This week we learned about two concepts in this reading: the “Atlas Complex” as well as “Audiolingualism”. The beginning of this article explains the Atlas Complex as a teacher-centered classroom with the teacher taking on the entire burden of the students’ learning. This first concept was extremely eye-opening for me. I did realize that almost all of my educational settings have been this way, with the teacher in the front of the class, relaying all information to us, directing the conversation, etc. However, what I did not realize is the actual impact this has on students and their learning. When “all action and interaction, as well as explanations, are dictated by the instructor” (page 8), I have now changed my opinion that this has a negative impact on students, causing them to be a “passive audience” and in the long run, debilitating the amount a student could actually learn or comprehend if they were to seek the information themselves or with peers. After realizing what the Atlas Complex actually is, and how it can affect my future classroom, I will now make an extreme effort to create a learner- centered classroom environment.
What I found absurd was that audiolingualism and the drill method is actually a practice used in second language acquisition! I feel like the only time this should be used is to practice the pronunciation of vocabulary. This could be helpful because the main focus in audiolingualism is repetition, pronunciation, and correction. I do not think this device should be used to practice grammar skills; I think grammar skills should be practiced in authentic situations where students can make valuable connections. I feel more educated in knowing that these two ideas are prevalent in second language teaching, but do not agree that they are the best practices.
What I found absurd was that audiolingualism and the drill method is actually a practice used in second language acquisition! I feel like the only time this should be used is to practice the pronunciation of vocabulary. This could be helpful because the main focus in audiolingualism is repetition, pronunciation, and correction. I do not think this device should be used to practice grammar skills; I think grammar skills should be practiced in authentic situations where students can make valuable connections. I feel more educated in knowing that these two ideas are prevalent in second language teaching, but do not agree that they are the best practices.