HOW TO TEACH A LANGUAGE CLANZ

Interaction and learning Concepts 1

Interactions Teacher  Student Teacher  Students Student  Student Student  Students Student  Teacher What promotes learning?

Alertness  What keeps you on your toes?

Silence

Efficiency Concepts 2

Efficiency Students always active S  S dialogue Careful planning Controlled lessons Success in each lesson Time between lessons The best use of time

How much? Get through the book? Cover various areas Enable learner to acquire skills Revision And of course homework LEARN A LITTLE REALLY WELL Skating V Mastery

What makes a good learner? Concepts 3

Is willing to try it out and make mistakes

Sets goals – learns for a purpose

Revises what they have learned in between lessons

Aims to become independent

Reads at least half an hour a day in the target language

Uses the language whenever possible

Uses learning strategies such as mnemonics, linking ideas, vocabulary cards

Uses a variety of methods and resources to learn

Tries to guess the meaning of what they hear and read

Any others?

Communicative Language Teaching Concepts 6

1 Present structures to learn Present vocabulary Then enable the students to use what they have learned, and Repeatedly practise it, but NOT in mindless repetition! A focus on meaning by using real (or realistic) language for authentic purposes.

Meaning Learner’s history Learner’s needs TV Radio Internet ? Sources

2 Brief explanation on how to drive the car Then let them get in the car and drive it Less emphasis on studying form such as grammar and more on communication

CLT Find someone who Sticker on back Commands Doughnut Recorded questions Role play Many types of simple activity

3 Greet students, complete admin Friendly chat to start Brief explanation and presentation Then they should be talking. Less talk by the teacher and lots of opportunity to practise with other learners

Interaction 1 TWhat would you do if they refused to replace the item? L(Silence) TWould you just say Ok and leave? LUm … TDo you think you should say you want it replaced? LYes TOK, so you’d insist on getting it replaced? LYes

Interaction 2 TWhat would you do if they refused to replace the item? L(Silence) T(Silence) LI say they must replace. TOK. I’m the shopkeeper. What will you say to me? LIt doesn’t work. I want replace. T Yes, that’s good

4 For each activity, ask Does it involve meaning? Does it engage the brain? Is it interesting? Does it relate to real life? The learner must consciously process language to learn it.

NOT Change the following words into the plural: One boat, two One cat, two One house, two Presentation activities

BUT Change the means of communication, eg Listen and draw Read and report Observe and explain Set an outcome, eg Pairs solve a puzzle Groups discuss priorities Engage the brain

5 Know your learners Allow them to negotiate meaning Challenge them to respond Challenge them to initiate You are not the fount of all knowledge A focus on the learner’s needs and their contribution to the learning process

6 Plan the lesson according to learner needs Manage the class to give everyone a chance But hand over tasks to individual and groups to work on in their own way The teacher’s role: planning and facilitating rather than directing.

Warning 1 Do not move from presentation to “have a conversation” which is well beyond students’ ability. Use guided conversation CLT ≠ Free conversation

Warning 2 All teaching involves communication CLT involves structured learning through planned communication CLT ≠ Communication