TEFL theory
A look at some of the theoretical and practical issues in English language learning and teaching.
How to Teach Mixed Ability Language Courses
One of the most difficult situations for a language teacher is a group with students of different levels, varying learning ability, or both. How do you design a lesson to meet all the varying needs?
10 Tips for Giving and Checking Instructions in an ESL Classroom
Here are 10 ways to make sure your instructions are as clear and comprehensible as possible in your ESL classes.
Three Mistakes Teachers Make that Cause Learners to Fail
Are you guilty of any of these erroneous practices in ELT or language teaching?
7 Factors Which Affect Language Learners’ Listening Comprehension
These seven factors can directly or indirectly contribute to your learners' listening comprehension skills.
How to Design Language Practice Activities
Language practice activities come in many forms, and their design should take into account learning aims, the most important being language production.
Is Grammar Really Important for a Second Language Learner?
Should students be learning from exclusively grammar courses, communicative courses, or something in between? Is grammar important, and if so, why?
The Silent Period of Second Language Acquisition
There are five stages in the second language acquisition process, and the Silent Period is probably the most misunderstood, ignored or even unknown both by teachers and students.
Should I Only Use English in the EFL Classroom?
Is there a case for using your learners' first language in your ESL classes, as long as this use is strictly controlled?
What is Standard English?
Does anyone actually speak a pure form of their own English anymore? Does it matter? Does it make a difference to how we teach?
Teaching Your ESL Students to Understand Real English
In class, do you slow down your speech and try to articulate a little more precisely than you do when talking to other native speakers?
Grammar Teaching: Implicit or Explicit?
Should we be teaching grammar implicitly, in context and communicatively, or explicitly, with rules-based grammar lessons? Or is a combination of the two the most effective way?
Should TEFL Teachers Be Bilingual?
There are reasons both for and against having bilingual TEFL teachers. Here are some arguments on each side.
