1960sHumanistic

The Silent Way

The Silent Way

Overview

Developed by Caleb Gattegno, this method emphasizes learner autonomy. The teacher remains mostly silent, using props like Cuisenaire rods to guide students to discover language rules independently.

Key Principles (Interactive)

Principle 1

(Click to reveal)

Learner Autonomy: Students responsible for learning.

Principle 2

(Click to reveal)

Teacher Silence: Encourages student production.

Principle 3

(Click to reveal)

Problem-Solving: Language as a puzzle to solve.

Principle 4

(Click to reveal)

Physical Objects: Rods and charts represent language.

Principle 5

(Click to reveal)

Peer Correction: Students help each other.

Typical Activities

Using Cuisenaire rods for structures
Phonemic chart pointing
Peer correction
Self-correction practice

Scenario Challenge

Scenario Challenge

Situation:

"A student struggles to pronounce a new sound correctly."

Video Demonstration

The Silent Way approach to teaching pronunciation with Roslyn Young