English Teachers' Resource Handbook
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Students never appreciate their teachers while they are learning. It is only later, when they know more of the world, that they understand how indebted they are to those who instructed them. Good teachers expect no praise or love from the young. They wait for it, and in time, it comes.. Darren Shan English Teachers’ Resource Handbook Supplementary materials for advancing classroom teaching This handbook was created with the purpose to help the school teachers to enhance their teaching methods and practices as well as to bring their instructional planning processes to the standards and requirements of the modern education system. This handbook introduces resources that teachers can utilize in their daily professional life. Contents Chapter 1: Language Learning and Teaching Methods ............................................................................3 Chapter 2: Language Learning Styles .......................................................................................................8 Chapter 3: Lesson Planning and Writing Learning Objectives ...............................................................14 Chapter 4: How to Teach Four Skills: Speaking, Listening, Writing, Reading .........................................19 Chapter 5: How to teach grammar ........................................................................................................31 Chapter 6: Co-Teaching ..........................................................................................................................35 Chapter 7: Working with Limited Resources ..........................................................................................40 Chapter 8: Developing Critical Thinking Skills ........................................................................................50 Chapter 9: Classroom Management ......................................................................................................57 Chapter 10: Non-formal Education ..........................................................................................................62 Chapter 11: Assessment and Evaluation ..................................................................................................69 English Teachers’ Resource Book Page 1 Page 2 English Teachers’ Resource Book Chapter 1: Language Learning and Teaching Methods Around the world, many different teaching methods have been used and developed in the last century, including the grammar-translation method, the direct method, the audio-lingual method, the communicative approach, the silent way, total physical response, and the natural approach. Effective teaching happens when a teacher uses the mixture of different approaches, utilizing each method’s strengths to create lessons that address a range of students’ learning styles and interests. This chapter will offer you information on various language teaching approaches and methods, advantages and disadvantages of each along with the typical classroom activities pertinent to each method. Grammar-Translation Method As the name suggests, this method focuses mainly on students’ understanding of grammar and their ability to translate texts. In this method, grammar and vocabulary are taught out of context with little or no regard for being able to use the target language in everyday situations. Additionally, the classes are taught primarily in the mother tongue, not the target language. This method focuses on learning the language through memorizing dialogues and scripted responses. In this method, emphasis is placed on correct pronunciation and recognizing structural patterns rather than on learning usage of grammar forms and functions, and vocabulary. Tapes, language labs, and visual aids are used to introduce new dialogues and to aid in pronunciation and pattern recognition. Some advantages of using this method: Some disadvantages of using this method: 3 Students do a lot of practice until the accuracy 3 Students get little or no practice in applying the is achieved. Automaticity is acquired through vocabulary or grammar structures they have conditioning memorized to everyday situations. 3 Students learn structures of the foreign 3 Students’ listening and speaking skills are language and compare them to the relevant not well-developed, so they have difficulty structures and forms in the native language. comprehending and contributing to 3 Teacher saves time on explanations by giving the conversations in the target language translation of the lexical items as opposed to 3 There is no room for pair work or group work providing definitions, illustrations and context to and interaction among students in the target explore the meaning and usage of words. language. 3 Students’ creativity and ability to generate original sentences and dialogues is not encouraged. Students learn language without knowing its meaning. Tips on how to use GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION method effectively in the classroom: 3 Introduce and practice grammar in context. Use texts and dialogues rather than isolated sentences. 3 Manage the class time wisely, ensuring that the majority of class is taught in the target language, not the mother tongue. Make any grammar explanations in the mother tongue brief. 3 Give pair or group assignments with grammar worksheets, roles plays for practicing grammar structures, task-based assignments that integrate grammar structures. English Teachers’ Resource Book Page 3 3 Use such games as: Tic Tac Toe Jeopardy For more ideas, please download Grammar Games and Activities Kit from English Raven Education Re- sources (ERES) Audio-Lingual Method This method emphasizes the importance of mimicry, memorization of set phrases, and overlearning. There is great effort to get students to produce error-free utterances and great importance is attached to pronunciation. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills and there is little or no grammatical explanation. Grammar is taught by inductive analogy rather than deductive explanation. There is much use of tapes, language labs, and visual aids. Some advantages of using this method: Some disadvantages of using this method: 3 Students do a lot of drilling and repetition, 3 Grammar is neglected which strengthens their pronunciation skills. 3 Students’ creativity and ability to generate 3 Students are exposed to native language original sentences and dialogues is not pronunciation through the use of CDs and encouraged language labs, which improves their listening 3 There is dependence on mimicry, memorization of skills. set phrases, and over learning. 3 Students do a lot of practice in the dialog form. 3 There is a tendency to focus on the accuracy and 3 Teacher uses additional resources such as CDs disregard content. and videos. Tips on how to use AUDIO-LINGUAL method effectively in the classroom: 3 Use a short video clip or a song to introduce the language objectives of the lesson (new grammar rule, vocabulary, etc). 3 Use role plays for students to practice producing coherent conversations in different settings. 3 Teach students a song and have everyone sing it in order to teach correct pronunciation. Some simple songs for younger grades include: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”, “B-I-N-G-O”, “Old MacDonald had a farm” 3 Some simple songs that will help you integrate grammar-translation method with the audio-lingual approach for older grades include: Frank Sinatra “My Way” – Past Simple and Present Perfect The Beatles “Norwegian Wood” - Past Simple The Rolling Stones “Paint It Black” - Present Simple Rod Stewart “Sailing” - Present Continuous Doris Day “Que Sera Sera” – Future Elvis Presley “Return to Sender” – Past Simple For more examples, you can visit the website: http://www.esl-lounge.com/songstop.php 3 Have the students memorize tongue twisters and give prizes to the students who can say them the most quickly and accurately 3 The British Council’s website, Learn English Kids, includes many resources such as popular songs and tongue twisters for kids: http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/ Communicative approach This method emphasizes the importance of being able to communicate effectively in the target language. In this method, all communication has a social purpose, something the speaker has to say or find out; therefore, the focus is on students acquiring functional or usable language skills from an early stage in their learning process. Classroom instruction Page 4 English Teachers’ Resource Book and management is given primarily in the target language, and emphasis is placed on speaking and listening skills. Spontaneous and improvised use of the target language is encouraged. Some advantages of using this method: Some disadvantages of using this method: 3 Students are taught using practical, meaningful 3 Slower learners might not have enough activities with the intent of enabling the vocabulary to communicate. students to survive in a variety of everyday 3 Use of authentic texts requires more learning situations time, as students need to comprehend the 3 Visual stimuli and resources outside of the textbook meaning and content of the text as well as the are used to emphasize creativity and spontaneity language forms used. 3 Material is presented in context 3 Teacher may find it difficult to give sufficient 3 Lessons are adapted to the students’ interests time to students to produce with the language. and learning styles Tips on how to use COMMUNICATIVE method effectively in the classroom: 3 Use the target language to give instructions and maintain discipline