Theory of language: The theory of language underlying the Audio-lingual Method is Structuralism. According to the structural view, language has the following characteristics:
<> Speech is more basic to language than the
written form.
<> Language structure and form are more significant
than meaning.
<> Elements in a language are produced in a
rule-governed (structural) way.
<> Language samples could be exhaustively described
at any structural level of description.
<> Language is structural like a pyramid, that is,
the linguistic level is a system within a system.
<> Languages are different since every language has
its own unique system.
Theory of Learning: The theory of learning
underlying the Audio-lingual Method is Behaviorism, including the following
principles:
<> Human beings learn language in the same way as
other habits are learned through the process of training or conditioning.
<> As language learning is a process of habit
formation, repetition leads to stronger habit formation and greater learning.
<> The learning of a foreign language should be the
same as the acquisition of the native language.
<> The habits of the native language will interfere
with target language learning.
<> Language cannot be separated from culture as
culture represents the everyday behaviour of the people who use the target
language.
<> Language learning is the outcome of stimulus
(what is taught) – response (learner’s reaction to what is being taught) –
reinforcement (approval or disapproval of the teacher) chain.
<> Positive reinforcement helps the students to
develop correct habits.
<> Mistakes should be avoided as they help to form
bad habits.
<> Analogy is a better foundation for language
learning than analysis.
