TEFL Methods Exam 1 Questions and 100% Correct Answers Rated A+

Definition of a Lesson Plan - Serves as a guide, resource, and record while reflecting our teaching philosophy, student demographics, textbooks, and goals for the classroom. Why we plan - Deciding what to teach, in what order, and for how much time are the basic components of planning. A good lesson plan guides but does not dictate what and how we teach. It helps keep you as the teacher on track. Macro-planning - based on a philosophy or syllabus design. Micro-planning - fine-tuning the lesson according to students' needs. The everyday planning! Lesson Plan Progression - 1)warm-up/review 2) lesson content 3) summary-comments/homework assignments Optional pieces include more detail: room arrangement, transitions, back-up plans Basic Principles of Lesson Planning - A good lesson plan has a good sense of coherence and flow, while demonstrating variety and flexibility. Sources of Materials - Textbooks Internet sites Teacher developed Other ESL teachers Authentic Materials - Authentic materials include anything that is used as a part of communication in the real world. Disadvantages of using these are that it takes more time and effort and it can be challenging to make the materials understandable for students. Advantages include the value of learning how to communicate in practical, real-life situations as well as reinforcing the relationship between learning in a classroom and in the outside world. Influences on the Language Learning Process - Social Distance Age Aptitude motivation Anxiety Personality Factors Language Learning Strategies Critical Period Hypothesis - Developmental changes in the brain affect the nature of language acquisition Older learners - "foreign accent" Aptitude - Quick learner, ability to memorize new sounds, understand the function of words in sentences, able to figure out grammatical rules easily, etc. Language Learning Strategies - Visual/spatial learners - seeing Auditory - hearing Kinesthetic - moving and doing Tactile - feel and touch Logical/mathematical - puzzles, categorization Classroom Management - How we organize the classroom, create an atmosphere conducive to interacting in English in meaningful ways Giving Instructions - Make sure they're clear - use verbal, written or other means of communication Develop a way to check your students' understanding of instructions Keeping students on task - Make sure your activities are meaningful Set time limits for activities Ensure that expectations for activity/assignment are clear Have a follow up time where students are required to debrief from their activity Always be walking around the room - observing and checking for understanding Making language Comprehensible - Simplify teacher's speech and classroom materials Decrease your speech rate, use gestures, and exaggerate your pronunciation Use visual materials that aid in illustration Negotiate meaning - use questions that clarify and confirm meaning - don't assume they understand what I'm talking about The 4 Components of Communicative Competence - Grammatical, Sociocultural, Discourse, & Strategic Grammatical Competence - What you know about the language - how it is structured Sociocultural Competence - What you know about using the language appropriately in the culture of the TL Discourse Competence - How you engage in conversation - forming your ideas Strategic Competence - What you do in order to make your communication successful Three Key Pedagogical Principles - 1. The presentation of language form in context 2. The importance of genuine communication 3. The need for learner-centered teaching PPP Lesson Plan - Presentation, Practice, Production Learner-Centered Activities - Role-playing Playing language games Using authentic materials negotiating meaning Problem-solving tasks Working in groups/pairs Project work