Foundations of Didactics and Behaviorist ELT Methods

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the foundations of didactics, behaviorist psychology, and early English Language Teaching (ELT) methods.

Didactics

The science of teaching, involving the principles and methods that govern how teachers help students learn.

Richards & Rodgers (2001) Framework

A framework that structures the understanding of teaching into three levels: Approach, Method, and Technique.

Approach

Philosophical beliefs about the nature of language and how the brain learns it.

Method

A principled plan for the classroom that includes the syllabus, activities, and error correction policy.

Technique

Specific, concrete classroom activities such as role-plays or gap-fill exercises.

Behaviorism

A psychological theory that defines learning as a change in observable behavior produced by external stimuli and reinforcement, viewing the mind as a blank slate.

Tabula Rasa

A term meaning 'blank slate,' used by behaviorists to describe the human mind at birth as having no built-in language skills.

Noam Chomsky (1959)

A scholar who challenged behaviorism by arguing that habit theory cannot explain linguistic creativity or the speed of L1 acquisition.

Neural

Relating to neurons, which are specialized brain cells that communicate through electrical and chemical signals.

Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936)

The researcher who discovered Classical Conditioning through experiments training dogs to drool at the sound of a bell.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process which takes a natural biological reflex and trains the brain to trigger it in response to a neutral signal.

Generalization

Reacting to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus, such as drooling at a doorbell instead of a specific bell.

Discrimination

The process of learning to react only to a specific sound or stimulus.

Extinction

The dying out of a habit or conditioned response if the stimulus is repeatedly presented without the reward.

John B. Watson (1878–1958)

The official founder of behaviorism who conducted the Little Albert Experiment (1920) to prove emotions are learned through environmental conditioning.

E.L. Thorndike (1874–1949)

A precursor to operant conditioning who developed the Law of Effect and the Law of Exercise.

Law of Effect

The principle that behavior followed by a satisfying consequence is strengthened, while behavior followed by an annoying consequence is weakened.

Law of Exercise

The principle that the more frequently a stimulus and response are paired, the stronger the neural connection becomes.

B.F. Skinner (1904–1990)

The psychologist who developed Operant Conditioning, proving voluntary behavior is shaped by consequences.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a pleasant stimulus, such as praise or high grades, to increase a specific behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant stimulus, such as canceling homework, to increase a specific behavior.

Punishment

Adding an unpleasant consequence, like scolding, to decrease or eliminate a behavior.

Grammar-Translation Method (GTM)

A 19th-century method focused on reading literary texts and translating them accurately using the students' L1.

Deductive Teaching

An instructional approach where the teacher explicitly states a rule first and then students practice it.

Direct Method (Berlitz Method)

A method used from the 1880s–1940s that forbids L1 use and conveys meaning through real objects and actions.

Inductive Teaching

An instructional style where students observe patterns and infer grammatical rules themselves.

Realia

Real-world objects used as instructional materials to help convey meaning directly.

Audio-Lingual Method (ALM)

Also known as the 'Army Method,' it focuses on habit formation through fast-paced oral pattern drills and repetition.

Language Laboratory

A symbolic instructional facility used in ALM for students to practice audio dialogues and drills.

Total Physical Response (TPR)

Created by James J. Asher, this method links language acquisition to physical motor actions and imperative commands.

The Silent Period

A critical feature of TPR where learners are not forced to speak until they feel personally ready, reducing anxiety.