two ways of approach

Today we learned about two approaches for teaching vocabulary: the Teach and Learn Approach and the Learning through Input Approach. You can see a PowerPoint presentation of the approaches here. I would like to tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of each approach as well as the approach I would use as a Junior High School English teacher.


1. Present approaches
STRENGTH; It can be according to textbook, so we can take a continuous input in class. And for the immidiate explanation in Japanese, students can get an idea about the word soon.

WEAKNESS;Communication can sometimes one-sided(from teacher to students) and they may get bored because it can be passive. And the words they learn are not in reality because of a one-sided explanation.


2.Teaching through input approaches
STRENGTH;For guess the meaning from a context or situation, student can be motivated and it can't be only a transmission of meaning. And to give a topic at first, students can guess somewhat what the word means.

WEAKNESS; Students have to think what it means in the context, so it can be hardship for the people who hate English.


If I teach in the junior high school class, I'd like to approch the late ones. For example if the new words are coming up, I want to make them guess what the word means to read a textbook first. Or to use another teaching materials(just like JH's Spanish lesson!). And I want to make them the guessing ability from sentence gradually.