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Practical Applications of
TESOL’s The 6 Principles
for Exemplary Teaching of
English Learners
At the TESOL International Convention & Of course, English-teaching contexts vary
English Language Expo in Chicago last year, greatly, and some teachers have far more
TESOL International Association was actively freedom to be flexible and to experiment
promoting one of its newest publications, with ways to apply these principles than other
The 6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching of English teachers do. Facilities, access to resources,
Learners: Grades K–12 (TESOL 2018). I was and class size can differ significantly from
intrigued to compare the authors’ notion school to school. I acknowledge that in this
of the six main principles with what I have short article, it is not possible to fully explain
learned in my 18 years of international the principles and how they can be applied
English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching in different contexts. I also understand that,
and teacher-training experiences. for various reasons, you might not be able to
take steps to apply these principles in your
The “6 Principles” are based on decades of teaching right away. Still, my purpose here is
research and are meant to serve as universal to offer a closer look at what the principles
guidelines for effective English-language mean for EFL teachers and to share practical
teaching and learning. The principles are as suggestions for incorporating them into your
follows (TESOL 2018): teaching and career.
2 . Create conditions for language learning. This principle suggests that teachers “learn
basic information about their students’
3 . Design high-quality lessons for language families, languages, cultures, and educational
development. backgrounds to engage them in the
classrooms and prepare and deliver lessons
4 . Adapt lesson delivery as needed. more effectively” (TESOL 2018, inside front
Try this: Look at the learning objectives you As the number of English learners
have for an upcoming class. Can you make around the world continues to
them clearer, more measurable, and more grow, so does the need for quality
attainable in order to better promote student English-language instruction. TESOL
learning and success? Can you let your International Association has defined
students know what those objectives are? a core set of six principles for the
exemplary teaching of English learners.
PRINCIPLE 4: ADAPT LESSON DELIVERY The 6 Principles™ will help you make
AS NEEDED. informed decisions to support English-
language instruction and assessment.
In a sense, this principle is about gathering These foundational principles are a
data. The gathered data can be used to framework for all educators who work
monitor student progress as well as to make with English learners and are applicable
adjustments to lesson planning. The principle across different educational settings.
recommends that teachers “continually assess
as they teach—observing and reflecting on The first book in The 6 Principles series,
learners’ responses to determine whether The 6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching of
students are reaching the learning objectives” English Learners: Grades K–12, features a
(TESOL 2018, inside front cover). detailed explanation of the principles,
practical applications for your classroom,
Monitoring student progress can take place ideas for building a strong community of
in various ways, but a simple method is by practice, and more.
using checks for understanding (CFUs).
CFUs provide students with opportunities to Visit www.the6principles.org to learn
show comprehension and are a replacement more about the principles, access
for the highly ineffective practice of asking resources, and download a free quick
students, “Do you understand?” Naturally, guide.
the class says “Yes,” yet later the teacher finds Future publications in the series are
out that many students, or even all of them, The 6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching
did not understand. CFUs diminish this issue of English Learners: Adult Literacy and
by providing simple and effective means of Workforce Development; The 6 Principles
demonstrating comprehension. for Exemplary Teaching of English Learners:
Academic and Specific Purposes; and The 6
Two of the simplest CFUs are Thumbs Up Principles Quick Guide for Paraeducators.
and the Five-Finger Technique. Thumbs
Up changes the teacher’s question from
“Do you understand?” to “Thumbs up or
GPS Designed, produced, and printed by Global Publishing Solutions (A/GIS/GPS) © (18-22958-E-1.0)
McCaughey, K. 2015. Practical tips for increasing
○ American English Facebook live
listening practice time. English Teaching Forum (53) 1:
events (www.facebook.com/ 2–13.
AmericanEnglishforEducators) National Council of Teachers of English. 2013.
Formative assessment that truly informs instruction.
○ American English MOOCs (https:// Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
www.aeeteacher.org/MOOC) www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/
Positions/formative-assessment_single.pdf
One goal should be to enhance your teaching TESOL International Association (TESOL). 2018.
skills, but many teachers discover that by The 6 principles for exemplary teaching of English
actively engaging in professional-development learners: Grades K–12. Alexandria, VA: TESOL
activities, they improve their language skills International Association.
as well. Another goal could be to develop
leadership skills and become a resource at
your school.You can take what you learn This article was written by Trenton Hagar, PhD,
from workshops, webinars, online discussions, a former English Language Fellow in Nicaragua and
and conferences to offer professional- Panama who currently teaches English, linguistics,
development workshops at your school and intercultural communication at Utrecht University
or act as a peer coach to colleagues and and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences in the
new teachers. Netherlands.