This document outlines strategies for creating an effective learning environment, including developing higher-order thinking skills, promoting creativity, correctly pitching challenges, and reducing teacher talking time. It provides goals and suggestions for language learning, such as asking students where and with whom they will speak English. Techniques are presented for building student confidence through goal-setting, icebreakers, story starters, asking effective questions, giving concise feedback, and handling mistakes in a way that encourages self-correction. Guidelines are also given for minimizing unnecessary teacher talking and using teacher talking time productively.

1. 1
Effective learning environment

2. Goals
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• To develop learning and higher order
thinking;
• To promote imagination, speculation,
creative thinking;
• To pitch a suitable challenge level;
• How to correct mistakes;
• How to reduce Teacher Talking Time (TTT);
• Giving instructions

3. Language goals
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Where are you going to speak English?
Who are you going to speak English with?
What topics? What problems did you have?
When?

4. Build Goal-setting
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“I want to talk to my doctor about medical
problems.”
“I want to talk to my boss about a promotion.”

5. Break the Ice
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Would You Rather…?
Two Truths and a Lie
Positive, Negative, Crazy
Finish the Sentence
Get-to-know-you game

6. Story starters
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“Once upon a time, I… “
“My favorite place I ever went to is…”
“The silliest thing I ever did was…”
“My ideal vacation is…”
“The craziest thing I ever did (that I’ll admit to)
is…”
“If my life were a book, I would title it…”
You can also come up with many more :)

7. Consider your questions
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Effective questions
“Why…” “How would you explain…”
“What is the importance of…”
“What is the similarity between…”
“What connection is there
between…”
“What is meant by…” “Explain
how…”
Ineffective questions
Simple Yes-No
“Well, what do you think about his
values?”
Don’t you think that Mary is sad
because of lack of caring?”
Example: “Why are Colette’s young
women so corrupt?”

8. Less is more
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Correct.
Right.
Yes, thank you.
Yes, that is right.
OK.
Yes, that is just what I wanted.

9. To correct or not to correct…?
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магнитофон
A: What are you going to do at Saturday
afternoon?
B: I'm going to go to shopping.
A: I understand. Do you know what are you
going to buy?
B: Not really. I maybe want to buy some new
jeans.

10. VS
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магнитофон
S: I went to Portland, and I lost my
credit card.
T: That’s too bad.
S: But a man find it and take it to bank.
T: A man found it and took it to the
bank?
S: Yes. I was very happy.
T: So nice.
S: I went to Portland, and I lost my
credit card.
T: That’s too bad.
S: Yes, but a man find it and take it
to bank.
T: So nice.
S: I was very happy.

11. Handling mistakes
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магнитофон
Are you working on accuracy or fluency?
Self correction
On the spot correction
New mistakes or the same old ones?

12. Encourage Self-Correction
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Playing Stupid
S: “Yesterday I leaved the school at 5 pm”.
T: “Sorry?” or “What was that?” or “Come again?”
Write It Down
Gestures
The Corrections Card

13. Dealing with interruptions
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Talk time
VERY talkative : a recurrent mistake to focus on.
MEDIUM talkative : comment it together.
NON-talkative : don’t interrupt him/her!
First make it orally, and then in writing.

14. Teacher talking time – it’s complicated
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Does teacher talking time matter?

15. Echoing, Self-talk, Filling up Silence
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T: How was your weekend?
S: I went to the beach.
T: You went to the beach? Great!
T: Did you like the movie?
S: No.
T: Why? You thought it was boring?
S: Yes.

16. Productive TTT
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• Why reduce TTT?
• Strategies for reducing TTT
• Positive uses of TTT

17. Productive TTT
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Don’ts
Long explanations
No elicitation
T asks follow up Q
T summarizes, paraphrases, etc.
T talks about himself/herself
T paraphrases instructions
more than necessary
Not enough waiting time
Do’s
Don’t explain, show
Elicit
Promote S→Q
Have S summarize, paraphrase, etc.
Give S a chance to talk about himself/herself
Use comprehension checks, have S repeat
instructions
Give them prep time

18. Share your experience
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Can you share any examples of how you have
employed these strategies at your lessons?

19. What is your teaching style?
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1. Grammar-focused
2. Sentence drilling and repetition
3. Many activities involving communication
4. Errors correction
5. Seldom needed to open my mouth
6. Meaningful instructions

20. Thank you!
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Skyeng school – http://skyeng.ru
Skyteach – http://skyteach.ru
Job application – http://job.skyeng.ru/