Chapter 1: The First Class

The purpose of this chapter is to consider the importance of establishing initial connections in the classroom because these connections set the tone for the entire learning experience. You will be required to make personal reflections in order to more effectively empathize with your students’ situations. The chapter then sets out suggestions for icebreakers in the classroom. Finally, you will analyze features of these introduction techniques from a teacher’s point of view.

Chapter 2: Approaches to Language Teaching

This chapter contains a very condensed and subjective synopsis of the main currents in the history of language teaching methodology (Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, and Audiolingualism).

Chapter 3: The Communicative Approach

In chapter 2 we discuss some of the major approaches to second language teaching and learning. These are grammatically oriented approaches (They focus on accuracy rather than meaning and fluency). In this chapter we focus on the Communicative Approach, which is semantically oriented (The Communicative Approach is based on the idea that learning a language successfully comes through having to communicate real meaning).

Chapter 4: The Speaking Skill

In this chapter you will learn how to effectively teach speaking skills. Learners generally want to master speaking skills as soon as possible. However, together with listening, it is probably the most difficult skill to develop. Speaking requires that learners not only know how to produce specific points of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary (linguistic competence), but also that they understand when, why, and in what ways to produce language (sociolinguistic competence).

Chapter 5: Teaching Grammar Communicatively

There are different ways to present or review a grammar topic. You need to be eclectic and decide what the best method for your students is, taking into account their level, age and interests, and the syllabus and textbook you are using. In this chapter you will learn some of the most common frameworks used in a Communicative Approach lesson.

Chapter 6: How to Write a PPP Lesson Plan

Organizing your ideas, knowing the steps to follow in a lesson, and having a clear objective of what you want your students to learn in the lesson are elements that will make your class successful. In this chapter you will be introduced to the techniques that are required to write a professional lesson plan, so that you can apply these techniques to teaching the four skills that students need to develop in order to communicate in the target language: speaking and writing (productive skills); and listening and reading (receptive skills).

Chapter 7: More on Lesson Plan Frameworks

Chapter 8: Teaching Vocabulary

In this chapter you will learn the fundamental features for successfully instilling vocabulary knowledge in students.

Chapter 9: The Listening Skill

Many teachers think that a listening activity is just playing a tape, asking comprehension questions or using true and false activities. “The lesson is over! My students have done listening!” No learning process was involved in such a listening lesson. In this chapter you will learn how to effectively teach listening skills.

Chapter 10: The Reading Skill

In this chapter you will look at reading comprehension techniques and lesson plans for reading activities to learn how to effectively teach reading skills.

Chapter 11: The Writing Skill

The macroskill of writing is the one most often ignored by teachers. To exacerbate this, students very often do not seem interested in practicing this skill. One of the major reasons that writing is given short shrift in the classroom is that teachers do not know how to present and exploit this skill in a communicative and interesting way. In this chapter you will learn how to effectively teach writing skills.

Chapter 12: Using Authentic Material

Authentic material complements English classes by enlivening the class, giving the chance to add variety in your lessons and creating a more positive attitude toward learning. It can be used to develop the four macro-skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing. In this chapter you will learn how to use authentic materials effectively for all levels.

Chapter 13: Correcting Learners’ Language mistakes

There is no doubt that anyone who is learning a new language will make mistakes, either spoken or written. In this chapter, you will learn techniques and strategies to correct spoken and written mistakes.

Chapter 14: Classroom Management

This chapter covers classroom management in terms of the role of the teacher, the student’s behaviour, the activities, grouping students, seating arrangements, discipline problems and possible solutions.

Chapter 15: Testing and Assessment in the ESL Classroom

In this chapter, you will study the purpose of evaluation, testing and assessment, including types of tests and approaches for direct and indirect testing.

Chapter 16: Video Observation Chapter:

In this section, you will observe a lesson taught at an upper-intermediate level. You will have to write a report analyzing the different aspects of the lesson.