Idea — Listening for specific information mimics real-life listening: train announcements, order confirmations, phone calls. The listener needs one piece of information and ignores the rest. Example — ‘What is the departure platform?’ — the…
Idea — Listening and reading are called ‘receptive’ — you receive language rather than produce it. But reception is active: predicting, inferring, and selecting are all cognitive work. Example — A learner hears ‘the bank’…
Idea Tasks should move from high support to low support. Controlled practice is about accuracy; free practice is about fluency. The sequence builds learner confidence. Example Gap-fill (controlled) → sentence completion with own words (semi-controlled)…
Idea Task-Based Learning plans lead with a communicative task; language work comes after. The task creates a felt need for the language. Example Learners plan a class trip together (task), then examine the language they…
Idea Test → Teach → Test plans diagnose what learners already know before committing teaching time. The first ‘test’ is a diagnostic task, not an assessment. Example Set a short writing task using conditionals. Note…
Idea Before teaching, predict where learners will struggle with the target language: meaning confusion, form errors, or pronunciation difficulty. Example For ‘used to’: learners may confuse it with ‘be used to doing’. Anticipate this and…
Idea Shared laughter builds rapport and lowers the affective filter. The target is inclusive humour — based on ideas, not people. Never at a learner’s expense. Example A playful example sentence (‘My cat is applying…
Idea On-the-spot correction interrupts fluency tasks — use it sparingly. Delayed correction preserves flow and lets you address the most important patterns. Example During a role play, note errors on your notepad. Afterwards: ‘I heard…
Idea Whole-class feedback after a task has two parts: content feedback (did they complete the task?) and language feedback (how did they say it?). Do content first. Example ‘What did your partner recommend?’ (content) —…
Idea Monitoring is purposeful observation: you are listening for content (task completion) and language (for feedback). It is not tidying the desk or waiting. Example Carry a notepad. Note two or three language points you…