Esl Classroom

In a traditional English language classroom the student’s curriculum focuses on grammar, reading, vocabulary and rigid repetitive drills. The majority of students I have spoken with find this method to be very dull and boring. If students are not interested in the subject being taught they will lack attention and motivation to learn the language. Language is used primarily to communicate with other people. What is the best method to learn a language' Throughout history people have played games to socialize and interact with each other. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that playing games in a language classroom can only be beneficial.What does a game consist of' I think that games involve play, competition, rules, and enjoyment. The Merriam – Webster online dictionary...  [Read more]

In 1904 the French government commissioned psychologist Alfred Binet to find a method to distinguish between children's levels of intelligence. The purpose was to put the 'intellectually inferior' into special schools where they could receive more individual attention1. So begins the journey of testing and analysing scores, consequently giving us an outline or a picture of a person's intelligence. The Intelligent Quotient is a 'score derived from a set of standardised tests' (http://wikipedia.org/). The notion of measuring a person's intelligence, and therefore, a person's potential, may seem limited to some, as it did to Howard Gardner- professor of education at Harvard University. Gardner argues that 'pencil and paper IQ tests do not capture the full range of human intelligences'...  [Read more]

Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences, in which he defines 7 different ways that people are intelligent, has become a driving force in educational theory in the English Speaking world. Personal experience in a Master's Degree in Elementary Education program with the University of Phoenix revealed that virtually every class which contained a lesson planning element required that the various intelligences be addressed in lessons. A Google search on 'ESL and Multiple Intelligences' conducted on June 8, 2006 returned approximately 450,000 internet articles on Multiple Intelligences in teaching English as a Foreign Language alone. The theory is certainly popular, and is used in training teachers and parents alike in educating their children.But does the idea that there are seven kinds of...  [Read more]

Classroom success for teachers and students encompasses classroom management, classroom discipline and seating arrangements; which are all dependent upon seating arrangement styles. In order to determine which seating arrangement style (SAS) is best for a class one must look at the reasons or the importance of a particular SAS.SAS are important for classroom control and management, student security, student interaction and socialization, ease of teaching, special needs of students such as seeing or hearing, and are a good way of memorizing students' names in the beginning. There are many factors in determining a SAS.Prior to selecting a specific SAS a teacher must determine how the class will be taught and which subject. Will there be a math class where every student will need to see the...  [Read more]

Students of English as a foreign language can possibly face a multitude of problems, many of which will be of the same nature for all nationalities. However, different countries will each throw up their own set of specific problems for learners. Having taught all ages/ class sizes and for all purposes in Korea, I have noticed and begun the process of resolving at least, several country specific problems. In Korea, as indeed with many Asian countries, the primary problem arises with beginner learners, of a different alphabet. Learning English must begin first with letter recognition which is entirely different from that of their own language. Although many sounds are similar, the English alphabet does introduce a number of letters unheard of in the Korean alphabet. As will be discussed...  [Read more]

The use of songs in the ESL classroom can be a fun and innovative way of covering a range of English language topics. Songs can be used for vocabulary, grammar, dictation, pronunciation (stress and intonation), phonetics, speaking, writing, listening, integrative skills, and many other ESL points. Furthermore, songs can invite the non-native speaker into the English speaking culture. For instance, pop music gives the learner a taste of what is trendy at the moment. Meanwhile, the lyrics to classic rock songs can give a sense of history and the attitude of the country at the time of recording (for example, 'Give Peace a Chance,' John Lennon, 1969). Additionally, children's songs are crucially important for the young learner as they are an easy way to encourage memorization and...  [Read more]

In 1904 the French government commissioned psychologist Alfred Binet to find a method to distinguish between children?s levels of intelligence. The purpose was to put the ?intellectually inferior? into special schools where they could receive more individual attention1. So begins the journey of testing and analysing scores, consequently giving us an outline or a picture of a person?s intelligence. The Intelligent Quotient is a ?score derived from a set of standardised tests? (http://wikipedia.org/). The notion of measuring a person?s intelligence, and therefore, a person?s potential, may seem limited to some, as it did to Howard Gardner- professor of education at Harvard University. Gardner argues that ?pencil and paper IQ tests do not capture the full range of human intelligences?...  [Read more]

In a traditional English language classroom the student?s curriculum focuses on grammar, reading, vocabulary and rigid repetitive drills. The majority of students I have spoken with find this method to be very dull and boring. If students are not interested in the subject being taught they will lack attention and motivation to learn the language. Language is used primarily to communicate with other people. What is the best method to learn a language? Throughout history people have played games to socialize and interact with each other. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that playing games in a language classroom can only be beneficial. What does a game consist of? I think that games involve play, competition, rules, and enjoyment. The Merriam ? Webster online dictionary defines a...  [Read more]

According to research conducted by Grant Miller and Tracy Hall, '' classroom order encourages student engagement, which supports learning' (Miller para. 1). In many articles and studies that are readily available, the popular perspective seems to be that classroom order must happen before learning can happen; order must be present for student engagement to be present. It is common to employ traditional classroom management techniques based on the creation of order: threat or promise of reward. Order, it is perceived, creates an environment where students are engaged. Perhaps that idea is slightly backwards. Perhaps it is not order that leads to engagement, but engagement that leads to order. Teaching to multiple intelligences engages more students. More students engaged means increased...  [Read more]

  Here are helpful tips how to identify the various future tenses in the English language and complete worksheets successfully. The video also helps you to structure an effective lesson around the future tenses in an EFL classroom around the world. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. This module covered the materials needed for a course. First it talked about the advantages and disadvantages of authentic and non-authentic materials, then it talked about...  [Read more]

Understanding diversity in the classroom is of high importance for teachers. In society, educational institutions represent a rare opportunity for developing friendly relations among the worlds many ethnic groups. The open exchange in classrooms can contribute to a type of exchange found nowhere else in society. So teachers must not ignore multiethnic relations. The potential challenges a teacher faces for acknowledging the differences in students will be well rewarded if done with respect. Unfortunately, no matter the age or background, ethnicity perceptions are commonly found in individuals. Children are no exception. A study of Dutch and Turkish children conducted in the Netherlands showed that biases about ethnicity are widespread. Boys showed more ethnic bias than girls, but girls...  [Read more]

Seating arrangement is a fundamental component of classroom management. For a seating arrangement to be effective, the classroom must be organized based on what the teacher wishes to accomplish in the lesson. Increased 'on task' behavior is observed when the teacher chooses the appropriate seating arrangement for the lesson (1,2). Three common arrangements, orderly rows, clusters and the semi-circle will be examined in this paper. The positive and negative attributes of each arrangement will briefly be addressed. One seating arrangement will not be determined as superior because the best arrangement is determined by class dynamics and the lesson plan (3).Rows: All desks are aligned single file, one desk in front of the other. This type of arrangement is very traditional and is an excellent...  [Read more]

New technology in the classroom not only provides the teacher with a wealth of supportive tools but also provides interest and variety for the student and makes learning more interesting and relevant to today's society. The World Wide Web has made communication readily available and for the English learner offers a wealth of opportunities to supplement learning, A key asset of new technology in the classroom is the Interactive Whiteboard, a large touch sensitive board, which can be connected to a digital projector and a computer, which displays images from the computer screen onto the board and allows for more varied, creative and seamless use of teaching materials. It provides electronically all the familiar features of a traditional classroom blackboard or roller whiteboard but unlike a...  [Read more]

Seating arrangements in the classroom have a major impact on the outcome of the performance of each individual student. I firmly believe that strategic seating arrangements will increase the performance of almost the entire classroom if done so with careful planning and consideration. In several of the assignments that I have submitted throughout this course, I mention that a classrooms' seating arrangement should be designed around the level of ability of each individual student. At the beginning of every school year I often wait several weeks to actually put the final seating chart into place. I do this on purpose. The method to my madness is to try and see where the students seat themselves within the classroom. In my experience I find that lower level students usually seat themselves...  [Read more]

Songs offer a change from routine classroom activities. They are precious resources to develop students' abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They can also be used to teach a variety of language items such as sentence patterns, vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, adjectives, and adverbs. Learning English through songs also provides a non-threatening atmosphere for students, who usually are tense when speaking English in a formal classroom setting. Songs may both be used for the presentation or the practice phase of the grammar lesson. There are various ways of using songs in the classroom. For primary students, the best songs would be those that are either familiar to the children or those, though maybe not familiar, which have an international nature, such as Old...  [Read more]

There are various classroom seating arrangements a teacher can choose from. The physical structure of the learning environment can have varying implications that encompass learning objectives, desired (or undesired) outcomes and even peer and other social implications. Throughout this article, I will examine the most popular TESOL seating arrangements and attempt to show the social implications it has among students and teachers. Also discussed will be the advantages and disadvantages of respective seating organization. This seating arrangement is known as desk rows or traditional seating (Ramsden). Although it is ideal for classroom management in a regular school setting, for the purposes of language learning, it is less than ideal. For instance, this classroom layout is not conducive...  [Read more]

Songs in the classroom are a wonderful way to learn English but did you also know that it has been proven that they can 'help ['] acquire vocabulary and grammar, improve spelling and develop the linguistic skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening (Jalongo and Bromley, 1984, McCarthey, 1985; Martin, 1983, Mitchell, 1983, Jolly, 1975)'1. The following research assignment will go over different methods that can be used to implement songs when teaching English language. Depending on the age and level of the class songs can be used in a variety of ways. Three age groups will be covered: young children (aged 3-5 without any previous knowledge of English), elementary to early teens (aged 10-14 with basic English grammar knowledge), and adults (intermediate level). These groups were...  [Read more]

In the classroom, as in most areas of life, motivation is essential for a person to succeed. It is important for a teacher to have some understanding of what motivation is and how it will affect each and every student and their learning progress. As Alan Rogers writes, ‘motivation… is as much a matter of concern for the teacher as it is for the learner; it depends as much on the attitudes of the teacher as on the attitudes of the students’ (Rogers 1996: 66) In an attempt to define motivation H. Douglas Brown points out, a cognitive view of motivation includes factors such as the need for exploration, activity, stimulation, new knowledge, and ego enhancement (Brown 2000: 160-166). In layman’s terms there is or has been created a desire to achieve something....  [Read more]

This marks my thirteenth week as a new teacher of sixth and seventh grade students, ages eleven to thirteen. I teach history and my class sizes range from twenty-three to twenty-seven, with a total of one hundred and fifty students throughout the day. As one can imagine, classroom management and discipline are extremely important with groups this size and with children in general. In an effort to improve the effectiveness of my current teaching position and to set the tone for my future ESL/EFL classrooms, I consulted the Phi Delta Kappan, an excellent resource for teachers both beginning their careers and those who are seasoned veterans in the field. Metzger, Margaret (2002). Classroom Management: Learning to Discipline. Phi Delta Kappan 84, 77-84. Metzger is a life-long English teacher...  [Read more]

In the TEFL classroom, it is important to recognize that cultural differences exist both between teacher and students, and between different students in a multilingual classroom. These differences have the potential to create problems, such as misunderstanding or uncomfortable situations. This article will discuss these issues and suggest ways they can be dealt with or prevented. Lisa Delpit discusses challenges of teaching in a multicultural society. Although she is referring to multicultural students in the United States, the issues she discusses are very relevant to teaching English as a foreign language abroad or in an English-speaking country. Some of these issues are: failure to recognize cultural differences and problems that might arise because of these differences, stereotyping,...  [Read more]

The technology Era has transformed the options for teaching in the classroom. Gone are the days when the teacher only had a blackboard and a chalk. If available or possible the possibilities of having a computer in the classroom are infinite. There are many activities and software to aid the students in their challenge of learning a new language. With just a computer, the students can practice the alphabet by looking at the keyboard, see words used when opening a program and interact with them. As Bernie Poole stated in What Every Teacher Should Know about Technology, 'Every teacher should be proficient in the use of productivity tools. Teachers have to process many different types of data. Productivity tools (word processor, spreadsheet) are available on all computers and are the obvious...  [Read more]

I am writing about motivation in the classroom, for the purpose of addressing the problem for teachers and to give some strategies that can be used to assist the teacher to overcome the problems.As a novice teacher I can only imagine the nightmare of having a class room full of unmotivated or demotivated students. This in itself is the motivation for me and why I choose this subject to write about. I believe that if the class is motivated the subject will take care of itself.It is believed by some that the student teacher relationship is that of power and that we should concern ourselves with the fostering of learner motivation, as it is considered to be the most effective and proactive, so to speak, power relationship. Of course levels of motivation will vary from student to student and...  [Read more]

In the classroom, games can be a very useful and valuable resource. A teacher with a good mental list of games can make even the blandest information interesting. Games warm-up a class, rev-up a class, give an opportunity to change the mood of the class, or give the students a good send off so they leave excited about the class (Ruyter, 2000). Games can be used during any part of class, any stage of the learning process, and with any age group or level. Games can be used to get the students interested in a topic, to introduce a topic, to teach a topic (logic games are great for this stage), to review and practice, even to test the students (Myerhoff, 2001;Ruyter,2000)! Games are not limited to vocabulary and spelling. Games can be used during reading, testing (lowers testing anxiety),...  [Read more]

On the subject of new technology in the classroom, I'd like to address a source of materials with which I'm extremely familiar. I spent a number of years selling textbooks to college professors and as a result, was trained on some of the most recent developments in classroom technology. Many of the largest higher educational publishers take great pains to create resources and materials that, they hope, will make their text the most attractive to professors. In recent years the development of the companion website has become almost expected from every major textbook. As I worked my way through this course, I was struck by the similarities between TEFL instruction and the field of developmental English. At Pearson Education, there are a number of developmental texts that include CW's...  [Read more]

The use of music in classrooms today is widespread, but it's educational value is in debate. This article will discuss the importance of music and song when teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). It is my opinion that music is a vital tool that a teacher can utilise to enhance language retention as well as student motivation and enjoyment.Music helps create positive feelings about learning English (Uchida, 2003). Music and song are universal as is the enjoyment of music and students will already be experiencing music in their own culture. Therefore, the introduction of music into the classroom can be a very non-threatening way of creating a comfortable classroom atmosphere, establishing a link between the student's background and the language they are about to learn. Uchida (2003)...  [Read more]

  Throughout section on the teaching of productive skills and the teaching of receptive skills our activate activities will usually involve some form of game and our final consideration here will be the use of games in the classroom. We can start with a definition of what we actually mean by a game and it basically has three components. A game is an activity that has rules it should have for its purpose in the classroom a teaching point and by nature to the fact that it's a game it should also include an element of fun. So that will be our working definition for a game that we're going to use in the classroom. There are many different types of games and they range between the competitive and those will require cooperation and there are all sorts of games that involve both of these...  [Read more]

Classroom management is a teacher’s ability to organize and control a classroom. It is important to establish rapport in the classroom, by establishing this relationship students are more apt to feel like they can trust the teacher. This trust will create a sense of respect in the classroom. Respect between the students and the teacher is a necessary element in the classroom so that students obey rules and regulations of the teacher and/or school. Another aspect to classroom management is keeping students involved and always making them feel like they are part of the class. Interaction with the students is a teacher’s responsibility and a teacher should also be encouraging to the students in all activities. By clearly interacting with the students through eye contact,...  [Read more]

A concern related to student behavior and classroom discipline is the 'Level of Law' that is set in place by the teacher for the class. A level of law represents the working ethical and behavior system in the classroom setting. What level of behavior is permitted in the class' Can students shout, push, criticize other students and act not in accordance with other rules set forth by the school' As teachers are establishing their 'level of law' at the beginning of the school year, they may need to explain on the first day of class, that these rules are not personally directed towards any one particular student, group of students but rather all the students in the class. The teacher may also point out that that the purpose of class rules is to allow for a comfortable learning environment for...  [Read more]

Classroom management requires a positive relationship between the teacher and the student. A teacher, who has a good rapport with their students, will have a better outcome. Respect for each other, will prove positive in both the relationship and study.Obstacles to this rapport may involve the classroom set up, which can create problems, such as with rows. The students, at the back, are disadvantaged. Dr. Scott Mandel Pacoima (Middle school) states ''the further back you go, the more discipline problems there are with visual, oral and physical stimulation from the teacher is increasingly diminished,,,'1.An alternative, he suggests, is to arrange the chairs and tables into a three sided box shape. In this fashion, every student is in the first row and the teacher can freely move around the...  [Read more]

Classroom Management is a vital skill involving various aspects, which are to be judiciously used for effective and successful teaching. The skills will definitely be honed as the teacher gains experience, but there are few guidelines which can be followed, which a teacher can refer to, in dealing with different situations and challenges which the teaching profession is abound with. Body Language is important, and it can be effectively used in any situation irrespective of availability of resources, materials, irrespective of place, the number of students, the age of students and so on.Eye Contact is very effective in maintaining discipline, in holding their attention while teaching, or while addressing someone else, to monitor the whole class, and to ensure participation. But care should...  [Read more]