Audiolingualism

Audiolingualism is a linguistic, or structure-based, approach to language teaching. the starting point is a linguistic syllabus, which contains the key items of phonology, morphology, and syntax according to their order of presentation. The language skills are taught in the order of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Listening is used as training in aural discrimination of basic sound patterns. The general focus being on students gaining accuracy before striving for fluency.

The use of drills and pattern practice is a distinctive feature of the Audiolingual Method. The kinds of drills include:

Repetition: The student repeats an utterance aloud as soon as they have heard it. They do this without looking at a printed text. The utterance must be brief enough to be retained by the ear. Sound is as important as form and order.

Inflection: One word in an utterance appears in another form when repeated.
e.g. I bought the ticket. – I bought the tickets
He bought the chocolate. – She bought the chocolate.

Replacement: One word utterances replaced by another.
e.g. He bought this house cheaply, - He bought it cheap.

Restatement: The student rephrases an utterance and addresses it to someone else, according to instructions.
e.g. Tell him to wait for you. – Wait for me.
Ask her how old she is. – How old are you?

Completion: The student hears an utterance that is complete except for one word, then repeats the utterance in completed form.
e.g. I’ll go my way and you go….. – I’ll go my way and you go yours.

Transposition: A change in word order is necessary when a word is added.
e.g. I’m hungry. (so). – So am I.
I’ll never do it again. (neither). – Neither will I.

Expansion: When a word is added it takes a certain place in the sequence:
e.g. I know him. (hardly). – I hardly know him.

Contraction: A single word stands for a phrase or clause.
e.g. Put your hand on the table. – Put your hand there.

Others include transformation, integration and rejoinder.