120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Teaching and Learning

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.4.2 Understanding the basics

There is a basic framework you will need to follow to be successful in helping students learn a new language. While we will discuss most of these concepts in detail in future modules, here is an overview to help you get started on your path to success:

• Linguistics:
  Helping your students understand the basics of linguistics will help ensure that they understand the basics of how the English language is structured, how we break down and diagram the components of a sentence, and how we communicate in English. This concept will give students a structure on which to build their true understanding of the language.

• Reading:
  Reading is one of the first skills you will develop with your students. It is typically where most teachers of English as a second language begin, because having words in front of the student can make them feel more comfortable when trying to decipher them. Students can learn to see words and sound them out with the guidance of the word in front of them.

• Writing:
  The next step is usually to work on your student’s skills in writing in English. They will have the guidance of the words in front of them as they do when they learn to read, but it requires them to take the next step because they will be the ones producing the words. This is a great time for students to work on the linguistic principles they already studied, and practice sentence structure, syntax, and other basic concepts of English.

• Speaking:
  Speaking can be the most difficult part of learning a new language. Having to sound the words out loud can add an extra level of anxiety because everyone in the class will hear the student if they make a mistake. Creating a classroom of respect and support can go a long way to assuage your students’ anxiety. If the student feels comfortable enough that they are not afraid to make mistakes in front of the class, they will be more willing to take risks.

• Listening:
  While listening is arguably a more difficult skill than speaking concerning a new language, students often feel more comfortable with it because they are not required to put themselves out there as much. However, listening is the next step after the students begin learning to speak the language. If a student can listen to something in English, comprehend it, and respond properly, they are exhibiting a complex understanding of the language, and is usually doing it without a visual reference (besides body language).