Theory-Philosophy Conceptions

‘Their truth is not based on a posteriori conditions or on what works. Rather, their truth is based on what ought to work or what is morally right” (Zahorik, 1986,22).

Teaching conceptions which are derived from what ought to work are essentially rationalist in approach, while those which are derived from beliefs about what is viewed as morally right are values-based approaches.

Theory-based approaches

These conceptions of teaching hence tend not to draw support from classroom results as such (e.g. by showing pre and post test gains resulting from the use of a method), but defend themselves through logical argumentation.

• Communicative Language Teaching

• The Silent Way.

Values-based approaches

In some situations this leads to certain approaches to teaching being viewed as politically justifiable (and therefore good) and others seen as not morally, ethically or politically supportable (and therefore bad).

• ‘literature in the language curriculum’,

• ‘the teacher as action researcher’

• ‘team teaching’,

• ‘humanistic approaches’,

• the ‘learner-centred curriculum’ movement,

• ‘reflective-teaching’

Art-Craft Conceptions

Zahorick (1986:22) characterizes this approach to teaching in these items:

The essence of this view of good teaching is invention and personalization. A good teacher is a person who assesses the needs and possibilities of a situation and creates and uses practices that have promise for that situation.

Art-craft approaches to teaching seek to develop teaching as a unique set of personal skills which teachers apply in different ways according to the demands of specific situations. There are no

general methods of teaching, rather, teachers should develop an approach to teaching which allows

them to be themselves and do what they feel is best. Teacher-decision making is an essential

competency in this approach, because a good teacher is seen as one who analyses a situation, realizes that a range of options is available based on the particular class circumstances, and then selects an alternative which is likely to be most effective for the circumstances. This does not deny the value of knowing about different methods of teaching and how to use them, but it suggests that

commitment to a single method of teaching may impede the teacher’s full potential as a teacher.

The Essential Skills of Teaching

The different principles underlying the three conceptions of teaching can thus be summarized in terms of the following statements of what teachers should do according to each conception of

teaching.

Science-research conceptions:

These see the essential skills in teaching as the following:

• Understand the learning principles.

• Develop tasks and activities based on the learning principles.

• Monitor students’ performance on tasks to see that desired performance on tasks is being achieved.

Theory-Philosophy conceptions:

These see the essential skills in teaching as:

• Understand the theory and the principles.

• Select syllabi, materials and tasks based on the theory.

• Monitor your teaching to see that it confirms to the theory.