1. Teaching By Principles
Language Teaching requires
connecting THEORY and
PRACTICE.
12 Principles of Language Teaching
Teaching By Principles Cognitive Principles
Language Teaching requires 1. Automaticity
connecting THEORY and Students absorb language
PRACTICE. automatically.
Students move toward fluency and
“think” about language less as they
There are three types of principles: progress.
Cognitive – mental and intellectual Application – Don’t overwhelm
Socioaffective – emotional students with language rules, balance
Linguistic – language rules and practice.
Cognitive Principles Cognitive Principles
2. Meaningful Learning 3. Anticipation of Reward
“Rote learning has little chance of Reward = Better performance
creating long-term retention.” (TBP pg. Application – Use verbal praise,
65) encouragement, compliments,
Application – Appeal to students’ enthusiasm, and remind students of
language needs and goals, link new long-term rewards.
knowledge to previous knowledge,
avoid pitfalls (TBP pg. 66)
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2. Cognitive Principles Cognitive Principles
4. Intrinsic Motivation 6. Autonomy
5. Strategic Investment Successful learners take control of
“The methods that the learner their own language learning with the
employs to internalize and to perform teacher as a facilitator or guide.
in the language are as important as the
teacher’s methods – or more so.” (TBP
pg. 68)
Application – Help students become
teacher-dependent self-dependent
aware of their own learning preferences
and teach them how to be good
language learners.
Socioaffective Principles Socioaffective Principles
7. Language Ego 8. Willingness to Communicate
Students feel awkward in the learning Students who are self-confident take
environment and good teachers risks and accomplish more.
compensate. Application – Encourage both accuracy
Application – Support your students, and risk-taking, carefully sequence
choose techniques that challenge but techniques to ensure learner success.
don’t overwhelm, move from teacher-
controlled to student-controlled
activities gradually.
Socioaffective Principles Linguistic Principles
9. Language-Culture Connection 10. Native Language Effect
Successfully learning a language In beginning levels, many errors are
means learning about the culture, too. caused by native language
Application – Discuss cross-cultural interference. Native language can also
differences and respect. facilitate learning.
Application – Point out common errors
that come from native language
interference, teach cognates, teach
students to think directly in the target
language.
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3. Linguistic Principles Linguistic Principles
11. Interlanguage 12. Communicative Competence
As students acquire a language, Being competent in the language
interlanguage is displayed. Your means:
feedback helps learners move towards Organizational
target-language accuracy. Competence
Application – Point out interlanguage
errors, show students that these errors Psychomotor Strategic
mean their brain is in “language Skills Competence Competence
learning mode.”
Pragmatic
Competence
12 Principles of Language Teaching
Automaticity Language Ego
Meaningful Willingess to
Learning Communicate
Anticipation of Language-Culture
Connection
Reward
Native Language
Intrinsic Effect
Motivation Interlanguage
Strategic Communicative
Investment Competence
Autonomy
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