A Study of Four Affective-Humanistic Foreign Language Teaching Approaches: Comprehension and Pedagogical Reflections

Abstract

Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching adopts a three-dimensional analytical framework consisting of Approach, Design and Procedure to systematically sort out mainstream foreign language teaching methods in modern times. Among them, the Total Physical Response, The Silent Way, Community Language Learning and The Natural Approach fall under the affective-humanistic teaching school. Though the four approaches share the core educational philosophy of humanism, they differ sharply in classroom organization and instructional implementation. Based on the theoretical framework of this book, this paper first elaborates on the internal connections among the four approaches rooted in the same theoretical origin and compares their differentiated implementation paths. It then analyzes the strengths and inherent limitations of each approach one by one, and summarizes the general merits and demerits of the entire humanistic teaching system. Finally, combined with the current teaching situations of foreign language classes in China, this paper extracts practical inspirations of humanistic teaching thoughts for modern foreign language classrooms, so as to provide theoretical references for frontline teachers to carry out integrated eclectic teaching.