The Controlled Autodidactic Approach

Author(s): Robert L. Politzer

Source: Hispania, Vol. 37, No. 2 (May, 1954), pp. 214-216
Published by: American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/335636 .
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214
Gramatica General (1 aio); 2. Latin Vulgar (1
cuatrimestre); 3. Gramntica Hist6rica de la
Lengua Espafiola: Fon6tica, Morfologia, Sin-
taxis y Semantica (3 cuatrimestres); 4. Len-
guas Romanicas: Cursos Practicos Hablados:
(1) Galaico-Portugu6s (2) Italiano (3) Franc6s
(3 cuatrimestres cada uno); 5. Critica Lite-
raria (1 afio); 6. Historia de la Lengua y de
la Literatura Espafiolas (desde los origenes
hasta el siglo XX) (3 cuatrimestres); 7. Co-
mentario Estilfstico de Textos Clasicos y Mo-
dernos Romanicos: Galaico-Portugu6s, Ita-
liano y Franc6s (1 cuatrimestre cada uno); 8.
Filologfa: Galaico-portuguesa, Rumana y Ca-
talana (1 cuatrimestre cada una). 9. Historia
de las Literaturas Romniicas: Portuguesa,
Italiana y Francesa (1 cuatrimestre cada una);
10. Literatura Hispanoamericana (1 cuatri-
mestre); 11. Lingifstica Romanica (1 ano);
12. Paleograffa Espafiola (1 cuatrimestre); 13.
Dialoectologfa Hispanica (1 cuatrimestre).
Los alumnos siguen seis asignaturas cada
cuatrimestre (18 semesterhours). Las ventajas
practicas de este sistema de asignaturas co-
munes son numerosas: En primer lugar, sim-
plifica enormemente la matrfcula. Ahorra el
tiempo de los alumnos y el de los profesores,
pues con un Catedratico-Director de Estudios,
basta. En segundo lugar, puesto que los pro-
fesores saben cuales son las asignaturas que
han cursado los alumnos, saben mucho mejor
en qu6 materia insistir. jCuanto me gustaria
alguna vez tener una clase de alumnos que
hubiesen cursado todos las mismas asignaturas
de ingl6s
THE CONTROLLEDAUTODIDACTIC APPROACH
ROBERT L. POLITZER
HarvardUniversity
The autodidacticapproachto elementary-
languageinstructionnow in effect in the Ro-
mance Language Department at Harvard
University was developedin responseto cer-
tain factors governing the elementary-lan-
guage programat this institution. The most
relevantof these were the following:
1. Except for a small numberof intensive
courses, the elementary-languagecourses at
Harvardmeet only three times per week.
2. Within this limited number of contact
hours we must carry out a rather ambitious
program:all of the grammarof the language
and a considerableamount of readingis cov-
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HISPANIA
Al terminarel perfodode Licenciaturaespe-
cializada,una vez aprobadastodas las disci-
plinas,los alumnosson sometidosa un examen
de conjuntofinal.Este examense verificaante
un Tribunalformadopor cinco catedraticos,
y se compone de pruebas escritas, orales y
practicas.
Despu6s de haber obtenidoel tftulo de Li-
cenciado,si el alumno quiere ensefiaren un
Instituto de EnsefianzaMedia (High School)
se le exige que haga las oposiciones(competi-
tive examinations).
Es obvio que serfamuy dificil convalidarel
tftulo de Licenciadoespanol en tArminosde
grados americanos.Por un lado, parece que
casi equivale a nuestro Ph.D. La materia
explicadapareceser de la misma categorfa.Y
en t6rminosde semesterhours, el Licenciado
es mAs que equivalente al Ph.D., pues el
alumno gana lo equivalente de 188 semester
hours. Por otro lado, no se exige una tesis,
casi toda la preparaci6npara las clases se
deja a la iniciativadel alumno.
Aun si un alumno americano estuviese
bastante bien preparadoen latfn y en lenguas
romanicaspara aprobarel examende ingreso,
sin duda encontrarfalos estudios demasiado
especializadosparasu gusto.
* Le agradezco a don Jos6 Fradejas Lebrero,
Profesor de la Universidad de Madrid, la suma
amabilidad de haberme leido este artfculo y
de no haber tomado a mal los comentarios que
he hecho sobre el distinguido profesorado de
Madrid.
ered duringthe first year. The secondyear in-
cludes a short grammarreview and the read-
ing of five or six completenovels (two usually
as outsidereading)plus excerptsfrommaster-
pieces of French or Spanish literature. This
ratherambitiousgoal is determinedby a fac-
ulty directive which requires that language
instructioncontaina goal in terms of cultural
value. Besides, we in the RomanceLanguage
Department feel that only by reaching this
culturalobjectiveare we able to make a sub-
stantialclaimin favorof the languagerequire-
ment.
3. The student body at Harvard is com-
 "SHOP-TALK" 215

posed of relativelywillingand select students. collegetextbooksand adapt them to our pur-

Grantedthat many of them are not particu- poses, or commercialtextbooksoriginallyde-
larly interestedin the languageand take the signed for self-teachingratherthan classroom
courseonly as a requirement,they are at least instruction (French Self-Taught,etc.)
willingto spenda considerableamountof time 2. Discussion of learning methodsin the
on the course in the interest of achieving a classroom.It is obviousthat withinourlimited
good grade.Furthermoremost students carry numberof contact hours we cannot affordto
only four coursesat one time as opposed to carryon extensivediscussionson methodology
the five whichmakeup a completeprogramin with our students. But we feel that ten min-
most otherinstitutions. utes of the class hour are well spent if they
Our present approach to the problem of assurethat three hoursof home study will be
teachingmethod originatedwith the recogni- used profitablyratherthan wasted on, let us
tion that the importantphase of languagein- say, the memorizationof grammaticalrules
structionis not the methodof teachingat all, or conjugationswhich the student later finds
but the learning process on the part of the himself unable to use, since he basicallydoes
student. If intensivecourseswith a largenum- not know what they mean. So we spendsome
ber of contact hours have been able to claim time in the classroomto give the studentstudy
rather spectacular successes, the reason for hints, or have some studentsreporton articles
these successes lies ultimately of course in involving teaching or learningmethods1and
the fact that with a large numberof contact try to have a shortdiscussionin whichthe stu-
hoursone is ableto controlthe learningprocess dents give their reactions and reveal their
on the part of the student. The actual learn- ways of studying. The study hints that the
ing of the languagetakes place to a great ex- studentsprovideare usually,of course,on the
tent in the classroom,and it is in the classroom level of rather simple techniques,but these
itself that the students' study habits are simple techniquesoften solve their problems
formed. With only three contact hours per quite successfullynevertheless.The type of
week this is clearly impossible.In the essen- techniquethey usuallyreportis approximately
tial part of languagestudy, the learningproc- on the followinglevel: "In studying the vo-
ess, the student is completely on his own cabularyof the new lesson I go throughthe
unless a deliberateeffortis made to help him word list in the book first. From that list I
in the process.Controlledautodidacticsis pre- copy the words that I can not rememberon
cisely such an effort, and is characterizedby the first try. Then I have a much smallerlist
the followingfeatures: for my secondtry. The third time I get a still
1. The use of specificallydesignedtextbooks. smallerlist of words,and so on. I find that by
Ideally a textbook used in the autodidactic doing this I can learn the vocabularymuch
approachshould contain specific instructions faster and much more thoroughlythan if I
on how to study. These instructionsshould tried to go through the original list over
not only form a general introductionat the and over again." Now some students in the
beginning of the textbook-many textbooks classwill take up such a suggestionand findit
in currentuse have an introductionaddressed helpful.Incidentally,the studentsseem much
to the student-they shouldbe given through- more willing to try out suggestions coming
out the book, explainingmost explicitly the fromone of theirclassmatesthan those coming
variousexercises(readsentenceA aloud until from their instructors.
you can repeatit frommemory,then translate 3. Utilization of classtime. From what I
sentences B and C, which vary from A only could gatherby observingin classrooms,until
in the use of the personalpronoun,etc.). The the innovationof the new approachthe uti-
textbookshouldfurthercontaina key to most lizationof time in the classroomin the typical
or all of the grammaticalexercisesfound in first-yearcoursewas approximatelyas follows:
the book, for too much valuableclass time is 15% explanationof grammaticalrules; 75%
taken up with correctinghomework,a prob- correctionof homework,either orally or from
lem which we shall discuss at greaterlength sentences written on the blackboard,about
below. To have recordingsaccompanyingthe 10% on cultural material, linguistics, pho-
lessonsin the bookwouldof coursebe another netic explanations,etc. Correctionof home-
desirablefeature.At presentthereare no com- work,in otherwords,was the most important
pletely satisfactory textbooks combiningall classroomactivity. Now correctinghomework
these features.However,we can utilizeregular is of coursenot a completelyuselessactivity;

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216 HISPANIA

the students no doubt learn from having their in class (about 20% of class time). The em-
mistakes corrected by the instructor. How- phasis is of course no longer on whether the
ever, the procedure does have serious disad- student has been able to construct the right
vantages. In the essential part of his work, the sentence, but on whether or not he is able to
preparation of the homework, which in the reproduce it. This does not mean that we are
typical case will involve translation from Eng- reducing the students to mere parrots. Part
lish into French or Spanish, the student is of of the homework is still assigned without
course completely on his own. The result is, preparation, and some classtime (about 10%)
as any language teacher knows, at best an is spent on practice quizzes, usually immedi-
artificial "constructed" sentence, at worst an ately corrected by the instructor, in which the
unrecognizable conglomeration of words. This student is expected to do work which demon-
stilted or garbled translation has time to strates that he is able to transfer what he has
impress itself on the mind of the student, for learned to new unprepared material.
it may take two or three days before his sen- Controlled Autodidactics is perhaps a mis-
tence is corrected in the classroom. And even nomer, for we are now doing more teaching in
in the classroom the student is exposed to his the classroom than ever before. But the name
own and his classmates' bad French or Spanish emphasizes the importance of the learning
to a far greater extent than to the utterances process and is intended to drive home to the
of the instructor, which are introduced only in student that the ultimate responsibility is
the form of correction. Of course the student with him as the learner. This is especially im-
should hear the corrected sentences over and portant, since the widespread discussions on
over again and repeat them until they are teaching methods, which at Harvard even
committed to memory. But with only three reached the student paper, resulted, in the case
hours per week there is simply not time enough of many students, in an attitude that made
to do this in the classroom, if one wants to cover them expect results from a particular method
all the homework in class. However, we have of instruction rather than from their own
changed that situation. We now do most of efforts.
the homework with the student in the class- A great effort is now being made to intro-
room, making the student repeat the correct duce elementary-language instruction in the
sentences before he is ever asked to translate grade schools and to improve the quantity
them by himself, and we give him the key to and quality of language instruction in the
most of his homework.2Doing the assignments secondary schools. If these efforts should prove
with the students takes up most of the class successful, then the required part of language
time (55%). Grammatical explanation is kept instruction,and elementary teaching will take
to a minimum (5%). The students are en- place almost exclusively on the pre-college
couraged to translate the sentences over again level. Elementary language instruction on the
at home and to check their translation imme- college level will then be carried out princi-
diately with that given previously by the pally for students who are not taking a re-
instructor or with the key that has been pro- quired course but who have a real desire to
vided. If they make a mistake and cannot find add another language to their knowledge. For
the reason for it, they are encouraged to bring such students the autodidactic approach with
their problem to class. This does not happen its emphasis on the responsibility of the learner
often, and the question "Why was I wrong?," should prove to be particularly appropriate.
which from the point of view of language
learning is never a very profitable one but NOTES
which nevertheless used to loom large in all 1
class discussion, has now been to a great ex- An example for a particularly useful article on
learning methods is William G. Moulton,
tent eliminated from the language classroom.
whether "Study Hints for Language Students", MLJ,
Of course we have no of
way knowing XXXVI (1952), 259-264.
or not the students retranslate their assign- 'When it comes to the translation from the
ments at home and do not simply use the keys foreign language into English, the preparation
without making a previous effort of their own. of homework in the classroom follows in its
But even if some do not go through the recom- essentials a procedure described by William
mended procedure, little is lost. For the stu- G. Moulton, "The Cornell Program", PMLA,
dents are still questioned on their homework LXVII (1952), No. 6, 38-46, pp. 41 ff.

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