Teaching English to Beginners

Teaching BeginnersFree voiced over presentation and ‘Grammar for language

teachers’ course available at elt-training.com

Jo Gakonga

Some thoughts

Starting from zero got nothin’ to lose… Tracey Chapman

..but first words are the hardest to remember

But may have had bad experiences before..

Ls will learn quickly may be very motivated…

It can be very frustrating…

Be empathetic…

They may have a low sense of esteem in language learning

Build their confidence

They may have very different expectations of a class

L2 only?Using L1 for translation and explanation is more efficient

Using L2 only may be motivating…

Literate in Roman script?

Feeling infantalised

..depressing and discouraging.

Don’t talk down to them.

Try to incorporate relevant vocabulary and themes.

You have been going to your class for about 3-4 weeks. Would you prefer to have learnt:

a) a small amount of language thoroughly b) a larger amount of language, not so precisely.

Remember language is organic…

.and the curriculum is cyclical…

Top Tips

Keep your language simple.

‘It all seems like a meaningless torrent.’

Demonstrate rather than explain.

Check meaning with concept questions

Instructions

Explanations

Visuals

Get good at drawing!

short activities and

changes of pace

Beginners get tiredquickly

I add loads of gesturing, face expressions, acting out, smiling, speed-changing, intonation. You, teacher, must enjoy classes.

Add energy!

I add loads of gesturing, face expressions, acting out, smiling, speed-changing, intonation. You, teacher, must enjoy classes.

Gesture/ mime/intonation

What to teach

As a total beginner in a language, what do you think you would like to learn first?

Colours,number etc are tempting because they are finite,

but they’re not that helpful

Give

to the language they will need first..

Greetings

Cover the walls with useful phrases…

How do you say ---?

I don’t understand.

What does --- mean?

Can I --- please?

Personalised language

I’ve got…

Ask them what they want to say in L1

A silent phase?

TPR

otalhysicalesponse

Functional language shopping, in a café

A: Hello, what would you like?B: I’ll have a black coffee, please.A: Anything to eat?B: Do you have any cake?A: Yes, we’ve got some nice chocolate cake.B: Great. I’ll have a piece of that. Thanks

Drilling

May not be very fashionable but really useful at low levels

DrillingChoral drilling

In pairs, in groups, individualMumble drilling

Chanting (to music)

Grammar as chunks of language

Would you like…. ?

Did you ----?

I don’t want…

There’s a…

High frequency High surrender value

Cognates are helpful

Exploit this, but beware of false friends

Flashcards – a vocab box

Recycling

They

on

sentences

cards

can

make

Situational PPP

I want you Fiona!

From: Streamlines Departures By Bernard Hartley & Peter Viney Unit 30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_VdE1INmZ8

Listening

www.elllo.org

http://elllo.org/video/1251/V1270-Sorie-WeekendCity.htm

Picture stories

forreading

and speaking

A country woman goes to the city for the first time. She sees buses, cars and tall buildings.

She goes into a building an looks around. She sees an old, old man standing next to some doors. He presses a button and the doors open.

He goes inside and the lights over the doors change – 1-2-3-4-5 and back again 5-4-3-2-1.

The doors open and a young, handsome man walks out. The country woman said ‘That’s fantastic – tomorrow, I’m going to bring my husband!’.

Practise, practise,

practise….. ……and then revise it all.

Thank you!

Jo Gakonga