What you will learn

Clarifying language and how to check understanding can be one of the greatest challenges for both novice and experienced teachers. This session will demonstrate some ways of clarifying meaning from meaning to form and look at a variety of ways of checking understanding. We will highlight what issues there may be with some of the methods and what to avoid. It is hoped that participants will share what they do in the classroom and which methods they found more useful. Given that things are changing in teaching languages, we will look at how to teach grammar or lexis as part of a prescribed language focus as well as dealing with it as emerging language.

About the trainer

Marie Pettigrew – Teacher Trainer, Assessor, Consultant (EFL and CELTA) & Freelance Teacher.

Marie Pettigrew embarked on her teaching journey in Hastings, where she pursued CELTA and DTefla under the guidance of Adrian Underhill, who served as the Head of Training. Over the course of her career, Marie has contributed her expertise in teaching and teacher training across diverse locations. Marie pioneered the introduction of the online CELTA, making their centre the first in the UK to offer the course outside of London.

Workshop Summary

Historical Approaches to Language Learning

Language teaching has evolved significantly, starting with Skinner’s behavioural approach, which emphasised repetition to develop good habits. John Dewey’s 1940s experiential learning advocated for learning by doing, an idea furthered by Paul Asher’s Total Physical Response, where students mimic teacher actions. Jane Willis introduced task-based learning, another form of experiential learning through specific tasks. Steven Krashen highlighted the importance of comprehensible input, ensuring clear language presentation for effective learning. More recently, Scott Thornberry and Luke Meddings’ Dogme approach suggested moving away from textbooks towards student-led discussions, supporting emergent language learning, where students learn language as needed.

Traditional vs. Emergent Language Teaching

Traditional language teaching involves planned lessons with set aims, often using coursebooks to build grammar and vocabulary incrementally. This approach benefits novice teachers by providing a structured framework. In contrast, the Dogme approach is unplanned and arises from classroom discussions, making lessons more student-centred and addressing language needs as they emerge. Both methods have their advantages, with the traditional approach offering structure and the Dogme approach fostering spontaneity and student engagement.

Effective Techniques for Clarifying Meaning

Clarifying meaning in language teaching involves various techniques. Contextualising language is crucial, as it aids in understanding. Tools like flashcards are effective for beginners, while contextual sentences help in teaching specific vocabulary. Board drawings and timelines assist in explaining grammatical forms, and using realia, such as actual herbs or spices, engages multiple senses, making learning more memorable. Clines, or continuum lines, help in teaching degrees of concepts like certainty or formality. Total Physical Response (TPR), linking physical actions with speech, is particularly effective for young learners.

The Role of Concept Checking Questions (CCQs)

Concept checking questions (CCQs) are vital for verifying student understanding. Effective CCQs focus on the essential elements of meaning within a context. For instance, after teaching a new word, teachers should ask specific questions that require students to demonstrate their understanding. Visual aids, such as pictures or flashcards, and non-verbal methods like mime can also reinforce learning. Using antonyms and synonyms aids vocabulary development, and extending sentences can test comprehension.

Error Correction and Feedback

Error correction varies depending on the focus of the lesson. Immediate correction is necessary for accuracy-focused activities, using techniques like explicit reformulation, recasting, or metalinguistic feedback. Encouraging self-correction helps students actively learn and internalise correct forms. Combining immediate and delayed correction is effective in communicative tasks, allowing for uninterrupted discussion and subsequent feedback on areas for improvement. This balanced approach ensures continuous learning without disrupting the flow of conversation.

Resources and Simplification in Teaching

Several resources can aid language teaching, including Herbert Puchta’s TPR video, Michael Lewis’s lexical approach, and Jeremy Harmer’s “How to Teach Vocabulary.” Ruth Gairns and Stuart Redman’s “Concept Questions and Timelines” is particularly useful for novice teachers. Keeping teaching concepts simple is crucial for effective language instruction, ensuring that students not only acquire new language but also understand and retain it comprehensively.

Reflective Questions

Have a quick think about the reflective questions below in order to get the most out of the workshop:

1. Does your teaching context limit what ways you can contextualise language? How?
2. Which, if any, of the methods shown do you employ? Which do you find most successful?
3. Why is it generally unhelpful to use the target language, ie the language you are teaching, in check questions?
4. How do you use ICT to support language teaching?
5. What games do you play to practise and reinforce the new language?

Recommended Further Reading

• Lewis, M. (1997) Implementing the Lexical Approach. London: Language Teaching Publications.
• Thornbury, S. (2002) How to Teach Vocabulary. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, p. 81.
• Concept checking and timelines:
• Concept Checking Questions (CCQs). Available at: https://www.englishbookcpd.co.uk/copy-of-how-to-teach-grammar.
• Lexicallab (2017) On the over-use of concept-checking questions: part 1. Available at: https://www.lexicallab.com/2017/10/on-the-over-use-of-concept-checking-questions-part-1/
• Clockify (n.d.) Time Perception: Why time flies and how to slow it down. Available at: https://clockify.me/blog/managing-time/time-perception/#:~:text=This%20is%20referred%20to%20as,present%2C%20or%20future%2Doriented
• British Council, 2021. TEFL Teaching – Total Physical Response (TPR). [Video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9omNHxf2pKA.