English as a second language teaching methods and approaches

Applying language universal in the ESL format

I would show the ESL students the commonalties between their specific language and English. For instance that both languages have distinction between vowels and consonants and also between front and back vowels as well as between obstruent and sonorant consonants.

Going on to grammar I would show them that distinction exists in both too between noun and verb, between pronoun and between subject and object.

Using their language as contrast, I would select subject, verb, pronoun object, choosing via images and actions to illustrate these (e.g. book being both object and noun). Book I would show them can have an -s' added in English as plural but 'fright' which is a verb cannot have an s added to it.

My first activity, in other words, would be to show them that commonalties exist between the new strange language and their own, and that this new language -- English can also be divided into component parts, just as theirs is.

Applying language typology in the ESL format

Linguistic typology describes and explains the common properties and the structural diversity of languages. It has three subgroups but, realistically, I can use two of its subgroups in ESL. The two subgroups that I can use are: (a) qualitative typology which deals with the issue of comparing languages and within-language variance and quantitative typology which deals with the distribution of structural patterns in the world's languages.

In the first case, I can compare L1 with L2 showing where universal linguistics differs and where they are the same. In the second case, I can show how structural patterns are distributed and realized in L2 and I can compare this with their native language to clarify and vivify the point.

Applying pragmatics in the ESL format

Pragmatics is the ability of langue users to match utterances with appropriate context, in other words students learn to use and match socially appropriate language for the situations that they encounter. This can be done in the ESL format in various ways: via classroom mini skits, as for instance dramatizing a restaurant situation. Via movies and visuals -- watching how people speak in social situations, and simulating this themselves in real life such as begun taken by teacher to museums, medical environments, libraries, and other social venues where they can both watch and imitate socially appropriate language.

Applying speech acts in the ESL format

Speech acts are performed in the context of, for instance, apologizing, greeting, making a request, complaining, and proffering an invitation, complimenting, or refusing something.

ESL students can engage in speech acts in several formats. The teacher can serve as model for the way that speech acts are made, and students can practice. They can endeavor to practice in real life, or in mock skits amongst each other. They can extend written invitations to one another or to other individuals. Teacher and students can criticize scenarios of real life situations where speech acts are preformed and analyze how students can imitate them and/or correct them.

Speech acts may be difficult fro ESL students due to the fact that idiomatic expressions and mannerisms differ from one culture to another and which is appropriate in one may be inappropriate in another. One of the best recommendations, therefore, is to closely watch, analyze and model.

Applying registers in the ESL format 'Register' is where a person talks differently to different people. There are, for instances, differences in speech between formal and informal situations.

ESL students can be taught differences by playing games around diverse situations identifying, for instance, the differences between a 'formal' and an 'informal' context.

The teacher, too, can employ media in this context selecting different TV programs where she can help students analyze the different speech acts and mannerisms performed in the various disparate situations. Students can compare and see how many differences they can come up with.

As with all situations, students can also practice their learning in both mock and real-life applications.

Applying dialects to ESL teaching

Teacher can explain to students that many different dialects occur in the English langue. She can contrast it to their own, so that they understand. To further teach the point, teacher can have students listen to recording of the same sentence uttered in different dialects or to English spoken, for instance in America and the same language spoken in England. Teacher can point out the main distinctions.