Ten Plus Commandments for English Language Teachers

The following are the ideas which are included in Telangana English language Teachers' handbook. 

1. Unless you are professionally equipped you may not be able to help the learners acquire English language. Make it a point to strive for professional development using all possible means.

2. The contents of the textbook themselves do not make the syllabus. Our target is to make the learners achieve the academic standards and not to make them memorize the contents of the TB.

3. Interaction at various points of classroom transaction is the richest language input you can give to the learners as every instance of interaction leads to dialoguing with the learners. This is the only way which will equip them with language.

4. A meticulous process for classroom transaction has been suggested. If the processes are not followed it is quite unlikely that children will be able to achieve the targeted academic standards.

5. The textbook is only one of the materials available to the teacher and the students. We have to go beyond the textbook by exploring other materials such as newspapers, journals, story books etc. in order to widen their world of English.

6. Passing the examination is not the sole aim of language learning but using language in everyday life.

7. Classroom theatre is a pedagogical tool that can eliminate all inhibitions of the learners and instill confidence in them.

8. The teacher’s role is to facilitate language acquisition and make them autonomous as independent users of language.

9. At various points of learning children have to collaborate with others. Teachers have to create space for such collaboration and monitor the process.

10. Teaching grammar and vocabulary as discrete entities will not help the learners acquire language. These elements are to be contextually embedded in appropriate discourses. They have to get used to applying their intuitive language sense which can be facilitated through editing passages.

11. Project work will help the learners explore various themes for which they will have to use language contextually and meaningfully. Give importance to projects.

12. Making errors is a part of language learning and is natural. Children should not be pressurized for producing correct expressions only. The classroom process takes care of error corrections.

13. Plan the lessons thoroughly. The handbook contains a comprehensive plan for transacting all the components in unit 1. It also contains suggestions on what is to be aimed at in each unit.

14. Don’t haste to teach the units in the textbook. If the learners are not at the desired level of learning go for the suggested activities meant to bridge the gap between the targeted levels and the learners’ present levels.

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The myth of the native speaker -David Crystal

Remote Teaching is the need of the hour and everyone should get the access

The Telangana government and all other state governments in India should provide free internet connection and one Tablet or Smart phone to all the families below poverty line. This enables the students from KG to PG to get access the academic inputs without much interruption from  their institutions in this academic year. The governments should consider it as an another  important welfare scheme for the benefit of the children future. The present uncertainty will go a long time and online instruction is the only option available  to the institutions. Students studying in some  Private  schools able to access the lessons taught by their schools and colleges where as the students from low socioeconomic status unable to make use of these lessons due to lack of required gadgets. This situation will create inequality in education and leads a gab in this academics. So the governments should understand the situation and do needful help for those have-nots.

Using short Films to promote creativity and communication - By Kieran Donaghy

Teaching through films is one of the strategies  in ELT. Films provide motivation and  promote learning. Aross the world people are experimenting  with different strategies in ELT.

Kieran Donaghy is one of the ELTians who is working on  how short films can be used in the classroom. He looks at how we can use short films to promote creativity, and both oral and written communication by doing communicative activities based around a variety of short films. Here is  a video.

ZPD by Scott Thornbury

ZPD- Zone of Proximal Development is one of the important principles developed by Lev Vygotsky, the Russian Psychologist. It has given lot of insights how children learn new things basing on their  previous knowledge,  and  how a teacher act as a  facilitator in helping  children.

Every classroom teacher should about ZPD and its implications. Here is a detail article written by Scott Thornbury one of the famous ELTians.  click here for more details.