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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 034 980 AL 002 231 TITLE Pegional Seminar on New Developments in the Theory and Methods of Teaching and Learning English. Report. INSTITUTION Regional English Language Centre, Singapore. REPORT NO RELC-TPO-S4 PUB DATE Jun 69 NOTE 119p. EDFS PRICE ERRS Price MF-$0.50 HC-$6.05 DESCRIPTORS Composition (Literary), Contrastive Linguistics, *English (Second Language), Instructional Materials, Instructional Materials Centers, *Language Instruction, Linguistic Theory, Oral Expression, Publishing Industry, *Reading Instruction, Reference Materials, *Teaching Methods TDENTIFIEPS *Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organ ABSTRACT This Seminar, held in Singapore June 9-14, 1969, brought together some of the leading scholars in the field of language teaching, from both within and outside the Southeast Asian region, for the following purposes: (1) to review some of the more significant developments of the past two decades in language teaching; (2) to consider some of the newer concepts, particularly t hose developed out of transformational grammar; (3) to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas stemming from the various schools of linguistics and methodology; and (4) to stimulate critical thinking among the language teaching professionals of the SEAMED (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) countries. A noteworthy feature of the Seminar was the emphasis of most speakers on the need for eclecticism; there was agreement among the t heoretical linguists and the practicing teachers present that the best results in language teaching were likely to be achieved by t aking insights into language and teaching strategies of proven value from every available source. Summaries of all the 35 papers, with some account of the subsequent discussions, are presented in this Report. A number of the papers will be published in full in a forthcoming first issue of the RELC (Regional English Language Centre) Journal. For earlier reports, see AL 002 147 and AL 002 148. (AMM) RELC/IPO/S4 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE REPO OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVEDFROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OFEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. REGIONAL SEMINAR ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE THEORY AND METHODS OF TEACHING ANDLEARNING ENGLISH 1 1 convened by the SEAMEO Regional English Language Centre with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia and Ministry of Education, Singapore Singapore 9-14 JUNE 1969 SEAMEO stiu-TAilis7,h,,(yNtslf07t:0,p/.94,74:vEs REGIOt AL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE / TELEPHONE 662937. 661506 & 663316 104, WATTEN ESTATE CABLE: RELCENTRE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, 11. With the Compliments of the Director. INTRODUCTION THE AIMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE SEMINAR More than two decades have now passed since the great "revolution" in second language teaching began. The aural-oral approach, pattern practice, substitution drills, contrastive analyses- all of theseconcepts and others were to be taught to thousands of second language teachers (particularly to teachers of English) as the new discipline of Applied Linguistics was being established in various academic circles. By now - 1969 - a whole generation of students and teachers has gone through their language learning experience by the "new" method. During these eventful two decades, a great deal of theorizing, experimentation and speculation pertaining to the efficacy of the "new" methods have been seen. There have been many challenges and defences made by the partisans of the various schools of linguistics and methodology. Indeed, the scene has never been static. This seminar brought together some of the leading scholars in the field of language teaching, from both within and outside the Southeast Asian region, for the following purposes: to review some of the more significant developments of the past two decades in language teaching; to consider some of the newer concepts, particularly those that have developed out of transformational grammar; to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas stemming from the various schools of linguistics and methodology; to stimulate critical thinking among the language teaching professionals of the SEAMEO countries. TABLE OF CONTENTS 122&": Introduction:The Aims and Achievements of the Seminar OOOOO . 1 - 3 Messages from Governments 4 - 7 11 Address by Director,RELC OOOOOOOOO ee0009000 OOOOO OOOOOOOO - Address by Acting Director, SEAMES 0606,00eie OOOOOOOOOOO 12 - 13 Address by H.E. Mr Ong Pang Boon, Ministerfor Education, Singapore14 - 16 Final Communique OOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 17 - 18 Plenary Session Papers and Reports ofDiscussions. OOOOO 0.0........ 19 --41. Section Meeting Papers and Reports of Discussions: Section A: The Teaching of Spoken English ....... OOOOOOOO 0 42 - 50 Section B: Textbooks/The Teaching of Reading 51 - 64 Section C: The Teaching of Writing . OOOOOOO .......... OOOOO 65-79 Evening Session Papers e0e OOOOO 00,64re OOOOOOOOOOOO 000000 OOOOO 00/**0111 80 - 85 Seminar Ekhibition of Books and Aids 86-87 Seminar Officials ............................... OOOOO . OOOOOOOOOOO 0 88-89 List of Participants OOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO . 90 - 112 2 It can be stated with some confidence that the aimsof the Seminar were satisfactorily achieved. The first three days were largely devoted totheoretical considera- tions, both linguistic and pedagogical. The meetings on these days were held in plenary session as it was considered thatall participants would be interested in hearing of the latest ideas and developmentsin the theory of linguistics and language pedagogy. It was significant that the great majority of the theoretical linguists present wereof the transformational- generative persuasion. This contemporary model of linguistic description was new to a large number ofthe participants and the exciting insights into language and language acquisition providedby transformational theory created considerable stir among many of thespecialists attending. In fact, the first three days of the Seminar could be looked atfrom one point of view as a short course in transformational grammar - a course,it should be added, lucidly and authoritatively presented by thelinguists who delivered papers. Consideration of the transformational model, however, wasnot confined to the theory; a number of speakers speculated onpossible applications of this theory in the second language classroom.The trans- formational theory is not much more than ten years old andthere is little general agreement at the present time on its likely value inthe area of second language teaching. Nevertheless, some very interesting suggestions about possible applications of the new theory were putforward and all participants anticipated valuable results for their work asthese appli- cations came to be worked out. A second interesting topic which ran as a thread through the discussions following the plenary session papers was thesuggestion that the time had come to establish the Teaching of English as aSecond/Foreign Language as an academic or pedagogical discipline in its awn right. Such a branch of pedagogy would be aninter-disciplinary study, drawing from a number of other disciplines such as linguistics, psychologyand so on but would be essentially based on the empirical findings of what sacceededin practice in the language classroom. After the plenary sessions, two days were devoted to the applications of the theories and to other matters in smaller groups. Three sections were formed, dealing with the following topics: Section A The Teaching of Spoken English Section B Textbooks and the Teaching of Reading Section C The Teaching of Writing A total of eighteen papers in all was read at the Section Meetings and a number of very useful practical ideas was discussed. In addition, there were presentations early each evening which ranged from demonstrations of TESL by Television, an inexpensive version of a language laboratory and the use of the overhead projector in teaching reading to considerations of English teaching problems in Vietnam and Japan. Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the Seminar was the emphasis of most speakers on the need for eclecticism; this note was sounded equally by the theoretical linguists and the practising teachers present; there was wide agreement that, in the present "state of the art," the best results in language teaching were likely to be achieved by taking insights into language and teaching strategies of proved value from every available source. The report that follows contains summaries of all the thirtyfive papers delivered at the Seminar with some account of the subsequent discussions. Considerations of space have prevented us from printing each paper in full. However, a number of the papers in toto will be published in the first issue of the RELC Journal, which is due to appear later this year and which will be despatched gratis to everyone who attended the Seminar. It is to be hyped that the next RELC Seminar, in 1970, to be devoted to tlx,3 topic of Ehglish Language Testing, will attract a similarly distinguished team of speakers and an equally enthusiastic and concerned group of participants. - 4 - MESSAGE FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HONG KONG. TO THE SEMINAR Delivered by Mr. John Winfield, Educaticn Department, Hong Kong. The Education Department of the Hong Kong Government is very happy to be associated with the Fourth Regional Seminar of RELC.As members will be aware, through

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