Journal Educational Verkenning ISSN :

Volume 1, Issue 1, 2020, page

http://hdpublication.com/index.php/jev
025-030
Microteaching: Audio-lingual Method
Kebson Kakunta1, Webster Kamanga1
1Pedagogical University, Mozambique
*Corresponding Author: Kebson Kakunta
Received: October 28, 2020 Revised: November 12, 2020 Accepted: November 18, 2020
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to know the history, definition, principles, characteristic, technique of
the audio-lingual method. This method are using in the microteaching class which is have many
methods in particular. The audiolingual method is basically a development of direct methods
which are considered to have weaknesses, especially in explaining things that are difficult for
students to understand. For this reason, besides emphasizing language teaching through
listening and imitating, this method is also possible to use mother tongue for explanation. This
method is usually applied more in the form of a drill pattern. The use of the drill approach is
commonly used in military circles. Because at first this method was widely used in the military,
this method was also called the army method.
Keywords: Audio-lingual, Microteaching, Drill
Introduction
In teaching and learning activities in schools, especially in the classroom, between teachers and
students, they must use a method in delivering lessons. In teaching the teacher must use
appropriate teaching methods so that the teaching objectives or goals can be achieved. Of the
several methods of teaching foreign languages, one of which is the Audio Lingual Method (ALM).
On this occasion we will discuss this method the Audio Lingual Method (ALM).
History of the Audio-lingual Method
Zilo (1973) suggested that the Audiolingual method is a method that has developed during
World War II. America's participation in World War II has had a significant impact on the
teaching of English in the country. To equip the American government with personnel who are
fluent in German, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Malay and other languages, translators,
code-room assistants, and language interpreters require a special language training program.
The government commissioned American universities to develop foreign languages for
American military personnel. So until finally the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) was
founded in 1942. In early 1943, 55 universities were involved in this program. This method, also
known as the Army method, developed as a reaction to the Grammar-Translation method in
teaching foreign languages. This Grammar-Translation method has previously been used for a
thousand years, but it takes a very long time for learners to be able to speak the targeted
foreign language. Since 1947-1967, the Audio Lingual approach has been the dominant foreign
language teaching method in America. With a more innovative method, this Audiolingual
method is able to achieve communicative competence faster. Through Zhou & Brown (2015)
stated that this theory is based on the behavioristic theory developed by Skinner. As is well
known, the behaviorists believe that language learning is essentially a matter of bias and the
formation of habits. With the mindset that in the learning process what matters is the stimulus
and response and reinforcement. Therefore, in the world of language learning theory, the
Audiolingual approach gives rise to a lot of repetition. They believe that if learning the language
is done by repetition, the language competence will be obtained.
The flow of behaviorism explains the notion of behavior through action and reaction or what we
are familiar with as stimulus and response; different stimulus produce different responses

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Copyright © 2020, Journal Educational Verkenning, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 25
(Berthental & Kosobud, 2006). The relationship between certain stimuli and certain responses is
called habit. Watson, a classic behaviorist psychology figure once argued that stimuli can bring
response, it can be concluded that if the stimulus occurs regularly, the response is trained and
directed, but it can eventually occur automatically. In the Audiolingual method which is based
on the behavioristic theory used in this study, the teacher's role is very dominant because it is
the teacher who chooses the form of stimulus, provides punishment and reward, provides
reinforcement and determines the type, and the teacher also chooses the material and how to
teach it.
Definition of Audio-lingual Method
According to Mei (2018) Audio Lingual Method is an oral based approach to drills students in the
use of grammatical, sentence patterns. Audio-lingual Method is a method for foreign language
teaching which points out the teaching of listening and speaking before reading and writing. The
emphasis was not on the understanding of words, but rather on the acquisition of structures
and patterns in common everyday dialogue. These patterns are elicited, repeated, and tested
until the responses given by the student in the foreign language are automatic. The Audio
Lingual Method (ALM) is a method that was introduced in the United States of America (USA) in
the 1940s. The advocates of the ALM believe that learning is essentially the process of change in
mental and physic behavior induced in a living organism by experience. This principle was much
influenced by a theory of psychology known as behaviorism. Formal experience can be gained at
formal schools and the aim of learning is a habit. Learning is simply a habit formation. To learn a
new language means to acquire another set of habits. The speech habit can be formulated
through the observance of rules. Therefore, successful language learners are those who finally
become spontaneous in communication, and the rules have been forgotten. This Audiolingual
method is a method whose implementation focuses on training activities, drill, memorizing
vocabulary, dialogue, reading text (Tehrani et al., 2013). In practice, students are invited to learn
(in this case, English directly) without having to bring in a native language. Many basic and
teaching procedures in this method are also taken from the existing method, namely the direct
method. Apart from that, Audiolingual's goal is no different from the Direct Method, which is to
create communicative competence in students. As is well known, pronunciation, structure and
other aspects between foreign languages and mother tongue are very different. Therefore, in
learning a foreign language (in this case English) students are required to pronounce and or read
over and over word for word given by the teacher so that as much as possible they are not
influenced by their mother tongue. Over time the repetitions will become a habit. Likewise in
the case of pronouncing foreign language words (English), if this has become a habit, students
will automatically and reflexively be able to do it. So that in its implementation, so that the
business can run smoothly, it requires seriousness from both teachers and students.
Main Purpose of the Audiolingual Method
The principle of a method is built on the goals established at the beginning of time. The
Audiolingual Method has four main objectives which include learning an English as a foreign
language ( Bagheri et al., 2019). The purpose is: (1) Students can understand a foreign language
when speaking at a normal speed and care about the usual things that happen around their
conversation. (2). Language learners are able to speak in acceptable pronunciations and correct
grammar. (3). Language learners have no difficulty in understanding printed materials. (4)
Language learners are able to write with a good standard.
Principle of Audio Lingual Method
According to Mart (2013) states that the principles of the ALM are: (1) Language is a system of
the arbitrary vocal symbol used for oral communication. (2) Writing and printing are graphic
representations of the spoken language. (3) Language can be broken down into there major
component parts: the sound system, the structure, and the vocabulary. (4)The only authority for
correctness is the actual use of native speakers. (5) One can learn to speak and understand a
language only by being exposed to the spoken language and by using the spoken language. (6)

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Copyright © 2020, Journal Educational Verkenning, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 26
Language can be learned inductively far more easily than deductively. (7) Grammar should never
be thought of as an end itself, but only as a means to the end of learning the language. (7) Use
of the students’ native language in class should be avoided or kept to minimum in second
language teaching. (8) The structures to which the students are exposed to should always sound
natural to native speakers. (9) All structural material should be presented and practiced in class
before the students attempt to study it at home The principles of the method derived from the
aims of learning a foreign language. The aims of the method include some aspects of language
learning. The linguistic aims of the ALM are: (1) Language learners are able to comprehend the
foreign language when it is spoken at normal speed and concerned with ordinary matters. (2)
Language learners are able to speak in acceptable pronunciation and grammatical correctness.
(3) Language learners have no difficulties in comprehending printers materials. (4) Language
learners are able to write with acceptable standards of correctness on topics within their
experience.
Basic assumption
Thanasoulas (2001) suggested that assumptions are concepts or ways of thinking, so through
these assumptions, you will get to know the essence of the audio lingual method, how it works,
and what important elements you should be involved with. So, let's look at the 3 assumptions of
the Audiolingual Method: (1) Language is the utterances used in everyday life. With this
statement, we can see that this method emphasizes the musty of speech. It is true, because in
fact, the Audiolingual Method has the assumption that grammar and vocabulary are a set of
successful theories when applied directly through speaking. So, students will not master
grammar if they only memorize but must take action. (2) Listening and speaking come first,
followed by reading and writing. This process is inspired by our own childhood life. When you
were a child, you acquired language through listening. Until now I have not found a single baby
who immediately writes, reads or speaks without hearing first. Then, after hearing our father
and mother talk, we start chattering little by little like "mama, daddy, brother, etc." Now, this
second aspect is known as the speaking process. Then the third aspect is understanding words
by reading and then writing. (3) Each language user is directed to speak in a different way. That
is, a student will not be forced to memorize a concept and how to use it repeatedly. They will be
taught how to use language naturally and naturally, of course, with different concepts.
Characteristics of Audio Lingual Method
The goal of teaching is the control of four language skills in a balanced manner (Hinkel, 2006).
(1) The order of presentation is listening and speaking then reading and writing. (2) The foreign
language sentence model is given in the form of a conversation to be memorized. (3) The
mastery of sentence patterns is done by using pattern-practice exercises. The exercise or drill
follows the sequence: stimulus> response> reinfrcement. (4) Vocabulary is strictly defined or
expressed, not as independent words that stand alone. (5) Teaching the sound system
systematically (structured) so that it can be used / practiced by students, using demonstration,
imitation, comparison, contrast, and so on. (6) Writing lessons are a representation of
speaking lessons, in the sense that writing lessons consist of kaimat patterns and vocabulary
that have been learned orally. (7) Translation avoided. The use of the mother tongue if it is really
necessary for explanation, is allowed to be limited. (8) Grammar (in the sense of science) is not
taught at an early stage. If grammar is required at a certain stage, it should be taught
inductively, and gradually from easy to difficult. (1) The choice of material is emphasized on
units and patterns that show structural differences between the foreign language being taught
and the student's mother tongue. Likewise the forms of student error that are general in nature
and high in frequency. This requires a constructive analysis and a validity analysis. (2) The
possibilities for student error in giving responses must be avoided. (3) The teacher becomes the
center in class activities, students follow (respond to) what is ordered (stimulus) by the teacher.
(4) The use of recording materials, language laboratories, and visual aids is very important.

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Copyright © 2020, Journal Educational Verkenning, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 27
The Technique of Audio Lingual Method
Drilling is a technique that consists of the repetition of oral patterns and structures ( Kartikasari
& Salam, 2015). In approaches based on a Behaviourist view of learning, such as
Audiolingualism, drills are considered a key element in the learning process. In this approach,
drills are used to foster the formation of positive habits and focus mainly on the presentation
and practice of grammatical structures. (1) Repetition Drill, this drill is the simplest drill used in
learning language patterns. It is used at the very beginning of language class. Language learners
merely repeat what the teacher says or the tape recorder produces. Example: (1) Teacher : I
study in the morning (2) Students : I study in the morning (3) Teacher : I study in the afternoon
(4) Students : I study in the afternoon. (2) Substitutions Drill, language learners are required to
replace one word with another. They may replace a word of the model sentence with a
pronoun, number, or gander and make some the necessary change.
Steps for presenting the Audiolingual Method
Alexander (1978) stated that there are several steps: (1) Presentation dialogue or short reading,
in the way the teacher reads it over and over again, and students listen to tana and see. (2)
Imitation and memorization of dialogue or short reading, with the technique of imitating the
teacher's classical sentence reading, while memorizing the sentences. This technique is called
the mimicry-memorization (mim-mem) technique. (3) Presentation of sentence patterns
contained in dialogue or short reading, especially those that answer difficult, because there is a
structure in the student's mother tongue. This is done by a generally mechanical dri technique.
(4) Dramatization Dialogue or a short passage past. Students demonstrate or dramatize the
memorized dialogue in front of the class in turn. (5) Practice making other sentences that match
the sentence patterns that have been learned.
Main Purpose of the Audiolingual Method
Abu (2009) told that the principle of a method is built on the goals established at the beginning
of time. The Audiolingual Method has four main objectives which include learning an English as
a foreign language. The purpose is : (1) Students can understand a foreign language when
speaking at a normal speed and care about the usual things that happen around their
conversation. (2) Language learners are able to speak in acceptable pronunciations and correct
grammar. (3) Language learners have no difficulty in understanding printed materials. (4)
Language learners are able to write with a good standard.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Audiolingual Method
We have already touched on some of the advantages of this Audiolingual Method implicitly. As
with other language teaching methods, besides its excellence, there are also some weaknesses
or shortcomings of the Audiolingual Method. The advantages of this method include: (1) Can be
applied to classes that are. (2) Give a lot of practice and practice in the aspect of listening and
speaking skills. (3) Suitable for students' linguistic level. (4) Audiolinguality is perhaps the first
language teaching theory to openly claim to have formed from a combination of linguistics and
psychology. (5) Audiolingual methods try to make language learning more accessible to large
numbers of learners (large classes). This causes learner participation through drill techniques to
be maximized. (6) In a positive way, drill can help students develop their oral skills. (7) Teaching
techniques in the Audiolingual method using tape recording and language laboratories offer
practice in speaking and listening skills which are the most important things in language
learning. Drill patterns give students more practice. (8) The audiolingual method develops
language skills into "pedagogical tools", namely listening (listening), reading and writing. The
Audiolingual Method specifically introduces the design of listening techniques (listening) and
oral exercises (speaking). This shows success in developing aural understanding (listening) and
fluency in speaking (speaking). While the deficiencies in the Audiolingual Method include: (1)
Skilled and skilled teachers are needed. (2) Repetition is often tedious and hinders the
hypothesising of language rules and pays little attention to spontaneous speech / speech. (3)
The techniques used in the Audiolingual method such as drills, memorization, and so on may

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Copyright © 2020, Journal Educational Verkenning, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 28
make language into behavior (behavior), but this does not produce the expected competence.
(4) With the Audiolingual method, the teacher might complain about the amount of time it
takes (long), and the students will complain about the boredom caused by the continuous use of
the drill pattern. (5) The role and activeness of teachers are important in the Audiolingual
method, so that teachers dominate the class more. (6) According to Roestiyah, the weaknesses
of a learning method or technique that uses drill are as follows: (1) There are often ways or
movements that cannot change, because they are standardized methods, so this can hinder
students' talents and initiative. (2) Students may not use other means or methods according to
their own thoughts. (3) The skills acquired by students are generally also sedentary, which will
be rigid habits / wrong skills. (4) An exercise that is carried out in a certain way which has been
deemed good and appropriate; so that it cannot be changed; resulting in the skills acquired by
students generally also permanent, which will be a rigid habit; or the wrong skills ( Liu & Shi,
2007).
Conclusion
The Audiolingual method is a method which involves doing a lot of practice and exercises in
language both in the form of dialogue, sermons and so on which hope that students can speak
like the owner of the language itself. The audiolingual method is basically a development of
direct methods which are considered to have weaknesses, especially in explaining things that
are difficult for students to understand.The Audiolingual method is a method that has
developed during World War II. In the audiolingual method assumptions are concepts or ways of
thinking, so through these assumptions, you will know the essence of the Audiolingual Method.
In the audiolingua method there are 3 assumptions, namely: (1) Language is the utterances
used in everyday life. With this statement. (2) Listening and speaking come first, followed by
reading and writing. (3) Each language user is directed to speak in a different way. It has thirteen
characteristics and four goals. The four goals: (1) Students can understand a foreign language
when speaking at a normal speed and care about the usual things that happen around their
conversation. (2) Language learners are able to speak in acceptable pronunciations and correct
grammar. (3) Language learners have no difficulty in understanding printed materials. (4)
Language learners are able to write with a good standard. Has advantages including: (1) Can be
applied to classes that are. (2) Give lots of practice and practice in the aspect of listening and
speaking skills. (3) Suitable for students' linguistic level. (4) Audiolingual is perhaps the first
language teaching theory to openly claim to be formed from a combination of linguistics and
psychology. (5) Audiolingual method tries to make language learning more accessible to large
numbers of learners (large classes). This causes learner participation through drill techniques to
be maximized. And has disadvantages including: (1) Skilled and skilled teachers are needed. (2)
Repetition is often tedious and hinders the hypothesising of language rules and pays very little
attention to spontaneous speech. (3) Techniques used in the Audiolingual method such as drills,
memorization, and so on may make language into behavior , but these do not produce the
desired competence. (4) With the Audiolingual method, the teacher might complain about the
amount of time it takes (long), and the students will complain about the boredom caused by the
continuous use of the drill pattern. (5) The teacher's role and activeness are important in the
Audiolingual method, so that teachers dominate the class more.
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