Teaching methods

Method	Principle
Grammar-translation	rules and translation of texts; little speaking
Direct method	French only, no translation
Audio-lingual and audiovisual methods	repetition of dialogues and pattern drills (1950s–1970s)
Communicative approach	learning to communicate in real situations (since the 1970s)
Action-oriented approach (CEFR)	learners carry out concrete tasks as social agents
Immersion	learning the language by using it for other subjects or in daily life
Natural approach (Krashen)	priority on large amounts of understandable language ("comprehensible input")

Today, most French courses follow the communicative and action-oriented approaches, while still making room for explicit grammar teaching.

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