Teaching methods - International TEFL Academy

Summary

In this video, Karen Duncan discusses various teaching approaches and techniques in the context of the post-methods era in ESL and EFL education. She shares her experiences from different classrooms, including a sheltered ESL classroom in Kansas, junior high schools in Japan, and an intensive English program in Colorado. Duncan highlights methods like content-based instruction, task-based learning, multisensory learning, TPR, and project-based learning. Her examples illustrate how teachers can adapt to different contexts while promoting active learning and communication in English, encouraging educators to embrace flexibility in their teaching methods.

Takeaways

• 📘 The speaker, Karen Duncan, discusses the idea of a post-methods era in teaching, connecting it to her ESL and EFL teaching experiences.
• 🏫 She describes her first-grade sheltered ESL classroom experience in Kansas, where she used content-based instruction to teach subjects like math, science, and social studies while addressing the students' English language needs.
• 🌱 Task-based learning was incorporated through activities like seed sorting in science class, helping students learn by completing tasks.
• 🎨 Multisensory learning was used, where students created objects out of clay, described their creations, and wrote stories about them to practice English.
• 🔠 Total Physical Response (TPR) was applied daily for teaching the alphabet and sounds, helping students act out different letters.
• 🇯🇵 In Japan, Duncan was an assistant language teacher, where she focused on listening and speaking skills using the communicative approach, while Japanese teachers often used grammar translation and the audio-lingual method.
• 🍪 Project-based learning was used in a junior high school English club to make Christmas cookies while learning about American culture through a simple English recipe.
• 📚 In an intensive English program at a university in Colorado, Duncan used communicative language teaching to help students improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through context-based activities.
• 🏋️ She implemented task-based learning with low-level proficiency students by organizing a tour of the university's gym, encouraging them to ask questions as part of the task.
• 👥 Cooperative learning was emphasized to prepare students for university-level group work, where students gave group presentations based on shared hobbies.

Q & A

What does Karen Duncan mean by a 'post-methods era' in teaching?

The 'post-methods era' refers to the idea that there is no single best teaching method. Instead, teachers combine various approaches, methods, and techniques to suit the specific needs of their students and classroom environments.

What is the significance of content-based instruction in Karen's experience in Kansas?

In Kansas, Karen used content-based instruction to teach subjects like math, science, and social studies to ESL students while simultaneously supporting their English language learning, demonstrating how language learning can be integrated with regular academic content.

Can you give an example of task-based learning from Karen's Kansas classroom?

Karen used task-based learning through a seed sorting activity where students categorized seeds and matched them to the names of plants. This hands-on task helped reinforce their learning while engaging them in a specific goal-oriented activity.

How did Karen incorporate multisensory learning in her Kansas classroom?

Karen asked students to create something out of clay, describe it, and then write a story about it. This engaged students' creativity, helped them use English vocabulary, and reinforced their language skills through tactile and sensory engagement.

What role did Total Physical Response (TPR) play in Karen’s ESL teaching in Kansas?

Karen used TPR to teach the alphabet and phonics by having students physically act out the letters, allowing them to connect physical actions with learning sounds and letters, making it easier to remember.

How did Karen approach teaching English in Japan differently from her Kansas experience?

In Japan, Karen focused more on the communicative approach and English-only interactions, in contrast to the grammar translation and audio-lingual methods commonly used by Japanese teachers. She emphasized using English for communication rather than just grammar.

What example did Karen provide for project-based learning in Japan?

Karen used project-based learning in her English club by having students make Christmas cookies while following a simple English recipe. This introduced them to American culture and allowed them to practice English in a hands-on way.

How did Karen apply the communicative language teaching approach in the Colorado university program?

Karen applied the communicative language teaching approach by focusing on helping students learn listening, speaking, reading, writing, and grammar through English in context, ensuring that English was the only language used for instruction.

What task-based learning example did Karen mention from her experience in Colorado?

Karen took low-level proficiency students on a tour of the university gym. Before the tour, students wrote down questions to ask, helping them practice English through a real-life task.

How did Karen use project-based learning in advanced classes at the university?

In her advanced reading and writing class, Karen had students research and write about nonviolent resistance in the modern world, allowing them to engage deeply with a complex topic and develop their academic language skills.