Taken from http://www.professionallicensingreport.org/teachers-war-with-state-over-whetherlicensure-is-needed/
Teaching the Language System Tips to be used in class that can be very helpful By Karolina del Carmen Bermúdez-Zúùiga Pre-Service Teacher, School of English Faculty of Social Sciences Universidad Latina de Costa Rica Monday, April 5, 2016 Post 251
Studying is the explanation, repetition and practice of a given topic. Personalization is when the students take what they learn and apply it into a personal context; this means they use the language to talk about their personal life. The deductive approach, as explained by Harmer (2007), is in which students are given explanations or grammar rules, and based on that explanation or rules, they make phrases and sentences using the new language. The teacher explains and then the students repeat; the order that is used is engage-studyactivate. The inductive approach is in its place going from the rules to the examples; students see examples of language and try to work out the rules. Before being explained the students give examples to see if they know something, and teachers give them the chance to try before the explanation.
The best way of explaining meaning is to show it. Teachers can use pictures to explain situations and concepts. By explaining language construction, instructors can use their hands, gestures, patterns by ‘drawing’ and diagrams. In regards to practice and controlled practices, teacher asks students to use the language and try to correct them; this practice helps them to internalize how the language is constructed, so that when it passes from their shortterm memory to their longterm memory; on the other hand, the first step of controlled practice is repetition, and this can be also choral or individual. Freer practice is a kind of transition stage between language study and activation.
Examples of language system teaching: -teaching grammar: If we language instructors want to teach the present simple, for habitual actions, we can show students pictures of someone with an interesting occupation.
-teaching pronunciation: Students heard an audio to recognize the intonation and the pitch of the voice.
-teaching vocabulary: Educators can ask the students to make diagrams as extensively as they can. They have to come to the class with many words about a specific topic.
-mistakes: There are three categories, (1) “Slips” are mistakes which students can correct themselves. (2) “Errors” are mistakes which they cannot correct themselves and which, therefore, need explanation. And the last one is, (3) “Attempts” are mistakes that students make when they try to say something but do not yet know how to say it.
-correcting students: The instant correction is often not appropriate; if a teacher makes that, this practice can affect students’ confidence. The deductive approach is a method in which students can take the time to understand the rules before practicing, and then, the teacher can assess the students, and give them feedback. The use of pictures is a good idea to catch the
students’ attention and make the learning process interesting for students; moreover, the gestures and the intonation at the time to explain are essential. The way in which educators correct is indeed important; teachers can make students feel comfortable or uncomfortable with their way of correcting learners. A negative aspect is that depending on the voice, attitude, moment and intonation of the teacher, the students can feel really frustrated. Consequently, educators have to be really careful. To conclude, the deductive approach is a positive method to the learning process, to explain the rules first and then to have students repeat and put into practice the vocabulary learned. The feedback should be given carefully and when the students finish their practice. That can give the students time to work by themselves and then get the corrections from the instructor. References Harmer, J. (2007)� Teaching the language system� How to teach English Essex: Pearson