Effective Language Teaching Strategies and Best Practices

Role of the Teacher

• Facilitator: Guides learning / Guía el aprendizaje
• Fosters autonomy: Fomenta autonomía
• Student-centered classes
• Scaffolding and positive feedback
• Avoids pressure: Evita presión y juicios negativos

Classroom Management

• Maintain order and attention
• Clear routines
• Attention-grabbers
• Change activities every 15–20 minutes
• Use of different spaces
• Positive reinforcement and autonomy

Communicative Language Teaching

• Communicative approach: Enfoque comunicativo
• Meaningful language: Lenguaje con significado
• Real-life situations
• Use of language to communicate

4 Dimensions of Communicative Competence

1. Linguistic: Vocabulario, gramática, sintaxis
2. Sociolinguistic: Normas sociales, cultura
3. Discourse: Cohesión y coherencia
4. Strategic: Compensar fallos, estrategias comunicativas

Teaching Vocabulary

• Convey meaning: Transmitir significado
• Check understanding: Comprobar comprensión
• Consolidate learning: Consolidar aprendizaje
• Use of images, mime, realia, and games

Teaching Grammar

• Meaningful contexts: Contextos significativos
• Avoid metalanguage: Evitar metalenguaje
• Games, songs, stories
• Frequent recycling: Reciclaje frecuente
• Explanations: Solo si se piden
• Intelligibility > Accuracy

Pronunciation

Key ideas: Intelligibility is more important than accuracy.

• Aspects: Individual sounds, rhythm, stress
• Techniques: Songs, jazz singing, tongue twisters, minimal pairs, poems, games

Scaffolding

(Dar ayuda a los que les cuesta más)

• Temporary support / Apoyo temporal
• Guided help / Ayuda guiada
• Visual aids / Apoyos visuales
• Modeling and repetition
• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Intercultural Awareness

• Cultural respect, tolerance, and diversity
• Break stereotypes
• Multicultural identity
• Real-world awareness: Conciencia del mundo real
• How to teach it: Authentic materials, comparison of cultures, storytelling, projects, technology

Escritura (Writing)

• Creativity activities
• Games and storytelling
• Visual aids / Apoyos visuales
• Constant positive feedback

Listening: Three Phases

• Pre-listening: Motivar y contextualizar
• While-listening: Varias escuchas y tareas
• Post-listening: Reacción personal y análisis

Reading

• Gradual process
• Use of familiar texts
• Dynamic activities
• Visual aids
• Shared and individual reading
• Reading = Meaning-making

Feedback

• Visible
• Positive and constructive
• Clear and specific
• Timely: A tiempo
• Continuous
• Student participation

Aims and Learning Outcomes

• Aims: Lo que el profesor enseña
• Learning outcomes: Lo que el alumno sabe hacer al final