Part #3: Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher - Second Language, Only.

EDITORS NOTE: This is the third of a four-part article,"Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." It is called "Second Language, Only." Part #1, "Reported Speech," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as.html. Part #2, "Model Politeness," can be found at http://e-e-o.blogspot.tw/2015/10/do-following-and-you-will-succeed-as_8.html. The fourth part, "Contests that Challenge," with be published next week. 


     It is important that only English be used in the foreign language (EFL) classroom. However, English is a tool for business or academic purposes in non-native environments. It is seen by the public as advantageous for a student who chooses to travel abroad so quick results are important . As a result, in schools, it is treated like mathematical formula. In bushibans, speed and pretension take precedence over comprehension and retention. This is unfortunate. It creates an environment where students are learning and not acquiring language skills. There is a natural order of acquisition that takes more time than most schools (and students or their parents) are willing to afford. 

     Here is how you can teach ESL/EFL without using the first language in the classroom:
                            

     The idea of using only comprehendable input to teach a second language was new to our art in 1984 until The Natural Approach was introduced by Steven Krashen and Tracy Terrell. Every TESOL teacher should read the landmark book. The approach to teaching language through grammar worksheets and substitution drills that most schools in Taiwan and Asia rely on is not very effective for students. Your school or buxiban is wasting your students' time and money; you shouldn't care so long as you are paid on time; right? But if you want to have fun with your students and see them acquire language skills, have your own choice of materials and modify the materials your school gives you; do the right thing and use The Natural Approach. 

                             Total Physical Response

     Think of TPR as a game of "Simon Says." Demonstrate an action and then have the student repeat  it. For example, stand, walk to the door and open it. Say it as you do it: "Stand, walk, open." Then do it in reverse. "Close, walk, sit." Do this until the notion sinks in with the class as a whole and then with individual students. Take it slowly and write the words associated with the actions on the board once the student knows the alphabet. The "Simon Says" routine can become as complicated as the depth of the students' knowledge. For example, "Walk to the door after you take the red pen from on my desk, then open the door and put the pen on the left side in the hallway," and so on.  

                                 Word Bubbles

     "Word Bubbles" are TPR with the written word; you should use this activity often, especially when students are transitioning from oral comprehension to the written word. Remember that perfect grammar is not essential at the outset of learning English, but statement or question must make sense. The student must create a monitor to correct unintelligible language they produce. Word Bubbles help them do this. 

This is how it works in a contest :
     Divide the class into two or three teams. Put words associated with objects, actions, etc. on the board that you have introduced. Circle and number them. Point to a series of words (or say the numbers and have the student reconstruct the sentence on paper) and have the student copy the action or find the object: 

1-10:   verbs
11-15:  articles
16-20: nouns
21-25: prepositions
25-30: adjectives
(Ex. Take (5) - a (11) - red (26) - book (16). Put (4) - the  (12) - book  (16) - on (21)  the (12) - floor (17).

     The first player to complete the action gets points for his/her team. Repeat with a new series of word.
     As you identify objects, colors, shapes, and actions with your class, demonstrate to the class what it is you are talking about. Write the words (or letters and numbers) on the board. The first notion you should teach is the alphabet and numerals. The second notion you teach is shapes, the third is colors, the fourth is locations. With these notions you can form an idea such as this: "Draw a red circle under the blue car,"  or "Draw a star over the words beginning with 'b."
     As in all Natural Approach events, do not require the student to speak or repeat after you unless he or she is ready. So long as they understand the command, it is good! 

                                       Immersion

     Immersion does not only mean that the teacher uses only English in class; that would be confusing and a waste of time to expect the students to learn everything you read and say. The stress it causes students who try to figure out what the teacher means is counterproductive. There is an order of acquisition of a second language that the teacher should be aware of and adhere to. For example, present, present progressive, past, and future are acquired in that order. Read Natural Approach acquisition theory to learn more about it.  
     Unfortunately, most often, the ESL/EFL teacher is saddled by textbooks and syllabus of mishmash sources made by some unqualified program director. Even American and British English are mixed in some programs. Just because the instruction is all in English, it doesn't mean it is better for the student to learn. It is mostly a sham for the school to make money from unsuspecting students.
     Many schools that supply their students with a team-teaching local language adjunct to translate or explain what poorly trained English teachers use are better than immersion programs. If an English language instructor truly wants to help his students attain fluency, the best way is through second language immersion in an orderly fashion. 
    In conclusion, it is important that only English be used in the EFL/ESL classroom. In the overseas classroom, the reason is obvious; the student will have no other opportunity to practice what he is learning except in school, but even in English speaking countries, most students rarely use English outside of the classroom even though they are surrounded by English usage; their personal lives remain cloistered within their native language.  

This has been Part #3 of "Do the Following and You Will Succeed as an ESL Teacher." Part #4,"Contests That Challenge," will be published next week. Thank you for reading. I hope it makes teaching EFL/ESL easier for you.