As a teacher in English, you must have used second-language teaching techniques in teaching English. Just in case you have forgotten them, the following tips will serve as reminders.

1. Create an English “Climate” in your class by
2. Speaking in English in the classroom.
3. Encourage pupils to speak to you in English and to use English as much as possible in conversation among themselves. Do not use the vernacular unless absolutely necessary y. use gestures, movements, facial expressions, object, pictures to make your meaning clear.

If your schedule allows you to have English and Math in one session (i.e. both in the morning

 or in the afternoon.) Encourage the children to adopt the slogan. ”Only English”, and have them use English not only during the time of English periods but at snack time, in talking to you their classmate, in their games, and when they are doing classroom chores.

                If you can inject the play spirit into these activities, the children will find language learning real fun.

2. Let the pupils do most of the talking in the class. Do not talk too much on model the English sentences with you are hoarse. Children need the oral practice, not you. Listen and do not over-correct the children’s mistake in spontaneous talk. Make mental note of the most glaring errors and provide for practice on the correct from later on.

3. Be sure that all pupils get a chance to participate spread your questions every and allow different groups to perform a dialogue for oral practice. Do not allow the aggressive pupils to monopolize class time to the inclusion of the more timid ones.

4. Remember that the attention of eight-year old is limited. Provide a variety of activities to hold class interest. Use rest exercises such as finger plays, have a repertoire of action songs and rhymes. Employ group activities when possible. Integrate related communication skill in each lesson.

5. Integrate related communication Skills in such lesson.

If you choose your subjects carefully, you will be able to develop the four communication skill. Listening, speaking, reading and writing in an 80 minute lesson. For instance in teaching plural you can have auditory discrimination as a listening exercise during which the children will be able to distinguish the final /s/ and /z/ sounds in such pairs as ice/aye/ and eyes /piece/piys/peas/piyz/ the pupils produce this sound as they repeat some sentences or lines in dialogue using the words, as a resourceful teacher, you can then look for a reading selection containing plural words with /s/ and /z/ endings.

     It is not always possible to integrate all four skills in one lesson. But you can always manage to include two or more related skills.

6. Introduce one structure at a time.

    Mastering a language is like building a wall of brick one at a time, each built on the others. This is also the principle behind mastery learning. If you want to tackle one problem at a time. You may introduce the new structure with old vocabulary, and as the children gain control of the structure, you can introduce new words. Most teachers like dialogue as a means of introducing structure, sound and vocabulary. For them the repetition of the lines becomes meaningful.

7. Have plenty of meaningful oral practice on the structure being learned.

               Practice involved repetition, but repetition must be done with interest and enthusiasm. If the  

          language practice is in the form of a game, a short dialogue exchange, riddles etc., the children will  

          practice the structures. Use pictures, cut-outs, tapes and like. Avoid extended practice. Remember        

          that children’s attention span is short

8. Train the children to ask questions in English. Give the children plenty of practice in asking questions by letting them ask each other’s questions. Much classrooms time is spent in question and answer practice.

9. Prepare for your class

     When you write a lesson plan, do you imagine how the entire lesson plan would go in your class? Do you budget time so that you know more or less, how long each activity will take? Do you know the sequence of the activity?  The pre assessment questions you are going to ask.

10. Have Fun

                Laughter is a great aid in relaxing tension and listening the fatigue which builds up during an  

                hour of concentrated language study, a humorous lively song, a funny picture can break  

                monotony. You’re English class it an enjoyable experience for yourself and the children.

 

By: Ms. Mei Ann B. Suarez | T-I | Sta. Rita Elem. School | Sta. Rita, Olongapo City