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Unit 7 covered teaching methods related to learning vocabulary, grammar and functions.
It doesn't matter the level of the class or how the students or studies are arranged, there are four things that students need to do with new language:
> be exposed to it
> understand its meaning
> understand how it's constructed
> be able to practice and produce it
New language should be introduced in a balanced and manageable way. The ESA methods of teaching are ideal for introducing new language. Common (but not exclusive) applications are as follows:
> Vocabulary and grammar focused lessons commonly use the "straight arrow" ESA approach
> Functions-based lessons more often use the "boomerang" or "patchwork" ESA approaches
Teaching new vocabulary necessitates the following considerations:
> Suggestions for choosing what vocabulary to cover -
1. Appropriateness to the students
2. Appropriateness to the task
3. Frequency and coverage
4. Teachability - based on the class level
> The students need to learn the following things about new vocabulary terms:
1. Meaning
2. Use
3. Word grammar
4. Interaction
5. Spelling
6. Pronunciation
> Teaching techniques generally follow the "straight-arrow" ESA approach:
1. Engage the students with activities that help elicit/explain meanings
2. Study the new words in a variety of ways
3. Activate the new vocabulary with discussions, role-playing, simulation, etc
For introducing grammatical structures,
> The students need to learn the following:
1. Meaning
2. Use
3. Forms and Patterns
4. Spoken vs written form
> Effective teaching techniques for each stage are as follows:
1. Engage - Activities that produce sentences such as discussion, scenarios, Q&A, etc.
2. Study - Drilling and worksheet work for creating a familiarity to proper use of the structure
3. Activate - Communication activities such as role playing, story telling, discussions, debates
Language function learning:
> This is the practical use of the vocabulary and grammar
> Lessons must stress the need for activation of the language and what language is appropriate for the function currently being learned
> Language functions include but are not limited to inviting, refusing, agreeing & disagreeing, and suggesting
> Lessons are most effectively taught in a "boomerang" or "patchwork" ESA method so that teachers can reinforce correct language for the situation and then the students can practice. Often short study sessions with short activate sessions can be highly effective for students to learn how to interact with others in a variety of situations in a way that others can understand them, and the purpose of the interaction can be accomplished.
This unit helped me learn ways of introducing and reinforcing new language in ways that are effective and practical. Sitting down to plan a lesson plan ahead of time, producing or collecting helpful learning aids and arranging the classroom in a way that will facilitate the learning are all things that take time but the small amount of time invested this way can evidently produce results that the teacher, the students and others will quickly notice.
