2. Every subject teacher must have a clear idea of the subject he/she
is handling. It must not only border on factual level, but must also
represent an overview of what the subject is all about. This applies
too for any language teacher who must always remember how
essential the varied teaching approaches are in teaching. The use of
the different approaches is for effective language acquisition and
learning to take place.
Hence, it is suggested that language teachers try their best to
subscribe to the following strategies that will better meet the needs
of all students especially language learners (Allison et al, 2011)
Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
3. 1. Create a supportive and welcoming learning environment.
Language teachers ought to create a learning environment that is
emotionally and psychologically safe since language learners are very
sensitive to classroom setting (Curtin, 2009). All teachers must stretch
their understanding since it takes many years for any student to be
proficient academically in a second language and trial and error is part
of learning a new language (Carrier, 2005; Krasher, 1996).
Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
4. 2. Implementing effective teaching strategies specifically the following:
2.1. Interactive Teaching. Involves in pairs, small groups, and on
activities that involve the entire class. Why is this an effective teaching
strategy? This provides many opportunities for discussion, dialog, and
communication that allows the use of English within the context of the
subject matter. As backed up by research, it is interesting to note that
students who are encouraged to speak and interact with their peers
develop their academic language faster and the earlier language
learners begin speaking in the classroom, the better their language
development (Curtin, 2002, 2009).
Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
5. Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
2.2 Cooperative Learning. This is found to be particularly beneficial for
language learners. As they are given opportunities to practice English
and improve communication skills while building relationships with peers
(Johnson & Johnson, 1990). In addition, cooperative learning can be
further implemented in the classroom using learning strategies as
jigsaw, numbered heads together, and Round Robin, all of which
promote interaction and enhance language skills.
2.3. Hands-on learning experiences like educational games, multimedia,
computer-assisted learning are commendable since active engagement
on the part of the learners are encouraged.
6. Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
3. Provide challenging lessons that reflect high expectations.
The students who cannot communicate effectively via the English
language must be challenged constantly and be given the support they
need (Echevarria. Vogt, & Short, 2004) Lessons must be modified
according to the needs of the entire class, instead of developing
separate lessons that often put a dividing line between the English
speakers and non-English ones. By these, teachers can provide a wide
array of opportunities for English learners to be successful and become
capable learners (Carrier, 2005).
7. Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
4. Communicate with parents and engage in their children's
education. Language teaching and learning could be facilitated by
collaborating with parents in order to better understand the
students' language and culture. Necessary adjustments can be
made in order to fill the vacuum left by parents' in monitoring their
children's progress in language learning. A better way to
accomplish this is through home visits that will sort of reveal the
prevailing atmosphere at home that blocks the learner's facility in
learning the language.
8. Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
Gestures and Visual Cues. Gestures and movements are "silent
languages" which when maximized by a conscientious language
teachers will be effective enough to help the students learn effectively
the English language. To illustrate, the following can be models to
emulate in language teaching:
a. Pointing to a particular playground while saying the words or
requesting the students to line up to go to the playground reinforces what
instruction is given.
b. Thumbs up or thumbs-down gesture is a way of accentuating an
activity performed well or not performed better.
9. Learning Strategies in Language Teaching
c. Physical gestures paired with language through songs, poems and
chants to teach vocabulary, including body parts and positional
concepts. In this way learners are helped to "establish connections"
between the language and the concrete actions or objects.
d. Total physical response (TPR) is the incorporation of physical
gestores which creates positive experiences among the learners. This is
a famous technique in the field of Teaching english as a second
language involving the active participation of students who are just
learning novel action words by closely observing and imitating what the
teacher demonstrates.
10. Assessments as Applied to Language Teaching
Language teachers are accountable for the progress of their students. This
is a big challenge on their part but to meet this challenge, the following
significant suggestions on assessing their learners
performance are worth trying:
Assessment should be on a continuous basis that mirrors the
instructional objectives and learning contents for the day's lesson.
Assessment should lessen the burden of communication placed on
language learners through the use of varied options and formats that
allow the students to express their knowledge and understanding in
nonlinguistic ways.
11. The learning styles of students are to be highly considered when
developing assessment for English learners.
Performance assessments are commendable for English learners as
it entails less language intensive and provides opportunities for
learner to express their understandings of academic content in varied
ways.
Progress in mastery of English skills can be evidently assessed in the
making of Portfolios, which are authentic means through which the
learners can apply their language mastery.
Assessments as Applied to Language Teaching
12. Assessment of Learning: An Overview
Assessment of learning refers to those assessments that happen
after learning has occurred to determine whether learning has
happened (Balhaman, 1990). This definition of assessment can
include events, tools, processes, and decision, which are
fundamental to language classroom assessment (Taylor & Nolem,
2008).
This is a form of diagnostic assessment using validated
assessment tools to enable a teacher monitor the progress of
instructions in a certain area of language instructions.
13. Monitoring students' progress can help teachers
identify language areas needing early intervention. The
assessment tools should be monitoring progress tools
according to need level. Whet assessing, assessment
should be focused on specific areas of instruction To
assess, assessment tools should cover specific areas
of development or development of specific skills.
Assessment of Learning: An Overview
14. Some Common Types of Test
Achievement Test seeks to provide information about students'
knowledge in various areas afte specific lesson have been covered. It
may range from short quizzes to periodic examination covering the
content of the course.
Proficiency Test is administered to measure the ability of a larger to
function using the target language (TL). The purpose of this
assessment is to determine how well the learner uses the language in
real-life situations. Proficiency tests are given to test a learner's
language competence.
15. Performance Test is given to assess the
ability of a second language learner to
perform a special task, whether a learner
can perform a carefully designed set of
skills required to carry out a given job.
Some Common Types of Test
16. Assessment Techniques for Higher Grade
John B. Caroll (Wikepedia) a psychologist and educational linguist
developed a theory using aptitude as a variable in measuring learning
in language. They are Phonetic Coding Ability and Grammatical
Sensitivity Test.
Phonetic Coding Ability. This refers to the ability of a learner to
perceive and remember speci sounds that are associated with
standard symbols like the IPA symbols as guide to correct soun
production.
17. Assessment Techniques for Higher Grade
Grammatical Sensitivity Test. Grammatical Sensitivity
was defined as getting over 65% of correct answers in
the test according to researcher's choice. In this type of
test, the examinee has to decide which of the
underlined words of the second sentence has the same
function as the underlined words in the first sentence.
