Idea — Error-coded feedback (WO = word order, T = tense, VF = verb form) returns responsibility for correction to the learner. Research (Ferris) suggests it produces more durable learning than direct correction. Example —…
Idea — Untrained peer editors either praise everything or correct spelling. Trained peer editors follow a checklist: Is the aim clear? Does each paragraph develop one idea? Does the ending follow from the body? Example…
Idea — Cohesion is achieved through reference, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction, and lexical chains — not just “however” and “furthermore.” Over-teaching connectors creates mechanical, unnatural writing. Example — “She bought a coat. It was expensive.” The…
Idea — A paragraph works when its topic sentence signals what follows and every subsequent sentence develops that one idea. Teaching this explicitly reduces the “list of sentences” problem in B1–B2 writing. Example — Topic…
Idea — A model text shows learners what the target genre looks like — its structure, register, and key phrases. Guided writing uses the model as a resource to analyse, not a template to copy.…
Idea — Process writing treats writing as recursive, not linear: planning → drafting → revising → editing. Each stage is teachable, and each improves the final text more than a one-shot task does. Example —…
Idea — Delayed feedback collects learner errors during a fluency task and addresses them immediately after — while the language is still warm. It protects flow and still targets accuracy. Example — Teacher monitors a…
Idea — Immediate correction suits accuracy-focused tasks — drills, written exercises. During fluency tasks, it breaks flow and discourages speaking. Decide the task aim first, then set the correction policy. Example — During a grammar…
Idea — Willis’s TBL cycle: pre-task (introduce topic, activate language) → task (meaning first) → planning and report (prepare to present) → language focus (reflect on what was used). Example — Task: plan a surprise…
Idea — Monologue tasks — timed descriptions, personal narratives, mini-presentations — build fluency and the ability to sustain extended turns. Most classroom speaking is dialogic; monologue needs deliberate practice. Example — “Describe a place you…