Module 1
Activity 1:
Principles of language teaching provide the basis for practices that are effective in classrooms. Principles relate directly to engaging learners in ways that are meaningful, motivating and connecting such that learners themselves become aware of strategic ways to communicate in the target language and to develop confidence and identity as a language user. Teachers have to plan to assist students to develop their communicative competence. Diagnosis, treatment and assessment are cornerstones in methodology of language teaching.
What principles of language teaching are fundamental in your view?
How relevant are principles to individual teachers when the setting for language teaching varies so widely?
What is the impact of a principles approach for teachers who are convinced that their role is to apply a traditional methods of language teaching?
Activity 2:
Qualities of language teaching are evident in learner-centred approaches to teaching. From the 30 characteristics provided in the guide (1.8), discuss one or two that you value. Explain their importance.
Activity 3:
Savignon (2002) attempted to define what abilities communicative competence might encompass with an orientation towards discourse competence and social appropriateness in addtion to fluency. What is the role of the teacher in a communicative approach to second language teaching?
Module2
Activity 1: What have you discovered about the ‘listening’ process?
How significant is listening in developing language comprehension?
Activity 2: How do you develop a learner’s ability to ‘get the gist’ of language input while listening?
Authentic listening for doing – what are the essentials of how to listen for a purpose? Native speakers appear only to listen to those parts of spoken language that require a response