Methodology for English Teaching

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

COURSE OVERVIEW

► Purpose
► Methodology
► Content
► Autonomous learning / learner
responsibilities
► Evaluation process
► Q&A
Reflection Moment

► What do you remember from

your English language
learning experience? What
was a typical class like?
► What did you like most
about your classes?
► What did you like the least?
► What should a successful
class be like?
Class Analysis

► Let’s watch this class.

► Name five positive traits. Why
are they important?
► Is there anything the teacher
could have done differently?
► Now, let’s watch it again.
Work with a partner and write
down at least 6 steps the
teacher follows for the lesson,
in sequential order.
Chapter 1: Intro

► Read the four lesson descriptions

on pp.10 – 11.
► What is the main role of the
teacher in each lesson?
► In each case, would you have
done something differently? Why
or why not?
Chapter 1: Starting Out
 Chapter 1: Teacher
Traits
► Look over these teacher behaviors and traits on
p.16.
► Which are inborn (naturally a part of the
person)?
► Which can be learned or acquired and
improved?
► Get into pairs. Explain three of the items:
► What does it mean, exactly?
► Why is it important for a teacher?
 Chapter 1: Teacher
Traits

Re… Em… Au…… Ch…

.. .. …. …
In order to succeed as a teacher, you need to
1981 – Affective Filter Hypothesis

Main Points:
• Motivation, self-confidence, and anxiety
are crucial factors.
• Under adverse conditions, “affective
filter” goes up, leading to mental block
that inhibits acquisition.
Chapter 1: Teacher Roles
Explainer: Lacks methodology, explains and
lectures, and has class focused on her/him.

Involver: Has methodology, gets students

involved through activities.

Enabler: Has methodology, gets students

involved through activities, and constructs the
learning experience collaboratively by letting
students make decisions.
Chapter 1: Experiential Learning Cycle
1. Doing something

Do

5. Using conclusions to 2. Recalling what happened

prepare for future
Prepare Recall
classes

4. Drawing conclusions Conclude Reflect 3. Reflecting on that

from the reflection
Chapter 1: Experiential Learning Cycle
1. Give people opportunities to do, not just
listen. Keep them busy!
2. Don’t just worry about teaching, executing
the steps and techniques. Focus on getting
students to learn!
3. Get students to practice, practice, practice
in using the language!
4. Avoid excessive intervention and let
students figure things out themselves.
5. Get students to think about how they learn
and what works best for them.
6. Mistakes are OK. They’re part of the
learning process, both for students and
teachers.
Chapter 1: Teaching versus Learning
You might be teaching one way, but students might be
receiving it differently, each in their own way.
 Chapter 1: Teaching versus Learning
Reminders
• Teaching does not necessarily lead to learning.
• You must watch and listen to how students
respond.
• You must have a clear idea as to signs of student
learning. What are the indicators that the class
has been successful?
• Planning and know the strategies and
techniques ARE STILL ESSENTIAL, but they must
be accompanied by results with the students.
Chapter 1: Teaching versus Learning
How useful are explanations?
STEPS TO FOLLOW
• Make the focus absolutely clear.
• Offer a brief explanation on form and/or meaning
and/or use for the language item (regular verb + ed;
past tense; use it to talk about things you did before,
such as over the past weekend, last year, etc.).
• Give examples, with visual support whenever possible.
• Ask students for students for examples.
• When possible, ask students to do role play to use the
target language. The same applies to writing.
Chapter 1: Teaching versus Learning
Teaching Practice: Ideas
Please take some time and then
explain how you would teach the
following:
We now move on to…
Subject Matter of ELT
Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT
What do we teach?
Language Systems Language Skills
Knowing Doing
Phonology Speaking
Productive Skills
Lexis (vocabulary) Writing
Grammar Reading
Receptive Skills
Function Listening
Discourse
 Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT
Exercise: Close your books and decide if the following examples are G
for grammatical, L for Lexis, P for phonological, or F for Functional
1. I went to Paris compared to I’ve been to Paris.
2. Lend us a fiver compared to Could you possible lend me £5?
3. Library compared to bookshop.
4. Woman compared to women
5. Sorry compared to Excuse me.
6. Hut compared to hat
7. Impotent compared to important
8. Some compared to any
Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT
In most courses today, we
essentially teach the four
main language skills, plus
grammar, vocabulary, and
pronunciation. New course
books also including
learning strategies and
metacognitive strategies.
Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT

When we teach the

”macro skills”, we
usually also teach the
“micro skills”.
 Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT
Exercise: Let’s check the scope and sequence of a real course book.
Are most of the language skills and language systems
covered? Is anything missing? If so, is it OK or bad?
Chapter 1: Subject Matter of ELT
Exercise: Look at the chart on p.29.
Are we mainly teaching systems or skills?
Teaching Approaches & Methods
 Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods

• Approach
• Method
• Procedure
• Technique
Video on Methods,
Approaches,
Procedures
Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods
• Grammar Translation
• Direct Method
• Natural Approach
• Audio-lingual Method
• Communicative Approach
– Task-based learning
• The Lexical Approach
• Humanistic Methods
– Community language learning
– Suggestopedia
– Total Physical Response
– The Silent Way
 Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods
People have always tried to find the
best approach or method to learning a
second language, especially English.
Richards and Rodgers (2001) point out, these attempts were made
in “the belief that if language learning is to be improved, it will
come through changes and improvements in teaching
methodology” (p.15)
 Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods

John Fanselow:
Your ESL/EFL classroom can be a place of creativity, excitement, and genuine learning, not just a job site.
Your first step is to learn how to take a look at your own routine classroom behaviors, to understand
how these "rules" may or may not facilitate learning, and to consider how you might explore other
options. Great teaching is the destiny of every dedicated teacher, not the achievement of just a few.
Innovative and effective classroom activities are critical, but the essential factor is your cultivated
expertise in creating a moment-to-moment learning partnership with your students. "When this
happens, the end of a class will find you and your students more energized than at the beginning."

Source: http://itdi.pro/itdihome/breakRules.php
 Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods

Jack C. Richards talks to

us about Communicative
Language Teaching.
Chapter 1: Approaches & Methods

I will demonstrate an activity,

technique or procedure. In
groups, figure out which
approach or method I am
illustrating and why you made
your choice.
Chapter 1: Your First Lessons
What should I keep in mind?
Chapter 1: Your First Lessons
What should I keep in mind?

Use the course book. It does most of the work for you.

Remember that a lesson is a logical sequence of activities.

Talk to and get to know your students.

Chapter 1: Your First Lessons
What should I keep in mind?

Plan it so focus is always on students.

Plan the logical sequence of your activities.

Make sure you have goals and objectives / aims.

Chapter 1: Your First Lessons
What should I keep in mind?

For each stage of the lesson, decide if focus is fluency

or accuracy.

Make sure the classroom is ready.

Make sure you have a contingency plan for emergencies.

Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Chapter 2: Classroom Activities

Task
It is something the students are asked to do
in class with a specific outcome in mind. In
can have several stages. Examples: Form an
imaginary business, interview three people
and find out their personal information,
solve a puzzle, etc.
Chapter 2: Classroom Activities

Activity
It is anything the students do in class in
relation to what is being covered in the
course. It can involved any of the four skills
as well as the different forms of the
language (e.g. grammar, vocabulary, and
pronunciation). Examples: singing karaoke
with past tense verbs, playing a game for
vocabulary recall, a pre-reading discussion,
etc.
Chapter 2: Classroom Activities

Exercise
It is controlled, guided practice that serves to
consolidate knowledge of the language and
the ability to do something with it. It is
usually written and requires little creativity
on the part of the student. It generally has
the purpose of focusing on a specific
language feature. Examples: choral
repetition, sentence completion / correction,
filling in the words, etc.
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities

Remember!
• Make sure your
students always have
something to do, every
stage of the lesson.
• In your lesson
planning, focus on
what the students will
do more than you.
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Classroom Thinking

• What question would you use to introduce the topic?

• If you had 15 minutes, which of the activities / tasks
on p.38 would you have your students do? Why?
• How would you get them to focus on one or two of
the “firsts” rather than all of them at the same time?
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Activity Route Map

Post-activity
Closing the
activity
Running the
activity
Before the Setting Up the
lesson: Getting activity

ready Lead-in /
Preparation
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Course Book Variation
• Course books are better than ever, but
they’re still far from perfect.
• A teacher should look at the contents and
decide if the course book can be “brought
to life” with one or more changes.
• Variety can be applied to:
• Seating arrangements / interaction
types
• Activity content or sequence
• Adding your own content to enhance
outcomes
• Substituting a course book’s activity
with one of your own
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Activity Route Map
Exercise: Which stage do
these activities belong to?
• Doing a comprehension check to see Post-activity

if students understand the Closing the

activity
instructions Running the
• Thinking about student errors that activity
may arise
Setting Up the
• Having students check their answers activity
in pairs
• Circulating to see if students are OK Lead-in /
Preparation
or if they need help
• Saying, “You have 2 minutes left!” Before the
lesson: Getting
ready
 Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Activity Route Map
Exercise:
Write a brief description for each
stage of the activity route map
(look at the example on pp. Post-activity
46-47). Closing the
activity
Write what you would do for the Running the
following activity: Open Mind, activity

Book 2, p.72, 4 – Listening: Setting Up the

activity
Complaints.
Lead-in /
• You have 20 minutes. Preparation
• Then you’ll have 10 minutes to compare
your route with a partner’s.
• Be prepared to teach it!
Chapter 2: Classroom Activities
Activity AIMS

Exercise:
Look again at the two activities in
Open Mind, Book 2, p.72, 4 –
Listening: Complaints & 5 –
Vocabulary: Food Containers

• What should students know or be able to do

with the language after doing each activity?
• Name at least one thing per activity.
TKT Practice!
 TKT Practice
For this section:

• Match clause to intended

meaning by the
speaker/writer.
• Look for clues in the main
clause or other part of the
sentence.
• Look for key words in the
target clause (e.g. Unless, As
long as, as there, that,
because, so that….
• Remember that you have a
33% chance of getting the
right answer, 1 in 3
alternatives.
TKT Practice
For this section:

• Match clause to intended

meaning by the
speaker/writer.
• Look for clues in the main
clause or other part of the
sentence.
• Look for key words in the
target clause (e.g. Unless, As
long as, as there, that,
because, so that….
• Remember that you have a
33% chance of getting the
right answer, 1 in 3
alternatives.
 TKT Practice

The correct answer is C.

C
B
B
B
A
A
B
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
• Activities
– Setting up, giving instructions,
monitoring, timing, ending
• Grouping & Seating
– Forming groups and pairs, arranging
seats, deciding on sitting or standing
• Authority
– Gathering and holding attention,
deciding who does what, establishing
or sharing authority, asking someone
to do something
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
• Critical Moments
– Starting the lesson, dealing with
unexpected problems, maintaining
discipline, finishing the lesson
• Tools & Techniques
– Using the board and other aids, using
gestures for instructions and
explanations, speaking clearly (speed and
volume), grading complexity of language,
grading quantity of language
• Working with People
– Spreading attention evenly, using
intuition to gauge what students are
thinking, eliciting feedback from students,
listening to students
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Teacher-Talk-Time
(TTT)
• Good if it helps students learn or if it helps
students speak and write more.
• Bad if it leads to more TTT or if it is
non-productive (gets students to do things or
listen to things that don’t help them learn
more).
• One of the hardest things for teachers to
monitor and control.
• TTT can mean the difference between a
traditional, boring class and an exciting,
productive one.
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Student-Talk-Time (STT)
• Students should be
encourage to speak
as much as possible.
• Good STT is students
speaking
imaginatively or
using classroom
language.
Chapter 3: Classroom Management

What is the ideal balance?

It depends on the stage of the lesson, but

ideally it should be a minimum of 50% /
50% and as high as 90% / 10% in favor of
STT.
Chapter 3: Classroom Management

How do we
increase
STT?
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
How can we increase STT?
• Reducing student hesitation to participate
• Expanding existing course book activities and tasks
• Asking the right questions
• Providing the input that stimulates student responses
• Knowing the kind of output you should expect from
students
• Systematic maximization of student participation
• Using a variety of effective teaching techniques
• Giving proper thinking, prep, and wait times to students
• Clear expectations for teachers and students
• Disciplining yourself as a teacher to reduce TTT
 The Max-Output Model
Increasing Speaking in our Classrooms
Taxonomy for Ss' Output / Production
• Responses
• Examples
• Explanations
• Summarizing /
Paraphrasing
• Questions
• Reporting
• Classroom Language
 Responses
• Definition: an answer from a
student to a question from the
teacher or classmate.
– Who do you find more deceitful,
politicians or lawyers? (Intermediate)
– For me, politicians are more deceitful.
They promise a lot and then go back
on their promises when (once) they
get elected. They will say anything to
become popular and get elected.
Oftentimes……
 Examples

• In Peru, people start to date when they are 15 or 16. They usually go to
many places. They can go to the movies or a restaurant. In Iquitos, you can
take a girlfriend to the _____ movie theater on _____. It has good movies
and food. Or people can go to the river. It is a wonderful place.

Basic
Explanations

T: Are all of the answers OK?

Board (#6): Where are your sister work?
S: No, teacher. I think #6 might be incorrect.
(training)
T: What is the answer then?
S: For me, the answer is “Where does your
sister work?” The mistake is “are”. You
should use “does”, not “are”, for sister.
 Summarizing / Paraphrasing

• Science, Mystery Lights, Basic

• T: What are the Marfa lights? Work in groups and come up with a summary. The minimum
is 5 – 6 pieces of information.

• S (spokesperson for the group): Marfa is small town in the U.S. There, you can see strange
lights that dance in the sky. They come out after sunset. They appeared for the first time a
long time ago, 100 years n the past. There are many possible explanations. The Native
Americans believed they were stars falling. Other people believe they are caused by ghosts
or aliens. No one has an explanation until today.
 Question

• Basic. Topic: Ghosts and Spirits

• Have them come up with questions related to the reading and
practice with each other.
• They can be yes / no (playing it safe) or open-ended.
– Is Halloween a holiday in Brazil?
– When is Halloween?
– What do people do for Halloween?
– Is the Day of the Dead a holiday in the United States?
– Do people wear costumes for the Day of the Dead?
 Reporting

• Basic
• Instructions: Work in small groups. Create a menu for a new restaurant
using many of the foods your group’s members have written. Divide the
menu into sections (appetizers, entrees, drinks, desserts). Include
prices.
• Reporting: In our group, we created a menu with 10 items. For
appetizers, we have…..For entrees, we have….The drinks we offer
include……, We also have some delicious desserts, such as…..
Chapter 3: Classroom Management

Seating & Class Size

Chapter 3: Classroom Management
What should a classroom look like?

• No U shape or rows: minimizes

participation and/or looks too
much like school
• Ss should be in pairs or grouped
together in 3s or 4s: ALWAYS
• Ss should all have a clear vision of
the board and teacher
• Ss should all be able to hear audio
equally well
Chapter 3: Classroom
Management
• At the beginning of class, you should
know how students will be arranged
(lesson planning night before).
• Ask them to get into position from the
beginning.
• Instructions should always include
seating arrangements.
• Make sure you have everything you
need for the lesson: computer, audio,
markers, etc.
• You assume the role of organizer as a
teacher.
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Let’s watch the video on class organization.
Think about these questions as
you watch:
• In what way can the Word
Wall be applied differently if
you have less space?
• Which of these tips can apply
to adult classes?
• Which tip did you like the
most? Why?
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Let’s practice!
• I will call on different • Think about how 1. Role Play: Ordering
students to carry out you would organize food in a restaurant
the task of organizing your students 1. Assign roles
the class according to 2. Group work:
the activity • Think about the Organizing a party
instructions you 1. Assign roles
• You only need to would say out loud
worry about the initial 3. Interviewing fellow
activity description, in class students: up to
instructions to the • Think about how three
class, and making you would help 1. Give instructions
sure everyone takes them get into 4. Debate: class is
their position position divided
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
SMALL CLASSES LARGE CLASSES
• 5 – 15 Ss • 25 – 30 or more
• More personalized • Fewer opportunities
attention per student for
participation
• More opportunities • Greater temptation
for learner for
participation teacher-centered
• More comfortable classes
environment for Ss • More difficult for
teacher to assess
Chapter 3: Classroom Management

• Lesson planning is crucial, so plan to:

– maximize participation
– organize the students throughout the lesson
– Get them involved in supporting roles
• Use techniques (e.g. Cooperative Learning) that are large class
friendly:
– Think-pair-share
– Round-Robin
– 4-Corners
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Here’s a large class-friendly activity!
• Think about your last vacation for
30 seconds (think or prep time)
• Find a partner: one is A and the
other one is B
• Take out a digital stopwatch on
your cell phone
• Student A tells B about her/his
vacation for 45 seconds. STOP!
Then B tells A about her/his
vacation for 45 seconds. STOP

Thinking Question: What percentage of the class participated in 90 seconds?

Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Roles for Students in a Large or Any-Sized Class
Students can:
• Act as group leaders and report on
their work.
• Act as assistants by writing important
items on the board: new vocabulary,
examples, objectives, etc.
• As assistants they can also introduce
activities for the teacher: describe the
activity they are about to do.
• Topic experts: they can inform the
class about a specific topic that the
activity is based on
Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Planning Seating Arrangements
Students should:
• Be placed with same level
classmates.
• Also be placed with different
level classmates, alternating.
• Switch partners during
activities if time allows.
• Have follow-up activities in case
they finish early (early finishers
should continue working)
 Chapter 3: Classroom Management
Look the two activities on the next slide and your copies.
Discussion questions:
1. What would be the initial
seating arrangement for
each activity? (Individual,
pair, group)
2. Would you change the
seating arrangement at any
time during or after the
activity? How many times?
Why?
Open Mind, Starter, Unit 6, p.62 Open Mind, Book 1, Unit 4, p.42
Instructional Tips
Giving Instructions
• Be concise and clear
• Use verbal instructions
with visual support when
possible (e.g. pictures,
board)
• Follow three steps:
– Instructions
– Modeling
– Comprehension checks
 Giving Instructions

Teacher gives the instructions, simply and

concisely.

Teacher models the activity with the student.

 Giving Instructions
Comprehension Checks

T: What do we have to do, Maria? Maria: First, we have to…,

then we..
Carlos, what do we have to do?

Carlos: First, we have to…,

then we..

In the end, the whole class gives the

instructions chorally.
Using the Board
• Use it for examples,
pictures, and
explanations.
• Don’t clutter it. Too
much info confuses
students.
• Have your learning
objectives on the
board, as well as new
words and other notes.
 Eliciting Language
• Use the right questions:
– Not too long
– Not too difficult
• Use right level of English:
– Course and level appropriate
– Right amount of language
• Give Ss prep or thinking time:
some questions cannot be
answered immediately
• Give students enough wait
time: wait for them to respond
before you begin speaking.
Otherwise, you will end up
answering your own questions.
TKT Practice!
 D
G
A
C E
H F
TKT: Speaking Skills
A

C
Teacher-training videos
SUMMING UP
Snapshot. Warm-up, introducing a topic,
personalizing a topic
Watch the video and complete the Teacher
Development activities in the manual pages
(pp. 1-6) - before, during and after watching.
 Teacher-training videos
SUMMING UP
Interchange Activity. Giving instructions,
pairwork information gap activity, increasing STT
Watch the video and complete the Teacher
Development activities in the manual pages
(pp. 72-78) - before, during and after watching.
 • Teacher traits and roles
• Experiential cycle
• Teaching versus learning
• Language systems versus language skills
• Methods, approaches
• Activities, tasks, and exercises
• Course book enhancement
• STT versus TTT; Max Output Model
• Seating
• Instruction tips: board, instructions,
eliciting

What do you think will be on the final exam?