This

exercise will encourage the learners to look at the language in the text and to

think about why and when it is used.

I’m

going to set my students a project where they have to use the internet and do

some research into different aspects of the topic beforehand.

I

know the texts have a lot of unknown grammar and lexis, but I think I’ll use a

lot more authentic material in my lessons so that my students don’t have to

rely on the coursebook alone.

I

know some of the students won’t want to speak straightaway, so I’ll leave them

to just work things out.

I’ve

built in some time for correction on the board with the whole class at the

end of the lesson, so that I can pick up and deal with mistakes that I’ve heard

during the class.

Checking understanding

Consolidating learning

Conveying meaning

The

teacher gives the learners the same story but with gaps instead of verbs. The

learners fill the gaps from memory. They check their answers.

The

learners look at the complete text again, and underline phrases such as Then,

After that, A bit later.

The

teacher writes School day in the middle of the board. The learners brainstorm

all the things they do during their day at school.

The

learners have five minutes to make notes for their own story about a memorable

day at school.

In

groups, the learners tell their own stories to each other and then decide on

the most memorable day.

The

teacher hands out a story about Susan’s school day, together with pictures of

it. The learners read the story quickly and put the pictures in order. The

teacher gives the correct order.

The

learners reread the text and look up any unknown vocabulary in their

dictionaries. The teacher checks any problematic words.

Fear

of speaking in front of a class or group.

Fear

of being corrected or criticized by others.

Fear

of not understanding cultural humour or idiomatic expressions.

Fear

of not progressing or improving in the L2.

Language

acquisition is a product of interaction between the learner and their

environment. Learners can achieve higher levels of understanding with the help

of more knowledgeable others.

Language

learning involves processes such as attention, perception, memory, and

problem-solving.

Humans

have an innate mechanism, the Language Acquisition Device, which allows them to

learn any language they are exposed to. This device is believed to be universal

across all human beings.

Positive

reinforcement encourages the repetition of correct language use, while negative

reinforcement discourages incorrect usage.

Language

learning occurs through the formation of habits. When learners are exposed to

correct forms of language, they imitate them.

Language

acquisition occurs when learners are exposed to "comprehensible

input" (i+1) – language slightly beyond their current level of competence.

Learners form hypotheses about language rules and test them through use. Errors

are a natural part of this process, helping learners refine their understanding.

Students

listen and identify the rhyming words that are at the end of lines.

Students

use dictionaries to research the meanings of idioms before they listen to the

song

Students

listen to the complete song and order a set of pictures relating to the story

the song tells.

In

groups, students prepare ideas for a video of the song to present to the rest

of the class.

Students

listen to the song line by line and write exactly what they hear.

Students

practise saying (not singing) lines of the songs, keeping the same rhythm and

pace as the singer had.

Before

listening, students complete a questionnaire about musical tastes and compare

their answers with a partner.