HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH

HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH

1. Different Contexts for Learning

   • EFL, ESL and ESOL
     • Distinction between people who study English as a foreign language and those who study it as a second or other language.
       • Students of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) tend to be learning so that they can use English when travelling or to communicate with other people, from whatever country, who also speak English.
       • ESL (English as a Second Language) students, are usually living in the target-language community. The latter may need to learn the particular language variety of that community (Scottish English, southern English from England, Australian English, Texan English, etc)
       • ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) the context in which the language is learnt is still of considerable relevance to the kind of English they will want and need to study, and the skills they will need to acquire.
   • Schools and language schools
     • A huge number of students learn English in primary and secondary classrooms around the world.
     • They have not chosen to do this themselves, but learn because English is on the curriculum.
     • Private language schools, on the other hand, tend to be better equipped than some government schools.
   • Large classes and one-to-one teaching
     • Some students prefer to have a private session with just them on their own and a teacher
     • Government school classes in many countries have up to 30 students, whereas a typical number in a private language school lies somewhere between 8 and 15 learners.
     • Clearly the size of the class will affect how we teach.
     • Pairwork and groupwork are often used in large classes to give students more chances for interaction than they would otherwise get with whole-class teaching.
   • In-school and in-company
     • The vast majority of language classes in the world take place in educational institutions such as the schools and language schools, in addition, colleges and universities.
     • There may well be learning outcomes which students are expected to achieve, and students may be preparing for specific exams.
     • A number of companies also offer language classes and expect teachers to go to the company office or factory to teach.
   • Real and virtual learning environments
     • Language learning has traditionally involved a teacher and a student or students being in the same physical space.
     • Internet access has helped to bring about new virtual learning environments in which students can learn even when they are literally thousands of miles away from a teacher or other classmates.
     • Real and virtual learning environments are the same.
     • The best virtual learning sites have online tutors who interact with their students via email or online chat forums. It is possible to create groups of students who are all following the same online program.
     • Virtual learning is significantly different from face-to-face classes for a number of reasons:
       • Students can attend lessons when they want for the most part rather than when lessons are timetabled
       • It no longer matters where the students are since they can log on from any location in the world.

2. Learner differences

   • Age
     • Children between the ages of 2 to about 14, Young learners between the ages of about 5 to 9, And very young learners are usually between 2 and Adolescents refer to students from the ages of about 12 to 17, Young adults are between 16 and 20.
       • Children
         • Children usually respond well to activities that focus on their lives and experiences. A crucial characteristic of young children is their ability to become competent speakers of a new language with remarkable facility, provided they get enough exposure to it.
       • Adolescents
         • They can talk about more abstract ideas, teasing out concepts in a way that younger children find difficult. Many adolescents understand and accept the need for learning of a more intellectual type. Adolescent students have a great capacity for learning, enormous potential for creative thought and a passionate commitment to things which interest them.
       • Adults
         • Older learners often have a wider range of life experiences to draw on, both as individuals and as learners, than younger students do. They are often more disciplined than adolescents and apply themselves to the task of learning. Adult learners come with a lot of previous learning experience which may hamper their progress. Students who have had negative learning experiences in the past may be nervous of new learning.
   • Learning styles
     • All students respond to various stimuli (such as pictures, sounds, music, movement, etc), but for most of them (and us) some things stimulate them into learning more than other things do.
       • The Neuro-Linguistic Programming model (often called NLP) takes account of this by showing how some students are especially influenced by visual stimuli and are therefore likely to remember things better if they see them.
       • Multiple Intelligences, we all have a number of different intelligences (mathematical, musical, interpersonal, spatial, emotional, etc).
     • These two theories tell us is that in any one classroom we have a number of different individuals with different learning styles and preferences.
   • Levels
     • Teachers of English make three basic distinctions to categorize the language knowledge of their students: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The Council of Europe and the Association of Language Testers of Europe (ALTE) have been working to define language competency levels for learners of a number of different languages. Levels ranging from A1 (elementary level) to C2 (very advanced).
       • Advanced students
         • Students at this level already know a lot of English. we have to create a classroom culture where students understand what still has to be done, and we need to provide good, clear evidence of progress.
       • Intermediate students
         • Intermediate students have already achieved a lot, but they are less likely to be able to recognize an almost daily progress.
       • Beginners’ students
         • Some adult beginners find that language learning is more stressful than they expected and reluctantly give up. Teaching beginners can be incredibly stimulating.
   • Educational and cultural background
     • Where students have different cultural backgrounds from the teacher or from each other, they may feel differently from their classmates about topics in the curriculum. In some educational cultures, for example, students are expected to be articulate and question, their teachers, whereas in others, the students’ quietness and modesty are more highly prized.

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