THE SILENT WAY

The Silent Way Method of language teaching was created by Caleb Gattegno in the early 1970s.

Caleb Gattegno (1911-1988)                       

Caleb Gattegno was a Europe educator, was known for the use of colored sticks called Cuisenaire rods and for his approach to the teaching of initial reading in which sounds are taught by colors.

BACKGROUND

• American educator, Galeb Gattegno  created in the 70s, 1983.
• Basic principle: Teaching should be  subordinated to learning.
• Teaching is to serve learning process  rather than to dominate it.
• Learners are actively searching for  rules of the target language regarding  to the learner in the cognitive approach

The silent way develop the four skills; listening , writing , speaking and reading but this method focus on the speaking and listening.

STUDENT ROLES

• The student learn to be independent, autonomous, and responsible.

• The students should to develop "inner criteria" and to correct themselves.
• The student also must be a teacher, a student, part of a support system, a problem solver, and a self- evaluation.

TEACHER ROLES

• The teacher is a technician who facilitates learning.
• The teacher's role is of the neutral observer.
• The teacher is silent.
• Teacher silently monitors learners' interactions with each other.
• The teacher is responsible for creating an environment that encourages student risk taking and that facilitates learning.
• The teacher uses gestures, charts, and manipulates in order to elicit and shape student responses and so must be both facile and creative.

MATERIALS

• A Sound/Color Wall Chart

• Word Wall Charts

• Spelling Charts

• Rods

• A pointer

ADVANTAGE

• Student learn by themselves.
• Student are able to fix their own pronunciation based on the teacher's guidance.
• Learning through problem solving fosters creativity, discovery, an increase in intelligence potency and long term memory.

DISADVANTAGE

• There is lack sound and pronunciation knowledge, so it is sometimes confusing
• There is lack of teacher's guidance
• This method can be benefited by the teacher only in small groups of students.

EXERCISE VIII

a. Answer T or F. In case is false, provide the correct answer.

• Teacher silence is the easiest aspect of this method. (T)
• The Silent Way teacher is responsible for creating an environment that leads learners to risk taking attitudes and facilitates learning. (T)
• The Silent Way teacher is an active participant in the development of the language lesson. (T)
• The materials are used only by teacher, never by the students. (F)

Is false because the students needs materials for work the criteria inner of the student and also to that the students learn to be autonomous , independent and responsible.

• The Silent Way teacher promotes translation in the class. (F)

Is false because in this method dont use the grammar.

b.Match the following Silent Way teaching materials with their corresponding uses.