TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING ENGLISH FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

1.     Visualization

Visualization can be a vehicle for positive suggestion or it can be used simply to relax one’s students. Students are asked to close their eyes and concentrate on their breathing. After a minute or so, the teacher, speaking in a quiet voice, describes a scene or event. When the description is complete, the teacher asks the students to slowly open their eyes and return to the present.

Some teachers have used such visualization exercises to activate student creativity just before their students do something in the target language-writing a composition, for example.

2.     Dialog Memorization.

Dialog or short conversations between two people are often used to begin a new lesson. Students memorize the dialog through mimicry; students usually take the role of one person in the dialog, and the teacher the other. After the students have learned the one person’s line, they switch role and memorize the other’s person part. Another way of practicing the two roles is for half of the class to take one role and the other half to take the other. After the dialog has been memorized, pairs of individual students might perform the dialog for the rest of the class.

3.     Repetition drill

Students are asked to repeat the teacher’s model as accurately and as quickly as possible. This drill is often used to teach the lines of the dialog.

4.     Chain drill

A chain drill gets its name from the chain of conversation that forms around the room as students, one by one, ask and answer questions of each other. The teacher begins the chain by greeting a particular student, or asking him questions. That student responds, the turns to the student sitting next him. The first student greets or asks a question of the second student and the chain continuous. A chain drill allows some controlled communication, even though it is limited. A drain drill also gives the teacher an opportunity to check the student speech.

5.     Peer correction

Students are encouraged to help another student when he or she is experiencing difficulty. It is important that any help be offered in a cooperative manner, not a competitive one. The teacher monitors the aid so that it is helpful, not interfering.

6.     Classroom set-up

Create a classroom environment which does not look or feel like a normal classroom.  This was accomplished in the classroom use of dim light, soft music, cushioned armchair, and walls decorated with scenes from a country where the target language is spoken. These conditions are not always possible. However, the teacher should try to provide as relaxed and comfortable an environment as possible.

7.     Authentic materials

The teacher brings the authentic material in teaching English. The materials are related to the real life. For example: the teacher brings some kinds of fruit when he/she want to teach about kind of fruit.

8.     Complete the dialog

Selected words are erased from a dialog students have learned. Students complete the dialog by filling in the blanks with the missing words.

9.     Reading aloud

Students take turns reading sections of a passage, play, or dialog out loud. At the end of each student’s turn, the teacher uses gesture, pictures, realia, examples, or the other means to make the meaning of the section clear.

10.    Dictation

The teacher reads the passage three times. The first time the teacher reads it at normal speed, while the students just listen. The second time he reads the passage phrase by phrase, pausing long enough to allow the students to write down what they have heard. The last time the teacher again reads at normal speed, and students check their work.

Posted in: English