THE SILENT WAY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING METHOD

By
IDRIS SATRIA

Abstract
The silent way is a method of learning in which students do not depend on the teacher,
but students tend to be more active than the teacher, in this method, a teacher can encourage
students to be more active in the teaching and learning process, teachers tend to be more
passive, only giving direction in the learning process and students.
 INTRODUCTION

Background
The Silent Way is a language teaching method created by Caleb Gattegno that makes
extensive use of silence as a teaching technique. It is not usually considered a mainstream
method in language education. It was first introduced in Gattegno’s book Teaching Foreign
Languages in Schools: The Silent Way in 1963. Gattegno was skeptical of the mainstream
language education of the time, and conceived of the method as a special case of his general
theories of education. The method emphasizes the autonomy of the learner; the teacher’s role
is to monitor the students’ efforts, and the students are encouraged to have an active role in
learning the language. Pronunciation is seen as fundamental; beginning students start their
study with pronunciation, and much time is spent practicing it each lesson. Evaluation is
carried out by observation, and the teacher may never set a formal test. The teacher uses
silence for multiple purposes in the Silent Way. It is used to focus students’ attention, to elicit
student responses, and to encourage them to correct their own errors. Even though teachers
are often silent, they are still active; they will commonly use techniques such as mouthing
words and using hand gestures to help the students with their pronunciation. Teachers will
also encourage students to help their peers.
 DISCUSSION

DEFINITION OF SILENT WAY

The Silent Way is generally defined as a teaching method for foreign languages where
teachers are mostly silent and use stems and charts as their main teaching tools. Although
Silent Way teachers do use rods and charts most of the time there can teach Silent Way
without these tools while at the same time there may be a teacher who uses the recommended
tool but does not really follow the Silent Way.

Confusion occurs when the Silent Path is understood as a teaching method rather than
an approach to teaching.

Gattegno uses the same approach to teach mathematics, reading and writing, language,
and other school subjects. I will consider the general characteristics of all of these approaches
as what Gattegno calls "Teaching Subordination to Learning." The Silent Way is the name
given to the subordination of teaching to learning when applied to a foreign language.
Teaching subordination for learning means making students need the focus of teaching.
Gattegno used to say, "I teach people and they learn languages." This means that the teacher
and students focus on different things during the lesson. It is the duty of students to direct
their learning; it is the teacher's job to work on students by presenting language in such a way
that it forces awareness and current presence.1

On the Silent Way class, subordination of teaching to learning can be carried out in the
order of the following steps:
1. Experimenting students with language. He produces sentences, grammatical construction, a
combination of sounds.
2. The teacher provides feedback on the experiment by showing an error or lack thereof. This
feedback represents a teacher's own experiment or experiment. Note that feedback never
involves correction of errors, but only an indication of where the error occurred.
3. Students produce additional experiments, trying to correct themselves, which gives
feedback to the teacher.
4. The teacher concludes from the sentence produced whether the trial is appropriate / helpful.

1
Beinsten, Patricia. 1995. Explaining Concepts Behind The Silent Way.
5. The cycle continues until the student's words are adequate, true and correct.2

THE SELF
According to Gattegno, is free creative energy which is the core of one's existence. The
self is not an organ and does not have an anatomical location: it is energy. The self that fulfills
the unknown is to become accustomed to it. The self must be distinguished from the soul, the
locked energy which consists of previous learning that has become automatism.

If a student meets for the first time in the perfect sustainable form at this time, "I have
lived," which is not in French or German, he is wise to use himself, which means fully open
to new awareness, rather than trying to find a soul for what which cannot be found there.
However, if someone wants to type, the soul will give automatism that supports this activity.

Silent Way teachers must ensure that students use themselves to face new learning
situations and use their souls when before, automatic learning, will save energy.

Learning occurs when many self attributes are involved simultaneously. Language
learners must be vulnerable, ready to see the world in new ways through new languages. They
need to use their will to make their learning successful. They need to be curious and feel the
need to know something new every time. They must be sensitive to achieve better
improvements in language.

The Silent Way teacher uses a self model to encourage students to "put themselves at
the helm" and to overcome the specific attributes of the self that can be blocked in students.
Thus a teacher can encourage students to move into action by submitting a pointer and asking
him to do something when the person is only involved in attributes of abstraction or
imagination. Or, if a student always acts without using intelligence, the teacher can overcome
other attributes, such as a sense of truth, to slow down students.3

The aim is always to achieve harmony and balance between attributes, appealing to all
of them so that students can keep themselves at the helm.

2
Ibid
3
Beinsten, Patricia. 1995. Explaining Concepts Behind The Silent Way.
 An understanding of self and soul helps us to understand the internal processes that
occur in each student during learning, which are called:

“The Four Stages of Learning”

Stage 1: Initial encounter with the unknown
Students need to have themselves at the top of the leadership to learn new skills.
Several trials may be necessary to achieve positive results.
Stage 2: Practice of skills
Skills become developed enough to be applied to various situations
Students can direct their own practice.
Skills are integrated for storage into the psyche.
Stage 3: Mastery of skills
Skills are well integrated into the psyche.
Students challenge themselves by expanding on their skills.
Stage 4: Application of skills
Skills have become completely automatic – no mental energy is required to use them.
Skills are subordinated to meet further challenges.4

GOALS
The general goal of the Silent Way is to give students the initial level of oral and sound
facilities in the basic elements of the target language. The general objectives set out in
language learning are almost original fluency in the language of this purpose, and correct
pronunciation and mastering the prosodic elements of the language. The immediate goal is to
provide students with basic practical knowledge of grammar, which forms the basis for
independent learning on the part of students and helps students to improve their inner criteria
for truth.

TEACHING TECHNIQUE
The teaching techniques applied in the Silent Way are the strangest characteristics of
this method. As the name suggests, silence is the teacher's main tool in the Way of Silence.
From the initial level, students do 90% or more of speaking and this moves the class focus

4
Beinsten, Patricia. 1995. Explaining Concepts Behind The Silent Way.
from teacher to student. A Silent Way classrooms also use self-correction or peer correction,
which encourages a cooperative mentality rather than a competitive one. The teacher helps
students with their pronunciation by saying words without voicing, and by using certain hand
movements. When teachers speak, they tend to say only once so students learn to focus their
attention on them.5

MATERIALS
Effective and fun pedagogical material is used in this language teaching method.
Cuisenaire Rod, Sound-Color Chart (Rectangle), Word Charts, Fidel Chart, Pointers are some
of them.

The Cuisenaire Rods are made of wood and have 10 different lengths, with their own
colors. Trunks are used in various situations in the classroom such as in practicing more
complex colors, numbers or grammar. For example, to teach prepositions the teacher can use
the statement - "The blue bar is between the green and the yellow one."

Pronunciation is taught with Wall Charts Rectangle Color-Sounds which consist of

various colored rectangles, with each color representing the phoneme (sound) of the language.
The teacher also taps certain colors very hard to help students learn the word stress.

Word charts that use the same color as the sound-color chart contain the functional
vocabulary of the target language. They allow the teacher to make sentences that describe
grammar points while remaining silent.

The Fidels, useful for languages with complicated and irregular spellings, show all
possible spellings for each phoneme. For example in English, voice | eI | written in the same
color for different spellings such as vv. ea, ei, eigh, etc.

Pointers create language dynamics by showing pressure, expression and intonation.

Other material that has secondary interests such as books, worksheets, video tapes, films. Etc.
also used to practice reading and writing skills.6

5
Kudryashova, A., Gorbatova T., Rybushkina, S., & Ivanova, E. 2016. Teacher’s Roles to Facilitate Active
Learning. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 7(1).
6
Bourn, Tim. “Teaching approaches : What is the Silent Way?”. 2011.
THEORY OF LANGUAGE
Gattegno took an openly skeptical view of the role of linguistic theory in the
methodology of language teaching. We were not surprised then to see the simulation
experience using tokens and drawing charts as a central element in the teaching of Silent
Way.

A considerable discussion is devoted to the importance of understanding the "spirit" of

language and not just its component forms. With the "spirit" the Gattegno language refers to
the way each language consists of phonological and suprasegmental elements who join to
give the language a unique system of sounds and melodies. Students must get a "feeling" for
this aspect of the target language as soon as possible, although how students do this is not
entirely clear.

By looking at the selected material and the order presented in the Silent Road class, it is
clear that the Silent Path takes a structural approach to the language organization that will be
taught. Language is seen as a group of sounds that are arbitrarily associated with special
meanings and organized into sentences or sets of units that are meaningful according to the
rules of grammar. Language is separated from its social context and is taught through
artificial situations, usually represented by sticks. Learning follows a sequence based on the
complexity of grammar, and new lexical and structural material is carefully broken down into
its elements, with one element presented at a time. Sentences are the basic unit of teaching,
and the teacher focuses on prepositional meanings, rather than communicative values.
Students are presented with structural patterns from the target language and learn the rules of
grammar through most inductive processes.

Gattegno sees vocabulary as the central dimension of language learning and vocabulary
choice as important. He distinguishes between several classes of vocabulary items. "Semi-
luxurious vocabulary" consists of expressions that are common in the daily life of the target
language culture; this refers to food, clothing, travel, family life, and so on. The most
important vocabulary for students relates to the most functional and versatile language words,
many of which may not have direct equivalents in the student's mother tongue. This
"functional vocabulary" provides the key, said Gattegno, to understand the "spirit" of
language.7

THEORY OF LEARNING
Like many supporters of other methods, Gattegno uses his broad understanding of the
process of learning the first language as a basis for lowering the principles of teaching foreign
languages to adults. Gattegno recommends, for example, that learners need to "return to the
state of mind that characterizes the surrender of learning a baby"

However, after referring to these processes, Gattegno stated that the second language
learning process was "very different" from those involved in learning the first language.
Second language students are not like first language learners and "cannot learn other
languages in the same way because of what they now know".

To speak ... requires a decrease in desire for voluntary speech organs and a clear
understanding of one's linguistic self about what must be done to produce a definite sound in a
sure way. Only the self-proclaimer can intervene to make an objective what is in it. Every
student must be seen as a desire to be able to do the job. 8

We are told that the self consists of two systems - learning systems and restraint
systems. The learning system is activated only with intelligent awareness. "Students must
constantly test their strength to abstract, analyze, synthesize, and integrate". Silence is
considered the best vehicle for learning, because in silence students concentrate on tasks that
must be completed and significant potential for achievement. Silence, as a avoidance of
repetition, is thus an aid to alertness, concentration, and mental organization.

Gattegno talked about remembering the problem of "paying ogdens." "Ogden" is a

mental energy unit needed to permanently connect two mental elements, such as shape and
sound or labels and objects. Forging links through active attention is the cost of remembering
being paid in ogdens. Retention through mental effort, awareness, and attention is more
efficient in terms of ogdens consumed rather than retention achieved through mechanical

7
Richard, Jack C. 1986. Approach and Methods in Language Teaching. New York: University of Cambridge
Press.
8
Dam, L. (2000). Evaluating autonomous learning. In Sinclair, B., McGrath, I., & Lamb, T. Learner Autonomy,
Teacher Autonomy. Future directions. Harlow: Pearson Education. Limited, 48-59.
repetition. Again, silence is the key to triggering awareness and hence the preferred path for
retention. The retention link is actually formed in the quietest period, namely during sleep:
"The mind of doing many things during sleep". 9

Awareness can be educated. When a person learns "in consciousness," the strength of
one's awareness and capacity to learn becomes greater. The Silent Way claims to facilitate
what psychologists call "learning to learn." Again, the chain of processes that develop
awareness comes from attention, production, self-correction, and absorption. The Silent Way
learners obtain "inner criteria," which play a central role "in one's education throughout one's
life". This inner criterion allows students to monitor and correct their own production. It is in
self-correction activities through self-awareness that the Silent Path claims the most different
from other language learning methods. It is this capacity for self-awareness that is demanded
by the Silent Path, an ability that is said to be little valued or done by first language learners..
10

But Jalan Silent is not just a language teaching method. Gattegno saw language learning
through Silent Way as a recovery from innocence - "the return of our strength and full
potential." Gattegno's goal is not only second language learning; it is nothing but education of
individual spiritual strength and sensitivity. Mastery of linguistic skills is seen in the light of
emotional inner peace that results from a sense of power and control brought about by a new
level of consciousness. The Silent Way Learning claims to "consolidate the human dimension
into, which includes variation and individuality as an important factor for the acceptance of
others as contributors to one's life" and even moves us "towards better and more lasting
solutions today conflict".11

TEACHERS
The teacher is a technician or engineer who facilitates learning. Only students can learn.
The teacher realizes what the students already know and he can decide the next step. Teachers
like complete dramatic models, remodels, helps and directs students' desired and responsible
responses to create an environment that encourages student risk-taking and that facilitates

9
Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman.
10
Richard, Jack C. and Rodgers, Theodore S. (1986). Approach and Methods in Language Teaching. London:
Cambridge Univesity Press.
11
Kudryashova, A., Gorbatova T., Rybushkina, S., & Ivanova, E. 2016. Teacher’s Roles to Facilitate Active
Learning. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 7(1).
learning. The teacher is silent and uses it as a tool to focus students' attention; to get student
responses and more importantly to submit responsibilities to students". Prince. W. Stevick
defines the task of the Silent Way teacher as (a) to teach (b) to test, and (c) to get out of the
way. The role of the teacher is one of the neutral observers and avoids praise or criticism,
because it can prevent students from developing independence. The minimalist role of the
teacher has made some critics describe Silent Way as "aloof". 12

STUDENTS
Silent Way sees language learning as a process of personal growth resulting from
increased student awareness and self-challenges. They are expected to develop independence,
autonomy and responsibility. "The Silent Way assumes that students work with resources and
nothing else, because they are fully responsible for what they learn.

Learners must learn to work cooperatively rather than competitively because they have
a strong influence on learning from each other and, to a lesser extent, on the linguistic content
taught. They need to feel comfortable correcting each other and corrected each other. So, a
learner must be a teacher, a student, part of a support system, a problem solver, and a self-
evaluator.13

Evaluation by the Silent Way is mainly done by observation. The teacher may never
give a formal test, but they continue to assess students by observing their actions. This allows
them to directly respond to problems that may be experienced by students. The teacher also
gets feedback through observing student errors. Mistakes are seen as natural and need to be
learned.14

LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Learning activities and assignments used in the Silent Way are intended to encourage
students' oral production. Instead of explicit instructions and / or excessive modeling,
activities are designed according to the inductive approach, creating an environment where
students rely on themselves while learning the target language. Simple linguistic assignments

12
Zhuang, J. (2010). The Changing Role of Teachers in the Development of Learner Autonomy Based on a
Survey of English Dorm Activity. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 1(5), 591-595
13
Richards, Jack C. (2013). Curriculum Approaches in Language Teaching: Forward, Central,and Backward
Design. RELC Journal, 44(1) 5–33.
14
Bourn, Tim. “Teaching approaches : What is the Silent Way?”. 2011.
are used where the teacher models words, phrases or sentences and then generates student
production. The next task allows students to produce their own speech by entering old and
new information. Thanks to limited teacher intervention, peer and self learning is fostered
during learning activities. Although teacher modeling is limited, he still controls the entire
process by applying special material and observing student development. The most commonly
used basic class activities in this method are responses to commands, questions and visual
cues. 15

15
Celik, Servet. 2014. Approaches and Principles in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Education. Ankara,
Turkey: Eğiten Kitap. Pg. 46
 CONCLUSION

The Silent Way is commonly defined as a teaching method for foreign languages in
which the teachers are mostly silent and use rods and charts as their main teaching tools. The
purpose of silent way are students should be able to use the language for self expression,
students need to develop their own inner criteria for correctness by each other or themselves
without the dependence of the teacher, students become independent by relying on
themselves.
 REFERENCE

Beinsten, Patricia. 1995. Explaining Concepts Behind The Silent Way.

Bourn, Tim. “Teaching approaches : What is the Silent Way?”. 2011.

Bruner, Jerome. 1966. On Knowing: Essay for the Left Hand. New York: Atheneum
Gattegno, C. 1972. Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools: The Silent Way. 2nd ed.
New York: Educational Solutions.

Richard, Jack C. 1986. Approach and Methods in Language Teaching. New York: University
of Cambridge Press.

Celik, Servet. 2014. Approaches and Principles in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
Education. Ankara, Turkey: Eğiten Kitap. Pg. 46

Dam, L. (2000). Evaluating autonomous learning. In Sinclair, B., McGrath, I., & Lamb, T.
Learner Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy. Future directions. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Limited, 48-59.

Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman.

Kudryashova, A., Gorbatova T., Rybushkina, S., & Ivanova, E. 2016. Teacher’s Roles to
Facilitate Active Learning. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 7(1).

Richards, Jack C. (2013). Curriculum Approaches in Language Teaching: Forward,

Central,and Backward Design. RELC Journal, 44(1) 5–33.

Richard, Jack C. and Rodgers, Theodore S. (1986). Approach and Methods in Language
Teaching. London: Cambridge Univesity Press.

Zhuang, J. (2010). The Changing Role of Teachers in the Development of Learner Autonomy
Based on a Survey of English Dorm Activity. Journal of Language Teaching and
Research, 1(5), 591-595