Teaching English as a second Language Methods and Techinques
Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) is more easily accomplished by meeting the immediate need of the students. This is done by helping students to define and target attainable goals. Teachers can work with individual students to achieve their immediate goals by designing lesson plans with the goals in mind. Lessons should be accomplished within a certain time frame to meet the target dates of the goals. Other lessons will be designed on a broader level while working towards long term all within the broader context of the English language.
English communication is an essential part of any ESL lesson plan. This can be accomplished by learning simple sentences, proper pronunciation and correct grammar usage. Emphasis should be placed on mastering existing vocabulary words while introducing new vocabulary words.
Listening skills are often an overlooked area of language acquisition, but improving listening techniques is also an important part of learning English. English words are used in context, and having good listening skills will create better comprehension. New learners are often anxious about speaking, hence they tend to use rehearsed answers without quite understanding the conversation is truly about.
Language is not used in a vacuum so it is therefore necessary to incorporate life skills practice in the learning environment. Life skills practice will teach students to handle practical problems that will arise in their everyday life. These skills can be used immediately and such improve functional are speaking.
Proper pronunciation is another aspect of learning English that needs to be addressed. This is accomplished through a combination of oral practice and tongue placement, facial movement and mouth shaping. For example the letter R is pronounced a different way for other languages. The Spanish uses what is called a rolling R while the French uses a flat tongue to pronounce this letter. The words with R will definitely not sound the same. This frustrates a non native English speaker because they try very hard and they still have difficulty being understood
For example whenever the letter R is placed before the letter T, the word True will sound like Crew, and the word grow will sound like crew. The English R is pronounced with an active tongue, starting with the tongue pointing towards the top of the mouth and ending towards an almost open mouth.
Addressing and using these techniques will make teaching ESL much more fun for the instructor and the students. Over time fluency can be achieved with these methods.
