Few teaching techniques in ESL / EFL are as difficult to master as effective, sensitive, principled and systematic oral correction. I remember working fairly closely with Donald Freeman back in the mid 90s and, in common with all my colleagues at the time, I was in awe of the man’s deep understanding of learning processes … Read more
Ugly title, I know, but the post is short and worth reading. Bear with me for a few lines.
For this article to make sense to you, you need to agree with three basic premises: 1. Language learning can be regarded as a form of skill learning. 2. Controlled practice has a role to play as a sort of rehearsal, so to speak, for real-life communication down the road. 3. This rehearsal should bear … Read more
In the last twenty years or so, I have changed my mind about a lot of things: my mom, Celine Dion, politics, my career, MAC computers, McDonald’s, oral correction in class, soap operas, Ford cars, task-based teaching, grammar teaching, shampoo, drilling, suffering fools gladly, communicative language teaching and Lindt chocolates. I do hold, however, two or three teaching beliefs that seem to have remained relatively unscathed over time.