What Is Communicative Language

  So what we're going to do is to run through a series of methodologies that were created mainly in the 1900s that adopted the idea that language learning should be much more communicative, much more natural. The first one is called audiolingualism and it's also called the army method because of where it was developed. Basically, psychology, during the 1950s and 60s, was building up new theories about behaviorism. Perhaps the most famous experiments that were done in this particular area were by Pavlov, where he was showing that most animals undergo a stimulus response mechanism and he had a series of famous experiments, where by ringing a bell, he could cause a dog to salivate, that would be his response, in the expectation of getting some food. This behaviorist idea of stimulus...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Mauritius? Are you interested in teaching English in Port Louis, Mauritius? Check out our opportunities in Port Louis, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! Unit 12 was about the two productive skills: speaking and writing. Basically, speaking and writing have the same purpose, that is to communicate. Some of the reasons why people communicate...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Iran? Are you interested in teaching English in Khoy, Iran? Check out our opportunities in Khoy, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! There are four language domains which include productive skills and receptive skills. Speaking and writing are the domains that focus on being able to communicate with words (speaking) and being able to write...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Russia? Are you interested in teaching English in Kemerovo, Russia? Check out our opportunities in Kemerovo, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! This unit discussed the different methods used to teach English. There are a variety of methods, such as grammar-translation, audio-lingualism, presentation/practice/and production, task- based...  [Read more]

In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), grammar plays a crucial role in language acquisition. A strong understanding of grammar rules is essential for learners to communicate effectively in English. Without a solid foundation in grammar, students may struggle to convey their thoughts accurately or comprehend the meaning of what others are saying. Therefore, teachers in a TESOL setting must prioritize grammar instruction to help students develop their language skills comprehensively. When it comes to teaching grammar in a TESOL setting, there are several effective strategies that educators can employ to facilitate learning. One approach is to provide contextualized examples that demonstrate how grammar rules are used in real-life situations. By connecting...  [Read more]

In a TEFL classroom, creating opportunities for language practice and reinforcement is essential for students to develop their language skills effectively. Language practice helps students to apply what they have learned in a meaningful context, reinforcing their understanding and retention of the language. It also provides students with the opportunity to improve their fluency, accuracy, and confidence in using the language. By engaging in regular language practice activities, students can progress from basic language skills to more advanced levels, ultimately becoming proficient and confident language users. One of the best ways to create opportunities for language practice and reinforcement in a TEFL classroom is by incorporating communicative activities. Communicative activities are...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word catastrophic. This word is used as an adjective and means extremely tragic or horrendous. Some synonyms for catastrophic include tragic and disastrous. The word comes from the Greek word katastroph?, meaning to overturn. 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. I have learned the various methods of teaching, which I feel can all be beneficial in the TEFL classroo. Among all of the methods I...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Brazil? Are you interested in teaching English in Itapevi, Brazil? Check out our opportunities in Itapevi, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! This unit presents the theories, methods, and techniques of teaching. In the beginning, we learn about nine methodologies; grammar - translation, audio - lingualism, PPP, task-based learning,...  [Read more]

When teaching English to students with limited access to technology in TESOL classes, it is essential to incorporate multisensory activities. These activities engage multiple senses, making learning more interactive and effective. For example, using flashcards with pictures and words allows students to see and hear the vocabulary, reinforcing their learning. Incorporating movement into lessons, such as acting out verbs or playing language games, can also help students better retain information. By appealing to different learning styles, multisensory activities cater to diverse student needs and enhance language acquisition. In TESOL classes where technology is limited, visual aids and realia play a crucial role in facilitating language learning. Visual aids, such as posters, charts, and...  [Read more]

  There are some other classroom management issues that we need to consider and they may include issues such as writing on the board, giving students individual attention, the use of teacher talk time, the way in which we should give instructions to our students, the building and maintaining of rapport with our students, and finally the one that perhaps most new teachers particularly spend a lot of time worrying and thinking about, is the issue of classroom discipline. So what we'd like to do is to take each of these in turn and look at some of the major issues surrounding these classroom management issues. 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...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Nigeria? Are you interested in teaching English in Ilesa, Nigeria? Check out our opportunities in Ilesa, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! This unit covers teaching methodologies. There are many different approaches and methodologies that have been used throughout history to teach languages. The oldest is the Classical way or...  [Read more]

  The simple answer is no, you do not need to have any knowledge or experience of languages other than English to take a TEFL course or to become an EFL teacher. The ability to speak other languages is not required as the vast majority of TEFL classrooms around the world rely on the communicative approach to English teaching that specifies that English is the only language used in the classroom. In multilingual classrooms where the students could have a dozen or more different first languages, being able to communicate in one or two of them would obviously be of no particular advantage. In monolingual classrooms you may also find that students are more inclined to revert to their mother tongue during the lesson if they are aware that the teacher can understand what is being said....  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in New Zealand? Are you interested in teaching English in Wellington, New Zealand? Check out our opportunities in Wellington, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT! Unit 20 is about troubleshooting, and deals with common problem situations in the classroom. It begins by stating that there are two kinds of group categories: new groups and existing...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word sprachgefühl. This word refers to a person's intuitive ability to produce language in a natural way. Sprachgefühl is one of many Gernan words that found their way into the English language at the end of the 19th century. The word is a combination of sprache (language, speech) and gefühl (feeling). 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. Through the course I have learned that teaching goes...  [Read more]

When designing a curriculum for a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course, it is crucial to understand the needs, goals, and backgrounds of the learners. This involves conducting a thorough needs analysis to determine the learners' proficiency levels, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and specific language goals. By understanding these factors, curriculum designers can tailor the course content to meet the unique needs of the learners, making the learning experience more relevant and engaging. Clear and measurable learning objectives are essential for guiding the design of a TEFL curriculum. Learning objectives outline what students are expected to know, understand, and be able to do by the end of the course. These objectives should be specific, achievable, and aligned...  [Read more]

The bottom line is that it is not necessary to have knowledge of any language other than English when taking a TESOL course or when teaching English abroad. In the modern age, the majority of English classes around the world are based on the communicative approach to English teaching that simply means that English is the only language used in the classroom by the teacher and the students. You may find yourself in a situation where you have a multilingual classroom that contains speakers of a dozen or more different languages. In these scenarios being able to speak one or two of them would be unlikely to help anyone. In contrast, teachers in monolingual classrooms often find that their students are more likely to revert to their common language during a lesson if they know that the...  [Read more]

--- TESOL teachers play a crucial role in modeling effective communication skills for their students. By demonstrating clear pronunciation, proper grammar usage, and effective speaking and listening strategies, teachers provide students with real-life examples of how to communicate effectively in the target language. This modeling helps students improve their own language skills and gain confidence in using the language in various contexts. In addition to modeling effective communication skills, TESOL teachers incorporate language use in their instruction to provide students with opportunities to practice and apply what they have learned. This can include engaging students in meaningful conversations, discussions, role-plays, debates, and presentations that require them to use the language...  [Read more]

To create engaging lesson plans for your TESOL classes, it is crucial to first understand your students' needs, interests, and language proficiency levels. Conducting needs assessments and language assessments can provide valuable insights into what your students require to progress. Based on this information, set clear and achievable learning objectives for each lesson. Learning objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By aligning your lesson content with the students' needs and setting clear objectives, you can ensure that your lessons are engaging and purposeful. Variety is key to keeping students engaged and motivated in TESOL classes. Incorporate a mix of activities such as pair work, group discussions, role plays, games, and multimedia...  [Read more]

In the world of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching, lesson planning is a crucial aspect that can make or break a successful learning experience for students. Effective lesson planning not only ensures that the content is relevant and engaging but also helps teachers stay organized and focused. Here, we will explore some innovative and practical techniques for creating ESL lesson plans that will captivate students and enhance their language acquisition. Before diving into the lesson planning process, it is essential to understand the unique needs and goals of your students. Whether they are beginners, intermediate, or advanced learners, knowing their proficiency level, interests, and learning styles will guide you in designing lessons that are tailored to their specific...  [Read more]

  The three words lightening, lightning and lighting are easily confused by English learners and even native speakers. Let's take a look at the differences. Lightening is the present participle of the verb to lighten describing the action of making something less heavy. A good example would be "I was lightening the load on my horse because it was exhausted." Lightning refers to a streak of static electricity through the sky usually accompanied by thunder, as here "I was struck by lightning while playing golf in a storm." Lighting is the arrangement of light especially in photography. A suitable example for this would be "The photo was dull because the lighting wasn't good enough". Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL...  [Read more]