1. THE SILENT WAY METHOD
Principles and Techniques

2. PRINCIPLES
 Teacher goals
Lang for self-expression; students dev.
Independence; inner criteria
Teacher/student roles: teacher
technician to focus attn on prior knowledge;
students actively explore language
Process: sound/pronun introduced first thru
sound-color Fidel charts; simulated sits. Focus
on single structures; students prompted by
minimal cues; students asked to describe
reactions; stud. respons. encouraged
Lang/culture: inseparable..no fixed linear
structured syllabus; develops according to
needs..all skills addressed but writing later
Native lang: used for instructions/pronun but
no translation; initial feedback sessions; schema
within 1st
lang used
 Evaluation: may be largely informal,
continuous; transfer learning to new contexts;
no teacher praise/criticism..steady progress, not
perfection desired
 Errors: natural..used as basis for
instruction..self-correction, peer feedback
encouraged..teacher correction last resort

3. Techniques
Cuisenaire rods
Self-correction gestures
Teacher’s silence Word chart
Peer correction Structured feedback
Fidel charts

4. COMMUNITY LANGUAGE
LEARNING METHOD
Principles and Techniques

5. PRINCIPLES
 Teacher goals:
communicative lang. Use; stud.
Reasons. For learning; “whole”
person, “non-defensive” learning
 Teacher/stud roles: teacher as
counselor, reduces threat; stud
goes thru stages from
dependent to independent
 Process: conversation in native
lang; teacher translates in
chunks; taperecorded into
transcript; emerging grammar
needs
 Process (cont’d): 6
elements: security-aggression-
attention-reflection--retention-
discrimination; teacher builds
rapport w/studs.; studs. Feelings
acknowledged/responded to
 Lang/culture: integrated to
build communication/dev.
Creative thinking
 Emphasis: initially
understanding/speaking with
stud-designed syllabus;
reading/writing on emerging
needs

6. Principles (cont’d)
 Native lang: initially
heavy use of
translation; pantomime
also used
 Evaluation: not usual
test; studs. Emotionally
prepared; tests more
integrative (not
discrete)--write para or
oral interview; self-
evaluation

7. Principles (cont’d)
 Error: non-threatening
response through
modeling correct usage
 Physical layout: circles
with teacher outside
circle

8. Techniques
Taperecording student
conversation
Reflective listening
Transcription of recorded
conversation
Human computer
Reflection on experience Small group tasks