Teaching Approaches in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Term Paper Example

Running head: A CRITICAL DISCUSSION OF TEACHING APPROACHES IN TESOL A critical discussion of teaching approaches in TESOL Name Institution Date: Table of Contents Terminology and types 3 English outside English –speaking nations 4 English within English-speaking nations 5 Varieties taught 5 Difficulties to the learners 6 Differences between spoken and written English 7 Teaching techniques used 8 Reading 8 Communicative language teaching 8 Blended learning 9 United States Qualifications 10 Qualifications for TEFL tutors 12 MA Educational Technology and TESOL 13 The TESOL Teacher Education Program 14 A good TESOL Teacher 15 Dedication and sense of humor 16 Four skills in the primary EFL classroom 16 Listening 16 Speaking 18 Reading 19 Writing 20 Conclusion 21 References 22 A critical discussion of teaching approaches in TESOL Introduction There are many approaches that can be used to teach English as a second language in the modern world. Teaching English as foreign language (TEFL) or teaching English as a second language describes the teaching of English to Learners whose native language is not English. TEFL is mainly undertaken in the learner’s own nation either within the public school system or privately for instance in a part time language school or with a private tutor. TEFL teachers can either be native or non-native speakers of English. The teaching of English being a foreign language has become one of the most essential subjects in most European primary schools at the moment. The implementation of the language has created the need to establish well thought objectives that might be different from those found in the secondary schools. While in the secondary school the formal aspects of English are emphasized, tutors in primary schools apply a different approach since primary school learners are young and may not internalize some of those aspects. As a result of this perspective the various educational departments have decided to create the main objective of EFL teaching, the enhancement of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Terminology and types There are many acronyms that are in application in the teaching and learning of the English language which at times may be confusing. English is a language that has a vast reach and influence and taught in many countries all over the globe under various conditions and circumstances. In the English-speaking nations, English language instruction has mainly evolved in two wide directions: instruction for individuals with the intention of living in an English-speaking nation and for those without such intentions. The difference between the two divisions has been widening as the instructors of the two categories use different instructional methods, and different terminologies as a result of distinct qualifications acquired from different professional associations. The two categories have diverse funding structures, that is, public in the former while the latter is funded via private means. The two further confuse since the two chief engines of the English language, United States and United Kingdom refer to them using different names (Smith, 2005). The following are the accepted technical definitions of the two categories of English language: English outside English –speaking nations EFL, English as a foreign language implies the use of the language in non-English speaking regions. Study can take place either in the learners home nation, as part of the normal institution curriculum or otherwise, or, for the lucky individuals, in an Anglophone nation that they visit especially after completing university education. TEFL is the instructing of English as a foreign language which can take place in any nation, whether English-speaking or not. Normally, EFL is taught either to pass exams as a pre-requisite of an individual’s education or for career advancement while working for a company with an international interest. EFL can be part of the state school curriculum in nations where English is not accorded a special status and can also be supplemented by lessons funded privately. Tutors of EFL generally presume that learners are literate in their native language. The Chinese EFL Journal and the Iranian EFL Journal are examples of international journals published to assist in teaching English language in nations where the language is used as a foreign language (Smith, 2005). English within English-speaking nations Another category of the language is the application of the language within the Anglosphere. This is referred to as the “inner circle”, that is, nations like United Kingdom and the U.S. where the language is mainly for the refugees, immigrants and their descendants. It also encompasses the use of the language in “outer circle” nations, mainly former British colonies where the language is an official language even if it is not used as a native language by the majority of the populations. In nations such as U.S., Canada and Australia, this use of the language is referred to as English as a second language (ESL) (Smith, 2005). This term confuses many users because most learners can use more than one language. TESL is thus teaching of English as a second language. In other nations such as UK, Ireland and Australia English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), has replaced the acronym ESL. In these nations TESOL, that is, teaching English to speakers of other languages is commonly used to describe the instructing of English only to this group. In the UK, the acronym EAL (English as an additional language) instead of ESOL is used when referring to the primary and secondary schools, implying that the language could be the learners’ second or even third language (Smith, 2005). Varieties taught ESL and EFL programs also differ in the type of English that is taught. The term English can describe different dialects, including British English, American English and several others. Evidently those learning English in order to match the language of their new nation will have to study the variety used in that country. Learners are expected to choose the nation they desire to learn English if they wish to study in a foreign nation. For those wishing to study in their home country, they can opt to study in a private language institution or in the public school system. Learners studying EFL in Hong Kong, for instance, are more likely to study British English while those in Philippines are more likely to study American English. As a result of this, many tutors now focus on teaching the language as an international language (EIL) which is also described as English as a lingua franca (ELF) (Smith, 2005). Difficulties to the learners Language instructing practice often presumes that most of the difficulties that students encounter while learning the language are as a result of the level to which their native language varies from English. An indigenous speaker of Chinese may for instance encounter more difficulties than an indigenous speaker of German, because German is closely related to English more than Chinese is. This may also apply to individuals of any first language intending to study any other language (Wang, 2000). Language learners commonly make mistakes especially syntax and pronunciation mistakes due to the influence of their first language like mapping its grammatical structure inappropriately onto the second language, pronouncing certain sounds wrongly or with difficulty and confusing certain aspects of the vocabulary, referred to as false friends. This is known as first language transfer or language interference. These transfer effects are common with the beginners’ language production and research on SLA has revealed many errors which cannot be associated with first language influence. Although English is not as difficult or complex as other languages such as Portuguese, it has many features which may generate more problems to the learners. On the contrary, because such a large number of individuals are learning the language, resources have been developed to assist them. Such products include the monolingual learner’s dictionary, which has been published with a restricted defining vocabulary (Wang, 2000). It is worth noting that studying a second language encompasses much more than merely studying the words and the sounds of the language. Communication failures occur not only as a result of the known syntax and pronunciation difficulties but as a result of learning culture. What is seen as right, normal and correct in one particular language or culture do not at all times convert into a second language, even in circumstances where the concept is comprehended. Communication failure may occur as a consequence of cultural presumptions concerning age, modes of address, authority and respect, body language, greeting and punctuality. In specific, some learners may possess very diverse cultural perceptions in the classroom in terms of studying a second language. Cultural variations in communication styles and predilections are important. For instance, a study on the Chinese ESL learners and British tutors found out that the Chinese students did not find classroom discussion and interaction as significant but put a greater focus on teacher-directed lectures (Wang, 2000). Differences between spoken and written English Just like many other languages, written language is rather more formal than the spoken one. The attainment of literacy takes considerable effort in English. English has retained various historical idiosyncrasies in spelling because of the various changes that have occurred to English words as a result of foreign words influx. The difficulty of spelling of English is exhibited in such activities like spelling bees that mainly require the memorization of words. English speakers can also make use of computer tools like the spell checkers which are not available for other languages. The simplifications that exist are quite difficult and there are several exceptions which result to rote learning. The spelling system creates problems in both directions, for example, a student may know a certain word by sound but may not be able to spell it correctly while others may not be able to pronounce the word (Wang, 2000). Teaching techniques used Reading There is an increasing popularity in TEFL that uses literature targeting the young children and teenagers. Teenager oriented literature provides simpler resources especially the reading material printed by major publishers and mostly gives a more comprehensive method than the one found in the adult literature. The youth literature in specific offers at times a subtle cue of pronunciation through styles such as rhyming and word play. One way of using these resources is the multiple-pass method where the tutor reads the book while stopping at some points to explain difficult words to the learners. Another way is where the tutor reads through the resource continuously without stopping and explains the difficult words afterwards (Abbott, 2000). Communicative language teaching Communicative language (CLT) concentrates on interaction as both a technique and an objective of learning English. The method is also described as the communicative approach to the instruction of foreign languages or the communicative method. CLT is often found to be a response to the audio-lingual method (ALM) and a complementation or advancement of the notional-functional syllabus. The task-oriented language teaching which a recent modification of the communicative language learning is gaining popularity at an increasing rate. The audio-lingual method came up as a direct consequence of the need to have people read and understand the English language after the second war. It is closely associated with behaviorism and therefore forced repetition, drilling and habit-formation to become the core elements of teaching (Abbott, 2000). Advocates of ALM felt that this focus on repetition required a corollary concentration on accuracy, claiming that that consistent repetition of mistakes would result to the fixed acquisition of wrong structures as well as non-standard pronunciation. In the classroom, the lessons were planned by grammatical structure and taught via short dialogues. At times the learners listened continuously to recordings of conversations and emphasized on accurately aping the articulation and grammatical structures in the dialogues. Task-based language leaning method to CLT has also become popular in the recent times. Advocates for the method claim that CLT is significant in developing and enhancing speaking, writing, listening and reading skills and that it averts the learners from simply listening to the instructor without actively participating in the learning process. Dogme language teaching which is different from the task based approach is a communicative method of instruction that encourages teaching without using textbooks wile concentrating on conversational communication among the students and the tutors (Abbott, 2000). Blended learning Blended learning is an arrangement that incorporates both classroom teaching and online interactions and is also called CALL or computer-guided language learning which is realized through a virtual learning environment. Virtual learning environment has been a chief growth point in the ELT field over the past years. The two types of virtual learning environment are externally-hosted platforms I which a learning institution exports content for example, the proprietary Web Course Tools and the content-supplied-course-organized learning platforms. The externally hosted platforms offers pre-designed structures and resources while content-supplied method supports course-building by the institution where the tutors blend existing courses with sporting activities, listening activities and grammar reference units found in the Internet (Abbott, 2000). Teacher qualification Non-native speakers Most tutors who teach English are actually not native speakers of English language. They are public school teachers in nations all over the globe since they hold the appropriate teaching qualifications of their nations, mainly with a specialty in teaching English. For instance, tutors in Hong Kong have the Language Proficiency Assessment for learners. Those working in private language institutions may, from commercial demands, have similar qualifications to those of the native speakers. Many problems are however prevalent especially where the tutors are poorly trained and lack professionalism (Gebhard, 2008). United States Qualifications Most U.S. tutors at community colleges and universities qualify after completing the Master of Arts (MA) in TESOL. This degree also makes them eligible to teach in several EFL contexts. In some regions of U.S., almost all elementary school tutors are involved in teaching ELLs (English Language Learners), that is, children enrolling in school while speaking other languages but not English. The qualifications for the tutors differ from state to state but entirely encompass a teaching certificate issued by the state. This state recognition requires appropriate practical experience accompanied by course work. The MA in TESOL basically includes graduate course work in the language as well as standard liberal arts with a theoretical element in language pedagogy. Admission to the MA in TESOL basically calls for a bachelor’s degree with at least a minor in English or linguistic. At times a degree in a foreign language is also accepted (Gebhard, 2008). It is worth noting that the awarding of teaching certificate or license is not guaranteed following completion of the degree program. All tutors must complete a series of exams and a supervised instruction as student teachers. ESL certification can however be acquired through additional college coursework. ESL certifications are recognized only when combined with a previous teaching certificate. Certification requirements differ significantly from state to state for the ESL tutors. British qualifications The most common respected and recognized qualifications for tutor in the United Kingdom include certificates and diplomas awarded by Trinity College London ESOL and the Cambridge University ESOL. One must complete a certificate course to be qualified to teach. This is satisfactory for most EFL teaching jobs and some ESOL ones. CertTESOL which is awarded by Trinity and CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) awarded by Cambridge are the most commonly taken and recognized for new tutor trainees. These courses are offered in the UK as well as several other nations of the world. Learner can either opt for the one-month full-time mode or the one year part-time mode (Gebhard, 2008). Tutors who are already in the profession and are willing to advance their career can take a diploma course to widen their career prospects. Trinity has the Trinity Licentiate Diploma (DipTESOL) and Cambridge has the DELTA. The two diplomas are regarded as equivalent and are both classified at level 7of the new National Qualifications Framework. Some tutors opting to remain in the profession take an MA in an appropriate discipline like applied linguistics or ELT. Most of the master’s degree course in United Kingdom call for a significant experience in the field before the learner is allowed to take the course. The qualifications described above are recognized and respected in the UK EFL region including both private language institutions and higher education language stipulation. In England and Wales, nevertheless, tutors are required to have a Further Education Teaching Stage 3 certification as a government’s requirement (Gebhard, 2008).. Qualifications for TEFL tutors Tutors can be awarded an English teaching certification after completing an intensive four week program or even a longer part-time program which must provide an internationally-accepted qualification. CertTESOL and CELTA certification are recognized and accepted all over the world and have been accredited in the U on the National Qualification Framework. The two qualifications are evaluated by external assessors and are recognized by the British Council in all the institutions that it accredits in over 100 nations all over the world. Internet-based TEFL programs which mostly claim to be recognized worldwide though the recognition depends on the price and the content of the courses. Private schools prefer the face-to-face instruction or include at least one aspect of observed learning. Many institutions allover the world offers certificate programs (Gebhard, 2008). Qualification requirements differ considerably from nation to nation and among employers within the same nation. In some instances it is possible to become an effective tutor without necessarily having the BA degree or even a teaching certificate. Private language institutions would however a certification of a successful completion of a program of a minimum of 100 hours in order to be allowed to instruct. Many language institutions allow tutors with certifications similar to the ones described above while others demand for strict and specific qualifications or certifications (Gebhard, 2008). A candidate can also acquire short certifications especially through the online sources but unfortunately most employers do not acknowledge them. Some private language institutions may demand that the teachers complete an observation training programs, though they may be holding certification from other colleges. Obviously, where there is a high demand for language tutors, employers may be lenient in their specifications. Every nation has its unique recruitment procedures. Some nations would emphasize on life experiences while others will focus on qualifications. An example of a teacher educational program is the Stony Brook University professional education program (Gebhard, 2008). MA Educational Technology and TESOL Both the MA TESOL and MA edTech and TESOL courses are composed of modular course units letting the participants to create a degree around their own intended interests. The two programs are provided on-site in Manchester and in-context around the globe, where the technological expertise and highly experience of distance learning and superb collection of e-resources collaborate to offer learning support (Richards& Renandya, 2002). The TESOL Teacher Education Program This program which is found in the Department of linguistics prepares undergraduate and graduate learners to become tutors of English as a Second Language (ESL) and teach the language to students in grade Pre-K-12. Learners may become certified at the BA level or at the MA level. To compliment this, there is a new course that consists of both BA/MA with certifications on completion of a five-year course. Learners take courses in linguistics and Pedagogy, design and execute workshops to increase the cross-cultural awareness and get extensive practical experience in different educational set ups either at the University or in the community. These are pre-schools, elementary, and secondary institutions, museums, adult education and college courses. This approach equips the teacher candidates with the intellectual firmness of the academic discipline and the professional growth developed by fascination in reliable classroom contexts (Richards& Renandya, 2002). In the recent past, the program has been the pivot for change and innovation. Integration of diverse education approaches, diverse collaborative accomplishments with teacher grounding courses across disciplines, collaboration with schools and other educational set ups, new courses and outside funding have all reinforced the program, have developed its uniqueness and have highly enriched the professional development of its graduates. These accomplishments have been disseminated nationally and internationally and the course has become popular as a result of innovation that is aimed at preparing the teachers of learners with linguistically and culturally various backgrounds. The alumni of the course are employed as tutors and coordinators of language courses in over 55 school districts and academic agencies on Long Island, in institutions across New York State and in English language courses in nations around the world (Richards& Renandya, 2002). A good TESOL Teacher A good TESOL teacher is a pre-requisite to the learning of the English language. A good and qualified teacher will motivate the learners by making the lessons more interesting and educational. A good TESOL teacher should have the appropriate qualification and education. It is not obvious that a person whose native language is English is necessarily capable of teaching English. Teaching the language requires special training to equip the tutor with the necessary skills appropriate for teaching the language. Qualified TESOL tutors should have a firm knowledge of linguistics, language skills and the modern teaching methodologies and theories. The tutors should consistently keep themselves updated, for instance, by extensive or wide reading and participating in language conferences. Such qualifications should be acquired from well recognized and accredited institutions since there are many institutions offering the courses at the moment. Some colleges offer un-professional and disorganized courses which are completed in as little as five days making the candidates unqualified to offer the courses (Richards& Renandya, 2002). A TESOL certificate should be acquired from a recognized institution and should have been acquired after completing a full course in at least 250 hours of instruction. It is advisable to have an English tutor who has had experience in learning a foreign language because such tutors will be best placed to offer convincing advice to the learners. Such a teacher will be in a position to understand the learners’ needs and provide the best techniques and styles to meet the needs. The teacher should be able to vary the teaching methods depending on different individual learners’ needs. A single or rather a similar teaching technique or method can no adequately cater for all the learners since they have different needs requiring different learning styles. The teacher should be patient enough to understand various paces with which learners acquire skills and should not condemn the slow learners as this would de-motivate the learners and make the process more difficult (Richards& Renandya, 2002). Dedication and sense of humor A good TESOL teacher should have a passion for teaching and should be dedicated to the teaching career. The tutor should teach with the intention of making a difference in the learner and assist them to learn. A good TESOL should not be solely be motivated by money but should have the inner motivation to teach and help. Motivation by money would imply that the tutor is more interested with acquiring money rather than the needs of the learners. The teacher should possess a good sense of humor. Such a teacher will be able to make the learning enjoyable and fun. Telling appropriate jokes at the right time in a class enables the students to relax and make the learning environment free and relaxing (Richards& Renandya, 2002). Four skills in the primary EFL classroom Listening Listening is the language skill which students mostly find the most difficult to comprehend. This is as a result of the students’ feeling that they not compelled to learn every word. To realize their objectives in relation to this skill, the tutor plays a significant role that is described by the following steps: first, it is necessary to assist all the learners prepare for the listening task properly before the text is introduced to them. It is therefore necessary for the tutor to make certain that the learners comprehend the language they require to finish the task and are fully informed of their expectations in the course. The learners need to be reassured that it is not necessary that they comprehend every word but most of the words especially the common ones. The next significant step is to encourage the learners to anticipate the words they would hear. In real life, the condition, the speaker, and the image clues all assist everyone to decipher oral messages (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). A means of making the activity easier for the learners would be to present the listening action within the framework of the subject of a teaching unit. This in itself will assist the learners to predict the correct answers to the questions. The tutor can assist them further by questioning the learners by use of relevant illustrations to motivate the learners to predict the answers even before they get the questions. In the course of the listening activity, the learners should be able to contemplate on comprehension of the messages and ensure that they do not read, draw or write at the same time. The teacher should be patient enough to give the learners a second chance to listen to the words and offer a new opportunity to the slow learners or those who require more time to handle the tasks (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). The learners should be allowed to ask questions after completion of the listening activity in order to minimize individual pressure on the learners. Instead of confirming whether an answer given by a student is correct or not, it would be better for the tutor to re-play the tape for the learners to confirm the answers by themselves. Each of the answers given by individual learners should be put into consideration because it assists the students learn the correct answers through the correction of the mistakes done (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). Speaking In teaching the speaking skill, the tutor must take into consideration that the language input used in the instructional process is higher than the level of the language production anticipated from the learners. Learners especially those in primary schools should be exposed to several speaking activities to enable them participate with little verbal response. At higher levels however, learners are motivated to start to manipulate language and convey themselves in a clearer and more personal means. In the primary school for instance, the two major speaking activities utilized are: songs, chants, and poems to encourage learners to imitate the model they hear on the cassette. This assists the learners to master the sounds, rhythms, and dialects of the English language via easy reproduction. Other activities are the game and pair work activities which should at all times emphasize on a particular model. These motivate the learners to start to manipulate the language by exposing them to certain amount of choice, although within a supposedly controlled situation (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). In order for any speaking activity to realize its objectives, learners need to recognize that there is a specific and realistic reason for presenting any kind of material in a speaking lesson. The tutor should thus ensure that the resources presented to the learners are objective and are relevant to the speaking skill. Once the speaking activity has begun, the tutor should ensure that the learners are communicating in the English language as much as possible without at first condemning the errors they might make. The errors should be corrected in a casual manner without necessarily highlighting them but by repeating the sentencing but uttering the correct thing. The tutor should motivate the learners by always praising any effort made by the learners (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). Reading In order to make reading a relaxed and interesting activity as opposed to a boring and tedious duty, it is significant to ensure that the learners do not struggle to read every word they come across, whether they are skimming for the wording for general meaning or scanning it to look for particular information. At this point, the teachers should select texts while considering the difficulty level. They should also consider the interest of the learners as well as their humor so that the learners are encouraged to read as they would do with their native language. The selected texts should be motivating enough to keep the learners entertained as well anxious to read and learn more of the language. As far as the listening activities are concerned, it is significant to invest more time preparing for the tasks by utilizing illustrations (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). The learners’ prior knowledge on the language and the key vocabulary the learners have should be taken into account when formulating the content of the texts. The teacher should raise the learner’s interest on the language by discussing the content of the subject and asking questions to stimulate the learners. The learner should also ensure that the learner comprehends the learned content and necessary vocabulary by the time the learning task is completed. The tutor should provide individual support to the learners in the course of the reading activity. The tutor should encourage the learners to move ahead and find the meaning of some of the vocabulary. The learners should be discouraged from reading texts aloud unless when it is absolutely necessary. Reading aloud prevents most of the learners from understanding the content and limits them to focusing on what they are saying rather than what they are reading and the meaning (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). Writing In the lower levels, EFL learners progress from writing secluded words and phrases, to short paragraphs about some specific topics or very common topics like family, home, and hobbies and friends. Since most of the learners at this level are unable to either linguistically or intellectually create written text from the start. The writing activities mainly show towards the end of a course to enable the learners have adequate exposure to the language and practice of the major structures and vocabulary they require. At this point, the learners work will invariably contain errors. The teacher should be more sensitive in the correction process and not focus much on every error that is identified. A piece of written work that is full of correction work is de-motivating and usually counter-productive. In as much as possible the learners should be encouraged to make corrections in their own work (Meddings &Thornbury, 2009). Conclusion A good TEFL, TESL, TESOL instructor is a significant factor when learners are studying English as a second or as a foreign language. It has generally been agreed that great tutors are those that still recall what it was to be a learner and treat the learners as equals. When teaching English as a foreign language, the tutor must establish an open, free and close relationship with each of the learners and motivate the quieter ones or the slow ones to gather enough confident and courage. The teacher should have enough patience and appreciation and an understanding that everyone can make mistakes. Being in a position to teach English language is the most rewarding job since it involves assisting learners to advance and communicate abroad (Davies & Pearse, 2002). According to the learners an ideal tutor should be entertaining, energetic and understanding. An effective teacher should be able to use an integrative approach in the instruction process since it creates relaxed atmosphere in the classroom that learners with all-round abilities are enhanced. A combination of activities incorporating various skills focusing on realistic communication makes the learners more motivated and active participants in the learning process. Learners should be allowed to take as much speaking activities as possible in pairs or in groups to make them less anxious when carrying out the learning activities. Although integration is demanding on the teacher’s part, it is the most effective technique of teaching English as a foreign language (Davies & Pearse, 2002). References Abbott, M. (2000). Identifying reliable generalizations for spelling words: The importance of multilevel analysis. The Elementary School Journal 101(2), 233-245. Davies, P. & Pearse, E. (2002). Success in English Teaching. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. Gebhard, J. (2008). Teaching English as a foreign or second language: a self-developed and methodology guide. Michigan: University of Michigan Press McKay, Sharon; Schaetzel, Kirsten (2008). Facilitating Adult Learner Interactions to Build Listening and Speaking Skills, CAELA Network Briefs, CAELA and Center for Applied Linguistics. Meddings, L & Thornbury, S (2009). Teaching Unplugged: Dogme in English Language Teaching. Peaslake: Delta. Richards, J. C. & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching: an anthology of current practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Smith, R.C. (2005). Teaching English as a foreign language. New York: Taylor & Francis WANG Q. (2000). A Course in English Language Teaching. Beijing: Higher Education Press. . Read More