Idea — Correct mid-fluency task: you interrupt flow and discourage risk-taking. Correct after the task: you address language without breaking communication. Immediate correction suits accuracy stages; delayed suits fluency stages. Example — During a role…
Idea — While learners speak, circulate quietly — close enough to hear, far enough not to interrupt. Note good language and errors for feedback. Don’t hover over one pair; move to give every group equal…
Idea — Discussions are less structured than debates but need the same scaffolding: a clear topic, opinion vocabulary pre-taught, and a task that requires interaction — not just turn-taking. The goal is genuine exchange. Example…
Idea — An information gap exists when two learners have different pieces of information and must communicate to complete a task. It creates genuine communicative purpose — learners need each other, not just a language…
Idea — A role play gives learners a situation, a role, and a communicative aim. Setting it up takes longer than running it. Clear instructions (who, where, what you want) and a brief preparation time…
Idea — Pairwork and groupwork multiply speaking time. In a class of 20, teacher-led speaking means each learner speaks for under two minutes per hour. In pairs, every learner speaks simultaneously. STT rises; TTT falls.…
Idea — A drill is a short, focused repetition practice used to establish pronunciation, form, or chunks in learners’ mouths. Choral drill first (whole class together), then individual. Keep it brisk; pace replaces boredom. Example…
Idea — Controlled practice limits what learners can say — substitution tables, gap-fills spoken aloud, sentence prompts — to build accuracy. Free practice removes those constraints. Both are necessary. Neither alone is sufficient. Example —…
Idea — Accuracy means producing language correctly; fluency means producing it smoothly, without unnatural pause. Most learners have more of one than the other. Good lessons develop both, but not at the same moment. Example…
Idea — Productive skills are speaking and writing — skills where meaning flows out. Learners encode messages in real time (speaking) or across drafts (writing). Both require control of accuracy and fluency. Example — Answering…