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Eclectic Approach of Language teaching
Of the various methods of teaching English in India discussed so far, the teacher generally adopts one method at a time. Sometimes it becomes difficult to choose the method one should choose to teach one’s students. Since there is something good or something bad in each method. None of the methods is perfect in every respect. This nevertheless means that we should give up the use of all these methods. We have to use one method or the other but the point to be taken care of is that a teacher should use the method as long as the method remains subordinate to the teacher and the teacher never becomes a slave of the method.
So, a teacher should adopt an “Electric or Pragmatic Approach” because no single approach is useful and applicable to all situations.
The eclectic approach means the collection of good points from various methods and employing them for teaching English effectively in different situations.
A teacher himself is wise enough to assess the situation and the environment he is placed in. He can then contemplate and combine the good points of various methods that shall suit him in that particular environment. Sometimes the socio-environmental situation demands one type of method but the inside classroom situation demands some other type of method, a good and successful teacher can judiciously assess the situation, make a wise comparison of different points in different methods and make use of an eclectic approach which is his own conceptual and correct way of teaching-learning in that particular situation out of his own teaching experiences.
The students are like ‘clay’ in the hands of a ‘potter’ (teacher) who knows how to mould his material well.
In an eclectic approach, the technique of teaching is important but at the same time, we must say that material is not of less importance.
The success of effective teaching-learning depends upon the techniques as well as the choice of material. The material required and the method to be used for it always depend upon several factors which should always be kept in mind. They are:
- The teacher, his efficiency, insight, training etc.
- The class from which English teaching is started.
- The objectives to be achieved by teaching of English.
- Availability of teaching aids.
- Size of the class.
- Location of school Le:, urban, semi-urban or rural.
- Social background.
- Needs of the society at large.
Thus, one method may work wonders is a particular type of situation and the same may face an utter failure at some other places.
It should, therefore, be the duty and privilege of the teacher that they should be free to choose any method at any time depending upon the curse the situation, the staff or the material facilities. Instead, they come out with an eclectic approach and succeed with flying colours whenever they are put to any test of this sort.
Eclecticism refers to a teaching situation in which the teacher does not use anyone particular method but includes a mixture of different methods to suit his class. Rather than believing in any single way of teaching, the teacher subscribes to moderate doses of almost every style of teaching.
There are varied methods and approaches to language teaching, and each, among other things, is an expression of teachers’ beliefs about language learning. Naturally, such beliefs influence our textbooks also.
Those teachers who do not want to stick to one particular method, for one reason or the other, try to adopt a mixture of different techniques chosen from various language teaching and learning philosophies. They are called eclecticists and the approach is known as the ‘eclectic approach’ or eclecticism.
