits comfortably within Communicative Language Teaching so it is probably better described as an approach to lesson design rather than grandly calling it a methodology.  Task-Based Learning and Teaching is another example of something often called a methodology but one that fits more comfortably into Anthony's concept of a Method or Richards and Rogers' category of Design because the methodology into which it fits is clearly communicative. For more on the differences between theories of learning and language, hypotheses about learning, procedures and techniques, see the guide to methodology refined, linked below. If you yearn for more in this area, follow the links here. Related guides this guide considers three sets of related methodologies which includes much of what precedes here and a good deal more for most of the above and great deal more that attempts to break things down in the in-service section a guide in the in-service section which considers the implications of the rejection of all methodologies this guide considers five alternative methodologies: Silent Way, Total Physical Response, Community Language Learning, Suggestopaedia and Dogme which has links to guides which consider a range of methodologies separately which covers some learning theory which considers differences and similarities which looks at how second languages are learned or acquired References: Anthony, EM, 1963, Approach, Method, and Technique , ELT Journal (2): 63–43, Oxford: Oxford University Press Richards, J, and Rodgers, T, 2001, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Contact | FAQs | Copyright notice | ELT Concourse charter | Disclaimer and Privacy statement | Search ELT Concourse SME definition Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent 99% of all businesses in the EU. The definition of an SME is important for access to finance and EU support programmes targeted specifically at these enterprises. What is an SME? Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined in the EU recommendation 2003/361 . The main factors determining whether an enterprise is an SME are staff headcount either turnover or balance sheet total or Medium-sized < 250 ≤ € 50 m ≤ € 43 m Small < 50 ≤ € 10 m ≤ € 10 m Micro < 10 ≤ € 2 m ≤ € 2 m These ceilings apply to the figures for individual firms only. A firm that is part of a larger group may need to include staff headcount/turnover/balance sheet data from that group too. Further details include The revised user guide to the SME definition (2020) (2 MB, available in all EU languages) Declaring your enterprise to be an SME (the form is available in all languages as an annex in the revised user guide) The SME self-assessment tool which you can use to determine whether your organisation qualifies as a small and medium-sized enterprise What help can SMEs get? There are 2 broad types of potential benefit for an enterprise if it meets the criteria eligibility for support under many EU business-support programmes targeted specifically at SMEs: research funding, competitiveness and innovation funding and similar national support programmes that could otherwise be banned as unfair government support ('state aid' – see block exemption regulation ) fewer requirements or reduced fees for EU administrative compliance Monitoring of the implementation of the SME definition The Commission monitors the implementation of the SME definition and reviews it in irregular intervals. Pursuant to the latest evaluation, the Commission concluded that there is no need for a revision. On 25 October 2021, we informed stakeholders by holding a webinar with presentations on the SME evaluation's results and next steps. Supporting documents Study to map, measure and portray the EU mid-cap landscape (2022) Staff working document on the evaluation of the SME definition  (2021) Executive summary on the evaluation of the SME definition  (2021) Q&A on the evaluation of the SME definition  (2021) Final report on evaluation of the SME definition  (2018) (10 MB) Final report on evaluation of the SME definition (2012)  (1.8 MB) Executive summary on evaluation of the SME definition (2012)  (345 kB) Implementing the SME definition (2009)  (50 kB) Implementing the SME definition (2006)  (40 kB) Share this page 391 COMMENTS METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY definition: 1. a system of ways of doing, teaching, or studying something: 2. a system of ways of doing…. Learn more. Methodology Definition & Meaning methodology: [noun] a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline : a particular procedure or set of procedures. methodology noun a set of methods and principles used to perform a particular activity. recent changes in the methodology of language teaching; research methodologies METHODOLOGY Definition & Meaning Methodology definition: a set or system of methods, principles, and rules for regulating a given discipline, as in the arts or sciences.. See examples of METHODOLOGY used in a sentence. METHODOLOGY definition and meaning 2 meanings: 1. the system of methods and principles used in a particular discipline 2. the branch of philosophy concerned with.... Click for more definitions. METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY meaning: 1. a system of ways of doing, teaching, or studying something: 2. a system of ways of doing…. Learn more. Methodology v. t. e. In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bringing about a certain goal, like acquiring knowledge or verifying knowledge claims. METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY definition: the system of methods used for doing, teaching, or studying something. Learn more. methodology noun a set of methods and principles used to perform a particular activity recent changes in the methodology of language teaching research methodologies Definitions on the go Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary app. methodology • The danger is that the question of methodology can easily be turned to dogma according to any premises. • Two kinds of move are ruled out by Lakatos's methodology. • This is unforgivable in the realm of scientific methodology. • scientific methodology • This means that methodologies from one area are not necessarily transferable. Methodology Methodology is a system of practices and procedures that a teacher uses to teach. It will be based on beliefs about the nature of language, and how it is learnt (known as 'Approach'). Example. Grammar Translation, the Audiolingual Method and the Direct Method are clear methodologies, with associated practices and procedures, and are each based ... methodology, n. meanings, etymology and more The earliest known use of the noun methodology is in the 1800s. OED's earliest evidence for methodology is from 1800, in Medical & Physical Journal. methodology is formed within English, by compounding; probably modelled on a Latin lexical item. Etymons: method n., ‑ology comb. form. Methodology Definition & Meaning Methodology definition: The branch of logic that deals with the general principles of the formation of knowledge. methodology methodology - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free. ... methodology language, thank you methodology of(?) methods (=methodology) is or are ... no more dry bones methodology prioritization scoring methodology Quality improvement methodology English Language Teaching: Approaches, Methods, and Techniques Approach, Method & Technique. An approach describes the theory or philosophy underlying how a language should be taught; a method or methodology describes, in general terms, a way of implementing the approach (syllabus, progression, kinds of materials); techniques describe specific practical classroom tasks and activities. For example: methodology The meaning of methodology. Definition of methodology. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels. Methodology Methodology is a system of practices and procedures that a teacher uses to teach. It will be based on beliefs about the nature of language, and how it is learnt (known as 'Approach'). Grammar Translation, the Audiolingual Method and the Direct Method are clear methodologies, with associated practices and procedures, and are each based on ... ELT Concourse: what is methodology? An essential guide. A dictionary definition of methodology is a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity. This is a very brief guide. For more in this area, see the list of related guides, linked at the end. There are two common ways to define methodology in English Language Teaching and, graphically, this is how they look: A glossary of methodology and background theory for English Language A development is audio-visual teaching making use of images, moving or otherwise. Any chart, diagram, object, video sequence or audio recording etc. used in a classroom. Referring to hearing / listening. The degree to which teaching materials come from the 'real world' and are used as originally intended. METHODOLOGY definition in American English 1. the science of method, or orderly arrangement; specif., the branch of logic concerned with the application of the principles of reasoning to scientific and philosophical inquiry. 2. Word forms: plural ˌmethodˈologies. a system of methods, as in any particular science. Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. What is the difference between method and methodology in teaching? Methodology: The study of methods, including theoretical and philosophical considerations. It focuses on the "why" behind teaching practices. Method: A specific, practical plan for teaching, including the techniques and procedures used to present language material. It focuses on the "how" of implementing teaching strategies. ELT Concourse: the essential guide to methodology A dictionary definition of methodology is a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity. If you have followed the very brief guide to what a methodology is, some of the following may be familiar to you. Here we are concerned less with what a methodology is and more with identifying some important ones. Methodology in Language Teaching Product description. Methodology in Language Teaching provides an overview of approaches, issues, and practices in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. This book provides an overview of current approaches, issues, and practices in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. The anthology offers a comprehensive ... SME definition Monitoring of the implementation of the SME definition. The Commission monitors the implementation of the SME definition and reviews it in irregular intervals. Pursuant to the latest evaluation, the Commission concluded that there is no need for a revision. assignment essay homework paper phd report review speech thesis