English Language Teaching (ELT) and TESOL
Overview: English Language Teaching (ELT) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) focus on equipping learners with communicative competence in English through context-sensitive pedagogy grounded in linguistic theory and classroom practice.
Audience: Teachers, trainers, TESOL practitioners, curriculum designers, and education policy makers.
Key Concepts & Approaches
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
- Focuses on interaction as the means and goal of learning.
- Example: Role-plays, group discussions, real-life tasks.
PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production)
A structured method:
- Presentation: Teach the target language item.
- Practice: Controlled exercises.
- Production: Free use in context.
TBLT (Task-Based Language Teaching)
Language is learned through completing tasks rather than isolated grammar exercises.
Example: Planning a trip, conducting a survey.
Lexical Approach
Emphasizes vocabulary chunks and collocations rather than grammar rules.
Example: Teaching “make a decision” as a chunk.
Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in ELT
Krashen’s Input Hypothesis: Comprehensible input just beyond the learner’s current level (i+1) is essential.
Affective Filter: Emotional states (e.g., anxiety) can block learning.
Interlanguage: Learners develop a personal linguistic system while transitioning from L1 to L2.
TESOL Frameworks and Strategies
ESL vs. EFL
- ESL (English as Second Language): In English-speaking countries.
- EFL (English as Foreign Language): In non-English-speaking environments.
Classroom Strategies:
- Scaffolding
- Differentiated instruction
- Formative assessment (e.g., exit tickets, think-pair-share)
- Corrective feedback (explicit, recast, clarification requests)
