tefl of teaching English through eclectic method

Eclectic Method

Eclectic method is a combination of different learning approaches. Today many people use an eclectic method, because of the eclectic method of teaching to adjust to the requirements for achieving the purpose of teaching without the need to face many difficulties as the use of one particular method therefore an eclectic use of methods based only on the best parts or parts that are beneficial from a variety of teaching methods, then the weaknesses of a particular teaching method can be avoided. In other words, when teachers use this method, it can avoid the problems that occur when delivering teaching material. In addition to the eclectic method of teaching and learning in an activity, teachers can easily adapt to the needs of teaching so that teaching objectives or goals can be achieved.

Implementation Of Eclectic Method

Eclectic method was adopted based on the belief that children should be valued as unique individuals. "And to promote this belief, we chose this method of teaching so that we can apply individually what we feel is appropriate for each child," says Teacher Nelle.

That is why we have a curriculum that is creative, innovative, and imaginative. We provide guided opportunities [so that kids] can explore with their senses as many experiences as possible, freeing them to grow and develop in a natural and positive manner.

She adds that the Eclectic method of teaching in a school is just like a fitness center. "If the trainer...just (puts) you (on) a treadmill, then keeping yourself fit and striving for a good body will be a boring (task). It will be harder to reach (your) goal due to monotonous activities. But if (you) have variety, then you’re more likely to achieve what you are aiming for."

In addition, they see play as an important part of their approach because it "enables children to deal with stress and cope with fears they can’t yet understand or express," points out Teacher Nelle. "Today’s young children are exposed to so much so early and must cope with more than their predecessors ever did." Thus, play gives them the necessary emotional release which helps them make sense of everything they’re experiencing.

Moreover, play stimulates creative imagination. "So instead of doing only what is required to fulfill their schoolwork tasks, they invest extra mental effort to pursue their own goals for learning," she expounds. "These concepts are also organized in a thematic set-up incorporating the various and developmental learning areas and activities appropriate for the age level of the child."

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Eclectic Method

"Students nowadays always want something new and exciting," she states. "[So] learning should not be boring and stressful." Based on Teacher Nelle’s teaching experience, she says their students enjoy going to school. "They love the environment and are excited (about) what they are going to learn for the day. They have a positive concept of what a school is (and) learning becomes easier for them."

The Eclectic approach, according to her, is very appropriate for their preschoolers as it represents a chance for the children to develop all the essential early life skills "by learning in a creative and stimulating environment and gaining the confidence to fulfill their potentials as learners."

As they are working towards developing the said skills in their students, Teacher Nelle says they run a program known as the ‘process-centered’ approach where they place great importance on the courses of action by which children discover and learn. "If we can instill good ways of learning things now, it will certainly help them in their efforts at school and all through life."

Above methods have advantages and disadvantages of each as an example of the direct method is applied to the learning system that is felt can make students excited to learn the language because it uses the vocabulary and structure that is used daily by students who are taught grammar according to the situation but this weakness is because in general the teaching done in class and it was a time for hours.

Many teachers use a mixture of both Indirect and Direct Methods. Grammar Method  easy for the teacher, but too intellectual an approach for the average pupil:

1.    May kill off his enthusiasm for language learning.

2.    Gives little chance to master spoken language which would be of greater use to him.

3.    Pupil cannot gain true insight into grammatical rule unless he has previously mastered the spoken aspect.

Some teachers therefore try to veer away from pure Indirect Method, hoping to reduce the intellectual content of their lessons and to give pupils some opportunity of speaking the language.

But Direct Method teaching cannot supply the number of active speaking contacts required for pupil to begin to 'think' in the language, so that any 'eclectic' method lying between the two poles will afford even fewer contacts. It is also true that a second language learner needs to have some knowledge of the grammatical blocks of language to help speed up the development of his oral proficiency.

Too much veering towards Indirect Method:

·      increases the intellectual content of lessons (condemning those pupils whose IQ isn't sufficiently high)

·      decreases the number of active oral contacts the pupils require

Too much veering towards the Direct Method:

·      denies the pupil the help which a knowledge of comparative grammar can give him in his development towards oral proficiency

·      still means the teacher is unable to provide for the pupil the required number of oral contacts (thus leading to incomplete/inaccurate responses).

·      makes it easier for the pupil but more difficult for the teacher himself.

Criteria Necessary for Effective Method in Learning / Teaching a Foreign Language

1.    It must be simple for both teacher and learner, and must be within the capabilities of all teachers. Also, the teacher must feel that pupils are progressing satisfactorily.

2.    It must bring about a balance between the spoken and written or printed word
(and must be flexible enough for the teacher to concentrate on the area (s)he wants).

3.    It must overcome the conflict between fluency and accuracy.

4.    It must increase the rate and amount of learning which takes place in the classroom.

5.    Testing must be part of the method, and not a separate entity.

6.    Constant revision must be part of the method.

7.    It must enable the teacher to set defined limits and have control over oral responses.

8.    It must be variable ( cf. the difficulty of the Direct Method where framing the right question to make the pupils apply various persons / tenses / cases and vocabulary is most difficulty without pre-arranged coding.

9.    It must reflect the linguistic habits the child has already acquired by learning his/her mother tongue and their ability to assimilate a new language.

10. It must offer a new approach to the application of translation work.

11. It must give the pupils a stimulus to say something in the first instance - and it must find ways of supplying the pupils constantly with ideas which they can use for their expression in the foreign language.

12. It must enable work done with modern teaching aids (e.g. audio-visual aids, computer) to be an extension of the method used in class.

13. It must give the teacher an opportunity to speed up intercommunication between    himself/herself and individual pupils.

14. It must be sufficiently flexible to cope with various class conditions ( as far as pupils' specific / general interests are concerned )

15. It must ensure that pupils are given the opportunity of having the greatest number of meaningful contacts possible both with and in the foreign language - THE most important criteria for the validity of any modern method.