Modern English Language Teachings

The world has significantly changed in the previous decades. Today foreign language mastery has become an essential need while English has famously become the language people look for to learn. The more people want to learn it the more methodologies are evolving so everyone can find an individual solution.

Methodology is generally understood as a sum of means and learning techniques. Some prefer to study following their path, while others are more comfortable learning under assistance and supervision from others, not mention to designing an educational program for children at home, in kindergarten, or in school.

Several Methodologies Worth to Know

Let us review some essential modern English teaching methodologies, their differences, and the reasons why a relevant solution based on special needs, personal goals, and time and money resources is required for each person.

Audiolingual

This approach focuses on perceiving a foreign speech by ear combined with the analogy technique used upon memorising new words - the student memorizes basic vocabulary and commonly used language structures which further helps in building sentences unassisted. This approach suggests breaking the lesson into two parts with a duration ratio of 1 to 3 - theory 25 % of time and practice (conversations on various topics with gradual building up of vocabulary on top of the basic set) 75 % of the time.

The methodology is also very useful for teaching in groups (including for exam preparation), and many universities around the world, such as Oxford, use it and this approach is at the heart of many author-developed study programs.

Communicative

This methodology focuses on the practice of spoken language, versatile interactions using the target language which ensures seamless overcoming of the infamous language barrier. Combines:

• interactions using English starting from the first lesson even if the person studies the language from scratch;
• application of perfectly thought-through workbooks with content that can be successfully used in everyday situations.

The same approach is used in learning assisted by a target language-speaking teacher. British International School CIS represents a brilliant example of this approach and it offers education for pre-school children and obtaining full secondary school education (Russian graduation certificate + Cambridge certificate) — call to learn how your child can become bilingual and have the access to further education in the world-class high schools.

This methodology eliminates drills by replacing memorizing the grammar rules with the repeated usage of the rules and ensures knowledge of the foreign language as a second language.

Learning through Reading

This methodology focuses on customary adapted literature works providing a friendly learning experience that is more comfortable for beginners. The beauty of this passive approach is that the study involves fun reading activities with no need in making exercises - associative thinking allows the brain to absorb new knowledge and ensure more productive learning.

Of course, it is not about reading English writers in the original. The books that are designed in accordance with this approach represent a thought-through combination of Russian translation and transcription and provision of explanation of specific words. This approach eliminates mechanical drills (as well as "development of skills") and is focused on involvement and fresh experiences. This methodology is author-designed; the author is Ilya Frank.

Other Author-developed Approaches

The review of the modern English teaching methods cannot be complete without mentioning the author-developed approaches. Their effectiveness and popularity ensured their authors' names were worth to be preserved in history.

Here are the 5 top author-developed methods:

1. The Paul Pimsleur method is the most well-known self-studying approach for learning a foreign language winch is extremely useful for business people that are frequently limited in time (3 levels, 30 half-hour lessons each), patented memory training method;
2. Dmitry Petrov is a famous polyglot who offers a technique to effortlessly overcome a mental barrier, to significantly improve spoken language by practicing frequently used vocabulary and basic language structures until it becomes second nature;
3. The method of Galina Kitaigorodskaya involves a play technique which is precedent by a test to determine the personality type of the player and assignment to the player of a relevant role (business person, banker, manager, and etc.) with further conversations and discussions in English;
4. The method of Igor Shekhter ensures the optimal conditions to practice spoken language, building up conversations, no homework and checks are required, the study, emotionally expressive and full with fun activities, is complemented by watching films and reading in the original (3 study cycles of 100 hours, 1-3 months intervals);
5. The Stanislav Muller's method represents a highly effective method that combines the action on both consciousness and subconsciousness (immersing into a super-learning state). For learning a foreign language, it helps to accelerate vocabulary building and oral skills acquisition by times.

This review of the approaches and solutions shows that the methods can be very diverse and that even play methods, in contrary to the stereotyped views, can be applied not only in pre-school or school settings but also in the learning experience of heavy business persons (the Kitaigorodskaya's method). The method that would work better for the learner's individuality will be the most productive approach.