Introducing the Bottom up approach in teaching the four language skills in an EFL classroom

Introducing the Bottom up approach in teaching the four language skills in an EFL classroom

Al Fadda, Hind

Most language teaching methods have closely adhered to the top-to-bottom order (i.e. listening-speaking-reading-writing). This paper examines a revolutionized way of teaching a foreign language in which the traditional order has been reversed. The Bottom-Up Approach is built on the assumption that the bottom of a language is writing which is a private negotiation with the self. It eliminates fear and anxiety, and creates an atmosphere in the light of which students gain confidence as they progress towards total language (Dornyei, 2001) . This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of such a method to develop the four language skills. An experiment group and a control group participated in the study , 13 students in each group , for six weeks of teaching .. Results showed a noticeable improvement in the skill of listening. It also motivated students to speak more confidently and to read with deeper comprehension. Writing, however, was the least improved skill due to the limitation of time. In line with the results of the study, the EFL teachers are recommended to adopt the Bottom UP method of teaching in classrooms. Also, the researchers recommend the Saudi curriculum designers to adopt the procedures in designing English language books for EFL students.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012-05

856