Declarative vs. procedural knowledge

Before we go any further, click on the link for a short post explaining the basic differences between declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. This is an e-mail I’ve just received: Dear Luiz, When teaching grammar, it seems we can never control what students use… and sometimes I’m not really sure what to do. I’m teaching a certain … Read more

Second conditional songs

  Here’s a 10-minute video containing eight song excerpts filled with second conditional examples. If you want to use them, just Google the song title + lyrics and have fun. YouTube will have all the original clips, of course. Have fun! Be warned, though, that some of the songs are pretty cringe-inducing, especially Bonnie Tyler’s 1986 … Read more

Controlled practice: 13 variations on the same grammar activity

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