The Silent Way

The silent way (SW), a method of language teaching, originated in the early 1970s and introduced by Caleb Gattegno who is well known for the use of coloured sticks called cuisenaire rods and for his approach to the teaching of initial reading in which sounds are taught by colours.(1)

Principles
1-“Teaching should be subordinated to learning.”(Caleb Gattegno)
2-“The teacher works with the students while the students work on the language.”(Caleb Gattegno)
3-The silence of teacher is important and as much as possible s/he ecourage the students to produce language.
4-The learners are responsible what they learn.
5-Only the necessary help should be given by the teacher. Silence helps learners to think about what is to be learned next.
6-To reach a successful learning responsibility of the learner for language acqusition with using silent awareness and then active trial is required.
7-“Inner criteria” is acquired by the learners.
8-As a key learning device in the way of learning errors are seen natural part of the process and important.
9-Becoming independent, autonomous and responsible is expected from students.
10-The students show the teacher where they have problems with understanding. In the teacher’s point of view progress is more important than perfection. Effective learning needs time. The teacher has to take into account the students’ individual differences.
11-The students begin to learn a foreign language by the pronunciation of different sounds. They practise the target language structure without repetition.
12-It is necessary for the students to be able to form their own inner criteria for correctness.
13-The students should help each other and themselves during the learning process. The teacher keeps silent and that encourages group cooperation.
14-The teacher should create such a relaxing atmosphere that leads the students to take risk and facilitate learning. The teacher is only a neutral observer so he doesn’t interfere in the students’ learning process.
15-The students should be able to express themselves in the target language and it is a necessity for the students to develop their independence from the teacher and their own inner criteria for correctness.16-The teacher should give them only what they absolutely need to promote their learning. Students’ feedback is very important for the teacher. The students develop their own responsibility. The learning process continues even while we are sleeping.
17-When the students are not brave enough to take part in the activities, the teacher should find ways to encourage them. In the end of the lesson the students have the opportunity to express their feelings and opinions about the lesson through feedback.

Techniques
1-Sound-Colour Chart > The teacher refers students to a colour-coded wall chart depicting individual sounds in the target language - students use this to point out and build words with correct pronunciation.
2-Teacher's Silence > Teacher is generally silent, only giving help when it is absolutely necessary.
3-Peer Correction > Students encouraged to help each other in a cooperative and not competitive spirit.
4-Rods > Rods are used to trigger meaning, and to introduce or actively practice language. They can symbolize whatever words are being taught and be manipulated directly or abstractly to create sentence.
5-Self-correction Gestures >Teacher uses hands to indicate that something is incorrect or needs changing - eg. using fingers as words then touching the finger/word that is in need of correction.
6-Word Chart > Words are depicted on charts, the sounds in each word corresponding in colour to the Sound-Colour Chart.
7-Fidel Chart > A chart that is colour-coded according to the sound-colour chart but includes the various English spellings so that they can be directly related to actual sound.
8-Structured Feedback > Students are invited to make observations about the day's lesson and what they have learned.

Advantages
1-Independent Learners are aware that they must depend on their own resources and realize that they can use the knowledge of their own language to open up some things in a new language.
2-Autonomous Learners choose proper expressions in a given set of circumstances and situations.
3-Responsible Learners know that they have free will to choose among any set of linguistic choices, the ability to choose intelligently and carefully is said to be evidence of responsibility.
4-The students are free while expressing themselves and developing their own criteria for correctness.
5-There is a positive and relaxed atmosphere in the classroom.

Disadvantages
1-The students consider with the syntax and neglect cultural input through the language.
2-The teacher’s not speaking leads the students absence of the correct pronunciation and the students are lack of accurate usage of the target language.
3-It is not economic for both the teachers and the students because they need lots of materials such as the sound-colour chart, etc.
4-There are no examples given by the teacher and he doesn’t correct the students’ errors.
5-It is not applicable in large groups.
6-The learning is far from the authentic language but it is artificial.
7-It is teacher-based because he gives the instructions.

References:
· http://www.englishraven.com/method_silent.html
· http://uneeducationpourdemain.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=194&Itemid=53&lang=en
· http://pagesperso-orange.fr/une.education.pour.demain/articlesrrr/sw/pate.htm
· http://www.scribd.com/doc/21291391/The-Silent-Way

Serap Akbıyık >Tuğrul Kardaş > Alexandra Stefan > Ali Sucu