Approach, Strategy, Method and Technique

Definition of Approach, Strategy, Method and Technique 

1. Approach

Approach is the way in which you will approach the piece of literature you are teaching.  You may center on the diction, or the theme, or the structure, or the romantic (or modern, etc.) nature of the piece; whatever you choose to teach.  Approach is what you are going to teach.

• An approach is a set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature of language teaching and learning. An approach is axiomatic. It describes the nature of subject matter to be taught.[1]
• An approach according to Anthony, was a set of assumptions dealing with the nature of language, learning, and teaching.[2]
• Edward Anthony, approach that is more emphasis on strategy and planning approach. The approach can also be interpreted as a starting point in implementing learning because the chosen approach can help us in achieving the learning objectives.
• Richards & Rodgers, Approach is a theory of the nature of language b. A theory of the nature of language learning Design.
• According to Mackey approach is the level at which assumptions and beliefs about language and language learning are specified.

From the explanation above, we can conclude that Strategy is the determination of how achieve goals or targets with policies and main plans that have been designed  in such away .

2. Strategy

Strategy is a term that comes from the Greek strategia, meaning “gen-eralship.” In the military, strategy often refers to maneuvering troops into position before the enemy is actually engaged.

Some definitions of strategy as offered by various writers spanning the years 1962 to 1996 are briefly reviewed below.

• Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., author of Strategy and Structure (1962), the classic study of the relationship between an organization’s structure and its strategy, defined strategy as “the determination of the basic long-term goals and objectives of an enterprise, and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources for carrying out these goals.” (As we will see later, it is the allocation of re-sources that ties the civilian use of strategy to its military origins.)
• Robert N. Anthony, author of Planning and Control Systems (1965), one of the books that laid the foundation for strategic planning, didn’t give his own definition of strategy. Instead, he used one presented in an unpublished paper by Harvard colleague Kenneth R. Andrews: “the pattern of objectives, purposes or goals and major policies and plans for achieving these goals stated in such a way as to define what business the company is or is to be in and the kind of company it is or is to be.” (Here we can see the emergence of some vision of the company in the future as an element in strategy.)
• Kenneth Andrews, long-time Harvard professor and editor of the Harvard Busi-ness Review, published the first edition of The Concept of Corporate Strategy in 1971 and updated it in 1980. His published definition of strategy took this form in the 1980 edition: “the pattern of decisions in a company that determines and reveals its objectives, purposes or goals, produces the principal policies and plans for achieving those goals, and defines the range of businesses the company is to pursue, the kind of economic and human organization it is or intends to be, and the nature of the economic and non-economic contribution it intends to. Make to its shareholders, employees, customers, and communities.” (Andrews’ definition of strategy is rather all-encompassing and is perhaps best viewed as a variation on the military notion of “grand strategy”.)
• George Steiner, a co-founder of the California Management Review, and author of the 1979 “bible,” Strategic Planning: What Every Manager Must Know, ob-served that there was little agreement on terms or definitions and confined his discussion of the definition of strategy to a lengthy footnote. But, nowhere does he define strategy in straightforward terms.
• Michael Porter, another Harvard professor, became well known with the publication of his 1980 book, Competitive Strategy. Porter defined competitive strategy as “a broad formula for how a business is going to compete, what its goals should be, and what policies will be needed to carry out those goals.” (In contrast with Andrews’ definition, Porter’s is much narrower, focusing as it does on the basis of competition)[3].

Strategy is all these—it is perspective, position, plan, and pattern. Strat-egy is the bridge between policy or high-order goals on the one hand and tactics or concrete actions on the other. Strategy and tactics to-gether straddle the gap between ends and means. In short, strategy is a term that refers to a complex web of thoughts, ideas, insights, experi-ences, goals, expertise, memories, perceptions, and expectations that provides general guidance for specific actions in pursuit of particular ends. Strategy is at once the course we chart, the journey we imagine and, at the same time, it is the course we steer, the trip we actually make. Even when we are embarking on a voyage of discovery, with no particular destination in mind, the voyage has a purpose, an outcome, and an end to be kept in view.

Strategy, then, has no existence apart from the ends sought. It is a gen-eral framework that provides guidance for actions to be taken and, at the same time, is shaped by the actions taken. This means that the nec-essary precondition for formulating strategy is a clear understanding of the ends to be obtained. Without these ends in view, action is purely tactical and can quickly degenerate into nothing more than a flailing about.

3. Method

The method is derived from the Greek “Methodos” which means the way or path taken. In relation to scientific efforts, then the method concerns the workings to able to understand the object of the target science concerned. Function method means as a means to an end. The understanding and definition of method according to experts include :

• Method was described as an overall plan for systematic presentation of language based upon a selected approach.[4]
• Method is a generalized set of classroom specifications for accomplishing Jin-guistic objectives. Methods tend to be concerned primarily with teacher and Stu· dent roles and behaviors and secondarily with such features as linguistic and subject-matter objectives, sequencing and materials. They are almost always thought of as being broadly applicable to a variety of audiences in a variety of contexts.[5]
• Nasir

Method is the way used to understand an object as a matter of science concerned.

• Indonesian Dictionary

Method is a systematic way of working to facilitate the execution of an activity in order to achieve the intended purpose.

• Department social RI

Method is a regular way used to carry out the work to achieve results in accordance with the expected.[6]

From the explanation above, we can conclude that Method is a systematic way of working to facilitate the execution of an activity in order to achieve the intended purpose.

4. Technique

The technique means manner, how to do or perform something or efforts, in ways that teachers use to carry out teaching in the classroom at the time of face to face in order to serve and consolidate the learning materials to achieve the goal of learning.Therefore, the technique is implementation and the occurrence at this stage of the implementation of teaching (presentation and stabilization).It can be concluded that the technique is a tactic or a way of learning undertaken by teachers in implementing the teaching and learning activities in orderto obtain optimal results

• Technique (also commonly referred to by other terms): any of a wide variety of exercises, activities, or task used in the language classroom for realizing lesson objectives.[7]
• Techniques were the specific activities manifested in the classroom that were consistent with a method and therefore were in harmony with an approach as well.[8]
• A technique is implementation that which actually takes place in a classroom. It is a particular trick, stratagem, or contrivance used to accomplish an immediate objective. Technique must be consistent with a method, and therefore in harmony with an approach as well.

From the explanation above, we can conclude that, Technique is the exercises, activities, or tasks used in the classroom language that fit the method and therefore also align with the approach to realizing the learning objectives.

1. Kind of Approach, Strategy, Method and Technique
2. Kinds of Approaches in Learning

Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach The Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach (CTL) is a learning concept that helps teachers connect between material taught to real-world situations of students and encourages students to make connections between their knowledge and application in their lives as family and community members (US Department of Education, 2001). In this context students need to understand what learning means, its benefits, in what status they are and how to achieve it. By this the students will realize that what they learn is useful as their life later. Thus, it will make them position themselves as needing a useful provision for their later life and students will try to get it. The contextual approach is an approach that helps teachers connect between the material they are teaching and the real-world situations of the students and encourages students to make connections between their knowledge and application in their lives as family members and the community. Contextual approaching itself is done by involving the components of an effective learning component that is constructivism ask, discover, community learning, modeling, reflection, true judgment. In contextual teaching enables the occurrence of five important forms of learning, namely:

• is the most powerful strategy and the core of constructivism. The teacher uses this strategy when he or she associates a new concept with something the student already knows. So by doing so, link what students know about new information.
• is the core of contextual learning where linking means connecting new information with past experience or knowledge. Learning can happen more quickly when students can manipulate equipment and materials and perform active forms of research.
• Students apply a concept when they do problem-solving activities. Teachers can motivate students by stabbing realistic and relevant exercises.
  1. Students who work individually often do not help significant progress. Conversely, students working in groups can often solve complex problems with little help. Cooperation experiences not only replace students learning the material, but consistent with the real world.
  2. The teacher’s role creates a variety of learning experiences with a focus on open understanding, Constructivism approach is an approach in learning that emphasizes the level of creativity of students in channeling new ideas that can be needed for student self-development based on knowledge. Basically constructivism approach is very important in the improvement and development of knowledge possessed by students in the form of basic skills that can be needed in student self development both in school environment and in community environment.

2. Kinds of strategy in Learning

There are at least three basic forms of strategy in the business world and it helps to keep them straight. The objectives of this brief paper are to clarify the general concept of strategy and draw attention to the importance of distinguishing among three forms of strategy: (1) general strategy (or just plain strategy) (2) corporate strategy and (3) competitive strategy (Figure 1).

• STRATEGY IN GENERAL

Strategy, in general, refers to how a given objective will be achieved. Consequently, strategy in general is concerned with the relationships between ends and means, that is, between the results we seek and the resources at our disposal. Strategy and tactics are both concerned with formulating and then carrying out courses of action intended to attain particular objectives. For the most part, strategy is concerned with deploying the resources at your disposal whereas tactics is concerned with employing them.

• CORPORATE VERSUS COMPETITIVE STRATEGY

Corporate strategy defines the markets and the businesses in which a company will operate. Competitive or business strategy defines for a given business the basis on which it will compete. Corporate strategy is typically decided in the context of defining the company’s mission and vision, that is, saying what the company does, why it exists, and what it is intended to become. Competitive strategy hinges on a company’s capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses in relation to market characteristics and the corresponding capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses of its competitors[9].

3. Kinds of Method in Learning

According to Sudjana (1989: 30) included in the learning component is the objectives, materials, methods and tools and assessment Teaching methods used by teachers almost no waste, because the method produces result in the near or in a relatively long time. The result are felt in the near future is said to be direct impact (instructional effect) while the results are felt in a relatively long time called the effects of accompaniment (nurturant effect) is usually associated with attitudes and values. (Syaiful Bahri Djamarah, 2000, 194) Various Methods of Learning:

• METHOD OF CERAMAH

The lecture method is a method that may be said traditional method. Because this method has always been used as a means of oral communication between teachers and students in educational interaction.

1. Advantages of Lecture
2. Teachers easily master the class
3. Easy to implement
4. Can be followed by students in large numbers.
5. Disadvantage of Lecture
6. The activity of teaching becomes verbalism (meaning of words)
7. Learners who are more perceptive from the visual side will be a loss and the more audacious responsive students can receive more.
8. If it’s too long to be boring

• EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

Experimental method is a method of providing opportunities to individual or group students, to be trained to perform a process or experiment. With this method students are fully expected to be involved in planning experiments, conducting experiments, finding facts, collecting data, controlling variables, and solving real problems.

1. Advantages of the Experimental Method
2. This method can make the protégé more trustworthy for truth or conclusions based on his own experiments rather than just accepting the word teacher or book.
3. Students can develop an attitude to conduct exploratory studies (exploring) about science and technology, an attitude demanded of a scientist, and
4. With this method will be built humans who can bring new breakthroughs with the discovery as a result of experiments that are expected to be useful for the welfare of human life.
5. Lack of Experimental Method
6. Insufficient tools result in not every student having the opportunity to experiment.
7. If the experiment requires a long period of time, students should wait to continue the lesson; and
8. This method is more appropriate to present the fields of science and technology.[10]

• METHOD OF GRANTING AND RESITATION

Provision of tasks with the meaning of teachers to instruct students for example reading, but by adding tasks such as searching and reading other books in comparison, or being asked to observe people/society after reading the book. Thus, assignment is a work that the learner should accomplish without being attached to the place.

1. Advantages of Assignment and Recitation Methods
2. Knowledge that learners gain from their own learning will be remembered longer; and
3. The students have the opportunity to foster development and courage to take the initiative, take responsibility, and stand alone.
4. Disadvantages of Assignment and Recitation Methods
5. Often students commit fraud in which the protégé only mimics the work of others without undertaking the difficulty of working on their own;
6. Sometimes the task is done by others without supervision

• DISCUSSION METHOD

Discussion is to provide alternative answers to help solve various life problems. With the record of issues to be discussed must be mastered in depth.

1. Advantages of Discussion Method
2. Make students aware that problems can be solved with different paths and not one path (one answer only).
3. Awake the students that by discussing their mutual opinions constructively in order to obtain a better decision.
4. Disadvantages of Discussion Method
5. Cannot be used in large groups;
6. Discussion participants get limited information.

• EXERCISE METHOD

The method of training (driil) is also called training method, which is a way of teaching to instill certain habits. Also, as a means to maintain good habits. In additional, this method can be used to obtain an agility, accuracy, opportunity, and skill.

1. Excess Exercise Method
2. Can to obtain motor skill, such as writing, pronunciation, making and using tools.
3. Be able to obtain mental prowess, such as in multiplication, addition, subtraction, division, signs / symbols, and so on
4. Disadvantages of Exercise Method
5. Inhibit the talent and initiative of the students because the students are more brought to the adjustment and directed to the far and understanding.
6. Make static adjustment to the environment.[11]

• PROJECT METHOD

The project method is a way of teaching that provides an opportunity for students to use the units of everyday life and as learning material. Aiming for students to be interested in learning.

1. Advantages of the Project Method
2. Can break the mindset of students from a narrow become more comprehensive in looking at and solve the problems faced in live.
3. Through this method, students are nurtured by getting used to applying knowledge, attitudes, and skill with an integrated, which is expected to be practical and useful in everyday life.
4. Disadvantages of the Project Method
5. The current curriculum in our country today, either vertically or horizontally, has not supported the implementation of this method.
6. Organizational learning materials, planning, and implementation of these methods are difficult and require special skills from teachers, whereas teachers have not been prepared for this. [12]

• DEMONSTRATION METHOD

            Demonstration learning method is a very effective learning method to help students find answers to questions such as: How to set it? How does it work? How to do it. Demonstration as a learning method is when a teacher or a demonstrator (outsider is deliberately requested) or a student shows to the whole class a process or process. For example the workings of an automatic washing machine, how to make cookies, and so forth.

               Excess Demonstration Method:

1. Student attention can be more centered.
2. Student learning process is more focused on the material being studied.
3. Experience and impression as a result of learning is more inherent in students.

               Weaknesses Demonstration method:

1. Students are sometimes difficult to see clearly objects that are exhibited.
2. Not all objects can be demonstrated.
3. It is difficult to understand if it is demonstrated by teachers who lack the mastery of what is being demonstrated.

• PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD

The problem solving method is not just a method of teaching, but it is also a method of thinking, because in problem solving can use other methods that start by searching the data to draw conclusions.

Problem solving method is a method that stimulates thinking and using insight regardless of the quality of opinion submitted by students. A teacher must be good at stimulating his students to try to get his opinion out.[13]

3. Kinds of Technique in Learning

Controlled Technique

1. Warm-up: Mimes, dance, songs, jokes, play. This activity gets the students stimulated, relaxed, motivated, attentive, or otherwise engaged and ready for the lesson. It does not necessarily involve use of the target language.
2. Setting: focusing in on lesson topic. Teacher direct attention to the topic by verbal or nonverbal evocation of the context relevant to the lesson by questioning or mining or picture presentation, possibly by tape recording of situations and people.
3. Organization : structruring or lesson or class activities includes disciplinary action, organization of class furniture and seating, general procedures for class interaction and performance, structure and purpose of lesson, etc.
4. The Use of Teaching Approach, Strategy, Method and Technique
5. Approach

Some leading teaching approaches

1. Discovery Approach

This approach pertains basically to cognitive aspect of learning; the development and organizations of concepts, ideas and insights, and the use of reference and other logical processes to control a situation.

Characteristics:

1. It is inductive, proceeding from the specific to general ones.
2. Freedom is necessary in the discovery approach.
3. The teacher helps the learners acquire knowledge, which is uniquely his own because he discovers it for himself.
4. The end of teaching, using this approach, is the acquisition of knowledge.
5. The students and not the teacher should be actively involved in the process of discovery
6. The students look at the knowledge that they have discovered as something new to them.

Centering on a series of problem solving situations, the discovery approach, therefore, calls for active student involvement. It is student-centered as well as self-directed learning.

Roles of the Teacher

1. Patience is needed in this approach. He does not pressure his students but he gives them enough time to formulate the expected generalization.
2. The teacher should not answer for the students; he can give clues and hints instead. He does not generalize for them.

CONCEPTUAL APPROACH

This approach requires the categorization of content from simple to complex level. Students need not go into an actual investigation or experimentation, which is usually required in discovery approach. A simple act of recalling facts will suffice like asking students to state certain phenomena that they observe.

            This approach recognizes the HIERARCHY OF COGNITION below:

Conceptual scheme

Principle

Generalization

Concept

Fact

         Hierarchy of Cognition (Focus on Teaching, 1989)

Roles of the Teacher

1. The teacher using conceptual approach should be able to master the cognitive hierarchy of discipline. He should be able to categorize all knowledge pertinent to his area; from facts to concepts; from concepts to generalizations; from generalizations to principles; and all of these should be organized around conceptual schemes which are pervasive ideas embodying the whole discipline.
2. The teacher should help students to gather sufficient data to enable them form the expected generalization.
3. The teacher should not conceptualize for his students. The students should conceptualize for themselves.

Advantages

1. Since conceptualization as process involves an active use of mind, certain intellectual processes are being developed like classification, discrimination, synthesis, and judgment. While knowledge is being processed, students have to think logically and holistically.
2. One value of the students’ ability to generalize is that they can make use of the insights gained in certain problematic situations.
3. They could see and realize that bits of information, which seem to be isolated can be organized and pierced together like a jigsaw puzzle around a context in the broader fundamental structure of a field of knowledge. Thus, they become aware that every time the teacher presents a set of facts, the lesson is to be approached in its totality. Thus, meaning is drawn out and derived from it.

PROCESS APPROACH

The process approach may be defined as teaching in which knowledge is used as a means to develop students’ learning skills.

This approach originated from and used to be a monopoly of science instruction. Today, it is identified primarily with skill-oriented subjects like practical arts and home economics and even with knowledge-laden subjects like social studies.

The essence of the process approach lies on three major points:

1. emphasis on process implies a corresponding de-emphasis on the subject content ( the concern is how to learn and not what to learn).
2. it centers upon the idea that what is taught to students should be functional and not theoretical (e.g. if you learn mathematics do what mathematicians do; if you learn science, do what scientists do; and if you learn music, do what musicians do)
3. it introduces the consideration of human intellectual development (produces the consideration of human intellectual development – processes may refer to intellectual skills).

Advantages

1. Teaching a man how to catch fish is must better than giving him fish every time he needs it – this is the adage recognized by process approach.
2. By developing the skills of the students, the teacher is preparing him to be independent, self-sufficient, and productive person. This gives substance to education as a process of “preparing one for his own life”.

ADVANTAGES:

1. it requires them to go beyond the knowledge and skills levels of learning toward the affective dimensions like their attitudes, values, appreciations and the like.
2. They are expected to become more analytical and less gullible.
3. When students have adopted the spirit of inquiry, they become more curious and observant individuals.

The inquiry approach figuratively vibrates a nugget of wisdom:

“In work, every day brings new changes for one to grow, new challenges to meet, and new mission to pursue. If systematically planned, every new day is a step towards one’s pleasant dream”.

UNIFIED APPROACH

Teachers by and large present knowledge in its isolated and fragmented bits, as if each bit is an independent entity by itself.  Once presented to students, these unrelated bits of information seem to be likely unattractive and meaningless to them. They might be able to memorize them for sometime but there is no guarantee that they will retain them. Their tendency is to recite them by rote, especially when there is an examination scheduled in a day’s time or two. But after the test is given, such bits are surely relegated to oblivion.

The unified approach is defined as means of treating relationships that exist among the significant components making up a given body of knowledge. It  is a thorough process of weaving and integrating topics into a general framework or a conceptual scheme. This simply means that the teacher does not treat each concept as an island by itself but rather he relates the previously learned concept with the new concept, until finally the students are able to see the interrelationships among the various concepts that serve as the mainstays or as the cognitive pillars of an academic subject. Its primary aim is to enhance the student’s learning by making him view things in their entirety or totality.

Strategy

Cognitive strategy

1. Translation : using the ferst language as a base for understing and/ or poducting the second language
2. Grouping : reordering or reclassifying, and perhaps labeling, the material to be learned based on common attributes.
3. Note taking : writing down the main idea, important points, outline, or summary of information presented orally or in writing.
4. Deducation :consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language[14].

Method

 Understanding Learning Methods.

Method is the way used to implement plans that have been prepared in real activities for the purpose that has been arranged is achieved optimally. This means the method is used for realize the process of teaching and learning that has been established. According to Abdurrahman Ginting, learning methods can be interpreted a typical way or pattern in utilizing various principles basic education as well as various other related techniques and resources so that the learning process occurs in the learner In other words the method of learning is the presentation technique which is mastered by a teacher to present the subject matter to students in the classroom either individually or in groups the subject matter can be absorbed, understood and utilized by the students well. In reality, the way or method of learning is used to convey different information in a way that is[15] taken to establish students in mastering knowledge, skills and attitudes. Special methods of learning in the classroom, effectiveness methods are influenced by objective factors, student factors, and situational factors the teacher factor it self.

REFERENCE 

Djamarah, Bahri, Syaiful. Guru dan Anak Didik dalam Iteraksi Edukatif, Jakarta : PT Rineka Cipta, 2000

Douglas Brown, TEACHING by PRINCIPLES An Interactive Approach to Language pedagogy. Pages 14-16

JACK c. RICHARDS AND THEODORE s. RODGERS, Approachnes and Methods in Language Teaching , Cambridge Language Teaching Library. P. 15

Nazir, Mohammad (1999). Metode Penelitian. Jakarta: Erlangga

Nickols, F, Strategy, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning And Strategic Thinking. 2016. Pages 1-2

Nickols, F., Three Forms Of Strategy General, Corporate & Competitive.2016. P.1-2

Simamora, Roymond H. (2009). BUKU AJAR PENDIDIKAN DALAM KEPERAWATAN. Jakarta : EGC

[1]JACK c. RICHARDS AND THEODORE s. RODGERS, Approacnes and Methods in Language Teaching , Cambridge Language Teaching Library. pages 15

[2] H. Douglas Brown, TEACHING by PRINCIPLES An Interactive Approach to Language pedagogy. Pages 14

[3] Nickols, F, Strategy, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning And Strategic Thinking. 2016. Pages 1-2

[4] H. Douglas Brown, TEACHING by PRINCIPLES An Interactive Approach to Language pedagogy. P. 14

[5] H. Douglas Brown, TEACHING by PRINCIPLES An Interactive Approach to Language pedagogy. p.16

[6] Nazir, Mohammad (1999). Metode Penelitian. Jakarta: Erlangga

[7]ibid, p. 16

[8]JACK c. RICHARDS AND THEODORE s. RODGERS, Approachnes and Methods in Language Teaching , Cambridge Language Teaching Library. P. 15

[9]Nickols, F., Three Forms Of Strategy General, Corporate & Competitive.2016. P.1-2

[10] Djamarah, Bahri, Syaiful. Guru dan Anak Didik dalam Iteraksi Edukatif, Jakarta : PT Rineka Cipta, 2000

[11] Djamarah, Bahri, Syaiful. Guru dan Anak Didik dalam Iteraksi Edukatif, Jakarta : PT Rineka Cipta, 2000

[13]Simamora, Roymond H. (2009). BUKU AJAR PENDIDIKAN DALAM KEPERAWATAN. Jakarta : EGC

[14] H. Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and teaching.san Francisco state university.  Pages 125.

[15] Wina Sanjaya, Strategi Pembelajaran Berorientasi Standar Proses Pendidikan (Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media Group, 2008),147.