TESOL Canada

Teacher’s Handbook
Based on Teaching TESOL Theory and Practicum

Using “Concepts and Skills in TESOL”

TESOL
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
(Certificate Program)

TESOL Canada ®
Toronto, Ontario
2017

6021 Yonge Street # 898, Toronto, ON, M2M3W2 - Canada

www.tesolcanada.org, info@tesolcanada.org Tel: (888) 360 3113
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PREFACE
This publication is intended for TESOL Trainers teaching TESOL program to adult learners.
Some relevant TEC materials are used for both adults and children. Topics are approached from
a general perspective so that the content is applicable to teachers in all 14 languages offered at
TESOL Canada. As a general rule teaching English is used as the main method. However, skills
can be applied to teach all languages including Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese,
Spanish, French, German, Russian, Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Latin and Hebrew. In Teaching
“theory and practicum” we continue to use the same method described in teaching English for all
other languages however when teaching the actual target language proper grammar, vocabulary,
conversation and lesson plan material will separately be introduced.

This handbook provides information that has been deemed useful by new teachers in all
languages from around the world with whom it has been field-tested.

Your Input Please

TESOL Canada welcomes your feedback on this handbook.

You may ontact Dr. Sam Parsayan, Director of TESOL Programs, TESOL Canada.
Telephone: 1 (888) 360-3113 or e-mail: info@tesolcanada.org

Acknowledgements

TESOL Canada would like to thank the many teachers from across Canada and around the world
that contributed their thoughts and ideas and responded to earlier drafts of this document.

 
 
 
 
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Message from the president,

Dear Colleague,

As a new TESOL trainer, you represent the revival, and the future, of the language
teaching profession. It is important that new teachers be supported in such a way that they feel
well equipped to deal with instructional issues as they arise, and rapidly gain confidence and
proficiency in the classroom. TESOL Canada recognizes besides being paramount, the role of
the language teacher can be very challenging. This booklet is intended to provide you with
information, advice and detailed approach in teaching a TESOL class using available resources
that will help you experience success and satisfaction in your class of TESOL students.

You may be using the related skills in a class in Dubai UAE, in Istanbul Turkey, in
Vancouver Canada, or Beijing China; wherever you would use these teaching methods you
would have different resources available. Although we cannot assure the consistency of teaching
material in all countries, we can certainly ensure that using this handbook and the provided
skills within “Concepts & Skills in TESOL” your TESOL students will graduate to be fully
competent and very resourceful language teachers.

TESOL Canada is your professional organization and your representative with the
employers. We take pride in what we do and pride in having you as our new member of
professional teaching team. Your professionalism will represent TESOL Canada and hence our
goal is to ascertain your professional ability and ethics.

After reading and applying the skills in this handbook, you will be ready to teach your first
TESOL class. Where location permits and to assist you further with teaching skills, your first
TESOL course will be supervised and observed.

I hope you will find the presented material resourceful. In the meantime, if you have
questions or experience difficulties from the skills or professional perspective, please contact
TESOL Canada, and we will be delighted to provide additional assistance. TESOL Canada is all
about its’ members, you are the TESOL Canada.

Best Wishes,

Siavash Valizadeh Ph.D. Ed.

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President, TESOL Canada

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

As a certified TESOL teacher, you assume a professional status. This status carries with it a set
of behavioral expectations, which are outlined in TESOL Canada - Code of Ethics. Code of
Ethics is provided as a guide to teachers in maintaining at all times the great tradition of teaching
profession. Code of ethics is provided in appendix A.

(Following is a reminder of how the first day of teaching should be prepared and how it should look like)

The First Day

A well-planned first day is crucial – it can set the tone for the remainder of the year. Plan for a
memorable and interesting day. Learn students’ names as quickly as possible in order to
personalize your teaching. Make your first day a meaningful one for you and your students by
being organized, prepared and welcoming.

On your first day of teaching you should begin in a friendly, business-like manner. Communicate
your classroom rules to the students. Classroom management works well when you, the teacher,
provide the framework for classroom behaviour and rules are then formed cooperatively with the
students. Expectations worded in a positive way have greater impact than a list of things not to
do.

Self-Reflection

One of the most powerful tools you have for learning is self-reflection. This means examining
what you do and thinking about it. It includes asking yourself why you make certain choices over
others, what you observe the results to be and what else you might do. It means asking yourself
how you’re feeling about your work and yourself.

You might help this self-reflection by starting a journal. Write to yourself each day and look
back occasionally. You’ll feel good about how much you’ve grown and how much your students
have developed.

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Your Role as a Teacher

As you begin your teaching career, remember that you are responsible for the student learning
that occurs in your classroom. Your role is to:

•   choose instructional styles and techniques

•   diagnose student needs
•   evaluate student progress and assess achievement
•   form partnerships with parents to enhance student learning, and
•   select appropriate teaching and learning materials.
•  
Remember, some of your students may come from socio-economically challenged circumstances.
Your sensitivity to their reality can make a real difference for them.

(Following introduction is the basic information that any teacher must know about TESOL)

1.   INTRODUCTION TO SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING

Second Language Teaching in not a new phenomenon. For various purposes, the acquisition of
a second language has developed over the past 5000 years! And now you’ve decided to join the
profession. It will guarantee you more than you fair share of challenges, growth, join and
fulfillment. Challenges await you at every turn in your professional path because the discipline
of language teaching has, relatively recently, begun to solve some of the perplexing questions
about how people successful learn second/foreign languages. The joy of teaching lies in the
vicarious pleasure of witnessing your students’ attainment of broader and broader vistas of
linguistic proficiency and in experiencing the communal bond that you have been instrumental
in creating in your classroom. Ultimately, few professions can offer the fulfillment of knowing
that your seemingly insignificant work really can make a difference in a work in need of
communication that transcends national borders and interest.

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Second and Foreign Language Contexts

ESL or EFL? Second language learning contexts are those in which the classroom target
language is readily available out there. Teaching English in Canada clearly falls into this
category. Foreign language contexts are those in which students do not have ready-made
contexts for communication beyond their classroom. They may be obtainable through language
clubs, special media opportunities. Teaching English in Japan or Morocco is clearly a context of
English as a foreign language.

The pedagogical implications for the two contexts of teaching are very significant. In an ESL
situation, your students have tremendous advantage. They have an instant “laboratory”
available to them 24 hours a day. Here are some ways to capture this ESL advantage:

•   Give home work that involves a speaking task listening to the radio or to a TV program,
reading a newspaper article, writing a letter to a store,…

•   Encourage students to seek out opportunities for practice.

•   Encourage students to seek corrective feedback from others.
•   Have students keep a log or diary of their extra-class learning.
•   Plan and carry out field trips.
•   Arrange a social “mixer” with Native English speakers.
•   Invite speakers into your classroom.

Communicative language teaching in an EFL context is a grater challenge for students as well
as for teachers. Often, intrinsic motivation is a big issue since students have difficulty seeing
the relevance of learning English. Can students learn English in an EFL setting? Here are some
guidelines to help you compensate for the lack of ready communicative situations right outside
the classroom door:

•   Use class time for optimal authentic language input and interaction.
•   Don’t waste class time on work that can be done as homework.

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•   Provide regular motivation-stimulation activities.
•   Help them to see genuine uses for English in their own lives.
•   Play down the role of test and emphasize more intrinsic factors.
•   Provide plenty of extra-class learning opportunities, such as assigning an
English-speaking movie, having them listen to an English speaking TV show or radio
program, getting an English-speaking conversation partner, doing outside reading,
writing a journal in English or their learning process.

•   Encourage the use of learning strategies outside the classroom.

•   Form a language club and schedule regular activities.

Cultural Factors

You may have chosen this profession because of its almost intrinsic link to travel and discovery
of new cultures. In effect, job opportunities in the ESL field abound in foreign countries, and
may find yourself becoming a language and culture learner as much as teacher!

Language and culture are intricately intertwined. Anytime you successfully learn a language
you will also learn something of the culture of the speakers of that language…and vice versa:
Whenever you teach a language, you also teach a complex system of cultural customs, values,
and ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Classroom applications include the following:

•   Discussing cross-cultural differences, emphasizing that no culture is “better” than

another, but that cross-cultural understanding is an important facet of learning a
language.

•   Include among your techniques certain activities or materials that illustrate the
connection between language and culture.

•   Teach your students the cultural connotations especially of sociolinguistic aspects of

language.

•   Screen your techniques for material that may be culturally offensive.

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A second aspect of the language-culture connection is the extent to which your students will
themselves be affected by the process of acculturation, which will vary with the context and the
goals of learning. In some contexts, students are faced with the full-blown realities of adapting
to life in a foreign country. In such cases, then, acculturation, social distance, and psychological
adjustments are factors to be dealt with. This aspect may depress the most sensitive students, so
insist on the importance of the second language as a powerful tool for adjustment in the new
culture.

It almost goes without saying that the native language of every learner in an extremely
significant factor in the acquisition of a new language. Most of the time, we think of the native
language as an interfering effect on the target language. In effect, the majority of learners
errors in producing the second language operates like the native language. But the facilitating
effects of the native language operates like the native language are surely as powerful in the
process of ESL learning such as verb tenses or sentence structure, depending on the native
tongue.

Do not ignore the errors that stem from the learner’s false assumption that his native language
functions the same way as English. Here are some classroom suggestions stemming from the
native language effect:

•   Regard learner’s errors as important windows on to their underlying system and provide
appropriate feedback on them. Acquainting the learner with the native language cause of
this error may repair errors of native language interference.

•   Ideally, every successful learner will hold on to the facilitating effects of the native
language and discard the interference. Help your students to understand that not
everything about their language system will cause error.

•   Thinking directly in the target language usually helps to minimize interference errors.
Try to coax students into thinking directly in the second language and NOT resorting to
translation as they comprehend and produce language.

Cultural expectations may also differ from country to country. For example, western cultures
emphasize nondirective, non-authoritarian roles and teaching styles. You must consider, in the
effectiveness of playing roles and developing styles. You must consider, in the effectiveness of

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playing roles and developing styles, the culture in which you are teaching, or the culture of your
students.

Following are a list of expectations of roles and styles as teachers relate to students:

v   Teachers are expected to have all the v   Teachers are allowed to say “I Don’t know”

answers. v   Teachers are allowed to express emotions (and

v   Teachers are expected to suppress so are students).

emotions (and so are students). v   Teacher interprets intellectual disagreement as

v   Teachers interpret intellectual a stimulating exercise.

disagreement as personal disloyalty. v   Teachers reward students for innovative

v   Teachers reward students for accuracy in approaches to problem solving.

problem solving. v   Students admire friendliness in teachers.

v   Students should speak in class only v   Students are encouraged to volunteer their

when called out by the teacher. thoughts.

v   Teachers should never loose face; to do v   Teachers can admit when they are wrong and

so also mean loosing the respect of still maintain the students’ respect.

students. v   Teachers expect students to find their own

v   Students expect the teacher to show way.

them “the way”.

Wherever you find yourself teaching, these expectations will come into play as you attempt to be
an effective teacher. You must be cautions in developing a relationship with students and
colleagues who may come from a different tradition. Always be sensitive to the perceptions of
others and then do what you feel is appropriate to negotiate changes in attitude. Be ready to
compromise your ideal self a certain extent, especially when you begin a teaching assignment
since there is little to be gained by coming into a teaching post and alienating all those around
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you. If you have convictions about what good teaching is, it pays to be patient in slowly reaching
your goals, and remember that you might always learn something from them!

Introductory Principles of TESOL

Tasks: Let your students to talk to their partner about the following questions. They shall write down
their answers in note form only. Be prepared to share their answers with the class.

Here are the tasks:

1.   Try to remember your favorite teacher. What was he / she like? What was the best thing that he /
she ever did?

2.   Try to remember your worst teacher. What was he / she like? What was the worst thing that he /
she ever did?

3.   Try to describe your future attitude in an English class. Use at least five different adjectives in
your description.

4.   Which skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) should we teach first when we teach a foreign
language? Which one should we focus on more over the others?

5.   If you were teaching a low-level class, would you slow down considerably in order for students to
understand you easier and better?

6.   When teaching a foreign language, is there anything else that you could / would teach beside the
language itself?

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Characteristics of Adult Language Learners

Following characteristics provide a deeper understanding of how adults learn.

1.   Adults are voluntary learners, while kids feel forced to be there.

They are in class because they are motivated to learn. This is a great advantage for the instructor
since learners will be more diligent in their studies and will ask more questions in class.
Depending on the personality of the student, most adult learners are willing participants in  the  
class.  
 
 
2.   Adults have life experiences, maturity and knowledge

They approach learning with a sense of who they are and what they want to learn.
They need to connect learning to their knowledge / experience base. To help them do so, the
teacher should help draw out participants’ experience and knowledge relevant to the topic. The
teacher should relate theory and concepts that are relevant to the students and recognize the value
of experience in learning. Finally, adults have definite and realistic aims for what they want to
learn. The aims should determine what you teach.

3.   Adults are autonomous and self-directing

Adult learners need to be free to direct themselves. Therefore, the teacher needs to encourage
them to participate in the selection of learning tasks, activities, and curriculum and serve as
facilitators for them. More specifically, teachers could get students’ perspective on the topics to
cover and let them work on projects that reflect their interests. Teachers should consider guiding
their students to their own knowledge rather than supplying them with facts. Finally, they must
show them how the class will help reach their goals.

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4.   Adults are goal-oriented

Adult learners usually know what goal they want to attain prior to enrolling in a class. Therefore,
they appreciate a course that is organized and has clearly defined objectives (classroom goals and
objectives must be presented early in the course). Teachers should always show their students
how the class will help them attain their goals and provide opportunities for them to use what
they are learning to achieve their goals in the community.

5.   Adults are relevancy-oriented

Adult learners must see a reason for learning something and the learning must be applicable to
their daily lives, be it for work or other responsibilities that are valuable to them. Maximum
learning takes place when the material suits your students’ needs. Therefore, teachers should
present theories, concepts and topics that are familiar to their students.

6.   Adults lead complex lives

Adults lead complex lives and their time is limited. Make the most of the time that is available by
teaching them what they really want to learn.

7.   Adults need to be shown respect

Teachers must acknowledge the wealth of experiences that their learners bring to the class. They
should be treated equally in experience and knowledge and be allowed to voice their opinions
freely in class.

8.   People learn in different ways and speeds

Some people prefer physical activity while others learn best through the visual. Encourage the
use of all five senses to find out what works best for your students.
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Stages of Second Language Acquisition

Tasks: Think about how you learned your own language as a baby to an infant to a child. How did you
learn the language?

Now think about when you first started learning English or another language. Did you go through a
similar process as you did with your own language?

Notes:

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The 4 Stages of Second Language Acquisition

All new learners progress through the same stages to acquire a new language. However, the length of time
it takes at a particular stage may vary per student.

1.  Pre-production:
±   Students do not usually produce their own language
±   Students understand language that has been made comprehensible
The teacher should provide activities that tap into the students’ knowledge, but do not force production
(speaking). For example: Pointing, labeling, and drawing activities work well. Listening is difficult for
newcomers at this stage and activities need to provide some clues to meaning.

2.   Early Production:
±   Students have a small, active vocabulary
±   They feel ready to speak in one or two word phrases
Students are able to provide short responses to demonstrate their comprehension of material. Typically,
students will respond with ‘yes / no’ or provide one or two word phrase responses. They can also respond
to simple who, what, when, where questions.

3.   Speech Emergence:
±   There is a noticeable increase in listening comprehension.
±   Students will try to speak in short phrases.
±   They will begin to use the social language necessary in the classroom.
Students are able to respond to how and why questions. They will be able to participate in many of the
mainstream academic subjects (if the school adopts a content-based approach to teaching).

4.   Nearly Fluent:
±   Students understand what is said in the classroom.
±   They can express their ideas comprehensibly in both oral and written communication.
±   They will be able to read most subject material.

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The teacher could pose open-ended questions that allow students to create more complicated responses
and to use complex sentences.

Working With People

Task: Look at the following classroom and students. Fill in the thought bubbles.

Task: Look at the following picture and answer the questions:

1)   Who is the teacher?

2)   How are the students interacting?
3)   If you were a student, which class would you prefer? Why?

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Classroom Management

Task: Read the following situation and note down the options and the decision.

You gave your students 2 pages to complete for homework. The next class only 1 student out of 12 has
completed the work.

Options :

Decisions:

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Now imagine that only 1 student didn’t do their homework. How would that change your options and
decisions?

Classroom Interaction

Groupings

Seating

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Grammar Translation Method

(This method is particularly used in classes with large number of students mostly in regions where native speakers are not available. i.e: China,

Thailand & Vietnam. It is recommended that this method to be changed to Communicative Approach Method)

Task: Translate the following passage.

Teaching can be a rewarding career if you realize that money is not the centre of the universe. Despite
many of the obstacles associated with teaching – students who do not co-operate, lack of supplies,
difficult parents, dealing with report cards – there is a certain passion for such a career that is undeniable.
If you chose to teach because you think you’re going to make a lot of money, you will be in for a terrible
surprise.

Canada tends to have a fairly good education system. The literacy rate is quite high, and the teachers are
usually paid well, with the additional benefits of medical and health coverage for themselves and their
families. Getting into a good university requires more than adequate finances; you need to have a high
grade point average in order to even be considered for admission. Yet whether you are teaching at a
kindergarten level, high school, college, or even a private language school, there is something so
satisfying about imparting sills and knowledge to a group of students.

If you decide to become a teacher because of your passion, it is the best job in the world. If you decide to
become a teacher because you can’t think of anything else to do, it might be the worst job you could ever
have. Make sure to choose your career path carefully!

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The Direct Method

(Vacationers mostly use this method.)

Task: Choose a topic (Such as articles of clothing, holidays or the weather) and write a short passage on
the theme you have chosen. Now think about how you will convey it’s meaning to students without using
their native language.

Audio-Lingual Method

Read the following dialogue. What pattern is it trying to illustrate?

Sam : Lou’s going to go to college next fall.

Betty : Where is he going?
Sam : He’s going to Stanford.
Betty : What is he going to study?
Sam : Biology. He’s going to be a doctor.

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Prepare a series of drills (backward build-up, repetition, chain, single-slot substitution, multiple-slot
substitution, transformation and question-and-answer) designed to give beginner level students some
practice with the structure.

Communicative Language Teaching

Imagine you are working with your students on the function of requesting information. The authentic
information you have is a railroad timetable; Design a communicative game or problem-solving task in
which the timetable is used to give your students practice in requesting information.

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Learning Styles
Learning Styles are simply different approaches or ways of learning. There are 3 types of learners :

±   Visual learners
±   Auditory learners
±   Tactile / Kinesthetic learners

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The Visual Learners

-­   Learn through seeing..

These learners need to see the teacher’s body language and facial expression to fully understand the
content of a lesson. They tend to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions
(e.g. people’s heads). They may think is pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams,
illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lecture of
classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.

The Auditory Learners

-­   learn through listening…

They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others
have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of
voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard.
These learners often benefit from reading text aloud using text aloud and using a tape recorder.

Tactile / Kinesthetic Learners

-­   learn through, moving, doing and touching…

Tactile / Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical
world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their
need for activity and exploration.

Putting It All Together

1.   Now that you know what type of learner you are, find out about your classmates.

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Name Type Name Type
V A T V A T
V A T V A T
V A T V A T
V A T V A T
V A T V A T
V A T V A T
V A T V A T

2.   Add up the results.

visual learners auditory learners

tactile learners

3.   Now as a teacher, how does that affect you and your classes? What can you do to ensure that all
types of learners will actually learn in your class?

Correcting Students

Basic Principles of Error Correction

1.   Encourage students to focus on what is right, not wrong.

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2.   Praise correct / partly correct answers – students feel like they are making progress.

3.   Avoid humiliating students.

4.   Correct errors quickly – do not spend too much time on error correction.

Task: Read the 3 teachers’ approaches to dealing with correcting errors. Which one do you prefer? Why?

To correct, or not to correct, that is the question!

Example A Example B

You have just presented a number of verbs There is a vacant lot near your school. You
with irregular past time. Now students are are discussing with your students what
practicing them using a simple picture story. should be done with it. You want them to
The aim of this activity is to check if students give interesting ideas.
can use the verb correctly.

Correcting Spoken Errors

Read the following dialogues and comment on the teacher’s technique.

Example One

T: Paul – What do you do in the morning?

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S: I… am… get up… at half past six.
T: Hmmm, that’s not right, is it? I get up – not ‘I am get up’. I get up. Antoine – what about
you?

Example Two

T : Paul – what do you do in the morning?

S : I… am … get up… at half past six.
T : Well, all right, but – I get up. Again.
S : I get up at half past six.
T : Good.

Example Three

T : Paul – what do you do in the morning?

S : I… am… get up… at half past six.
T : Yes, OK, nearly. What should it be? I g…
S : I get up at half past six.
T : That’s right – good.

Example four

T: Paul – what do you do in the morning?

S1 : I… am… get up… at half past six.
T: Well, nearly. Anyone else? What do you do in the morning? Yes – Jose?
S2 : I get up at seven o’clock.
T: Yes, that’s it. I get up. Now, Paul – again.
S1 : I get up at half past six.
T: Yes. Well done.

Teacher Correction Technique

1.   Ask A question

Student : “ I go out last night.”

Teacher: “ In the past? Go in the past is…?”
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2.   Facial expression

Student : “I walking home last night when my cell phone rang.”

Teacher: “ I….” and then frowns expecting the student to correct.

3.   Gesture combined with facial expression

Student : “I go to home.”
Teacher counts on her/his fingers the amount of words that the student says and them raises
his/her eyebrows to show incorrect amount of words.
The teacher repeats the sentence but as he/she says the words, he/she counts them off on his/her
fingers.

4.   Finger correction (As above)

This is very useful when showing students contractions i.e. say: “I am going to go” but then
indicate that ‘I’ and ‘am’ join by putting two fingers together.

5.   Ask a one-word question – Tense? Past?

This is a good technique for lower level students.

Students : “I go yesterday”
Teacher : “Go?” (with rising intonation, making it a question.)

6.   Write the problem sentence on the board

Write the entire incorrect sentence on the board.

At the end of an activity, ask the students to correct it.
7.   Use the phonemic chart

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Point to the correct phoneme that students should use as the students are speaking.

Student: “I rike chocolate.”

Point to /I/ and point to what the student said.
Ask the student to repeat the correct sound.

8.   Chain correction, ask other students

Say the incorrect word/sentence to the students and then ask : “Does that sound right?”
“If I will go, I will enjoy my self. Can anyone see anything wrong in that?”

9.   Repeat sentence up to the error

Student : “I go to home at 9pm every day.”

Teacher : “I go “ and indicates a problem.

10.   Draw a time line

Student : “I took a bath while I watched TV.”

Teacher indicates past continuous on a timeline, i.e. an activity which took place
over a period of time.
11.   Tell them

Simply tell the students the correct English.

Using Visual Aids

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Create a list of visual aids that can be used in the classroom.

Which aid do you think teachers use the most? The least?

Brain Storm

The Board

Writing on the board

List at least 3 things to keep in mind when writing on the board.

Drawing on the Board

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Task: Answer the following statements as True or False. If the answer is False, correct the statements to
make it true.

1. T F Simple pictures drawn on the blackboard can help increase of a lesson.

2. T F Drawings are not a good way to show meaning.

3. T F Blackboard drawings should be very detailed.

4. T F Drawing should be done quickly to keep the interest of the class.

5. T F The teachers should talk while she draws; this helps students see and hear
the concept being presented.

6. T F You need to be a good artist to draw on the board.

Task: What drawings would you use to help present the following? What will you say as you are
drawing?

He was taking a shower when the phone rang. The train leaves at 6pm. The plane arrives at 7pm.

Boil / Fry / Bake A: Would you like more coffee / cake / wine?
B: No thank you. I have had too much.

Realia

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[Real objects – the simplest kind of visual aid.]

Simple objects can be used not only to teach vocabulary but also as prompts to practice structures and
develop situations.

Using a Teabag

±   Teach the words “tea” and “packet”

(containers for measurement – cup of coffee, bag of sugar, bottle of wine, can of tuna…)

±   Describe how to make tea

(Using imperative, instructions. Teacher could also bring in teapot, spoon, etc.)

±   Create a dialogue
(Could you lend me a packet of tea? / Sure. What do you want it for? / My friend is coming over to
visit.)

Task: Look at the following dialogues. What realia could you use?

(At the Post Office) (A day at the beach)

A: Good morning. Can I help you? A: Wow, what a beautiful day.

B: Yes, I’d like to mail this letter to India. B: For sure. But, did you bring the sunscreen with
A: Would you like regular or express mail? you?
B: Hmmm. Which is cheaper. A: I sure did. Here you go. And did you bring the
A: Regular. It is $1.40. towels?
B: Oh, what would be fine, thank you. B: Yep. I’m going to set up the umbrella and
A: Here is your stamp. The mailbox is outside on then go for a swim.
your right. A: Sounds good to me.

 
Task: Look at using real objects (Teach English). Create a list of materials and a few quick
examples of language used. The first one has been completed for you.
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Prepositions of place

±   The pen is in the box / The apple is on the box / The tea is beside the box / The glass is
between the box and the tea.

±   Realia : box, apple, tea, glass, pen

Present perfect tense

Is there…? / Are there…?

… is made of …

Expressing of colour, shape, size

Gestures

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Gestures are one of the most important visual aids for an instructor; they do not require any
preparation and dare simple to do. They allow students to see the meaning and give clues to
various contexts.

Task: Look at the following statements a teacher has said. Think of gestures that would reinforce
the understanding of the phrase / statement.

Work in pairs.
What do you think?
Stand up.
Give a complete sentence.
Five minutes left.
Don’t show your sheet to your partner.
Ask your classmates.
Repeat.
Please stop talking now.
Listen to me.
Come here.(Polite)
Listen to each other.

Worksheets / Work-cards
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What are Worksheets?

What are Work-cards?

Making Worksheets for Oral Practice

Making Worksheets for Reading and Writing

Materials

Storage

Project

Using the knowledge you have gained on visual aids, create the following teaching materials:
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±   1 oral work card

±   1 reading or writing work card

±   1 worksheet to practice a grammar point

±   1 set of flash cards to show related vocabulary items

±   1 set of flash cards to show related structure (can be used as prompts for a drill)

±   1 wall chart

Eliciting

Task: Imagine you are going to use this text in a reading class.

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1.   You will use the picture in your lead-in to help students predict what they are going to
read. What questions will you ask? (Write down your exact questions) What answers to
you expect?

2.   Choose five vocabulary words for your presentation that you could elicit rather than
present. Write down your exact questions.

Lesson Planning

There are four things a teacher needs to know before going into a class and teaching a lesson.
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1.   The aim of the lesson (Enabling Objectives and Terminal Objectives)

2.   What new language the lesson contains

3.   The main stages of the lesson (how it divides into different activities)

4.   What to do at each stage of the lesson

Aims of the Lesson

It is important to see what the general aim of the lesson is. A lesson may focus on:

A topic
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Example:
±   To learn the names of colours

±   To practice language for buying clothes

A structure
Example:
±   To describe actions using the simple past

±   To use “going to” to discuss future plans

A skill
Example
±   To understand instructions for making a pizza

±   To express opinions freely in English about holidays

When you begin to write your aims, think about filling in the following sentences:

By the end of the lesson the students will have

By the end of the lesson the students will be better able to

Take those statements and create several sentences such as:

±   To practice reading an authentic text

±   To find specific information on a tourist brochure
±   To discuss tourist information and create an itinerary
±   To decide and cooperate as a group

Content of the Lesson

Language

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It is important for the teacher to know exactly what language will be taught in the lesson. Most lessons
introduce either new vocabulary or a new structure, or both.

TASK:

Part 1 – Answer the following questions and decide the most appropriate answer.

New Vocabulary
±   Are all new words equally important?

±   Which words should you teach/practice and which words would you briefly mention?

Structures
±   If a new structure is introduced in the lesson, should students be given an opportunity to practice
it?

±   What would you do if there were a structure practiced in this lesson but was introduced in an
earlier lesson?

Part 2 – In any lesson, Answer the following:

±   What new words were introduced?

±   Which were the most important?
±   What new structures were there?
±   What other structures were practiced?

Skills

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The teacher needs to be aware of what skills will be developed in the lesson: speaking listening, reading
or writing. If possible a lesson should include practice of more than one skill – this will give variety and
keep student’s interest.

TASK: Answer the following:

±   What skills were developed in this lesson?

±   Which skill was practiced most?

Stages of the Lesson

Any lesson that we teach divides into different stages. For example, at one stage of the lesson, the
students might be reading a story; at another stage, the teacher writes vocabulary words on the board and
elicits meaning from the students; or at yet another stage, students may be working in pair s writing their
answers to comprehension questions.

It is much easier to plan a lesson if we think in terms of the stages and activities rather than trying to think
of the lesson as a whole.

There are 3 main parts to a lesson.

The teacher presents new words or structures, gives examples, writes them on the board, etc.

Students practice with limited language options – making sentences from prompts, asking and answering
questions, giving sentences based on pictures. This can be oral or written.
Students use skills that they have learned to express themselves more freely – to talk or write about their
own lives, to express opinions, to imagine themselves in different situations. Production can be oral or
written.

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Step-by-step Breakdown for a Lesson

We can break down each stage of a lesson into various steps. These steps will enable you to logically
introduce, present, organize and conclude an activity or a lesson.
Prepare / Plan
This is on e of the most essential steps. A great activity will not
Prepare / plan be successful without careful thought or preparation.
Lead In
▼ The teacher attempts to create interest and introduce the activity.
Pre-Activity
Lead In This step allows the teacher to introduce the overall lesson, raise
interest and motivation, and work on some essential language or

▼ structures needed for the lesson.

Activity Pre – Activity Set up

This is the logistical step of the activity organizing the seats, the

▼ students, giving instructions / demonstrations and handouts.

Set Up Run
Students do the activity and the teacher monitors. Allow the

▼ students to do as much as possible on their own. If instructions

are clear, the activity should run by itself.

Run Close
Allow the activity to close itself – give time warnings and listen
and watch for students to finish the activity. Conclude the activity
▼
by checking answers, giving or getting feedback, continuing
discussions etc.
Close
Post Activity
This is the wrap up of the lesson – it could consist of a summary
▼
of overall conclusion, another activity focussing on additional
skills / systems, assigning homework etc.
Post Activity

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Task: Here is a sample of a teacher’s outline for a lesson focusing on the grammar point “Have + pp”.
Read and organize the lesson in al logical order.

±   Students work in pairs and complete the sentences. Monitor, don’t help not encourage students to figure things
out on their own.

±   Give instructions – I would like you to find out about your classmates. Where have they traveled or what
interesting things they have done. You can complete this chart. Write your classmate’s name and ant
information you fine out. You need to talk to at least 5 other people in 15 minutes. Find out as much
information as possible.

±   Observe students and helps when necessary.

±   Tell students, “I have a lot of interesting friends who have done many interesting things. For example my friend
Todd, he has written a book.“

±   Give instructions: “Here is a handout, with information about all of my friends. In pairs, I would like you to
write out sentences about these interesting people.”

±   Assign homework and conclude class with a mad minute of past participle verbs used in today’s class.

±   Ask, “What about you… Where have you been? What have you done?”

±   Time warning, followed by corrections on the board.

±   Call on various students to create other sentences (orally) about Travelling Terry from the images on the board.

±   Accept several answers from different students.

±   Show pictures of famous landmarks / statues / tourist destinations. Students give words: Paris / Eiffel Tower,
The Rockies, Ayres Rock, New York, etc. Teacher puts on board.

±   Try to elicit the sentence, “She has been to…” / “She has seen / meet / climbed…”

±   After 12 minutes, teacher fives time warning – 3 minutes left.

±   Place a picture of tourist on board in middle of images. Introduce her as my friend, Travelling Terry.
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±   Students return to their seats and ask who has been the furthest away? Who has gone to the most exotic place?
Who has been to an island? Who has eaten strange food? Etc…and have students share their answers and
continue their discussion as a whole class.

Writing a Lesson Plan

In summary a lesson plan should consider, Duration of the Lesson, Number of Students, Level of Students,
Objectives (aim), Grammar or Conversation or both, In-Class Exercises, Home works, Age of Students,
Language background, and Profession of students (adults) with students interests in mind.

±   Writing a lesson plan helps teachers to prepare the lesson: it helps them decide exactly what they will
do, how they will do it and in what order things will be done.

±   Teachers can look at the plan after the lesson and use it to evaluate what happened – what activities /
stages were successful? Did the teacher do what they had intended? Did the students and teacher
teach the lesson’s aims?

±   Lesson plans be kept and reused or modified for each time that particular lesson is taught.

±   There is no ‘correct’ way to write a lesson plan, but keep in mind that a good lesson plan should give
a very clear indication of what teacher intends to do in the lesson.

What information do you think is essential for a lesson plan? Create a list of ideas.

Brainstorm

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Anticipated Error and Solutions

Things always go wrong: always. But, it is about being prepared and expecting these problems to happen
and being ready to fix them immediately. You need to think about these things ahead of time so when you
are in the classroom, nothing will take you by surprise and the lesson can smoothly continue.

It is also about predicting where students will go wrong – will they have trouble with various structures or
perhaps struggle distinguishing similar sounds.

Task : What would you do in the following situations?

1.   What would you do if your students didn’t know additional words that you haven’t taught?

2.   What about if you planned on having your class of 12 wet up into pairs, but 1 student is absent?

3.   What would you do if some students finish the activity sooner than the others?

4.   What would you do if students have difficulties answering the comprehension questions?

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Procedure

This is the second part to preparing a lesson. Once you have the material and have thought about the
activities, you need to assemble the pieces of your lesson into a clear and logical way.

The easiest way to think about this is to have a clear picture in your mind of the lesson and the activities.
Think about how you will go through the class step-by-step. Be sure to write it down.

Task: Look at the pre-reading activity: Prediction from the lesson plan in the Appendix (Two Sisters and
the Cat). Answer the following questions:

a)   What is the set-up for this activity?

b)   What is the planned time for this activity?

c)   What is the material to be used here? How many copies / sets are needed?

d)   What is the overall procedure of this activity? Can you break it down into simple steps?

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Giving Instructions

Giving instruction is a key point in setting up the activities you choose for your lesson. Clear and simple
is the key. Instructions need to be given in a logical, step-by-step order. (Imagine hearing a recipe that
begins with “cook the mixture for 25 minutes.” What questions or problems can you imagine?)

Task:
Read the following. Why do you think students had difficulties understanding the instructions?

Rewrite the instructions so that they are:

±   Simple and clear
±   Do not use excess information/language

What else could help the students understand the instructions?

- Okay everybody… today we are going to… Marco, please sit down… do an information gap activity.
Now what you have to do is, when I give you a piece of paper you will see that some have A on the top
and some have B but you cannot show your partner because it is a secret. You will work together in pairs
and both of you will describe what is on your paper so your partner can find out what is different. You
should listen carefully and when you notice and hear the differences you can circle the items on the paper.
OK. Does everyone understand?

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Some Simple Rules for Giving Instructions

1.   When lesson planning, consider how you will give instructions for tasks. For each activity or
assignment, think to yourself, “How can I convey this task clearly to the students?” You nay find
it helpful to write down in your lesson plan what you will say.

2.   Plan enough time in your lesson to deliver instructions thoroughly and to check students’
understanding. [Do not deliver instructions hurriedly while the bell is ringing, students are
grabbing books, and backpacks and leaving the room.]

3.   Be sure you have all students’ attention when giving instructions – insist on it and never make
exceptions.

4.   Be well prepared, not only for verbal delivery of instructions, but also with instructions written in
clear, concise, simple English in the board. This additional visual will catch students whose
listening skills may make it challenging to follow verbal instructions.

5.   Be simple and economical, verbally. Consider the following verbal instructions strands:

“Ok, everybody, listen to me. I want to tell you what we’re going to do next. What we’re going to
do is… I want everybody to get together with the partners you were working on the peer-editing
with last week.”
VS.
“Please find last week’s writing partner.”

6.   Model the task and always do and example together with the class, even for homework exercises.
For in-class tasks, rather than just telling students what is expected of them, show them as well.
When assigning a task, physically DO the task yourself in front of the students. Show them with
your body, gestures and facial expression, exactly what you want the task to look like when they
begin doing it. With pair tasks, have the class watch while you model with another student. Check
for understanding and model again of needed, of ask two students who seem to understand the
task to model together.

7.   When assigning a textbook activity or exercise, ask students to open to the correct page in their
textbooks and follow along as you go over the task. Use your own textbook as a prop. Point to the
exercise, check that all students are following and do the first question together as an example.

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8.   Break instructions down and deliver them in steps or “chunks”. When instructions include a
series of steps, deliver the first step, wait, check for comprehension, and then deliver the next
small chunk of instructions. This gives students time to digest smaller pieces of information at
one time rather than to grasp what bits and pieces they can of a lengthy explanation.

9.   Use comprehension checks and involve students actively in the instructions process. Have
students repeat assignments or instructions back to you. Ask, “Can anyone tell me what you are
going to do next/for homework?” Open-ended comprehension checking questions (beginning
with WH-words) such as “What is still unclear?” “What questions do you have?” “Who has a
question about that?” are much more effective than ”Any question?” The former ask for a real
feedback response from students while the latter allows students to shake their heads or not
respond at all.

Task: Imagine you want your students to do the activity below. What instructions are you going to give
them? Write them out as of you were going to say them to your class. (You may want to demonstrate and
use concept check questions)

A. Match the opposites

Tall Light
Thin Slow
Light Short
Dark Heavy
Fast Late
Early Fat

Planning a lesson is a bit like juggling many balls all at once. There are many things to consider and think
about:

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The Learners
±   What do they enjoy?
±   What are their long-term objectives?
±   Does this lesson fit their long-term goals?

The Aims
±   What will the students learn by the end of the lesson?
±   What would I like them to use and know?
±   What are the language objectives?
±   What are the other objectives beyond the language?

The Teaching Point

±   What is the subject matter?
±   What skills / systems will be used?

The Teaching Procedures

±   What activities will you use?
±   What order should I do the activities in?

Materials
±   What you will need? (cassette tapes, handouts, worksheets, workcards, etc.)
±   How many copies?

Classroom Management
±   What to say?
±   What instructions will you give?
±   Seating arrangement?
±   Timing for each activity?
±   Timing for overall lesson?
With all of these things to consider, it can seem pretty overwhelming to plan a lesson. Again, there is
no one correct way on how you tackle it. Some teachers start with an aim or a skill / system (students
learn to distinguish /p/ and /f/). From there, they think of activities and the stages. The rest of the
information above slowly fills in the rest of the plan. Other teachers start with and activity and place it
in a stage then begin to develop other stages and activities around their original idea. How you choose
to do it is up to you and your style.

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Reading Lesson Plan

Two Sisters and a Cat

Instructor: Level: Students: Length:

Eddie Fy Upper Beginner 12 60 minutes

Materials:
±   Vocabulary images (garden, condominium, condo advertisement)
±   4 sets of prediction cards
±   12 copies of Two Sisters and the Cat
±   Work cards – comprehension questions

Aims:
±   To practice intensive reading through the story Two Sisters and the Cat
±   To predict and infer the story using clues / prompts
±   To practice literal, inferential, and appreciative comprehension levels
±   To present and five practice with new vocabulary words

Language Skills:
±   Intensive reading
±   Speaking – narrating a story, discussion, role-play
±   Writing – answering comprehension questions

Language Systems:
±   Vocabulary; garden, condominium, bury, pet
±   Grammar; simple past verbs

Assumptions:
±   Students are familiar with:
-   Simple present, present continuous, future and simple past
-   ‘when’ clauses in simple past
-   This class / style of lessons / pace of the lesson
±   Class consists of 12 international students

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Anticipated Errors and Solutions:

±   Students may read at different speeds and some students finish early
-   Give time limits / allow slow students to finish / have fast students reread
±   Students may have difficulties predicting using prompts
-   Monitor and assist when necessary, encourage guessing
±   Students may have difficulties expressing themselves in discussion
-   Assist when necessary, helping students with words / expressions
±   Students may not know the remaining vocabulary words
-   Encourage students to guess from context, prepare!

References:
±   English Language Centre Study Zone
Http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/200/reading/smicat1.htm
(Accessed July 2004)

Grammar Translation Method

Latin and Ancient Greek are known as “dead languages”, based on the fact that people no longer speak
them for the purpose of communication. Yet they are still acknowledged as important languages to learn
for the purpose of gaining access to classical literature.

Latin has been studied for centuries, with the prime objectives of learning how to read classical Latin text,
understanding the fundamentals of grammar and translation, and gaining insights into languages. The
method used to teach it came to be known as the Classical Method. It is now more commonly known in
as the Grammar Translation Method.

It is hard to decide which is more surprising – the fact that this method has survived right up until today,
or the fact that what was essentially a method developed for the study of “dead” languages, involving
little or no spoken communication or listening comprehension, is still used for the study of languages that
are very much “alive”. How has such an archaic method, “remembered with distaste by thousands of
school learners” (Richards and Rodgers, 1986:4) survived?

It is worth looking at the objectives, features and typical techniques commonly associated with the
Grammar Translation Method, in order to both understand how it works and why it has shown such

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tenacity as an “acceptable” language teaching philosophy in many countries and institutions around the
world.

Objectives
Most teachers who employ the Grammar Translation Method to teach English would probably tell you
that the most fundamental reason for learning the language is to give learners access to English literature,
develop their minds “mentally” through in them the kinds of grammar, reading, vocabulary and
translation skills necessary to pass any one of a variety of mandatory written tests required at High School
or University.
More conservative questioning the method, and a typical response could be “because that’s the way it’s
always been done – it’s the way I learned and look, now I’m a professor”. The point being, the method is
institutionalized and considered fundamental.

Key Features
Features of the Grammar Translation Method are as follows:

1.   Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little use of the target language.
2.   Much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words.
3.   Long explanations of the details of grammar are given.
4.   Grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and instruction often focuses on the form and
inflection of words.
5.   Reading of difficult classical text is begun early.
6.   Little attention is paid to the content.
7.   Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into
the first language.
8.   Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

Typical Techniques

Diane Larsen-Freeman, in her book Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching(1986:13) provides
expanded descriptions of some common / typical techniques closely associated with the Grammar
Translation Method. The listing here is in summary form only.

•   Translation of a Literary Passage (Translating target language to native language)

•   Reading Comprehension Questions (Finding information in a passage, making inferences and
relating to personal experience)
•   Antonyms/Synonyms (Finding antonyms and synonyms for words or sets of words).
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•   Cognates (Learning spelling/sound patterns that are similar to the first language).
•   Deductive Application of Rule (Understanding grammar rules and their exceptions, then applying
them to new examples)
•   Fill-in-the-blanks (Fill in sentences with new words or items of a particular grammar type).
•   Memorization (Memorizing vocabulary lists, grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms)
•   Use Words in Sentences (Students create sentences to show the meaning and use of new words)
•   Composition (Students write about a topic using the target language)

Grammar Translation Method is still common in many countries – even popular. Brown attempts to
explain why the method is still employed: “It requires few specialized skills on the part of teachers. Tests
of grammar rules and of translations are easy to construct and can be objectively scored. Many
standardized tests of foreign languages still do not attempt to tap into communicative abilities, so students
have little motivation to go beyond grammar analogies, translations, and rote exercises.” (1994:53)

This can be seen especially in South Korea, where the market is in a transition by promoting “English for
Global Communication” (and hiring thousands of native speaking teachers in pursuit of that very goal),
yet marking students’ progress according to predominantly reading/writing/grammar tests. TOEIC and
TOEFL are still common exams to meet Korean university standards with students scores in the high
700s, but who can barely hold a conversation in English.

The Direct Method

Towards the end of the late 1800s, a revolution in language teaching philosophy took place that is seen by
many as the “dawn” of modern foreign language teaching. Teachers, frustrated by the limits of the
Grammar Translation Method in terms of its inability to create “communicative” competence in students,
began to experiment with new ways of teaching language. In Direct Method language acquisition
incorporates techniques designed to address all the areas that the Grammar Translation did not – namely
oral communication, more spontaneous use of the language, and developing the ability to “think” in the
target language. The method also moved as far away as possible from various techniques typical of the
Grammar Translation Method – for instance using L1 as the language of instruction, memorizing
grammatical rules and lots of translation between L1 and the target language.

The appearance of the “Direct Method” coincided with a new school of thinking that dictated that all
foreign language teaching should occur in the target language only, with no Translation and an emphasis
on linking meaning to the language being learned. The method became very popular during the first
quarter of the 20th century, especially in private language schools in Europe where highly motivated
students could study new languages and not need to travel far in order to try them out and apply them
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communicatively. One of the most famous advocates of the Direct Method was the German Charles
Berlitz, whose schools and “Berlits Method” are now world-renowned.

Still,  the  Direct  Method  was  not  without  its  problems.  As  Brown  (1994:56)  points  out,  “(it)  did  not  
take  well  in  public  education  where  the  constraints  of  budget,  classroom  size,  time,  and  teacher  
background  made  such  a  method  difficult  to  use.”  By  the  late  1920s,  the  method  was  starting  to  
go   into   decline   and   there   was   even   a   return   to   the   Grammar   Translation   Method,   which  
guaranteed   more   in   the   way   of   “scholastic”   language   learning   orientated   around   reading   and  
grammar  skills.  But  the  Direct  Method  continues  to  enjoy  a  popular  following  in  private  language  
school   circles,   and   it   was   one   of   the   foundations   upon   which   the   well-­known   “Audiolingual    
Method”  expanded  from  starting  half  way  through  the  20th  century.  
 
Objectives
The basic idea of the Direct Method is that students will learn to communicate in the target language,
partly by learning how to think in that language and by not involving L1 in the language learning process
whatsoever. Objectives include teaching the students how to use the language spontaneously and orally,
linking meaning with the target language through the use of realia, pictures of pantomime
(Larsen-Freeman 1986:24). There is to be a direct connection between concepts and the language to be
learned.

Key Features
Richards and Rodgers (1986:9-10) summarize the key features of the Direct Method as following:

1.   Classroom instruction is conducted exclusively in the target language.

2.   Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
3.   Oral communication skills are built up in a careful progression organized around
question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and students in small, intensive classes.
4.   Grammar is taught inductively.
5.   New teaching points are taught through modeling and practice.
6.   Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures; abstract vocabulary is
taught by association of ideas.
7.   Both speech and listening comprehension are taught.
8.   Correct pronunciation and grammar are emphasized.

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Typical techniques
Dian Larsen-Freeman, in her book Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (1986:26-27)
provides expanded descriptions of some common/typical techniques closely associated with the Direct
Method. The listing here is in summary form only.

1.   Reading Aloud (Reading sections of passages, plays or dialogs loud)

2.   Question and Answer Exercise (Asking questions in the target language and having students answer
in full sentences)
3.   Student Self-Correction (Teacher facilitates opportunities for students to self correct using follow-up
questions, tone, etc)
4.   Conversation Practice (Teacher asks students and students ask students questions using the target
language)
5.   Fill-in-the-blank Exercise (Items use target language only and inductive rather than explicit grammar
rules)
6.   Dictation (Teacher reads passage aloud various amounts of times at various tempos, students writing
down what they hear)
7.   Paragraph Writing (Students write paragraphs in their own words using the target language and
various model)

The Audiolingual Method

The next ”revolution” in terms of language teaching methodology coincided with World War ll, when
America became aware that it needed people to learn foreign languages very quickly as part of its overall
military operations. The “Army Method” was suddenly developed to build communicative competence in
translators through very intensive language courses focusing on aural/oral skills. This in combination with
some new ideas about language learning coming from the disciplines of descriptive linguistics and
behavioural psychology went on to become what is known as the Audiolingual Method (ALM).

The new method incorporated many of the features typical of the earlier Direct Method, but the
disciplines mentioned above added the concepts of teaching “linguistic patterns” in combination with
“habit-forming”. This method was one of the first to have its roots “firmly grounded in linguistic and
psychological theory” (Brown 1994:57), which apparently added to its credibility and probably had some
influence in the popularity it enjoyed over a long period of time. It also had a major influence on the
language teaching methodology even to this day.
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Another factor that accounted for the method’s popularity was the “quick success” it achieved in leading
learners towards communicative competence. Through extensive mimicry, memorization and
“over-learning” of language patterns and forms, students and teachers were often able to see immediate
results. This was both its strength and its failure in the long run, as critics began to point out that the
method did not deliver in terms of producing long-term communicative ability.

The study of linguistics itself was to change, and the area of second language learning became a discipline
in its own right. Cognitive psychologists developed new views in learning in general, arguing that
mimicry and rote learning could not account for the fact that language learning involved affective and
interpersonal factors, that learners were able to produce language forms and patterns that they had never
heard before. The idea that thinking processes themselves led to the discovery of independent language
“rule formation” (rather than “habit formation”) and that affective factors influenced their application
paved the way toward the new methods that were to follow the Audiolingual Method.

Objectives
Just as with the Direct Method that preceded it, the overall foal of the Audiolingual Method was top
create communicative competence in learners. However, it was thought that the most effective way to do
this was for students to “overlearn” the language being studied through extensive repetition and a variety
of elaborate drills. The idea was to project the linguistic patterns of the language (based on the studies of
structural linguists) into the minds of the learners in a way that made responses automatic and “habitual”.
To this end it was held that the language “habits” of the first language would constantly interfere, and the
only way to overcome this problem was to facilitate the learning of a new set of “habits” appropriate
linguistically to the language being studied.

Key Features
Here is a summary of the key features of the Audioligual Method, taken from Brown(1994:57) and
adapted from Prator and Celce-Murcia (1979).

1.   New material is presented in dialog form.

2.   There is dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases, and over-learning.
3.   Structures are sequenced by means of contrastive analysis and taught one at a time.
4.   Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills.

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5.   There is little or no grammatical explanation. Grammar is taught by inductive analogy rather than
deductive explanation.
6.   Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context.
7.   There is much use of tapes, language labs, and visual aids.
8.   Great importance is attached to pronunciation.
9.   Very little use of the mother tongue by teachers is reinforced.
10.   There is great effort to get students to produce error-free utterances.
11.   There is a tendency to manipulate language and disregard content.

Typical Techniques
Larsen-Freeman, in her book Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (1986:45-47) provides
expanded descriptions of some common/typical techniques closely associated with the Audiolingual
Method. The listing here is in summary form only.

1.   Dialog Memorization (Students memorize and opening dialog using mimicry and applied role
playing)
2.   Backward Build-up (Expansion Drill) (Teacher breaks a line into several parts, students repeat each
part starting at the end of the sentence and “expanding” backwards through the sentence, adding each
part in sequence)
3.   Repetition Drill (Students repeat teacher’s model as quickly and accurately as possible)
4.   Chain Drill (Students ask and answer each other one-by-one in a circular chain around the
classroom)
5.   Single Slot Substitution Drill (Teacher states a line from the dialog, then uses a word or a phrase as a
“cue” that students, when repeating the line, must substitute into the sentence in the correct place)
6.   Multiple-slot Substitution Drill (Same as the Single Slot drill, except that there are multiple cues to
be substituted into the line)
7.   Transformation Drill (Teacher provides a sentence that must be turned into something else, for
example a question to be turned into a statement, and active sentence to be turned into a negative
statement, etc)
8.   Question-and-answer Drill (Students should answer or ask questions very quickly)
9.   Use of Minimal Pairs (Using contrastive analysis, teacher selects a pair of words that sound identical
except for a single sound that typically poses difficulty for the learners – students are to pronounce
and differentiate the two words)
10.   Complete the Dialogue (Selected words are erased from a line in the dialog – students must find and
insert)
11.   Grammar Games (Various games designed to practice a grammar point in context, using lots of
repetition)
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The Communicative Language Teaching Approach

All the methods described so far are symbolic of the progress language teaching theory underwent in the
last century. These were methods that came and went, influenced of gave birth to new methods – or
described as “passing fads”. Finally, by the mid-eighties, the industry was maturing that encompassed
various methods, motivations for learning English types of teachers and the needs of individual
classrooms and students themselves, It would be fair to say that if there is any one “umbrella” approach to
language teaching that has become the accepted “norm” in this field, it would have to be the
Communicative Language Teaching Approach. This is also known as CLT.

The Communicative approach does a lot to expand in the foal of creating “communicative competence”
compared to earlier methods that professed the same objective. Teaching students how to use the
language is considered to be at least as important as learning the language itself. Brown (1994:77) aptly
describes the “march” towards CLT:

“Beyond grammatical discourse elements in communication, we are probing the nature of social,
cultural, and pragmatic features of language. We are exploring pedagogical means for ‘real-life’
communication in the classroom. We are trying to get our learners to develop linguistic fluency, not
just the accuracy that has so consumed our historical journey. We are equipping our students with
rooms for our classroom. We are concerned with the immediate classroom task. We are looking at
learners as partners in a cooperative venture. And our classroom practices seek to draw on
whatever intrinsically sparks learners to reach their fullest potential.”

CLT is a generic approach, and can seem non-specific at times in terms of how to actually go about using
practices in the classroom in any sort of systematic way. There are many interpretations of what CLT
actually means and involves. See Types of Learning Approach to see how CLT can be applied in a variety
of ‘more specific’ methods.

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Basic Features of CLT

David Nunan (1991:279) lists five basic characteristics of Communicative Language Teaching:

1.   An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language.

2.   The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.
3.   The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on the language but also on the learning
process itself.
4.   An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important contributing elements to
classroom learning.
5.   An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outside the classroom.

CLT Features at Length

Finnochiaro and Brumfit (1983:91-93) compiled this list of CLT features in 1983.

1.   Meaning is paramount.
2.   Dialogs, if used, center around communicative functions and are not normally memorized.
3.   Contextualization is a basic premise.
4.   Language learning is learning to communicate.
5.   Effective communication is sought.
6.   Drilling may occur, but peripherally.
7.   Comprehensible pronunciation is sought.
8.   Any device which helps the learners is accepted – varying according to their age, interest, etc.
9.   Attempts to communicate may be encouraged from the very beginning.
10.   Judicious use of native language is accepted where feasible.
11.   Translation may be used where students need or benefit from it.
12.   Reading and writing can start from the first day, if desired.
13.   The target linguistic system will be learned best through the process of struggling to communicate.
14.   Communicative competence is the desired goal.
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15.   Linguistic variation is a central concept in materials and methods.
16.   Sequencing is determined by any consideration of content function, of meaning which maintains
interest.
17.   Teachers help learners in any way that motivates them to work with the language.
18.   Language is created by the individual often through trial and error.
19.   Fluency and acceptable language is the primary foal : accuracy is judged not in the abstract but in
context.
20.   Students are expected to interact with other people, either in the flesh, through pair and group work,
or in their writings.
21.   The teacher cannot know exactly what language the students will use.
22.   Intrinsic motivation will spring from an interest in what is being communicated by the language.

Guidelines for effective disciplines,

(Mostly applicable to children and some to adults)

a) Three Basics to Remember:

1.  Monitor student behaviour.

•   Use an “active eye”. See what is going on. Don’t become preoccupied with someone
or something and ignore the rest of the class. It’s said that one teacher on
his/her feet is worth two in the seat. This benefits your discipline program as
well as being an effective teaching strategy.

•   Simply looking the student directly in the eye for prolonged contact while you
continue your lesson sends a non-verbal message that says “I saw what you did
and I want it stopped”.

2.  Be consistent.

• Have the same expectations for appropriate behaviour for all students. Your students should
know that you will enforce rules consistently and determine an appropriate consequence. Your
goal is to be fair, but that might mean differing consequences for students. If one student
frequently fails to return homework, you may choose a different consequence than you would for
a student who forgets his/her homework for the first time. In knowing that you will be fair, but
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not equal, your students should understand that being equal is not always fair. In order to be
consistent, be certain that the consequences for student behaviour are reasonable and appropriate.

3. Promptly manage inappropriate behaviour.

• Effective classroom managers know that misbehaviour must be handled immediately or there is
a risk of a snowballing effect. Instead of one or two students involved, soon there may be
several. In order to provide maximum time for learning and to reduce minor behaviour problems,
there are some strategies that you can employ that deal with behaviour in the least amount of
time, with the least disruption and the least negative feelings.

b) Strategies:

•   Proximity 
 Continuing your lesson while you move about the room, pausing near
“trouble spots”, can let the students know that even though they aren’t near the teacher’s
desk, they are still expected to demonstrate appropriate behaviour. Getting “boxed in”
behind your desk or lectern encourages misbehaviour in the far corners of the room.

•   Pause 
 The continuous sound of “teacher talk” can provide students with a noise screen
for their own conversations. An occasional pause—just a few seconds of silence—can
bring an off-task student back in focus.

•   Touch/Gesture 
 This can be added to the above strategies for emphasis. A touch on the
shoulder—not a squeeze—or a shaking of your head helps to stress your message to the
student.

•   Asking for a Response 
 Hearing your name can be an attention getter, even if you’re not
paying attention. Working an off-task student’s name into a question can often bring the
student back into the lesson. Remembering the student’s dignity, it would be appropriate
to say the student’s name first, in order to allow them to hear the question they’ll be
expected to answer. The purpose is to get the student back into the lesson, not to
embarrass him/her.

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•   Active Participation 
 Sometimes having the student respond to a question or become involved in
an activity can eliminate the undesirable behaviour. Asking for a show of hands, having students
perform a physical activity, or having each student write a quick answer to a question can make
all students accountable for an immediate response.

•   Rewards and Reinforcement 
 Rewarding students with an enjoyable activity that is contingent
on appropriate behaviour can be effective in motivating students to commit to completion of a
task. “If we can finish this chapter by 9:45, we’ll have time to play the map game.”

Setting Limits

When the basic classroom management guidelines and strategies do not achieve desired results,
you should move to the technique of setting limits. Limit setting helps students to make better
behavioural choices by placing responsibility for behaviour on the student, not the teacher.

Guidelines for setting limits:

•   Clearly state the inappropriate behaviour and why it is inappropriate. Saying “stop
that now” is not a clear enough message.

•   Give student a choice in the form of reasonable consequences, presenting the

positive first. 
 Even if the student makes a poor choice, this sets the stage for follow-up
discussions about responsibility.

•   Allow time for compliance.
 Walk away and give student “think time”—no less than 10
seconds. This maintains the 
 sense of “choice.”

•   Enforce consequences. 
 Limits don’t work unless you follow through with the
consequences.

Example: Jane, you need to stop talking—you are disturbing others. If you do, you can leave at
the end of class. If you don’t, you’ll stay behind for one minute. It’s your choice.

•   Remember, behaviour does not change overnight. By setting limits and enforcing
consequences, you are providing a structure through which, over time, students can learn
to make better behavioural choices.

•   For behaviourally challenging students—keep detailed records (date, situation, consequence).

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This will help you and the student to identify patterns. These records can prove
invaluable in follow-up discussions with the student, the principal or parents.

Teaching Strategies

Teaching is often a hectic and isolated profession. So it is important to develop a repertoire of

teaching strategies that become second nature to you. By having many teaching strategies the
teacher is able to continually monitor the class and make adjustments during the busy complex
teaching and learning process.

Teachers need to vary their teaching strategies. Often the process of learning is as important as
what is being taught. The elementary math and science curricula are very hands-on. Teacher talk
or lecture has its place in instructional strategies; however, don’t fall into the trap of teacher talk
when things get difficult. Approach your more experienced colleagues for helpful suggestions.
You can also check the professional section of your school library or online libraries for
resources on teaching strategies.

Essential Teaching Attitudes

Certain attitudes and personal characteristics will not guarantee success, but will go a long way
in helping to have a productive and enjoyable teaching experience:

•   Teachers like their students and respect their individuality.

•   Teachers need to establish and maintain their credibility.

•   Teachers need to be dependable and consistent.

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•   Teachers must value and enjoy teaching and learning and model these behaviours.

•   Teachers need to be what they want their students to become.

Successful Lesson Planning

•   Well-planned lessons have the following characteristics:

•   get and hold student attention

•   focus student attention when beginning the lesson


•   move at a good pace

•   allow for monitoring of teaching and for student understanding

•   provide for different learning styles

•   have variety and are interesting

•   include meaningful assignments

•   contain the ingredients for success

•   provide opportunities for student choices about their learning

•   include opportunities for student assessment

•   allow for student application

•   make connections with real life

•   are structured for maximum time on task

•   link to previous learning


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•   end before they have gone on too long.

After you have selected the learner expectations from the program of studies, the process of
planning to teach truly begins. As the designer of instruction, you will need to consider many
things as you plan the lesson. How will you introduce the topic and get the student’s attention?
What instructional strategies will be most effective? How will you make a connection with the
student? What opportunities are there for assessment and evaluation? All of these are important
questions that apply to each lesson you design.

Let’s consider teaching strategies. Teaching strategies can be grouped into five broad categories:

1.   Direct Instruction— teacher imparts knowledge or demonstrates a skill.

2.   Indirect Instruction— teacher sets up strategies, but does not teach directly.

3.   Interactive Instruction—students interact with one another and the information—the

teacher’s role is one of an organizer and facilitator.

4.   Independent Study— students interact more with the content than with the 
 teacher or
other classmates.

5.   Experiential Learning— students experience and feel; they are involved in an activity.

Teachers consider many things when they choose which type of teaching strategy to use. You
will need to consider the nature of the topic, resources available, age and maturity of the students
and your personal teaching style. However, as a general guideline, it is safe to say that your
lessons will be more successful if you structure opportunities for your students to be involved
and to apply the knowledge they have learned.

Learning together provides for small group work, promotes interdependence, face-to-face
interaction, individual accountability and the need for increased group skills. There are a variety
of approaches to grouping students for learning activities.

•   Group investigation—groups of two to six students work together using cooperative

inquiry, discussion, cooperative planning and projects.

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•   Jigsaw—individuals within the group learn parts of the material then will discuss them
with like members from other groups and then teach their own group.

•   Teams, Games—team members assist each other to master material or skills in order for
the team to compete against other teams

Effective Instruction

Effective instruction manifests itself in the knowledge, attitude and skill development of
students. Teachers with effective instructional skills:

•   understand the concept of multiple intelligences and integrate that understanding in their
instructional design

•   have clear expectations of their students

•   can define their teaching role

•   possess a sense of efficacy

•   provide students with an opportunity to learn

•   exhibit effective classroom management and organizational skills

•   understand the curriculum and minimize student frustration

•   actively instruct their students in large and small groups

•   teach for mastery

•   provide a supportive learning environment

•   provide for student self evaluation

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•   teach thinking skills

•   are flexible and able to modify plans, and

•   are able to recognize and exploit teachable moments.

Teaching is complex. It requires you to experiment and find your most effective teaching style,
while recognizing the different learning needs of your students. You will need to search out new
and different methods to motivate your students and present materials. You will need to try
different methods of grouping for instruction for different lessons. You will need to find out what
works and what doesn’t. Discuss ideas with your colleagues, ask questions and share
experiences. You will need time to reflect on your teaching practice and to develop your teaching
skills.

Questions you should ask yourself after each lesson:

•   ? What worked well?

•   ? What was the key to making it work?

•   ? What connections were made to other learning or real life?

•   ? What unexpected connections were made?

•   ? If I did this again, what things would I change?

•   ? What were the best resources? 


Teaching is challenging and exciting work. Identify your mistakes and plan to correct
them. Identify your successes and build on them.

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Students Evaluation

Effective evaluation must serve a specific purpose. You will use the results of evaluation to:

•   determine achievement in one learning sequence and readiness for the next

•   test student knowledge

•   provide feedback on the degree of success you are having with students

•   give students the feedback necessary to make study plans

•   improve your instructional strategies.

Properly constructed tests, direct observation and student interviews help you to measure
progress. Evaluation should be continuous and consistent and you should use a variety of
evaluation techniques.

When properly constructed, there is no better method than teacher-made tests. They can be
objective short-answer questions, subjective essay questions, or they can be based on
performance.

Student assessment and evaluation is an ongoing cooperative process among teachers, adult
students in TESOL and students & parents when necessary in TEC. Daily, teachers gather
information and data on student achievement (assessment) and then make judgments about
student growth (evaluation). There are many purposes for student assessment and evaluation

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such as for:

•   making students aware of their strengths and weaknesses

•   providing the teacher with information about future instructional needs

•   gathering information on student progress to report to parents. 
 Student assessment and

evaluation involves using a variety of testing strategies including check lists, peer and
self evaluation, teacher-designed tests, projects, assignments and observations, as well as
standardized and commercially-developed tests. 
 Tips for Assessment and Evaluation

You will need to have a written procedure for evaluating student achievement in place before the
beginning of the year. For example, you need to know if there is a percentage breakdown for
each term. Copies of your student evaluation plan need to be given to students, parents and your
school principal.

•   Ask your principal for a copy of the system and school policies on student evaluation.

•   Get a copy of the school report card so that you know how student achievement is

 reported to parents.

•   Talk with other teachers of the same level or subject about strategies they use and
appropriate weighting for different units of the curriculum.

•   Use a variety of assessment strategies. For example, you should use a combination of
short, written assignments, pre- and post-tests, projects, performances, tests, teacher
observation, student self assessment and unit exams.

•   Plan your student assessment and evaluation tasks when you plan for instruction. Make
sure that the assessment task is consistent with the type of learner outcome specified in
the curriculum.

•   Allow students some choice in the topic or method of presentation. Students will per-
form better if they enjoy the task.

•   Avoid using evaluation as a threat or punishment. Students shouldn’t feel like they’re
being tricked. Hand out your marking criteria when you give the students the task.
Students need to know how they will be judged so that they can perform their best.
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•   Use student results as feedback on your test or project design. If there is a problem with
the wording of a question—throw it out. If the project instructions were not clear— allow
the students a second chance.

•   Keep accurate records of student achievement. If you’re using a computer marking pro-
gram, you must still maintain a record book in case of a computer error.

•   Keep parents informed of student progress. Parents should not be surprised with a student
achievement problem on a report card or at parent- teacher interviews. 
 You can assist
parents with their understanding of student assessment and evaluation practices by pro-
viding answers to the following questions:

•   Is there an evaluation overview for the entire year?

•   Are there things that parents can do before tests to help their child do better?

•   Are there study tools or classes available to help a child prepare?

•   What are the consequences of each test? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these
tests?

•   What are the consequences of each test? Who gets to see the results? Do they become a
part of the child’s permanent record?

•   Can the child retake any of the tests if the results are unsatisfactory?

•   Is there anything parents can do or should not do as a result of their child’s performance

 on a test?

•   What impact do the results of each test have in terms of the bigger picture of their child’s
performance in school?

Progress Reports & Students Records

Progress reports are mainly aimed for three purposes.

A)   For Schools and Institutions.

This will show improvement and progress of a student from one level to another. It will
also demonstrate their GPA in a transcript format. Although progress reports are not

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official school transcripts, they serve a vital role in setting up the transcript and preparing
graduation certificates or diplomas of students.
B)   For Students Information Purposes.
This will enable students to observe their own developmental skills and see their own
progress. Students often forget how little they knew before they started the course and by
the time they will graduate they would assume that they have not learned much. To show
them a recoding of their conversation skills before they started the course, or a showing
test result at the start or the end of the course for comparison reasons, will demonstrate
their learning skills and teachers ability in helping them to progress.
C)   For Teachers Evaluation.
Teachers’ teaching abilities and skills are usually evaluated through the number of class
graduates and high ranking of the students within that class.

Practicum:
Note that practicum is divided into Observation hours, Teaching Assistant hours, Conversation
Workshops teaching and Grammar Structured class teaching. Practicum hours are a total of 150
hours that are interchangeable depending on the characteristics and ability of each TESOL
student to be determined by student’s Trainer and school’s Administrator. However as a set of
standard TESOL Canada expects each graduate to have experienced a complete full level
Grammar Structured and a complete full level of Conversation class teaching. In Canada and
many schools across USA a full level is 40 hrs for a semi-intensive class (2hrs per day) and
80hrs for an intensive class (4hrs per day). Each level either intensive or semi intensive will take
4 weeks to complete. However as experience and learning/teaching hours need to have few
additional hours for TESOL students errors and corrections of lessons, a total of 50 hrs are
designated for Conversation teaching and 50 hrs for Grammar teaching (total of 100hrs). The
extra 10 hrs per class may also be used to become a Mentor for the next upcoming group of
TESOL students. The remaining 50 hrs are divided between Observation hours and Teaching
Assistant TA hours.

Observation:

20 to 25 hrs of Observation is designated to students participating in Real Experienced Teachers’

class to observe their teaching skills. TESOL students are needed to complete 4 observation
reports. It is recommended that students would observe at least two different teachers. During
observation hours activity participation is not recommended unless requested by the teacher.
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Teaching Assistant TA:

20 to 25 hrs of TA work is designated to students participating in either Real Experienced

Teachers’ class or in former TESOL advanced group practicum classes where one former
TESOL student could act as a Mentor to the new TESOL student. TAs are not recommended to
change class and must actively participate in students tutorials or extra class (usually
conversation) activities.

Conversation Workshop (CW) Activity Class Teaching:

Conversation classes are recommended for all students. 40-50 hrs are needed to complete.
Conversation Activity samples can be provided however throughout the course, TESOL students
need to build at least 10 conversation activities as their first set of assignments. At this section no
grammar lessons are introduced and students practice based on newly introduced vocabularies
and basic known grammar. Each class of one hours will have 4 CWs. Conversation Workshops
are usually 20 to 30 minutes long.

Grammar Structured Class Teaching:

Grammar classes are 40-50 hrs long and complete a full level. A grammar Structured class shall
include Grammar lessons, Vocabulary introduction, Writing, Reading and some listening and
speaking (not as much as a conversation class). These are structured classes following pre-set
lesson plans. Students are expected to complete 5 Lesson Plans as their 2nd set of assignments to
pass this section. Examples of these lesson plans are provided through communicative approach
method and introduced through Interchanges or Spectrum through Cambridge publishers.

Research Paper:

Students are provided few topics of research and they can select one from the four options.
Topics can be provided on request. A research paper will have to be 8 to 10 pages long
single-spaced with introduction and bibliography section. Samples can be provided on request.
Research paper demonstrates a student’s writing ability, frame of mind, logic and knowledge.
Research Paper is a student’s third assignment.

EMERGENCY LESSONS

Educational Poetry

Function:
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Listening, Oral Reading, Choral Reading, Discussion, Memory Gem, Vocabulary Development

Materials:

•   Individual copies of overheads or charts

•   Poetry from books, magazines, newspapers.

•   
 Instructional Options: 


Listening: ............................Teacher reads or recites and children listen for purpose.


Oral Reading:......................Pupils take turns reading to a partner.


Choral Reading: ..................Teacher reads, class reads,


Discussion: ..........................Discuss what is meant, interesting parts, feelings.


Memory Gem: ....................Choral reading, cover or erase some words, reread, continue removing parts
until the poem is memorized.


Vocabulary Development: ....Choose interesting words, phrases, rhyming words, alliteration, etc.


 Personal Items 


Educational Function: 
 Motivation, Discussion, Creative Writing, Twenty Questions 


Materials: 
 Something of interest: music box, special hat, stamp collection, etc. 


Instructional Options: 


Discussion: ..........................In a circle (if possible) take turns telling something they have learned,
something they value.’

Creative Writing: ................Illustrate stories about the item that you have shown. Oral reading to partners
and the class. List 
 interesting words.


Twenty Questions:................Before presenting your item, pupils ask you up to twenty yes/no questions to

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try and guess what the 
 item is. After you present the item, pupils take turns as classmates try to guess
their valued item.

Books, Short Stories, Myths & Legends

Educational Function:

Listening, Speaking, Vocabulary Development, Creative Thinking, Role Playing, Interviewing,

Drama

Materials:

Books, short stories, myths, legends

Instructional Options:

Listening: ............................Present five key words that illustrate story line. Pupils listen to see
how these words are used in the story.

Speaking: ............................Discuss the story keeping the five key words in mind. Pair up the
students to retell the story using the key words as a guide. (One partner begins telling the story,
signals for the second to take over, etc.).

Vocabulary Development: .... As the partners are retelling the story, walk around and listen for
interesting words being used. Discuss these after giving students minimum time to retell the
story. Add a few of your own.

Creative Thinking: ..............Introduce the idea of a new ending. Again have pairs of students tell
the story, using the new ending and attempting to use the new vocabulary.

Role Playing: ......................Partners make conversation between characters in the

story.
 Interviewing: ......................(Use a pen/pencil as a “microphone”). Interview a character
from the story. (Partners again – switch roles on signal.)


Drama: ..............................Tableaux (Freeze Frames): Depict scenes using tableau scenes.

Stress body language, eye control, facial expression.


Mime: ................................Pupils can act out scenes as story is told/read.

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Geography: ..........................Find the place mentioned, design an imaginary map.


Visual Arts: ........................Plasticine scenes, posters depicting the moral, puppet making and
subsequent conversations, story line cartoons.


Creative Writing: ................Speech balloons for the above cartoons (use quotation marks for
direct speech), group chart stories for plot, character sketches, rebus stories, write a
newscaster’s report, convert the story to play format.

Math: ................................Have pupils make up word problems using the characters and
situations from the story, using currently studied math operations to test others.

Tongue Twisters*/Rap Songs

Educational Function: Speaking, Creative Writing, Divergent Thinking/Art.

Materials:

Examples of tongue twisters and rap songs

Instructional Options:

Speaking: ............................Practice orally. Take turns or do together.


Creative Writing: ................Pupils make up their own stories using alliteration.

Divergent Thinking
 & Visual Arts: ....................Design posters that include the pupils’ tongue
twisters and matching picture.

*Tongue Twisters

•   Cross crossings cautiously.

•   Crickets cry crackily.

•   A noisy noise annoys an oyster.

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•   Big backed bumblebees buzz.

•   Four fat frogs fried fritters for food.

•   Silent slugs slither.

•   Six slippery seals sell sleds.

•   Sixty-six sickly sailors.

•   Bedbugs bleed blue blood.

•   Remember really rural roads?

•   Some shun sunshine.

•   Which is the witch that wished the wicked wish?

•   Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

•   She sells sea shells down by the seashore.

•   Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.

•   Does this small shop stock short socks, sir?

•   I saw him shave a cedar shingle thin.

•   Three-sixths is the same as six-twelfths.

•   Instead of “three-fifths” she said “thirty-thousandths”.

•   Thread the tougher twine through the three tree twigs.

•   Which switch did you whip the witch with?

•   The last night at an inn was the greatest test.

•   Our old Austrian uncle arrived with aching ankles.

•   I don’t know whether he said baths, mouths, and wreaths or bands, mounds, and breathes.

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•   Why would leather be better to lather the latter ladder with?

“Slider”

You’ve invented a new sport called “Slider” Explain how the game is played.

Make a list of rules to play the game correctly. To bring the sport to public attention: Design: - a
poster - a magazine ad
 - a t-shirt
 - a bumper sticker

Write: a 30 second radio ad

The above lesson provides a clear example of a relatively portable experience that invites
students’ involvement in a legitimate learning activity and simultaneously creates time for the
teacher to plan subsequent learning activities.

Sponge Activities

•   Do a stretching or a resting activity

•   Carry an interesting object and let students ask twenty questions.

•   Use oral story problems in math.

•   Read about a scientific discovery from a publication such as Owl or Time magazine.

•   Play a new song and have students reflect on its meaning.

•   Play educational charades.

•   Play-act work roles and have teams guess the roles.

•   Read a short story.

•   Use a list of tongue-twisters. (See sample under Emergency Lessons)

•   Sing action songs.

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•   Ask students where they have travelled (use the globe for reference).

•   Do word searches or crosswords.

This summarizes our edition of TESOL Teachers Handbook. Note that there is a separate TEC
handbook available and can be provided once you start teaching TEC.

If you needed any additional assistance, please do no hesitate to contact us at TESOL Canada.

Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics is a guide to teachers in maintaining, at all times, the high traditions of their profession. In times this can

relate to adults or children classes.

1. Teacher and Pupil

•   (a) The teacher regards as confidential, and does not divulge other than through professional channels any

information of a personal or domestic nature, concerning either pupils or home, obtained through the course

of his/her professional duties.

•   (b) The teacher should be just and impartial in all relationships with pupils.

•   (c) The teacher should assume responsibility for the safety and welfare of his/her pupils, 
 especially under

conditions of emergency.

•   (d) The teacher should avoid giving offence to the religious and political beliefs and moral 
 scruples of his/her

pupils and/or their parents.

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•   (e) The teacher should be as objective as possible in dealing with controversial matters arising 
 out of the

curriculum subjects, whether scientific or political, religious or racial.

2. Teacher and Teacher

•   (a) The teacher should not make defamatory, disparaging, condescending, embarrassing, or offensive comments

concerning another teacher.

•   (b) The teacher shall not make derogatory remarks about the professional competence of another teacher.

•   (c) The teacher shall not accept the position of another teacher who has been dismissed unjustly.

•   (d) The teacher shall not accept a position arising out of the unsettled dispute between a teacher, or teachers, and

local authorities.

•   (e) The teacher shall not sexually harass another teacher. Sexual harassment shall mean any unsolicited and

unwanted sexual comments, suggestions or physical contact directed to a specific teacher which that teacher

finds objectionable or offensive and which causes the teacher discomfort on the job. The accused teacher

must be made aware of the nature of the objection prior to action being taken.

3.   Teacher and Internal Administration

•   (a) The teacher should observe a reasonable and proper loyalty to internal administration of the school.

•   (b) The teacher responsible for internal administration should be loyal, fair, and just to the members of the staff.

•   (c) The teacher responsible for internal administration should not of his/her own initiative, make any detrimental

report, oral or written, on a teacher’s efficiency without first dis- cussing the matter with the teacher.

4.   Teacher and External Administration

•   (a) The teacher should adhere to a contract until the contract has been terminated by mutual consent, or the

contract has otherwise been legally terminated. A verbal agreement is a contract.

•   (b) The teacher should not accept a salary above that which he/she would receive according to the scale negotiated
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between TESOL Canada and the affiliated school administration , without notifying TESOL Canada which is

concerned.

5.   Teacher and Professional Organization

•   (a) TESOL teacher should be a member of TESOL Canada, TESOL Asia or TESOL USA.

•   (b) The teacher who in his/her professional capacity is a member of a committee, board, or 
 authority dealing

with matters affecting the TESOL educational program as a 
 whole should be elected, appointed, or

approved by TESOL Canada.

•   (c) The teacher, or group of teachers, should not take any individual action in matters 
 which should be dealt with

by his/her Local or by TESOL Canada.

•   (d) The Local should not take any individual action in matters where the assistance of TESOL Canada has been

sought, or in matters requiring the authorization of TESOL Canada.

6.   Teacher and Profession

•   (a) The teacher should maintain his/her efficiency by study, by travel or by other means which will keep him/her

abreast of the trends in education and the world in which we live.

•   (b) The teacher should engage in no gainful employment, outside of his/her contract, where the employment affects

adversely his/her professional status, or impairs his/her standing with students, associates, and the

community.

•   (c) The teacher should not accept remuneration for tutoring his/her pupils except under unusual circumstances and

with the approval of his/her supervisor or principal.

7.   Teacher and Community

(a)   The teacher should so conduct himself/herself in his/her private life that no dishonor may befall him/her or through

him/her, his/her profession.

Non Judgmental Policy:

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A teacher or a TESOL student and a TESOL member should be non-judgmental toward other members and students’ sexual

orientation, religious orientation, race, color of skin, ethnicity, socio-economical standings or any other matter that may be

considered judgmental or selective or discriminative.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Education Media Library

The Media Library at Learning Resources & Libraries offer educators free access to thousands of
resources in video, audio and photographic formats. Teachers are encouraged to book time for
personal evaluation of classroom resources in demand. Contact your local libraries or online
resources.

Card Games

Every teacher has, at one point or another, been frustrated by the illicit card game in progress at
the back of the room. You don’t have to fight against the appeal of a deck of cards – put it to use
in a creative and educationally acceptable fashion.
 A number of books are available on
educational card games. One of the best is Reading, Writing and Rummy by Margie Golick
(Pembroke Publishers Ltd., Markham Ontario). Golick shows how to use a deck of cards as an
educational tool through games that develop memory, number skills, visual/spatial concepts, and
problem solving. This can be searched and accessed online.

Creativity and Problem Solving

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Students can benefit from problem solving activities that act as a break from subject-oriented
lessons and activities. A number of “mental exercises and warm-ups,” such as brainstorming and
Synectics, can act as sponge activities.Two excellent source books are Edward DeBono’s Lateral
Thinking (Penguin Books, 1985) and Sydney Parnes’ Guide to Creative Activities (Wiley 1977).
Teaching Creativity Through Metaphor, by Donald and Judith Sanders (Longmans, 1984), is
another book that teachers have found useful.

Memory enhancement skills are examined in Improve Your Memory Skills, by Francis Belleza
(Prentice-Hall, 1982). This book includes a number of classroom activities that can help students
remember names, faces and details. Popular techniques such as mnemonics are described.

Interpreting Dreams

Most students love to talk about their dreams. The sub can have some fun with a class by using
the Dictionary of Dreams: 10,000 Dreams Interpreted, by Gustavus Hindman Miller (Prentice-
Hall, 1984). The kids will really be impressed when you provide an explanation of a dream
sequence in which someone is being chased by a giant pizza!

Trivia Games

The huge popularity of Trivial Pursuit® and similar games can be exploited easily in the class-
room. Homemade trivia games can liven up Friday afternoons and lessen the agony of reviewing
course content.
 Mental Gymnastics for Trivia Freaks and Puzzle Nuts, by noted Canadian
educator Ken Weber (Methuen Publications, 1984), provides a number of enjoyable trivia games
and word puzzles. It can also be a jumping-off point for developing your own games and
activities.

Some excellent ideas and strategies that work especially well with general level students are also
provided by Ken Weber in Yes, They Can (Methuen, 1974) and The Teacher Is the Key (Methuen
1982).

Using Newspapers and Magazine Articles

An interesting article from the morning’s newspaper can be put to good use in the classroom. So
can a short article from a magazine. Students can analyze, dissent, and criticize the article. They
can debate a controversial topic raised by the article. They can write their own letter to the editor
in reply to an article.

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References & Resources;

•   Canter, Lee and Marlene, Succeeding with Difficult Student, New Strategies for Reaching Your
Most Challenging Students, Lee Canter & Associates, Santa Monica, CA, 1993.

•   Canter, Lee and Marlene, Assertive Discipline, Positive Behavior Management for Today’s
Classroom, Lee Canter & Associates, Santa Monica, CA, 1992.

•   Evans, Sandra M, M.S., Ed., Survive & Thrive in Teaching! A Handbook of Everything to do
from Day One!, Teachers’ Little Secrets, Virginia Beach, VA July, 1995.

•   Evans, Sandra M., M.S. Ed., Teachers’ Little Secrets . . . Essentials for Success and Happiness in
Teaching, Teachers’ Little Secrets, Virginia Beach, VA, 1995.

•   Evans, Sandra, M.S., Ed., Professional Portfolios for New and Aspiring Teachers, Teachers’
Little Secrets, Virginia Beach, VA., 1997.

•   Johnny, Jivin’, Jivin’ Johnny’s Classroom Teacher’s Emergency Lesson Plans, Johnny Press,
Ontario, Canada, 2000.
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•   Wong, Harry K. & Rosemary Tripi, The First Days of School, How to Be An Effective Teacher,
Harry K. Wong Publications, Sunnyvale, CA, 1991.

•   Concepts and Skills of TESOL, TESOL Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2014.

•   Nova Scotia Teacher Union, Survival Guide.

•   Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, Website.

•   British Colombia Teachers Federation, Website.

•   Alberta Teachers Association, Website.

•   TESOL USA, Articles and Website.

•   TESOL Asia.

•   World Teachers Organization WTO, United Nations.

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