1. Connecting Theory and Practice in English Language Instruction
ESL Fast Track
Welcome to Module 3. In this module you’re going to learn how to connect theory and practice in English language instruction for adult learners.
ESL Fast Track >

2. ESL Methods Module # 3 Teaching Practices
In Module 3, we’ll focus on methods of teaching English and we’ll tie them to what we believe about learning a language and the various techniques that support our beliefs.
ESL Fast Track >

3. Overview of Module 3 Goal Objectives Competencies Essential Questions
Lesson 1: Approaches & Methods
Lesson 2: Choosing Methods for Student Characteristics
Lesson 3: Choosing Instructional Techniques Based on Student Outcomes
Final Assessment
Module 3 starts with an outline of the Goal, Objectives, and Competencies for the Module. Three Essential Questions help organize the three lessons. Each lesson contains a mini-lesson or lecture, an activity, and an assessment. At the end of the module there is a final assessment that helps you pull your learning together. Module 3 starts with a warm-up, or tool, as a way to contextualize the module, and it ends with a cool-down as a way to review and reflect on your learning before the final assessment.
ESL Fast Track >

4. Goal: What is the goal of Module 3?
Module 3 is designed to help you understand how approaches and methods of teaching ESL are supported by a variety of instructional techniques that are tied to specific learner outcomes.
Let’s look at the overall goal for Module 3. Module 3 is designed to help you understand how methods and approaches of teaching ESL are supported by a variety of instructional techniques that are tied to specific learner outcomes. What this means is that in this module you will learn the differences, and some of the characteristics, of methods and approaches for teaching adult learners of English. You might already have in mind what the specific outcomes are for a particular lesson. For example, in a unit on Shopping, you might be thinking, well, I want my students to be able to go to a store and ask the clerk some specific questions, like, “Do you have this in a smaller size?” Or, “How long will the sale last?” Or, “When will you be getting another shipment?” You might be asking yourself, how will I best help my students acquire these linguistic skills? In this module, you will learn how various methods support what your goals are for your students.
ESL Fast Track >

5. Warm-Up for Module 3: Gallery Walk
Let’s do an activity to warm-up to some of the main ideas in Module 3. I call it a “Gallery Walk” but it could also be called a “Picture Walk,” or if visuals and key phrases are placed at stations around a classroom, it could also be called a “Carousel” or “Station Rotation.” We’ll come back to these techniques after we complete the activity because I’d like to debrief it with you.
Look at the following pictures of students engaged in the learning process. What do you notice? Is there anything in common between the learning events? Do you notice that the students are interacting with other students orally and in writing? What do you think the teacher believes about student learning? Do you think the teacher thinks that the students can learn from each other? Of course, all the students in the pictures are adults. They bring experiences to the classroom that younger children do not. What might those experiences be? What would you bring to a classroom of other adult learners? That’s right: experiences in life, work, family, even language. For example, I’m sure you’re much better at articulating your feelings than say, a child of 6 or 10, or 16.
You can see in the pictures that the teacher allows the students to communicate with each other as they do their work in the classroom. In fact, the teacher chose this activity because she believes that students can learn from each other, that students need to negotiate with each other in order to make meaning, and that students need to practice language skills that mimic real life tasks in order to become fluent with these linguistic tasks. Let’s stop and think about this for a moment. What might the linguistic tasks be? Sure. They might be comparing and contrasting different ideas. They might be sharing opinions. They might be asking questions to clarify their thinking. The teacher believes that these types of practices allow students to learn. It’s one of the techniques we’ll learn about in Module 3 and it’s tied to an underlying philosophical belief about adults learning an additional language. The teacher believes the students are learning the language to communicate ideas and feelings, to share information, and to accomplish tasks. The teacher believes that this happens in a certain kind of environment where students are able to practice their skills in non-threatening ways. The teacher also believes that this type of interaction fosters language development.
Earlier, I said that we could call this activity by a variety of names. In this case, you viewed pictures and thought about some key questions. If we weren’t on-line, I could have posted the pictures in a classroom with the key questions next to them. You could have walked around a classroom, looking at the pictures and reading the questions, and you could have responded by writing your thoughts down on chart paper that I would have hung near the pictures. I call this “Carousel Brainstorming.” Other students in the class would have responded to what you had written and you’d get a chance to read their ideas. You’d learn from each other, but not by speaking. Another name for this might be “Station Rotation.”
Let’s take a minute to debrief this activity. Did it help you think about what you might learn in Module 3? That was the point. A warm-up does just that: It previews the material to come in a variety of ways. It activates your prior knowledge about a subject--in this case about effective ways to teach adults a new language. It allows you to connect to your prior experiences--in this case as a learner. It helps you to hear and think about new vocabulary, or even “old” vocabulary but used in new and different ways. For example, you’ve heard the word “carousel” before. Now it’s used in a different context. What does it mean here? The warm-up also helps you to think about what’s to come in the unit or lesson. In this case, we’re thinking about how to teach adults a new language based on what we believe about language teaching and learning.
Warm-Up for Module 3: Gallery Walk
ESL Fast Track >

6. Objectives: In Module 3 you will learn. . .
To be able to describe various approaches and methods of teaching ESL, including how they reflect dominant theories in adult English language acquistion
To match student characteristics and language needs to the appropriate methods and approaches
To be able to identify specific teaching practices as they relate to language learning outcomes
What are the objectives of Module 3? In other words, what are we supposed to be able to accomplish?
To start, I’d like you to be able to descibe a variety of more common methods and approaches used in teaching ESL. These will be tied to what you learned about second language acquisition.
I’d also like you to be able to list a variety of instructional techniques within a particular method or approach. You already know about the Gallery Walk, or Carousel Brainstorming, or Station Rotation. This is a technique which I used as a warm-up to Module 3, but it’s tied to what I believe about learners. Can you guess? I’ll be explicit. I think learners have to “see” or “visualize” something in order to really learn it. I also think learners have to “experience” a thing in order to learn it. I had you experience the Gallery Walk so you’d know what it is. In other words, I believe that a learner needs to involve herself in the learning in an experiential way in order to learn, by feeling and not just thinking. I asked you to think about some questions to get you involved. Finally, I believe that previewing what’s to come in a lesson, unit, or module, by using a warm-up helps the learner situate the content into a larger context—in this case, the larger context is the entire course. I think it helps to know what’s expected of you right up front—no secrets, no surprises.
You’ll get to know the students in your classes—their likes, their dislikes, their prior languages, their hopes and dreams, and other information. Once you know what they want to learn and why, you’ll want to help them in the most effective way. Your job as their teacher will be to match where they are linguistically and educationally with their needs and wants. These needs and wants will be tied to their motivations for learning. Maybe they want to be able to help their children with school work. Or they might want to be able to get a job, or advance in a job they already have. Once you know what they need in terms of language skills, you’ll want to choose the right method to help your students get to their goals. That’s one of the objectives of Module 3.
Finally, just like I chose to do the Gallery Walk in the warm-up activity to Module 3 to help you “visualize” and think about methods to teaching ESL, Module 3 aims to help you identify these types of practices and techniques as they relate to what you want students to know and be able to do.
ESL Fast Track >

7. Competencies: At the end of Module 3 you will be able to. . .
List a number of approaches and methods for teaching ESL to adult learners
Choose an instructional technique that supports a particular method or approach
Match student characteristics and language needs to an appropriate approach, method, or teaching practice
Identify how a chosen teaching practice relates to language learning outcomes
So what will you actually be able to do at the end of Module 3?
At the end of this module, I’ll ask you to make a list of the various methods and approaches to teaching ESL to adult learners. I hope you’ll be able to think about the pros and cons of each. In other words, I’d like you to be thinking about what are the benefits of one method over another? In fact, could a variety of approaches be used to accomplish the same objective?
I’d also like you to be able to choose a particular technique that supports what your learner wants or needs to learn? Let’s take the example we used before of your student wanting to ask certain questions of a store clerk. You know the types of linguistic skills needed but what’s the best way for your student to learn? At the end of this module, I’d like you to have more confidence in making the right match between the student outcome and the teaching practice.
ESL Fast Track >

8. Essential Questions & Lessons
What approaches and methods support the teaching of adult English language learners?
LESSON 2:
How do I know what approach, method or teaching practice to choose for a particular student?
LESSON 3:
If I know what I want my student to do, how do I match the outcome with a specific teaching practice?
To help guide us through this module, I’ve chosen three essential questions. Each of these questions is tied to the three lessons in this module. Let’s do a quick overview of the rest of this module.
In Lesson 1 we’re going to look at the methods and approaches that support the teaching of adult ESL students. I’m going to do a mini-lesson with you, you’ll do an activity, then we’ll assess your learning.
In Lesson 2, we’re going to analyze your students, and their characteristics, like motivation, so you’ll know what methods or approach to use. We’ll do an activity and assess your learning.
Lesson 3 is similar to Lesson 2, but this time we’ll look at what your student needs to know and be able to do, which you might know but the student might not, and learn about which practice supports that outcome. Once again, we’ll do an activity and assess your learning.
At the end of the module, there will be a final assessment. Let’s get going!
ESL Fast Track >

9. Lesson 1: Approaches & Methods
ESL Fast Track >

10. Mini-Lesson on Approaches, Methods, and Teaching Techniques
Overview of Lesson 1:
The objective of this lesson is to help you to be able to describe various approaches and methods of teaching ESL, including how they reflect dominant theories in adult English language acquistion
In Lesson 1, we will start with a mini-lesson on the various methods and approaches to teaching ESL to adult learners. You need to know that there are actually a lot of different methods and approaches, but we will only touch on the most common and useful ones, especially for adult learners of ESL. In addition, you need to know that you won’t just use one method. You’ll use lots of different methods for different reasons. This is known as the ecclectic approach, but depending on a variety of factors, which we’ll discuss shortly, you’ll see that you’ll need to mix and match your methods and change up your instructional strategies. After the mini-lesson, there will be an activity for you to complete, then a short assessment so you can see how you’re doing.
ESL Fast Track >

11. Warm-Up to Lesson 1: Anticipation Guide
This Anticipation Guide will allow you to preview what the lesson is about. An Anticipation Guide is a useful teaching technique for previewing vocabulary, concepts, ideas, or thinking about beliefs and opinions.
Warm-Up to Lesson 1: Anticipation Guide
ESL Fast Track >

12. Anticipation Guide Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
The best way to learn a language is to learn grammar rules and practice over and over again.
In language teaching, a method is a way of teaching what is believed about how a language is learned.
A technique or teaching practice can be specific to one particular method.
One approach to learning a language is to consider the learners’ feelings.
Fill in the chart to think about what you believe about teaching and learning a language. You will get a chance to revisit this chart after Lesson 1.
ESL Fast Track >

13. What are Approaches? Approaches to English language teaching involve:
Theoretical positions and beliefs about the nature of language
The nature of language learning
The applicability of both to pedagogical settings
Approaches to English language teaching involve the theoretical positions and beliefs about language and how it is acquired and taught. Remember the Gallery Walk at the beginning of the module? I asked you what the pictures had in common. We noted that in all the pictures the students were interacting with one another. I asked you what you thought the teacher believed about how students learn a language. Did you ponder the fact that the teacher probably believed that students need to interact with each other and to practice their language skills in various situations in the classroom? The activity that the teacher choose reveals her belief about how a language is learned. The teacher chose a “communicative approach” where students needed to practice language with others because she believes that this is how a language is learned.
ESL Fast Track >

14. What are Methods? Methods are:
A way to accomplish linguistic objectives or the procedures
Concerned with teacher and student roles and behaviors
Include content and language objectives for the lesson
Applicable to a variety of audiences in a variety of contexts
In the ESL class, methods are the ways in which a teacher accomplishes the linguistic objectives. They are concerned with teacher and student roles and behaviors. Methods can also include how the language and content objectives for a lesson get done. Methods for teaching adult ESL are broadly applicable to a wide variety of audiences in a variety of contexts.
ESL Fast Track >

15. What are Techniques? Techniques are: A classroom device or activity
Widely used
Can be found in many methods
Can be specific to a specific method
Of the three, techniques represent the narrowest term. They support various methods which are a reflection of various approaches. Techniques are the instructional strategies or activities which a teacher employs to allow students to learn the skill or material. There are many different types of techniques and one can support a variety of methods. Also, there are many different techniques to support a single method. One technique may be specific to a specific method.
ESL Fast Track >

16. General Approaches to Language Teaching
Using a language vs. analyzing a language
Example of an analysis approach:
Grammar-Translation Approach
Focus: Analyze the rules of grammar
Example of a utilitarian approach:
Direct Approach
Focus: Immersion into the language
Let’s take a look at several common beliefs about language learning and teaching and the approaches, methods, and teaching practices that support them. The first thing to note is that many early approaches to language teaching reflect two common views about language. One view is that language is to be used for communication. The other is that language is to be analyzed. Consider how Latin has been taught. Does anyone speak Latin? No, Latin is to be dissected and analyzed. Actually, many students learn a foreign language this way. They learn grammar rules but can’t effectively use the language for communication. Another way is to focus on how language is used where students learn how to use the language for various purposes as in the Direct Approach. In fact, both approaches have their place. It’s useful to know the rules of grammar as the Grammar-Translation Approach espouses, but that doesn’t have to be the only focus of the language.
ESL Fast Track >

17. Summary of Approaches to Language Teaching
Behaviorist Approach
Cognitive Approach
Affective-Humanistic Approach
Comprehension Approach
Communicative Approach
While there are many different approaches to language teaching, they can be summed up in these five main approaches. Let’s take a brief look at the characteristics of each.
In the Behaviorist Approach, theorists believed that language was a result of habit formation based on conditioning to a stimulus. Thus, repetition and drills were emphasized. The Audiolingual Method included much from behavioral psychology. Students using this approach would repeat and drill using dialogs often without regard to meaning.
Proponents of the Cognitive Approach believe that language is rule-governed but not learned as a result of habit formation. In this approach learners are responsible for their own learning and instruction may be individualized. Reading and writing are emphasized along with listening and speaking. Pronunciation is not a focus but grammar and vocabulary are.
Theorists of the Affective-Humanistic Approach included self-realization and the necessity of using language to relate to others. Meaningful communication and a respect for others’ feelings are emphasized in this approach.
A widely used approach today, the Comprehension Approach assumes that learners can only acquire the language if the target language is comprehensible to the learner. We see this approach used in content areas such as science and math in schools.
Another popular approach is the Communicative Approach. Teachers using this approach view the goal of language learning as a means for communication.
One thing to think about is that there is a time and place for each approach. While no one thinks that language is a result of learning habits, as in the Behaviorist Approach, the other approaches are not necessarily incompatible with one another. Today, many teachers use an ecclectic or integrated approach.
ESL Fast Track >

18. Cool-Down for Lesson 1: Create a Chart
In this cool-down activity you will get a chance to put your learning together by creating a chart of learning activities and the approaches that support them.
Cool-Down for Lesson 1: Create a Chart
ESL Fast Track >

19. Create a Chart
What are some specific types of activities you have participated in during a language class (choral drills, translation, reading aloud, using a vocabulary word in a sentence, etc.)? What is the underlying theory (the approach) that supports the activity?
Activity
Theory/Approach
Classical texts for grammatical parsing
Grammar-Translation Approach
Take a moment to reflect on what you’re learning. Think back to a time when you learned a foreign language. Was it in school? What were some of the activities that you participated in? Did you use a listening lab? Did you drill on grammatical structures? If you have taught language in the past, what activities do you set up for your students? Make a list of the activities. Now, think about what theory or approach was reflected. An example is given. The activity is one I participated in while studying classical Latin. As students we used difficult texts for grammatical parsing. The theory reflected is the Grammar-Translation Approach.
Now, take a moment to go back and revisit the Anticipation Guide you filled in at the beginning of Lesson 1. Has your thinking changed in any way?
ESL Fast Track >

20. Assessment of Lesson 1
Now, it’s time to assess your learning for Lesson 1.
ESL Fast Track >

21. Lesson 2: Choosing Methods for Student Characteristics
You’ve successfully completed Lesson 1. Let’s move on to Lesson 2, Choosing Methods for Student Characteristics.
Lesson 2: Choosing Methods for Student Characteristics
ESL Fast Track >

22. Mini-Lesson on Choosing a Method for Specific Students
Overview of Lesson 2:
The objective of this lesson is to help you to match student characteristics and language needs to the appropriate approaches and methods
In Lesson 2, we will start with a mini-lesson on the various characteristics of the student and the appropriate methods and approaches to teaching various types of learners. Again, you won’t just use one method. You’ll use lots of different methods to meet a variety of student needs.. After the mini-lesson, there will be an activity for you to complete, then a short assessment so you can get a pulse on your learning.
ESL Fast Track >

23. Warm-up to Lesson 2: Collage
The warm-up for lesson 2 is to complete a collage. The pictures are supplied for you in this activity.
Warm-up to Lesson 2: Collage
ESL Fast Track >

24. Collage
Create a “collage” by drawing and labeling the characteristics of the following learners. Try to imagine their backgrounds and what they bring to the classroom. What do you think their interests are? What about them do you think is similar? Different?
ESL Fast Track >

25. Student Characteristics
Some characteristics of the learner:
Age
Gender
Language background
Motivation
Self-Esteem
Level of education
Anxiety Level
Risk-taking ability
Extroversion
Learning style
Did you consider any of the factors listed here in your collage? How do you think any of these characteristics will affect the approach or method you choose? Or, will the characteristics of the learner be at odds with a method or approach? Let’s look at one of the students. Take the agricultural worker. Why do you think he’s taking English classes? He might want to learn English for his current job, or a future job, or to be able to communicate with the wider public. The teacher needs to know. What if the teacher has the view that language learning is about learning the rules of grammar to be able to translate literature? I know this is a bit far-fetched, but you can see that the underlying philosophy about language teaching and learning will impact what happens in the classroom. The teacher needs to choose approaches and methods that help the learner achieve his or her goals.
ESL Fast Track >

26. Methods that Match Elements of teaching are:
The teacher
The subject or content
The learner
The goals of instruction
Methods of teaching are based on:
The nature of the language
The nature of the learner
In any given teaching situation, the teacher, the subject matter, the learners, and goals of instruction need to be considered. We have just considered the students and some characteristics they bring to the classroom. In addition, the method of teaching is based on the nature or type of language, the human learner, and the aims of instruction. The aims of instruction include the methods used and these will have an impact on the results. The results or outcomes need to be reflected in the accomplishment of the objectives. The teacher needs to figure out what the student needs to know and be able to do, and how to get there. The methods are “the how to get there” part. We will consider various methods in Lesson 3.
ESL Fast Track >

27. The Syllabus Types of Syllabi and Example Approaches:
Structural syllabus
Audiolingual Approach
Text-based syllabus
Reading Approach
Dual-objective syllabus
Situational Approach
Notional-Functional syllabus
Communicative Approach
Task-based syllabus
Learner-generated syllabus
Affective-Humanistic Approach
One way to organize what will happen in the classroom is to set up a syllabus. This is essentially an inventory of what the learner should know and be able to do. Usually, the syllabus follows a particular sequence.
The syllabus is often a reflection of the approach or method. For example, a structural syllabus might include a list of grammatical constructions. Teachers using the approaches outlined in Lesson 1 have followed a structural syllabus whereby the lessons are organized around a particular grammatical point.
Teachers using the Reading Approach might organize their syllabus around types of texts and vocabulary.
Many adult ESL programs use a dual-objective syllabus because they use a situational approach to learning. In these classrooms, teachers consider that their learners need to language in a variety of situations such as going to the post office, using a bus, going to the doctor’s office, dining at a restaurant, and other situations. The syllabus is organized with grammatical structures, vocabulary, and other language needed to negotiate these situations.
The notional-functional syllabus is organized around notions, such as a person’s age, social standing, and location, as well as around functions which are essentially speech acts like giving a compliment, asking for information, or apologizing. Teachers using the communicative approach could employ this type of syllabus where grammar and vocabulary are not the emphasis except to assist the speaker (or writer) in getting the job done. Teachers using the communicative approach might also organize their teaching around a task-based syllabus which relies on real-world, or authentic tasks which students might need.
Finally, the most radical syllabus is the learner-generated one in which studnts decide what they want to learn and do with the language. In a way, all adult syllabi include, or should include, some learner-generated aspect. While the teacher often knows the language, the culture, and what might be needed linguistically in a given situation, the adult learner also knows what he wants to learn, or doesn’t want to learn. Adult learners often “vote with their feet” meaning they will just leave or not attend a class if it doesn’t meet their needs, because they don’t have to.
ESL Fast Track >

28. Learner Profile #1 The Agricultural Worker Learner Characteristics
Learner Needs
Approaches
Syllabus
Take the case of the agricultural worker. He takes ESL classes after work. Which type of syllabus would he most likely benefit from? While he’s new to the country and needs to learn some language for his job, he also wants to learn how to open a bank account. He has a son in the public schools. He’d like to be able to talk to his child’s teacher. What kinds of language tasks does he need to learn? How would you help this man achieve his goals? He might benefit from a class that uses a situational approach, a notional-functional syllabus where the focus of the class is on gaining communication skills.
ESL Fast Track >

29. Learner Profile #2 The Housekeeper Learner Characteristics
Learner Needs
Approaches
Syllabus
This young woman is a hard worker cleaning hotel rooms during the day but she dreams of working in the medical field. As the teacher, you know what it takes to go to school, especially in terms of the language tasks she will need like reading textbooks, writing papers, and taking notes during lectures. What might you do to help her achieve her goals? She might benefit from a partial text-based syllabus to read and analyze texts in English, or a notional-functional syllabus for language tasks she needs on the job, or a structural syllabus if you use the comprehension approach whereby language tasks are scaffolded for academic tasks.
ESL Fast Track >

30. Cool-Down for Lesson 2: Case Study
In this activity you will create a case study for yourself to apply what you’ve been learning about matching the approach to learning to student needs.
Cool-Down for Lesson 2: Case Study
ESL Fast Track >

31. Case Study Revisit your collage Choose one of the learners
Imagine this is a student in your class
Create a list of student characteristics
Create a “case study” for yourself imagining what the student wants to learn English for
Choose an approach, or approaches, that would match the learner’s needs
Save this case study for Lesson 3
In this activity, you’ll create your own case study. Use one of the students from the collage you created at the beginning of Lesson 2, or create your own learner profile. Write out the chracteristics of the learner. Write out a list of reasons why this student wants to study English. Choose and approach, or approaches, that would match the learner’s needs.
ESL Fast Track >

32. Assessment of Lesson 2
Now, it’s time to assess your learning for Lesson 2.
ESL Fast Track >

33. Lesson 3: Choosing Instructional Techniques for Specific Outcomes
Welcome to Lesson 3, the last lesson in Module 3 on Choosing Instructional Techniques for Specific Outcomes.
Lesson 3: Choosing Instructional Techniques for Specific Outcomes
ESL Fast Track >

34. Mini-Lesson on Choosing Instructional Techniques for Specific Outcomes
Overview of Lesson 3:
The objective of this lesson is to help you to be able to identify specific teaching practices as they relate to language learning outcomes
In Lesson 3, the mini-lesson will focus on specific learning outcomes and which methods and approaches would support these learner outcomes. You’ll need a bank of teaching techniques to be able to meet the various needs of your students. After the mini-lesson, there will be an activity for you to complete, then a short assessment to get a check on your understanding of the material.
ESL Fast Track >

35. The warm-up for Lesson 3 is called a 3-2-1
The warm-up for Lesson 3 is called a It asks to to list your ideas and opinions before getting into the content of the lesson. This type of activity activates prior knowledge and previews what’s to come in the lesson.
Warm-Up for Lesson 3:
ESL Fast Track >

36. 3 – 2 – 1 Make a list of the following:
3 reasons you took this training for ESL teachers
2 characteristics of you as a learner
1 way you like to learn
In Lesson 3, the mini-lesson will focus on specific learning outcomes and which methods and approaches would support these learner outcomes. You’ll need a bank of teaching techniques to be able to meet the various needs of your students. After the mini-lesson, there will be an activity for you to complete, then a short assessment to get a check on your understanding of the material.
ESL Fast Track >

37. Methods Related to Outcomes
Outcomes are:
What you want the student to know
What you want the student to be able to do
Previously, we noted that Techniques are the narrowest term after Methods, then Approaches. Methods are used in conjunction with the syllabus. We examined several types of syllabi that reflect a teacher’s beliefs about language learning and teacher and they were also aligned to student needs. Methods are also tied to outcomes: what you want the student to know and be able to do.
ESL Fast Track >

38. Popular Methods for Language Teaching
Sheltered Instruction
Communicative approach
Outcome: Academic language for content
Total Physical Response
Comprehension-based approach
Outcome: Immediate, overt action based on listening; not reliant on speech production
Suggestopedia
Affective-humanistic approach
Outcome: Lowered affect; neutralize learning inhibitions
Let’s examine a few popular methods. There are many different methods available, but some are more useful than others for the adult learner.
A popular method for teaching academic content, such as science, is to use Sheltered Instruction. It’s sometimes refered to as the SIOP Method (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). The desired outcome is for the student to be able to learn the target language and the content at the same time. Necessary vocabulary and structures are part of the lesson.
Another method is Total Physical Reponse which is often called TPR. The idea is for the learner to listen to a series of increasingly difficult commands and perform them physically. The outcome is for a physical response to listening, rather than an emphasis on speech production. This takes pressure off the learner and allows him to concentrate on listening skills.
Suggestopedia as it was formally developed is not much in use but the desired outcome is to lower the anxiety of the learner. The environment that’s created is relaxing.
While a teacher might not use any one of these exclusively, they can be used in conjunction with each other. At the same time, the teacher will have used three approaches to language learning and teaching. The first one includes the underlying belief that students need input that’s comprehensible in order to understand and make sense of what they’re learning. The second one focuses on comprehension rather than on production. And the third one takes into account learner needs, such as feeling safe and relaxed in the learning environment.
ESL Fast Track >

39. An Ecclectic Approach A Robbery
Based on desired outcomes the teacher creates a lesson using elements of:
TPR
Sheltered Instruction
Suggestopedia
Let’s examine how the three methods can work together toward the desired outcomes. In this scenario, none of the methods will be used in their pure form. Instead, the teacher takes ideas and elements from each to create lessons matched to desired outcomes.
Imagine a syllabus outlines a unit whereby students learn how to contact the police to report a robbery. (This type of task could be found on any number of syllabi, but let’s imagine it’s a task-based syllabus in general.) The teacher wants the students to be able to contact the police, give a description of the robber, and describe what was stolen. The student should also be able to answer questions the police office might ask. They will also need to fill out a police report.
Using methods of TPR, the teacher might ask students to point to a person who is tall, wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, and blue jeans. After practicing listening to physical descriptions, the teacher might ask students to show objects that might be stolen like a wallet, sunglasses, or a piece of jewelry.
Next, the teacher might have the students practice filling out police report using descriptive adjectives. The students would need to sequence the events of the robbery. These tasks (like filling out forms, sequencing events) are found in academic tasks as well. By focusing on vocabulary and grammatical forms, the students could accomplish the task. The activities created for the lesson are based on sheltered instruction strategies.
Finally, the teacher can have students role play the robbery. Students might imagine the robbery takes place at a beach or park where everyone is relaxing,and enjoying the nice weather. To create the mood, the teacher might bring in music, food, and other props. Students act out the scene of the crime.
ESL Fast Track >

40. Cool-Down for Lesson 3: Review, Reflect & Assess
In this cool-down, you will have the opportunity to reflect on how all of the lessons in module 3 fit together, as well as how the various activities, or teaching techniques, helped you process the material.
Cool-Down for Lesson 3: Review, Reflect & Assess
ESL Fast Track >

41. Reflection of Teaching Techniques
Desired Outcome
Reflection
Gallery Walk
“See” an approach (communicative) in action
Anticipation Guide
Think about how teaching practices are reflective of approaches/theories
Create a Chart
Write about your personal experiences with languages
Collage
Create a visual profile of learners
Case Study
Make the connection between approaches and learner needs
3-2-1
Relate your personal experiences to current learning
Reflection Chart
Review, assess how the activities help you learn/process
Throughout this module, you participated in a variety of activities. These teaching techniques were designed to involve you in the learning process through the use of visuals, so you could “see” what you were learning about, process the information, and practice with the material. Take a moment to reflect on the design of the teaching techniques to get at these outcomes. In the chart, fill in your reflection. Use this opportunity to review the entire module before taking the assessment.
ESL Fast Track >

42. Assessment of Lesson 3
Now, it’s time to assess your learning for Lesson 3.
ESL Fast Track >

43. Final Assessment for Module 3
Let’s put it all together in this final assessment and see what you’ve learned and if we’re accomplished our objectives.
ESL Fast Track >