Teaching vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation : Teaching vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation
Systems and skills lessons : Systems and skills lessons Some lessons focus on grammar, some on vocabulary and others on helping learners with pronunciation. These types of lessons focus on the patterns and systems that underpin the language.
Lessons which focus on these underlying systems try to help learners to see the 'rules' of a language.
Systems and skills lessons : Systems and skills lessons Other lessons focus directly on speaking, listening, reading and writing (the so called 'four skills'). Such lessons are usually referred to as skills lessons and could be seen as practice for the sort of 'real world' activities
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding
Asking Questions : Asking Questions Look at this example: I've been working here for three years. One way of checking that learners have understood is by asking questions such as:
'When did the action start?' (Three years ago)
'Do I still work here?' (Yes)
'Is the action finished?' (No)
Asking Questions : Asking Questions Notice that these questions focus on the key concept expressed by this use of the verb form -- that the situation began in the past and is continuing.
Asking Questions : Asking Questions There are some guidelines to follow in the construction of such questions. They should
be quick and easy to answer (otherwise learners may know the answer but not be able to express it)
focus on the defining features of the target language (i.e. how the form is different to other forms)
as far as possible avoid the use of the target language
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Which questions would you ask to check understanding of the following grammar patterns:
If Anja hadn’t helped Andrew in the exam he would never have passed.
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Appropriate questions may vary slightly here but the key language points are the following: this happened in the past - Anja did help Andrew -- Andrew passed the exam and this was dependent on her help. Therefore questions which could be useful are:
Did Anja help Andrew? (Yes)
Did Andrew pass the exam? (Yes)
Did Andrew need Anja's help? (Yes)
Does this refer to the past or the present? (Past)
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Which questions would you ask to check understanding of the following grammar patterns:
I might see Amy tomorrow.
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Will I definitely see Amy? (No)
Is it possible I will see Amy? (Yes)
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Which questions would you ask to check understanding of the following grammar patterns:
He gets up late at the weekend.
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding Is this about one particular weekend or weekends generally? (Weekends generally)
Did he get up late once, or does he usually get up late at weekends? (Usually)
Checking and clarifying understanding : Checking and clarifying understanding What questions could you ask to check the following pieces of vocabulary?
Bench
Is it hard or soft? (Hard)
Do you find it inside a house or outside? (Outside)
Is it for one person or more than one? (More than one)
Lamp
Do you find this on the ceiling? (No)
Can you move a lamp? (Yes)
Armchair
Is it soft or hard? (Soft)
Is it for one person? (Yes)
Does it have sides? (Yes)