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A Comparison with Other Approaches
The Questioning Approach is a new approach to learning English which combines the clarity of
traditional structured approaches with the empathy of more modern humanistic ones. Here the
Questioning Approach is contrasted with the main alternative ways of teaching English to
children. For the sake of clarity, approaches are divided into categories, though, of course,
many approaches fall into more than one of the categories considered.
Teacher-Centered Approaches
At the core of any teacher-centered approach is the belief that teachers teach and so children
learn - the initiative comes from the teacher. The effect of this belief can not only be seen
in the traditional classroom but also on methods such as repetition after the teacher or
mechanical drilling, and even on individual teachers using the most progressive approaches.
In the Questioning Approach the word "teach" is never used. Teachers do not
"teach"; children "learn". Lessons are planned by the teacher and the
children are led towards pre-determined targets, so in a sense the teacher does have the
initiative. However, the crucial factor is how the children feel about this. There are
approaches, particularly some versions of the 'Situation' and 'Communicative' approaches, which
on a rational level are very student-centered but which on an emotional level do not feel so to
the students. In the Questioning Approach rationally much initiative remains in the hands of the
teacher, but the aim is for each child to feel that she is learning for herself.
Structural Approaches
There are a number of approaches which emphasize the necessity of learning a clear sequence of
grammatical structures. In some, grammatical rules are analyzed and explained either in English
or the learner's language, while in others these rules are learned by induction. The Questioning
Approach places emphasis on the learning of grammar by induction in the early stages of learning.
One of the main differences from most Structural Approaches is the emphasis on creating an
emotional need for language before it is discovered. Another is that in the Questioning Approach
the learning of structures is not valued for its own sake. Instead it is seen as a way of
increasing confidence and developing a sense of adventure which makes it possible for children
to gradually learn in a less structured way.
A third difference is the degree to which new language is linked with previously learned language.
In many structural approaches, it is considered a virtue to teach clear and independent targets in
each lesson and then to have review sections of a lesson or whole review lessons for bringing all
the targets together. In the Questioning Approach the aim is for old and new language to be
constantly linked and practiced together.
Natural Approaches
There is a widespread belief that the English as a foreign language classroom should approximate
the conditions under which children learn their native language. Many of the methods to which this
belief has led remind teachers of how they learned their own language when they were children, and
so have a natural appeal.
The key difference between the Questioning Approach and natural approaches concerns the use of time.
Many children who are learning English as a foreign language rather than as their native language or
as a second language, have very little time to learn, often only one or two hours a week. Under these
circumstances, if they learn 'naturally' they generally make very little progress. In the Questioning
Approach emphasis is placed on the efficient use of time. It would be useful to look at some of the
main principles which natural approaches have in common and see how the Questioning Approach differs:
Children should discover English for themselves
One principle which is shared by most natural approaches is that children should be allowed to
explore and discover for themselves.
This is also a core principle of the Questioning Approach. The difference is the extent to which the
children are encouraged to explore in a specific direction. The aim is for the children to feel that
they are discovering language for themselves but for the teacher to have a very clear idea of where
the course is going. It is the children's feeling that is crucial. As long as the learning process
feels real to them, there is no contradiction, and time is used more efficiently.
The input of language is crucial
Another principle, which an increasing number of educationalists support, is that being exposed to
English of an appropriate level is more important than being trained to produce language. This theory
has been argued very convincingly by a number of writers. However, most of the convincing case studies
either concern children learning their native language or a foreign language in a country where the
language is spoken all around them.
There is little evidence to suggest that children learning English as a foreign language in their own
country and studying for only a short time each week will benefit very much from just being exposed to
comprehensible language. There is definitely a need for children to simply enjoy listening to English.
However, in the classroom, children seem to respond much more positively and gain much more from
learning and using productive skills.
Also, in cultures where children are encouraged to be dependent and passive learners, it is particularly
important to establish an independent and active pattern in the early stages. 'Finding Out' has been
written in Japan where dependency is often a serious problem, and attempts by teachers to use methods
which emphasize the input rather than the output of language often serve to encourage a passive attitude
which the children find it difficult to even break out of.
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