Effective English Language Teaching Methods

Presenting New Vocabulary

• Realia: Real objects in the classroom, things you can bring into the classroom, yourself, and your students.
• Pictures: Blackboard drawings, pictures from magazines cut out and fixed with glue on cardboard (flashcards), pictures you have drawn yourself before lessons, computer-made pictures, etc.
• Labels: Big pieces of colored cardboard with the new vocabulary clearly written on them, to be fixed on the blackboard with Blu-Tack.
• Actions, Gestures, Mime, and Facial Expressions: Movements and expressions you can make to clarify the meaning of a word.

Procedure

What you have to do in class. Example: The teacher tells children to sit in a circle, shows a puppet, and says, "How are you? This is Sandy. Sandy is my friend. He is from England. Please, say hello to him," etc.

Assessment

The way to determine what pupils already know, are learning, or have learned. This can be done through direct observation, informal discussions, oral group questions, question-and-answer games, or checking activities.

Total Physical Response (TPR) in English Language Teaching

This text describes a model for teaching English using the technique called Total Physical Response (TPR). Children love it and learn to listen carefully as they are given non-verbal cues. Their response is given by making noises and actions, rather than using spoken language. When they grow older, they will be prepared to engage in listening comprehension activities, a technique which requires a spoken answer to what they hear.

Words in bold indicate when to expect non-verbal responses. The word "farm" is also highlighted in green (referring to a specific activity). More instructions for this activity are included in the activity sheet with labels, to clarify children's roles.

Reflecting as an English Language Teacher

1. Essential English Language Teaching Techniques

This exercise incorporates three essential English language teaching techniques:

• Information Gap: You had to fill in the gaps, or blanks, to complete the card.
• Information Transfer: You didn't know all the information about your partner. You learned it by asking them. They passed, or transferred, this information to you.
• Listening Comprehension: You had to listen carefully to gather the correct information and identify which card pertained to your partner. Your comprehension was demonstrated when you selected the correct answer.

2. Skills Utilized in This Exercise

This exercise is truly comprehensive because you had to utilize these skills:

• Reading: To understand the card's content and formulate your questions. Additionally, you had to read a card aloud.
• Speaking: To obtain the missing information, you asked your partner. Furthermore, reading a card aloud also required speaking.
• Listening: To acquire the missing information, you listened to your partner. Moreover, to identify which card pertained to your partner, you had to pay close attention and listen carefully.
• Writing: To complete the activity, you recorded the information your partner shared about themselves.