Learn about effective English teaching methods and techniques
BY ADMIN PUBLISHED November 22, 2023, UPDATED November 22, 2023
Every student has his or her own pace of learning. For that reason, it is irrelevant to apply the same methodology for teaching a topic, regardless of the subject. English is an important language to learn besides the mother tongue. Depending on every learner’s environment, learning needs, and objectives, the methods of teaching English vary. It is also important to understand that there is no single way to teach the language. Furthermore, not one teaching method can be considered superior to others.
As parents, you can enrol your children in schools that provide unique techniques of teaching English, if that is one of your concerns. DPSG, located in Dehradun and Delhi NCR, is one of the top schools that offers a great learning environment. This school has a modern learning approach curated to provide class-apart education to its students.
Effective methods of teaching English
The English language is taught in schools from the pre-primary and primary levels. Learning teaching methods are based on and influenced by various assumptions of language learning. There are multiple ways of teaching English. Some of them are listed below:
Lexical approach
A direct method of teaching English is the lexical approach. It is based on computer analysis of the most often-used words. This teaching method revolves around acquiring vocabulary and delivering lexical chunks organised by frequency and usage. In the lexical approach, teachers strongly emphasise authentic resources and actual scenarios for increasingly crucial learning. In this approach, fluency is determined by the capacity to quickly access this inventory rather than a set of creative grammar rules independent storage of isolated words. These play an important role in aiding language creation and are essential for fluency. Furthermore, in this approach, learners can:
- Use whole statements without comprehending their individual parts.
- Lexical phrases are understood as unexplored wholes or pieces.
Total physical response
TPR, or total physical response, is a learning-by-doing approach. For instance, a beginner will learn English through a series of exercises like “open your book”, “stand up”, and “close the door”. In TPR, the most important ability has to be auditory perception, and everything else will be normal. Most of the class time in total physical response courses is spent on drills in which the instructor issues commands in the imperative mood. Students physically respond to these directives. Initially, students learn the meaning of the directives they hear through direct observation. After students have acquired the meanings of the terms in these instructions, the teacher gives them a command that combines innovative combinations they have learned.
Grammar & translation method
The grammar-oriented method of teaching English in primary classes is highly interpretable. It is a traditional or old-fashioned technique of learning the English language. The basic idea behind this method is that students become more acquainted with all the grammatical rules to effortlessly interpret varied sentences. Furthermore, it prevents learners from thinking directly in the target language. As a result, it makes it difficult to establish a straight relationship between ideas and expressions. The grammar and translation method thus does not strengthen student’s communication competence in the language but rather focuses on developing excellent language writing abilities.
Grammar-translation lessons are often taught in the native language of students. Instructors teach grammatical rules analytically, enabling students to mechanically acquire grammar principles and practice them by undertaking exercises on grammar and translating phrases to and from the target language. Students tend to concentrate on making sentences that are being translated rather than on their content. Students at higher levels of competence may translate whole books from the source language. Classical literature is frequently translated into tests.
Also Read: Role of Leadership in students' life in school
Communicative language learning technique
The idea behind this technique is to help students communicate more effectively in a realistic environment. As a result, this training focuses on critical skills like recommending, thanking, inviting, seeking directions and complaining, to name a few. Simulation, language exercises, role play, pair work, discussion, group work and information gap are some learning and teaching approaches that may be used in communicative language teaching classes. All of these strategies can help learners participate in the communication process.
This teaching method focuses on showing students how to communicate effectively and confidently in real-world situations with native speakers of the language they want to learn. With the communicative language technique, teachers can teach second and foreign languages to students by establishing communicative ability. This method emphasises the use of language for meaningful objectives in real-life settings.
Conclusion
Learning English is very important for a student’s career advancement. Apart from learning the language, students must become skilled in this language to gain a strong foothold in the professional world. The methods that teachers are using can make the process of acquiring the language easy, but students must exercise the learning methods to master the language.
Many schools focus on offering unique learning methods to students so that they can grasp academic subjects, including linguistics. DPSG Dehradun offers top-quality education to students and a progressive learning environment that allows them to understand and learn the language fast. Teachers of DPSG understand that every student has a different learning ability. Hence, they believe in personalised learning so no one is left behind.
