Improving Foreign Language Teaching


Book Description

Improving Foreign Language Teaching provides teachers and teacher trainers with a research-based structure for the effective teaching and assessment of second languages. As well as outlining a model for teacher development, the book identifies and exemplifies eight key principles for effective language learning, which can be used to guide curriculum design and decisions about classroom pedagogy. Improving Foreign Language Teaching also presents practical activities, related materials, and guidance on how student progress can be monitored and recorded. Based on the research of the authors and other international experts, together with the work of a consortium established by the authors and teachers in a range of secondary schools, the book focusses on the development of language skills and communicative competence. It also proposes an assessment system which better reflects how learners progress in language learning than current models. Taking as its starting point the challenge of a curriculum in flux and complex pedagogical approaches, this book offers clear research-informed guidance for effective planning, teaching and learning. It will be essential reading for all those concerned with the improvement of language learning and teaching in the secondary classroom.




Improving Foreign Language Teaching


Book Description

Improving Foreign Language Teaching provides teachers and teacher trainers with a research-based structure for the effective teaching and assessment of second languages. As well as outlining a model for teacher development, the book identifies and exemplifies eight key principles for effective language learning, which can be used to guide curriculum design and decisions about classroom pedagogy. Improving Foreign Language Teaching also presents practical activities, related materials, and guidance on how student progress can be monitored and recorded. Based on the research of the authors and other international experts, together with the work of a consortium established by the authors and teachers in a range of secondary schools, the book focusses on the development of language skills and communicative competence. It also proposes an assessment system which better reflects how learners progress in language learning than current models. Taking as its starting point the challenge of a curriculum in flux and complex pedagogical approaches, this book offers clear research-informed guidance for effective planning, teaching and learning. It will be essential reading for all those concerned with the improvement of language learning and teaching in the secondary classroom.




How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately


Book Description

This book provides a unique set of tools designed to enhance an individual's success in communicati0n in a foreign language environment. The devices presented allow the speaker of a foreign language to demonstrate the level of his/her language more impressively. These techniques were developed and tested by the author with adult professionals in such varied fields as journalism, diplomacy, government, and international business.




New Trends in Foreign Language Teaching


Book Description

Language teaching approaches, methods and procedures are constantly undergoing reassessment. New ideas keep emerging as the growing complexity of the means of communication and the opportunities created by technology put language skills to new uses. In addition, the political, social and economic impact of globalisation, the new demands of the labour market that result from it, the pursuit of competitiveness, the challenges of intercultural communication and the diversification of culture have opened new perspectives on the central role that foreign languages have come to play in the development of contemporary societies. This book provides an insight into the latest developments in the field and discusses the new trends in foreign language teaching in four major areas, namely methods and approaches, teacher training, innovation in the classroom, and evaluation and assessment.




Joint Efforts for Innovation: Working Together to Improve Foreign Language Teaching in the 21st Century


Book Description

A book for the curious and passionate 21st century language teachers and teacher trainers. Tired of reading about the wonders of technology enhanced project-based learning but not knowing where to seek inspiration to start to adopt this teaching approach? A team of in-service teachers, teacher trainers, pre-service teachers and researchers have worked together to present a simple, engaging and practical book to offer fellow education professionals stimulating ideas for their teaching practice. Joint efforts for innovation: Working together to improve foreign language teaching in the 21st century offers: Inspiring classroom projects and innovative teaching experiences. A compilation of digital tools and resources for the foreign language classroom. Pioneering proposals to open up the classroom doors. Problem-solving and inquiry-based tasks that promote team work. Honest reflections from practitioners on their classroom practices. This book includes accessible examples of teacher-led classroom research small-scale studies. calls for teachers to do research in their classrooms. personal accounts on the importance of school internships for pre-service teachers. This book is an invitation for practicing teachers and teacher trainers to be creative and to develop learning skills, literacy skills and life skills. Are you ready to become an innovative 21st century educator?




Improving Foreign Language Speaking through Formative Assessment


Book Description

Want a quick way to get your students happily conversing more in the target language? This practical book shows you how to use formative assessments to gain immediate and lasting improvement in your students’ fluency. You’ll learn how to: Imbed the 3-minute formative assessment into every lesson with ease Engage students in peer formative assessment successfully Teach students to give each other formative feedback Help struggling students make significant gains Create and coach small groups for differentiated speaking practice Assist students in incorporating current grammar lesson into meaningful conversations Analyze your own use of language in the classroom to avoid vague feedback that can stifle student conversations Grade oral improvement positively The authors provide formative assessments for 17 language functions with step-by-step lesson plans, aligned to ACTFL guidelines. Each plan includes a wealth of conversation and extension activities. There are ready-to-use checklists including the "I Can" log that helps students plot their own progress. Research has confirmed that when teachers use formative assessment, students can learn in six to seven months what would normally take a school year to learn. You’ll find yourself using this book every day because of the gains your students will achieve in foreign language fluency.




Effective Foreign Language Teaching at the Primary Level


Book Description

This book focuses on the most recent methodological developments and views in the field of foreign language teaching with issues concerning mainly the foreign language teacher. Its aim is to lead teachers to a better understanding of their own assets, beliefs, and values, and to help them to improve their competencies. It deals with both the methodological and language preparation of teachers in order to give them a deeper understanding of the process of teaching and learning languages at the primary level. The first part of the book presents several papers about different methodological issues, linking theory and practice. The education of the teacher from a linguistic and a methodological point of view is the main focus. The next section of the book deals with research in language teaching, teacher education, and language. Finally the last section brings together four papers dealing with classroom teaching and the role of observation in teacher education. Effective Foreign Language Teaching at the Primary Level is of interest to teachers, teacher trainers and student teachers as it analyses important questions such as the nature of language teaching, the specific skills needed, the creation of an appropriate environment for teaching, and the use of materials and resources. Teachers can find both theoretical reflections and practical suggestions for the classroom by experts from several countries in the light of most recent research and thinking.




Using Technology in Foreign Language Teaching


Book Description

Language learning is a complex and challenging endeavor. For students to achieve the desired proficiency in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) their institutions need to invest time, effort and huge resources in order to cater for different learning styles. To be cost effective, many language-teaching institutions strive to provide intensive foreign language (FL) instruction to reduce the time period needed to learn the target language. This explains the current interest in combining differe...




An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching


Book Description

An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching provides an engaging, student-friendly guide to the field of foreign language learning and teaching. Aimed at students with no background in the area and taking a task-based approach, this book: introduces the theoretical and practical aspects of both learning and teaching; provides discussion and workshop activities throughout each chapter of the book, along with further reading and reflection tasks; deals with classroom- and task-based teaching, and covers lesson planning and testing, making the book suitable for use on practical training courses; analyses different learning styles and suggests strategies to improve language acquisition; includes examples from foreign language learning in Russian, French, and German, as well as English; is accompanied by a brand new companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/johnson, which contains additional material, exercises, and weblinks. Written by an experienced teacher and author, An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching is essential reading for students beginning their study in the area, as well as teachers in training and those already working in the field.




Contemporary Research in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning


Book Description

This volume is focused on the teaching and acquisition of language for special, professional or general purposes, as well as the needs and challenges associated with foreign language pedagogy in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or, more generally, Language for Specific Purposes (LSP). It presents innovative methodology and technology-integrated approaches that will serve to benefit teacher development and assist language practitioners in enhancing student investment and motivation. A pragmatic tool for utilization at the local level, this collection provides an international panorama of language pedagogy that is of great use to both junior and senior researchers. It will also serve as a source of inspiration for future and seasoned language practitioners and in-service teacher educators.