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The focus on form is a language teaching method that balances extreme approaches of teaching language. It involves teaching language rules through context-based lessons, allowing learners to learn at their own pace. The method was developed to address the weaknesses of other popular methods and is seen as a way to marry the meaning-focus and form-focus methods.
Emphasis on form refers to a language teaching method typically used for second language acquisition, intended as a balance between more extreme approaches. One of the most common methods of language teaching can be defined as forms focus, where an educator teaches parts of speech and words without context. The other extreme is an environment where there is only context and students focus on meaning rather than the rules of language. The focus on form is thought of as somewhere in between that allows language learners to read and learn at their own pace, pausing to shift attention to rules as appropriate.
Founded by Michael Long, a professor of Second Language Acquisition, the main inspiration behind the focus on the form method is the inherent weaknesses of the other two popular methods. Focus on forms, indicated by this final “s” and sometimes written like this, is the term used to indicate a language teaching method that mainly deals with rules. Students are presented with language samples out of context. Through sentence diagramming and other methods, they learn the rules that govern the structure of a language, but they have no real meaning to attach to what is learned.
This method is often seen as flawed as it lacks student ownership. They are taught words and rules, but nothing makes them want to learn these things. Without context, rules can be ultimately meaningless.
In response, attention has developed to the method of meaning. This is a style of teaching where the rules are largely ignored and the language is taught through reading significant works. The assumption of this method is that students will learn and learn the rules as they read. There is a potential flaw in the meaning-focus method as well, however, in that it requires incidental learning. Students cannot be dictated to the rules outright and are simply expected to learn and understand them through exposure to their use.
The focus on shape, without an “s” at the end, was developed as a way to marry both of these other concepts. Using this style of teaching, an educator offers students reading selections that provide them with examples of language in a useful and meaningful context. As questions and problems arise in reading them, the focus of a lesson is shifted away from what is being read and onto the rules behind it.
For example, a student might read a selection in a module-focused lesson. While reading, the student shows difficulty in understanding the agreement between pronoun and number. At this point, the teacher stops reading and takes time to teach the rules governing how nouns and plural pronouns are formed to ensure agreement. In this way, there is a focus on form through meaningful context-based lessons.
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