Introduction To Teaching Methods

Teaching English as a second or foreign language entails the use of both traditional teaching methods as well as instructional techniques that are unique to the study and learning of language. Traditional teaching methods include teacher-centric approaches such as explicit teaching as well as approaches that encourage active student participation. Based on the teaching experiences of educators around the world, different techniques should be deployed depending on the instructional purpose, the subject matter, and the students' level of competency, cognitive ability and enthusiasm. Concentrating and using just one approach has often been found to be grossly inadequate while a rich combination of approaches result to the most favorable learning outcomes.

This article describes the most common and effective methods that are being used in traditional classrooms as well as the alternative or improvised techniques that have been developed specifically for language instruction.

Fundamental Methods of Instruction
The primary approach in sharing new knowledge is basically the teacher-centric model that entails the techniques of 1) Exposition/Explanation/Description, and 2) Demonstration. Meantime, the participatory approach balances the responsibility of the cognitive process between teachers and students and employ the techniques of 1) Collaboration and 2) Teaching from a student perspective.

In the teacher-centric approach, the learning process follows the classic knowledge transfer model: teacher-to-student. The basic techniques used in this model include direct exposition and explanation of different subjects through formal or mini lectures that may be accompanied by audiovisual materials (whiteboard notes, CD ROM, videos, music, presentations, and other instructional multimedia). Using the techniques of exposition-explanation-description, students are often required to memorize different concepts, and, in the case of language instruction, the actual verbalizations (oral recitation) of words and phrases.

5 Useful English Expressions

Idioms refer to phrases where their common meaning cannot be understood simply from the meanings of the individual words. They are cultural elements of speech and can prove a barrier to those who are speaking a non-native language. Five common English idioms are given below, together with their meanings, origins, and examples of their use in everyday use.

1) Step up to the plate
The origin of this phrase was in the American sport of baseball. A batting player must step towards the “home plate” in order to be ready to strike the ball. Its common use is to refer to a) the taking on of responsibility generally and b) acknowledging responsibility that already exists.

Example of a) “Since you have been ill lately I suppose I will step up to the plate and take on tomorrow’s presentation”
Example of b) “Stop being so lazy, you need to step up to the plate and provide for your family!”

2) Doubting Thomas
This phrase is a biblical reference. One of the twelve Apostles of Jesus, Thomas, did not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until Jesus appeared before him. The phrase is commonly used to refer to sceptics and those who make a habit of requiring proof for any statement.
Example: “John is such a doubting Thomas, if you said it was raining outside he would want to see your umbrella and if you said it was cold he would check a thermometer.”

3) A Baker’s Dozen
This phrase comes from the tradition that bakers had of when they were serving a dozen (i.e. twelve) baked goods to a customer, adding in one extra so that there could be no accusations that the goods were underweight. Nowadays it is used simply to refer to any group of thirteen items.
Example: “My parents had many more children than is usual. There is a baker’s dozen of us all together.”