Mistakes ESL teachers make

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Three Mistakes Foreign Language Teachers Make That Cause Learners to Fail

Larry Lynch explores three areas of teaching practice which, he argues, are essential if students are to succeed.

Are you guilty of any of these erroneous practices in ELT or language teaching? Any one of them can easily derail the students' efforts in language acquisition and learning or cause them grave problems. So, review these areas, make any needed adjustments to your teaching practice. Don't you be a stumbling block to your learners' progress.

1. Don't adapt materials to the learning style and characteristics of the students.

Unfortunately, the learning style most reflected in the classroom is that of the teacher. It is paramount that concepts and material be presented in a way most suitable for the learners. Jack C. Richards, principal author of the widely popular Interchange textbook series said, "Student learning styles may be an important factor in the success of teaching and may not necessarily reflect those that teachers recommend." Why? Because teachers use their own preferences in the class room, not necessarily those of the students. Do an analysis of your class group’s learning characteristics, then apply the results to your teaching.

2. Follow the course book.

A course book is usually not intended to be a "bible", but all too often teachers follow it "religiously". They do nothing else, nor include outside materials in their teaching. If you read the teacher's notes that typically accompany an English or language text, you'll most likely note that the course book is intended to be a guide for teaching with supplementary materials widely used to expand, deepen or reinforce presented materials and themes. Use the course book sequence as a guide. Freely supplement its exercises and course materials with your own creations or at the very least with materials adapted from other sources. As mentioned in point number one, plan your lessons and materials to meet the needs, learning styles and characteristics of your learners.

3. Don't encourage and promote language practice outside the classroom.

With an alarming number of schools and institutes decreasing student to teacher classroom contact hours per week it is essential for learners to receive additional practice and input. There are requirements of as little as four hours per week or even less in many publicly or government-funded educational centers. Can a student really learn a language in only 45 hours? Or put it this way, is it reasonable to expect mastery of any sort in a language after six or seven days in a foreign country where that language is spoken? Spread that contact intensity over a six-month period; does that make language learning and acquisition better or worse? Now, throw in the learners using their first language half of each day of language learning and you have a situation degraded to a nearly impossible state.



Finally, factor in class and semester breaks of several weeks per year and it's certainly no wonder Jorge, Chen Shen or Efrosini can't hold even a basic conversation after studying English (or another foreign language) under these conditions for two, three or even more years. Encouragement and promotion of foreign language practice outside the class room is absolutely vital to the success of the learners.

So again, don't you be a stumbling block to your learners' progress. If you are guilty of any of these erroneous practices in ELT or language teaching, make any needed adjustments to your teaching practice ASAP. Then watch your learners grow, improve and practice their new language like never before. Please feel free to contact me with your questions, comments or requests.

Prof. Larry M Lynch is an expert author and photographer offering Web Content Writing Services for top-quality articles on: Education, Language learning, Salt and Fresh water fishing, exotic foods, South American travel and culture, Ethnic issues – Blacks, Latinos, Indian native tribes, Health, Internet business resources and more... His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News, Brazil magazine and hundreds of sites online. For free sample articles and available web content email: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

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comments

"Spot on, mate! A timely article - just for me! Thank you."
Bruce

"Another factor to take into account is the number of SS in the classroom. It's not easy organizing a stand-up oral activity in a class of 30 kids. Thanks for the advice."
Kieran

"Many teachers don't do that. They follow the books, do every single task in it, have boring lessons. Classroom has to be a safe place, fun for students, they then come there eager to see something new first, then eager to learn & to produce. Some of my students attend private schools additionally, we create projects including e-mail exchanges with their English speaking peers, they go to other countries & of course practise the language every possible time. I always make them search the web for additional materials & a discussion follows after that. Four days a week are not enough time to practise English of course. (Secondary School - Bulgaria, Vratsa)."
Mariyana

"What do you think of students who depend completely on their teacher and don't want to work but listen to the teacher and wait for him or her to do every thing for them even exercises? What learning style are they? Thanks."
Ahmed

"This article was quite good for foreign teachers that teach English. My students love games when I use them in class, but I have limited resources I wish I could have more game resources to share with them. Where can I get them? Regarding the course book I use it a lot, and also, I would like to get additional material, but where? I promote the use of English outside the classroom, but my colleagues don't like the idea and my students told me "We are not in class now", but I keep speaking and trying to convince others of the importance of using English all time they talk to me. Thanks for the tips they were great for me."
Olga

"Some of us newbees need a roadmap. If these are the "no-nos" then could Prof. Lynch spell out and write an article about what a proactive approach to a 20 hour work week might look like, especially around what a foreign teacher can arrange for outside school hour teaching. Perhaps he could add, for me, what one organises for a successful English Corner program. Not many students turn up to mine so I guess I'm doing something wrong. Thanks."
Rosalind

"I believe this is something any dedicated teacher learns through experience. However, the article is very good for teachers with no or little experience to learn from the mistakes of others and not one's own."
Natasha

"The school where I used to work organised a conversation club, which was 'chaired' by a teacher (paid!), but took place outside the school - usually in a cafe or a bar after the school day had finished. There were core regulars who attended and they encouraged other students to go along. In this environment, students felt much more free to express themselves as they did not feel they were being assessed. Some just went along to 'listen' but eventually joined in. This could be done whatever country you are in."
Cathleen

"Not guilty, I get so bored using the same material teaching that I am constantly buying new materials, cutting articles out of newspapers and downloading the lyrics to songs.

Try using 'Fairytale of New York' by the Pogues for teaching slang and insults to a good intermediate adult class. It goes down very well at the end of a long, hard week of study. David Bowie's version of 'Amsterdam' gets French speaking students going and they all know the French lyrics. I could go on and on..."
Phil

"I do feel that you are touching on the basics and that most teachers, caring teachers, know this already. However, there are many teachers who are overworked, underpaid and without sufficient resources or support to take this advice seriously. Will the professor please enter the real world! And as somebody else mentioned, what about the attitude of the lazy student who wants everything both on a plate and eaten for him/her. Please keep up the discourse, it's both interesting and funny, in a sad sort of way."
John

"Are there really teachers who still make these mistakes? Come on... we live in such a modern age, full of technology, it's so easy to find great material over the internet and make your class fun and pleasant! Go for it!"
Dreca

"Bores, I'd say :))"
Kuplungmaster in reply to Ahmed

"Do you want your students to get a taste of the language right away? Try this: -ing forms (with usual "to be" stuff) + simple modals. Then you move on with the rest... 90 hrs minimum. And, of course, forget the course book."
Kuplungmaster

"What I see nowadays is: teachers not interested in teaching and students not interested in the learning process. I've been teaching for some years and what I hear from my students is that they are interested in showing their parents what grade they get. I also see my colleagues not interested in changing anything, but follow the methodology the book offers. They go straight from beginning to the end of the book. I go the other way: offer students a great variety of resources: internet texts, games, thematic class(ex. today we are going to pretend we are in a supermarket. I would say it is an exhausting process, but rewarding as well."
Marica

"I think that the first two mistakes are not happening in my school now because I am working in an independent school and we have the right as teachers to develop and adapt materials to the learning style and characteristics of our students, and this leads to not following a specific course book. But concerning the third mistake, I admit it, yes, we don't encourage and promote language practice outside the classroom, but after reading the article I will work on that. Thanks."
Rasha

"This article is an oasis for me as I struggle to teach English in the Caribbean, where students come to the classroom with Creole English as their first language."
Abiola Jack-Montfort

"Teachers who are guilty of following the textbook so strictly can simply be described as lazy. Not only does it bore the students but eventually bores the teacher to death too! With the material being presented in the same old format in each level, students know what is coming next and how it'll be taught... they may as well take the textbook home and do it on their own! Put yourself in THEIR shoes, would YOU like to be taught another language in the same way you are teaching them? Could you trudge through a Spanish textbook day in day out hoping that you won't get bored? Think about your students for once as it may change the way you teach!"
Claire

"NOT GUILTY! Life is boring without changes so why not change the way we teach and forget about rules for a while! There are 3 ways to do things: do the right thing, do the wrong thing and MINE!!"
Mariana

"I think that this is a very interesting article. Although I have done the ACELS course in Ireland for graduates, I have never actually used my Diploma and have never taught, outside of the three weeks training which I did. I did find that the teachers there were very insistent on using the course materials all of the time, sticking to the format of the text books, and half of the time I could not really follow these very boring formatted texts. If I ever teach I will do my own thing."
Beatrice

"Whilst I agree with the basic criticisms of the 'textbook' approach in the article, I find it astounding that many/any EFL teachers still adopt it. It is indeed the epitome of laziness, and those that do it should consider a career change. I have never used a text book universally, and nor do I feel the need to. As others have said: the internet is there to be exploited, and if a teacher cannot compile enough interesting material themselves, again a trip to the 'Jobcentre' is in order. In their defence, I would suggest that the approach of CELTA training hardly prepares new teachers to be independent in their thinking where this is concerned. Schools' managements would also benefit from an attitude adjustment."
Andy

"I really can't believe any EFL teachers do the things covered in the article. Surely every teacher adapts everything to suit his/her students, either from the point of view of level or from the point of view of subject or needs.

As for course books, I would have thought that even in schools which produce their own material and train teachers to use that material as 'THE course', teachers would see if students have grasped a concept or not and would then try other material. Is this not a part of basic assessment?

Don't all EFL teachers encourage students to think in English all the time at work, whilst shopping, even at home?"
Danny

"Well-explained but it is not a matter of the teacher to decide in many countries (e.g Saudi Arabia) where teachers are not free to reorganize suggested plans in the teacher manual."
Mohialamir

"Re. learning styles of the students - while it is important to take them into consideration, let's not forget learner training should also be part of effective language teaching. I mean it's also a teacher's responsibility to lead the students to a better way of learning a language. For example, the first thing many students do when reading an English article would be checking every unknown word in a dictionary - that's their learning style. But shouldn't the teacher guide them to becoming a more efficient reader by following a different routine? For another example, many students learn vocabulary by copying them in a notebook with translations in their language. Again, that's their learning style. But shouldn't the teacher introduce better ways of learning vocab, e.g. using context, collocation, etc?"
Lydia

"Yeah, it's hard to believe that some teachers don't do this, but (sadly!) it's true. Some of them just don't bother - it takes time, creativity, you might lose control during the lesson... so... what's the point? I do believe that learning a language should be fun - not all the time, but most of it... So we need to adapt a lot - especially if we teach teenagers, because they are really choosey and don't like so many things... which makes our job more difficult... but challenging and interesting at the same time. So get rid of all the boring stuff in the coursebooks - use your own thing, be creative and take chances - you'll see that it's worth it! And your students would be way happier for sure! :))"
Angie

"I think those ideas are very good. In fact, I will try one and I would like to make a suggestion about the other. I prefer designing my own activities outside the course book but which relate to it. I find that my students are very interested in them. I suggest giving the students a certain situation and asking them to record a dialogue with their friend at home and then we listen to it in the following period."
Moustafa

"I really appreciate all of those words Mr Lynch. You have said just what I need. But, I'd like to know more sources of teaching English materials especially games because my students love them. They're very active students, they learn and enjoy the class by doing things."
Ivanna

"This was a useful article, and something I am only too aware of. As a totally new teacher, I'm building up my own resources from scratch, which is quite a hit-and-miss affair. It is also incredibly time-consuming, especially under the daily pressure of planning lessons. My students are my 'guinea-pigs', and it's a very sharp learning curve discovering what they enjoy and what they don't! I've suggested a 'conversation club' in my college; the students are keen, but of course there is no funding for this, so if I do it, it will be in my own time, and unpaid.

I was very interested in what Phil wrote about using song lyrics. I would love to do this, but can't find anything suitable for Elementary (Entry 2) students. (I'm obviously looking in the wrong places). Phil, you said you could 'go on and on' - any suggestions for lower level students, that they have some hope of understanding??"
Diana

"I always prefer providing my students with a variety of activities. I never become the slave of prescribed books. But what shall be done with the management who constantly asks for the book to be finished?"
Wasim

"Dear Mr. Larry M Lynch,
I'd like to thank you for being so helpful to English Language Teachers. I am sure that the mistakes you have mentioned must have been realized by the teachers and hope that they would avoid them in the future. This will certainly help English Teachers improve their teaching skills and the students will also benefit. Keep pointing out such mistakes please. Thank you"
Ahmer

"It's really helpful."
Ashraf

"These types of articles keep teachers judging themselves and keep them on track. Great Work."
Fahreen

"Unfortunately I have come across a few examples of people teaching who don't do anything but follow the book. Part of it is lack of any kind of TEFL training - I think even the most basic course should encourage thinking outside of the text book box. But, also there are a number of schools that just do not encourage independent teacher input. The teacher is not needed to prepare anything as it is done for them - they are just told before class which pages they are expected to work from. The one person I knew that preferred that kind of structure as they liked the "security" that it gave them. Obviously this kind of school and teaching style isn't for everyone and personally it is absolutely not for me. My very first TEFL teaching job I was thrown right in at the deep end and given free range to do whatever I wanted and needed with my class. I learned quickly and now that I've had that freedom to lesson plan, I could never be restricted to following a book exclusively.

I do think it's absolutely important and relevant to keep reminding ourselves of what we do, how we do it etc.. even if it does seem old news to some people. Once a teacher stops learning and trying to improve with new ideas or getting rid of bad habits, they stop being an effective teacher."
Jennifer

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