Approaches towards Foreign Language Teaching and Learning from Area Studies to Immersion-Programme | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

Over last more than one and half century, the didactic of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning has been theorized. Departing from the assumption that the exposition and appropriation of facts and information about diverse aspects of the target culture and its institutions are the keystone of foreign language learning, the theoretical system of ‘Landeskunde’ [Area Studies] evolved from the end of 19th century towards the beginning of the 20th century. Perceiving the lacks in this approach in terms of the need to reflect upon the facts and information, the new approach of ‘Kulturkunde’ followed in 1920s. Appreciating the necessity to ascribe significance to the individual capability of the learner, which varies on account of several factors, the approach of ‘Learner Strategy’ was favoured. Some of the thinkers felt that a close relationship between the spoken word and the act plays a vital role in the acquisition of foreign language. Moreover, this insight brought to notice the urgency of recognizing the process of memorizing the foreign language through the acts cohering the spoken word. In appreciation of this exigency, ‘Total Physical Response’ [TPR] was proposed as a foreign language teaching learning approach. In our time, foreign language teachinglearning has to grapple with the before standing cultural and social issues. The current methodology of “Immersion-Programme” is trying to tackle the issue of ‘bilingualism’ as a cultural and social question while giving a fresh impetus to foreign language teachinglearning methodology.