Revolutionary GSD methodRevolutionary GSD method I never intended to make a new method. I thought

we had plenty of them already! It just happened while I was teaching.

I always wanted to deliver sense, order and deep understanding of English language to my students. This inevitably meant embedding applied linguistics and L1 into my teaching. So I did!

From 2003 to 2009- more than 4000 students benefited from GSD method and we made a school with 7 branches out of one single classroom.

The method was named a MIRACLE by our students, but teachers know that the secret lies within the applied linguistics!

I named it the Gradual Skill-Developing method for it really introduces the language gradually in a true linguistic order!

Can we start building a Can we start building a house from the roof ? house from the roof ?

Can we start our first lesson with the whole sentences in a Can we start our first lesson with the whole sentences in a completely new language?completely new language?

Usage of L1- the mother tongueUsage of L1- the mother tongue

Case 1- Introducing- Beginner level (no L1 allowed) Teacher: “Hello! My name is…(say your names)” Students: “Hello! My name is say your names!”

Case 2- Giving directions- Elementary (no L1 allowed) Student: Can you please translate me to the other page of the street? Teacher: Did you mean…help me get across to the other side?

Case 3- Present Perfect- Pre-intermediate level (no L1 allowed) Student: I was* been there… Teacher: No, no! You say- I… been there...(teacher navigates the auxiliary verb) Student: Oh, I know! I am*been there many times! *Two classical mistakes of a Serbian speaker literally translating Serbian Present Perfect into English

using to be which is Serbian auxiliary: to have is not an auxiliary verb in Serbian.

• How would a native English teacher/ teacher using only L2, recognize or explain such errors?

• How much time would it take? • How many courses would it take to reach basic knowledge? • Would a student ever be sure of his L2 competence?

What is the real beginning for the What is the real beginning for the beginners?beginners?

• Starter course? 0 level• Beginner course?? 0,5 level• Elementary??? 1st level

None of the above!!!None of the above!!!

Real beginning is APPLIED LINGUISTICSAPPLIED LINGUISTICSas a short introduction to any course book!

LINGUISTICS- corner stone of every language: both learninglearning and teachingteaching!

MOTHERMOTHER TONGUETONGUE

OUR STUDENT IS: A HOMO SAPIENS OR A PARROT PARROT ?

Mindless methods praise behaviorism: Mindless methods praise behaviorism: they equal a student to a parrot! they equal a student to a parrot!

GSD method enables student to think andGSD method enables student to think andgradually understand language principles. gradually understand language principles.

Michael Swan- about the importance of linguistics

““One thing that worries me, though, One thing that worries me, though, is that is that language itself (especially language itself (especially grammar and pronunciation)grammar and pronunciation) has has tended to disappear from language tended to disappear from language teaching, at least in the UK-based teaching, at least in the UK-based orthodoxy of the last twenty years. orthodoxy of the last twenty years.

Learning a foreign languageLearning a foreign language centrally centrally involves learning the involves learning the key structureskey structures, , phonology and vocabularyphonology and vocabulary of that of that language and language and no amount of activity-no amount of activity-based fluency practice can compensate based fluency practice can compensate if that is neglectedif that is neglected””

Swan, Michael., Interview for the ELT Swan, Michael., Interview for the ELT news, www.ELTnews.comnews, www.ELTnews.com

Penny Ur- the usage of mother Penny Ur- the usage of mother tongue in ELT practicetongue in ELT practice

The only really valid argument, in my

opinion, in favour of minimizing (not banishing) L1 use is that over-use of L1 lessens the time available for English use in the classroom.

Obviously we want our students to have maximum exposure to English in our lessons. But this means limiting L1 use, not banishing it altogether.

Insisting on keeping to English even when students don’t understand what is being said may lead to the message ‘it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand’”

SEETA online forum, 2008, www.seeta.eu

Language gone upside down !Language gone upside down !• Grammar translation method- GTM• Direct method- DM• Audio-lingual method- ALM• Silent way- SW- Caleb Gattegno• Suggestopedia- Georgi Lazanov• Community language learning-CLL • Total physical response- TPR method• Communicative approach- CA method• Neuro -linguistic programming- NLP method Almost every method denies the previous- taking into

consideration only a certain aspect of the language learning, emphasizing a single view!

David Crystal:David Crystal: Decline of the Decline of the communicative approachcommunicative approach

“ Well, it had to decline. The reason being that it was never worked through…

… that approach only works as long as you can keep in touch with the traditional approach.

Because it's no good saying: "That's a fascinating use of language over there, you ought to use it." if the response is "How?"

Crystal,David.,Interview for the ELT news, www. ELTnews.com

Adrian Tennant `s choice: Adrian Tennant `s choice: compilation of methodscompilation of methods

• If I think of how I try and teach in the classroom, I think I like approaches that involve the learner in the learning process.

• I don’t adhere to the idea of using one particular approach such as Grammar-Translation, Communicative, The Silent Way etc.

• I think all of these have their advantages and disadvantages and what any good teacher should do is pick and choose the best things from each.

Tennant, Adrian.,Interview via e-mail, Nottingham, 2007, taken from the British Council Serbia web page

Wheels of changeWheels of change • New ideas are usually based on old ones

(whether or not they admit it!), but may contain genuinely new variations within them.

• What we want is an integrated teaching-learning model, combining worthwhile old ideas with useful and productive new ones.

Penny Ur: “Wheels of change”, ETAI

conference, 2006

TTurning it UPSIDE RIGHT !urning it UPSIDE RIGHT !

LearningLearning primarily means understandingunderstanding the matter that is being exposed in order to memorize it. LearningLearning has to be systematical, logical-systematical, logical- otherwise language would not be a science, but rather a mess!

1. Alphabet &IPA

2. Sound formation

3.Parts of the speech

4. Sentence structure

(word order)

5.Core vocabulary(grammar words)

6. Verbs and tense system

7. Unit 1

77 STEPS STEPS

REMOVING THE MIST AWAYREMOVING THE MIST AWAY:Comparative and contrastive linguisticsComparative and contrastive linguistics

Serbian- familiarSerbian- familiar

one sound=one signA= / a: /H=/ h /I= / i /

NOUN• Case flexions• Genders• Number• Congruency

English - unfamiliarEnglish - unfamiliar

one sound= 2,3 signs /a:/= carone sound=one sign/h/= hottwo sounds=one sign/ai/= m ii ne

NOUN• No case flexions• Mostly no gender• Number• No congruency

Core vocabulary and grammarCore vocabulary and grammar

In GSD method we first introduce parts of the speech in linguistic order of the sentence structure: position, function, meaning in L1, subdivisions and possible usages in the language.

• Articles• Adjectives• Numerals• Nouns• Pronouns• Wh-words• Particles• Conjunctions• Prepositions• Verbs• Adverbs

vrste

reči

članovipridevibrojeviimenicezamenice upitne reči

rečce

vezniciglagoliprilozi

GSD MAGIC POTIONGSD MAGIC POTION• GSD methods allows no misunderstanding- L1 is used to explain,

introduce, contrast and compare mother tongue and English• Grammar and translation are important but not the only matter• Pronunciation is given from the first day and develops gradually• All skills are treated equally: reading, writing, listening, speaking• Certain aspects of all previous methods are used in different

contexts: every approach is appropriate- only at a different stage of the lesson• Teacher is active, productive, clear, creative, human but highly

demanding and principal in criteria, working within the given level • Students are engaged in all 4 skills by taking part, concluding,

thinking, giving examples, producing the language on their own• Humor, personalizing, creativity, interaction, logics and

understanding are the main principles of GSD method

What about the course book?What about the course book? Course book is not a Bible- it is the principles of our teaching

that make it come to life and be useful:• Pre-teach everything new• Exemplify whatever you teach• Practice immediately! • Challenge your students to reach the goals• Resume all that is being learnt• Question the student's understanding• Correct and use the mistakes to explain better• Inspire your students to work by games• Humanize every possible bit of the book• Personalize the book, make your students use and produce the

language according to their needs• Test all that was taught by creative writing tasks and regular checks• Keep control of the progress your students make• Remember that teaching means bringing sense and success to

your students at every moment of the class!

What `s in it for me?What `s in it for me?• Are you teaching English?

• Do you find difficulties in your approach?

• Can you define your approach at all?

• Would you like to make a real success in your classroom?

• Would you like your students to worship you?

GSD method is applicable worldwide GSD method is applicable worldwide because it is based on linguisticsbecause it is based on linguistics!

GSD method is universal!GSD method is universal!

• After 4000 Serbian students in barely 3 years- it has proven its reliability and effectiveness

• The 300-page teacher training guide is being modified for worldwide usage

• Search www.gsdmethod.com for details by the end of 2009

• Visit www.britanicca.rs to see how it works!