The Silent Way
teaching method takes its name from the fact that the teacher is supposed to be almost
completely silent. The approach was developed by Egyptian
educationalist Caleb Gattengo. The teacher is a
facilitator rather than an instructor; s/he sets the students problems, which they have to solve cooperatively by communicating with each other.
There is a strong emphasis on pronunciation and coloured pronunciation
charts. Cuisenaire rods are used to prompt students' language.