The teaching of foreign languages has become a significant phenomenon whose modern development can be traced primarily to the twentieth century, when the need for communication grew increasingly urgent. Nevertheless, the teaching of foreign languages began to take shape as early as the seventeenth century, when Latin and Greek were introduced into school curricula. At that time, however, the primary aim was not communicative competence, but rather the study of these languages as intellectual disciplines intended to develop learners’ cognitive abilities.
Subsequently, as the civilized world entered the industrial era, the necessity of learning and teaching foreign languages increased considerably. Languages such as French and German, and especially English, began to be studied on a much larger scale, predominantly through classical translation-based methods, which were the only approaches known at the time. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, and more notably throughout the twentieth century, new foreign language teaching methods emerged. This development led to a gradual decline in the popularity of traditional translation methods that had previously dominated language instruction.
In general terms, a teaching method refers to the framework that structures the entire process of instructional planning, implementation, and assessment. This process encompasses the establishment of learning objectives as well as the design and application of assessment instruments intended to generate relevant and meaningful information aligned with educational goals.
The twenty-first century has brought profound changes to the field of foreign language teaching. From the beginning of the century, modern methods emerged as alternatives to traditional approaches, offering tools and practices that enrich both teaching and assessment. Within the learning process, teaching, learning, and evaluation function as interdependent components, ensuring coherence and effectiveness in educational development. As a result of increased intercultural communication and global mobility, teaching methodologies have taken on an interdisciplinary dimension. Cultural development has reshaped the entire teaching process, and innovative instructional methods have aimed to enhance learners’ ability to understand and visualize cultural aspects belonging to different societies and historical periods. At the same time, these methods have expanded and deepened linguistic competence, granting learners broader access to the global community.
While technological advancement has facilitated global interaction and understanding, the role of teachers has changed considerably. Educators have moved beyond their traditional role as mere intermediaries between linguistic systems or cultural mediators, assuming more complex and dynamic responsibilities.
Modern methods of teaching English have advanced, diversified, and increased their effectiveness, particularly with regard to communication and the development of oral proficiency. Among the most widely used contemporary approaches are the Direct Method, the Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Community Language Learning, Total Physical Response, and Communicative Language Teaching. All of these methods emphasize learner-centered instruction. Contemporary learners acquire language competence primarily through comprehension, a process that occurs largely at the subconscious level. In order to encourage learners to explore a foreign language, it is essential to create a supportive and engaging learning environment that stimulates interest.
Consequently, the teacher’s role is to help learners become aware of the emotional impact of cultural differences and of the affective dimension that a foreign language can provide. Teachers are continually challenged to maintain interactive lesson potential while teaching in a language different from the learners’ mother tongue. Modern generations require new forms of communication and educational resources that differ significantly from traditional ones.
In an era marked by ongoing educational and societal reforms, active and participatory teaching methods based on cooperative learning play a crucial role in the development of modern education. These approaches aim to produce high-quality lessons adapted to learners’ needs. Excessive emphasis on theoretical knowledge, combined with insufficient opportunities for meaningful language production, can negatively affect the learning process. As a result, learners may lose motivation and become discouraged from communicating in a foreign language.
Similarly, the absence of experiential learning based on real-life situations, as well as the limited use of visual aids or associative techniques for vocabulary acquisition, can make foreign language learning particularly difficult. For these reasons, creative thinking has attracted significant attention from researchers, given its practical implications for everyday life.
According to J. P. Guilford, creative thinking can be defined as a “mosaic” of creative abilities that can be measured through specific tests and shaped through real-life situations. These abilities focus on individual differences such as problem sensitivity, cognitive flexibility, and originality. In the study of English, interactive group methods and techniques designed to foster creative thinking involve high levels of creativity, originality, and spontaneity. Not coincidentally, these approaches are highly effective and popular among learners, as they allow them to express ideas, opinions, and personal talents. Learning thus moves beyond simple memorization and reproduction, becoming an engaging activity in which every learner is encouraged to participate.
Through role-playing activities, now greatly facilitated by online environments and digital tools, learners can assume various identities and are challenged to find solutions to diverse problems. For example, they may take on the roles of a film star, a journalist, or a demanding customer. Such activities encourage active involvement in situations resembling real-life contexts while simultaneously stimulating imagination and creativity. As a result, the learning process becomes more complex and stands in clear opposition to traditional teacher-centered instructional methods that were prevalent in the past.
The pandemic of recent years has significantly transformed teaching and learning strategies. Metacognitive strategies have played an important role in shaping the learning process, enhancing learners’ understanding of favorable learning conditions, organizing instructional activities, and supporting qualitative self-assessment. Online learning systems applied to foreign language study have revealed numerous advantages, particularly in terms of accessibility to resources and the presentation of learning materials in engaging multimedia formats. Information acquisition has become easier, allowing learners to revisit and deepen knowledge progressively.
Although online education also presents certain disadvantages, such as increased distance between teachers and learners and the absence of physical classroom interaction, it encourages learners to develop their own voice, critical thinking, and freedom of choice. Through online platforms, learners gain access to a wide range of audio and video resources that facilitate the learning process.
According to the American linguist Stephen Krashen, known for his theory distinguishing between language acquisition and language learning, online environments tend to promote subconscious vocabulary acquisition, which learners can later use in conversation. This contrasts with traditional teaching approaches that emphasize rote learning of grammar and vocabulary. Krashen argues that language acquisition occurs most effectively when learners are directly exposed to the target language.
In an era of technological innovation, modern communication channels and computer-assisted tools have paved the way for new teaching strategies. Digital textbooks and educational technologies can be easily integrated into classrooms, although access to such tools remains uneven worldwide. Nevertheless, contemporary society is characterized by knowledge and innovation, and digital tools increasingly promote creative and innovative educational approaches. When implemented in a supportive environment, these strategies contribute positively to language acquisition by fostering relaxation, confidence, and positive attitudes among learners. Many theorists consider this humanistic approach essential for successful language acquisition, a view further developed by Krashen in relation to high-quality instruction.
E-learning platforms introduce significant changes by integrating text, audio, and video materials through sophisticated digital applications. These platforms facilitate personalized, self-paced learning, allowing lessons to be read or listened to gradually and repeatedly. The technologies employed are increasingly interactive and enable real-time feedback, thereby fostering creativity through exploration and discovery. As a result, learner-centered approaches prove more effective than traditional methods.
New teaching methods that incorporate active strategies such as conversation, practice, and experimentation enable learners to enhance both their linguistic knowledge and speaking ability. These methods promote interaction, knowledge transfer to new contexts, and continuous adaptation. Interactive online learning is associated with a higher level of learning, providing a creative environment that supports diverse ways of knowing, listening, discussing, problem-solving, applying, researching, and discovering at one’s own pace.
Through e-learning platforms, both active and interactive learning engage cognitive and imaginative structures that generate creativity and motivation. These processes develop convergent thinking, which focuses on identifying correct solutions, as well as divergent thinking, which generates multiple possible responses to open-ended situations, and evaluative thinking, which involves judgment based on explicit or implicit criteria. Consequently, learners develop both creative abilities and critical thinking skills, including analysis, interpretation, and exploration.
Online-supported education enables learners to monitor their own learning, develop self-assessment skills, personalize learning paths, and assume responsibility through autonomous engagement in the educational process. Given the central role of digitalization in contemporary society, teachers’ competencies must adapt to innovative technologies. Digital tools facilitate collaborative learning, creativity, and rapid assessment or self-assessment.
Recent educational trends emphasize the importance of information delivered through interactive methods and the development of new strategies aimed at guiding learners’ thinking. Active and participatory methods supported by digital tools prepare learners for self-directed learning under continuous teacher guidance. As learners become increasingly attracted to digital tools, the learning process is further facilitated.
An educational system that integrates technology with learner-centered methods enables interactive training in which the learner becomes the central actor in the educational process, encouraged to develop autonomy and responsibility. Ultimately, modern teaching methods seek to reflect the realities of the contemporary world and its transformative dynamics, marking the emergence of a new era in education.
Bibliography
[1] Bonwell, C. C., and Eison, J.A. Active learning: creating excitement in the classroom, 1991
[2] Guilford, J.P. Creativity. American Psychologist, 1950
[3] Harmer, Jeremy The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman, New York, 1991
[4] Krashen, S. Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use: The Taipei Lectures. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003
[5] Scrivener, Jim Learning Teaching. A Guidebook for English Language teachers. Macmillan Books for Teachers
[6] Stoica, Ana Creativitatea elevilor – Posibilități de cunoaștere și educare, Ed. Didactică și Pedagogică, București, 1983 [7] Vizental, Adriana Metodica predării Limbii Engleze, Editura Polirom, Iaşi, 2008