TESOL COURSE

PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lesson Planning 6-7

Classroom Management 8-12

EFL Methodology 13-17

Teaching Productive Skills 18-22

Teaching Receptive Skills 23-26

Evaluation and Testing 27-29

Teaching New Language 30-37

Teaching Phonology 38-43

Teachers and Learners 44 - 46

Equipment and Teaching Aids 47 - 50

Course Books and Materials 51-52

Teaching Special Groups 53 - 56

Troubleshooting 57 - 58

Parts of Speech 59 - 65

Tenses Overview 66

Present Tenses 67-73

Past Tenses 74 - 80

Future Tenses 81 - 88

Conditionals and Reported Speech 89 - 96

Additional Grammar Items 97 - 104

5
 LESSON PLANNING

Task 1 – Why do teachers plan their lessons?

Teachers plan their lessons in order being organized and not to lost the control of the

classroom. Teachers should conduct the lesson. Lesson planning helps teachers to conduct

the lesson and not to lack direction. Teachers plan their lessons to deal with the anticipated

problems and some of the language problems.

Task 2 – Explain why planning is important.

Lesson planning helps teacher to think logically through the stages in relation to available

time (an aid to planning), to keep on target and gives you something to refer to during the

lesson (a working document). It is as a record of what a class has done and which materials

have been used (a record).

6
Task 3 – Explain the principles and techniques of “straight line”, “boomerang” and
“patchwork” lessons.

A “straight line” lesson is where the teacher takes the lesson in the ESA order. First, the

teacher engages the students, then they study the language, finally they try to activate the

language by putting it into production.

A “boomerang” lesson gives us more possibilities, while still incorporating ESA. For

example, EA1SA2.

A “patchwork” is useful, as the teacher knows what the students need and will take them

logically to the point where they can use the language. It allows the teacher to see what the

students need before teaching the language. For example, E1A1A2S1A3E2S2A4.

7
 Classroom Management

When answering the tasks here, please refer to any experience you have had
in the classroom, or experiences you have noted while observing another
teacher.
Task 1 – How can a teacher use his/her physical presence and voice in the classroom?
Physical presence includes the teacher’s overall appearance or presentation, gestures,

movements, proximity, contact with students, and eye contact. Good eye contact is necessary

if a teacher wants the involvement of all the students. A teacher should be able to maintain eye

contact when necessary and appropriate because some students may feel

uncomfortable. Gestures or body language are also a great help to teachers, especially those

who are teaching beginner classes. Gestures can also add visual interest and reduce the need

for unnecessary TTT. The most powerful tool a teacher can have is his/her voice. The voice

can sometimes become the deciding factor in the effectiveness of a teacher in managing a

class. A teacher’s voice should have the correct clarity, volume, range, variety and projection

in order to ascertain the effective delivery of a lesson.

Task 2 – What is the best seating arrangement for a class? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of the various seating plans?
This model supports both student-to-student interaction and teacher-to-student interaction.
The class interacts in a large group format though teachers have opportunity to work with
students one on one. Courses that emphasize discussions and presentations typically function
well with this configuration. However, it still has some disadvantages: It is not suitable for
work in a small group. Maybe it is difficult to control behavior. Large classes may have
difficulty engaging in discussions. Besides, there are also “orderly rows’, “separate
tables” ,“clusters”, “stadium” and other forms of seating.
8
Task 3 – List the different student groupings that a teacher can use and give advantages
and disadvantages for each.
1)      Whole-class grouping: Students feel a sense of belonging amoung the group. It gives
students the opportunity to interact with any other class members. It is uitable when the
teacher needs the focus of the entire class. However, it’s harder to ensure that every student
gets an equal amount of talking time since it reduces the chances for a student to speak.
Furthermore, the more introverted students may be more unwilling to speak since they do not
wish to do so in front of the class.
2)      Students working on their own: There is less pressure on the students since they can
work at their own pace and do not have to contribute in front of the class. Also, students don’t
have to worry about making mistakes publicly, thereby encouraging them to become more
independent by solving problems on their own first. In general, it provides a stress-free
environment for the students to learn in while providing an ideal setting for the teacher to
respond to individual differences among the students’ learning process. However, it limits the
opportunities for the students to interact among one another and gain that sense of belonging.
3)      Pair work: It is the ideal setting to allow the students to interact with their fellow peers
and have student talking time. Since it is quick and easy to organize, the teacher can distribute
his/her time equally between every pair and not disturb the other pairs. It encourages students
to share the responsibility of the work and removes the burden from the individual, especially
from the weaker students. However, some students may prefer to only speak with the
instructor and hesitate to interact with other students, especially with students they
particularly don’t like. In addition, it is harder for the teacher to keep an eye on the whole
class in general if she/he is diverting her/his attention to one pair at a time.
4)      Group work: This grouping is good for increasing both student talking time and student
interaction. Since there are more students working in a group, personal issues become less
problematic and the dynamic of the group is more equal. With more heads thinking together,
they can come up with more innovative ideas. But with so many differing ideas, it could lead
to some conflicts and could actually be more time-consuming. Time is an issue with grouping
since it takes a while to organize and start the activity, especially with all the students trying
to talk. In addition, some stronger students may end up doing all the work while the more
passive students don’t have a chance to participate.
Task 4 – How can the teacher make sure all students are equally involved in the lesson
and give individual attention?
Memorize all the students’ names and use their names at the end of a question when you want
to ask a specific student that question. Also, you shouldn’t teach exclusively to only the weak
or strong students. That means spending more time with students who are having difficulties
with the task while trying to keep the other students busy with another task. Do not go in any
order when checking homework or asking questions. Going in a random order will keep the
students attentive. Most importantly, try to ensure that every student is involved equally in
any activity. The only case in which you may not include all the students equally in an
activity is when they don’t want to or cannot contribute to the activity. You can ask simple
questions them to encourage contributing more to the class and boosting their self-
confidence.

9
Task 5 – When is the teacher talking time important?

TTT is important when the teacher is building rapport with the students because the

teacher should take the initiative to get to know his/her students first. Also, TTT should

be included before every activity since the teacher has to set up the activity and give

instructions to the students. They have to direct them on how to do the activity. In

addition, TTT is necessary when providing feedback and language input. The teacher can

make slight improvements to the student’s speech. The teacher will have more TTT when

she/he is presenting, checking, modeling, or clarifying problems, instructions, or

answers.

Task 6 – How can the teacher reduce unnecessary teacher talking time?

Don’t over-elaborate concepts or instructions. Keep them simple. For example, don’t use

TEFL language or any other jargon that the students would not understand. That way you

don’t have to take time explaining unimportant things. Use mime, gestures, or other

visual cues to really emphasize your point. Carefully choose your word choice for

explanations, feedback, and directions. Once the students start an activity, don’t interrupt

the flow. Overall, just keep the language simple and below the students’ English

language level.

10
Task 7 – How can the teacher ensure instructions are clear?
First, make sure the students are paying attention to the teacher. The teacher should attract

the attention of the class and make sure everyone is listening carefully, not distracted.

Then use consistent, simple language when giving instructions. The teacher should repeat

the same commands for the instruction and use language that is below the students’

language level. Using visual cues help as well since they really reinforce your

instructions. Sometimes, some students are visual learners and prefer to see the

instructions written instead of spoken. Keep the instructions short and simple as to not

overload the students. In addition, the teacher should give a demonstration as an example

since showing the activity can really clarify the instructions. Lastly, make sure the

students comprehend all the instructions given. Have them repeat the instructions to you

to see if they know what to do and monitor the class to check.

Task 8 – What can the teacher do to help establish rapport with the students?
The teacher should try to make a stable, relaxed atmosphere in the class. Also, the teacher

should project an image of wanting to be there in the class by smiling and being positive

in everything you do.

Not only should the teacher know their students’ names, but also the students should

know their classmates’ names as well. A teacher should show some personal interest in

their students and encourage other students to get to know one another. This could be

done by student interaction in pair work or group work activities and ice breakers.  

Refrain from doing everything by yourself in the class all the time. Elicit help and

opinions from the students. Most students would love to get involved and make class

more personal. When giving instructions, keep it simple and clear. Do not let individual

students hog all the attention of the class.

11
Task 9 – List some of the reasons for problem behavior in the classroom. How
can/should the teacher prevent it? How can the teacher deal with problem
behavior should it arise?

There are some factors that could lead to problem behavior from a student. Family

problems can definitely influence problem behavior. If the home environment is unsafe

or unstable, then that student could feel unsafe/out of place anywhere. Low self-esteem

or boredom could cause a student to lash out and create problems. A student who is not

challenged enough or too much can be bored. Peer pressure can lead to a lack of respect

for the teacher if their peers don’t respect the instructor as well. Also, a large class size

may make the student feel out of place and lonely. He/she might think that they need to

cause trouble to get any attention at all.

You can prevent problems if you’re punctual and well-prepared for class. It shows that

you take your job seriously and that you’re genuinely enthusiastic about being there.

Also, if you build a rapport with the students, they will trust you and learn to open up to

you. If you’re consistent and fair, they know you will be just and unbiased. Most

importantly, you must be patient, calm, and never lose your temper. You should not let

your personal feelings interfere with class and never bluff about punishment you do not

plan on carrying out. You should also show respect in order to get respect in return. It

wouldn’t hurt to make classes varied and interesting as well.

12
 EFL METHODOLOGY

Task 1 – Which teaching models have influenced current teaching

GRAMMAR-TRANSLATION – The basic principles of this system is, as its

name suggests, learning about the language through finding equivalents in the

students’ own language and the foreign language being learned. It is, in effect, a

system of translation.

PRESENTATION, PRACTICE AND Production – teachers firs present the

context and situation for the language, as well as explain and demonstrate the

meaning and form of the new language. The students then practice making

sentences with the language in a controlled way before going on to the production

stage.

TASK-BASED LEARNING – focus is more on the tasks than the language.

SILENT WAY

The Silent Way is the name of a method of language teaching devised by Caleb

Gattegno. It is based on the premise that the teacher should be  silent as much as

possible in the classroom but the learner should be encouraged to produce as much

language as possible.

SUGGESTOPEDIA

It is a pedagogic system of teaching, which is the combination of pedagogy,

psychology and artistic approaches used mostly to learn foreign languages.

Suggestopedia is a natural way of teaching and learning. It is a type of

communication, free, inducing love and supreme delight to the senses, which is in

fact the secret to reaching the hidden reserves. The music is played in the

background.
AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD

The Audio-lingual Method is a method of foreign language teaching which

emphasizes the teaching of listening and speaking before reading and writing. It

uses dialogues as the main form of language presentation and drills as the main

training techniques. Mother tongue is discouraged in the classroom. Mistakes have

to be avoided and harshly corrected.

TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE

Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method of teaching language or vocabulary

concepts by using physical movement to react to verbal input. The process mimics

the way that infants learn their first language, and it reduces student inhibitions

and lowers stress. Both children and language learners learn by commands.

13
Task 2 – State five “engage”, five “study” and five “activate” stage activities
(also give the apparent language level of the students).

Engage:

1. Showing the video

2. Discussing the picture

3. Telling the short story

4. Drawing on the board

5. Giving short reading text

Study:

1. Explanation/elicitation

2. Pronunciation

3. Spelling

4. Meaning

5. Word order

Activate:

1. Role Play

2. Rising Fingers

3. Surveys

4. Hot ball

5. Debate/Discussion

14
Task 3 – Structure an ESA (straight - arrow pattern) based lesson for an

elementary level class in which the learners would learn the vocabulary of clothes

and be able to use it when describing what people wear and are wearing.

Engage: Show a pictures of some students from the class and ask if anyone else wearing

the same cloths. Give a whiteboard and let them make a brainstorming.

Study: SS match the pictures of clothing and find the correct name for it. T gives

different examples of clothing. T let S describe his/her classmate’s wearing.

Activate: In groups students draw a model and then describe what the model is wearing.

15
Task 4 – Structure an ESA (boomerang pattern) based lesson for teaching
language commonly used for shopping, so that students can ask for, find the
price for and purchase everyday food and clothing items.

Engage: T starts with telling short story of shopping.

Activate1: SS role play and make dialogue as in a shopping mall. (shop assistant -

customer)

Study: T reviews the role playing mistakes and elicits the correct version from the

students. T gives and describe new vocabulary.

Activate2: SS role-play the same dialogue again using the correct form of the

sentences and new vocabulary.

16
 Task 5 – How, what and when would you correct mistakes/errors made during the
following stages. Also give an example of a typical anticipated error for each.

Engage

The teacher should try to refrain from correcting any mistakes during this stage because

the focus of this stage is to have the students practice and speak the new material.

Instead, the teacher should take notes of prominent mistakes that the students made and

discuss some of these mistakes during the study phase.

Study

The teacher should make most of his/her corrections during this stage because the

students are learning a new language point, so fluency and accuracy is the main focus of

this stage. The teacher should make the necessary corrections at the end of activities, so

he/she does not affect the flow. Also, the teacher should make sure that the students are

listening to the feedback and not trying to finish their work. Before the teacher makes the

corrections, he/she should give the students an opportunity to let them correct it first.

Activate

Correcting should be kept to a minimum during this stage but it does require feedback.

The focus of this stage is communication and making sure the students understood the

lesson. Teachers should monitor the classroom carefully and make corrections as needed.
17
 TEACHING

Task 1 – What are the two productive skills?

The productive skills are speaking and writing, because learners doing these need to

produce language. They are also known as active skills. They can be compared with the

receptive skills of listening and reading.

Task 2 – Give a brief description of the differences between accuracy and

When we have good fluency, it means that we can produce and engage with language in a

smooth and effortless way. Sure, we may make mistakes, but we are able to communicate

our ideas.

Accuracy, on the other hand, is often what we think about when we are learning a language.

Accuracy is about using correct grammar in speaking and writing. It is about understanding

the deeper meaning and usage of vocabulary and also involves the correct pronunciation of

words.

18
 Task 3 – List five different types of speaking activities and give an example activity
for each.

1.     Drilling- Repeat various tongue twisters. For example, she sells seashells by the

seashore. This helps with pronunciation of different letters and alliteration.

2.     Debates- Have students debate over moral dilemmas or political issues using various

grammar structures, like the conditional.

3.     Model Dialogues- Act out a scene from a play. Maybe even put on a very brief

production.

4.     Communication Games- telephone. One student whispers a sentence that uses a

grammar structure to another student.

5.     Information Gap- Spot the differences

Task 4 – Give examples of ways that the teacher can encourage students to speak and
interact during a lesson.

The teacher can build confidence in the students by actively praising the students when

they answer correctly and letting them know that it’s okay to make mistakes. The

teachers must be aware of cultural limitations of speaking and work with them.

Students want to know what they’re doing is meaningful and has a purpose. It is the duty

of the teacher to create a desire and need in the students to communicate. Give time for

the students to think of what they are going to say.

The best way to promote students to speak and interact is to create a comfortable

environment, where students are encouraged to contribute ideas, experiment with the

language, and enjoy communicating.

19
Task 5 – List five ways, with short explanations, that a teacher can generate interest in
a topic. Come up with ideas of your own.

1. Make sure that everyone is participating. If you don’t get their attention from the

beginning, it will be harder to get them focused on the topic later. You should try to

call on different people every time and discuss topics that are relevant to everyone.

2. Make sure that the activate stage is interesting and interactive.

3. Make sure that the students fully comprehend the details of the topic. At the

beginning, describe the topic in clear, concise, simple terms. Always use language

appropriate to their language level.

4. Use lots of visual aid and make the activities as hands-on as possible. Students find it

easier to relate to a topic if they can visualize it clearly.

5. Let the students contribute as much as possible. Try to reduce as much interference

as possible during the activate stage and sometimes the engage stage. The more

involved the students become and the more personal it is to the students, the more

interesting the topic becomes.

Task 6 – Give an example of an effective free-speaking activity, with as much detail as

possible.

-Engage: Ask the students how they usually wake up and the general routine they do

every morning. Then ask students about various activities they like to do.

-Study: Elicit vocabulary about morning routine and complete an information-gap

activity.

-Activate: Students try to explain the word from the box which is full of folded piece of

word sheets. Student must use English language and new words. Students must ask

explainer the questions to elicit the answer.

20