Some Real Basics about How to Teach English

A very common sense question from a reader was this:

I want to ask about functional notional approach in teaching English

I mean how to teach English as a function or as a way to communicate

Simply put the “functional notional approach” is about teaching “functions” – or the uses of the language rather than teaching the more traditional grammar-focused lessons.

I believe that teaching functions is FAR more useful for students and increases their motivation to learn. This is especially true with adult students when you are teaching them occupational language.

What is communication and conversation?

It is simply the back and forth of questions and answers, No?

The best way to think of how to teach functions is to fill in the blank here: Asking and answering questions about ________. (weather, your job, hobbies, your weekend, etc.)

That is a function statement.  The point from which you might begin to build your lesson.

Teaching functions affects student motivation as they can see that there is a REASON for learning the language in the lesson above and beyond just learning how to use, for example, the present perfect continuous forms of verbs. That even puts me to sleep . . .

TED’s Tips™ #1: Teaching functions type lessons really improves the motivation of your students.   One of the best things to do is to ask them what they might want to Ask and Answer Questions about.   Then the lesson is their idea and you know you are teaching something they want to know about.

TED’s Tips™ #2:  Once you have the Asking and Answering part down – just build your lesson with the common sense language that would go with it.  Teaching English is not rocket science – but there is a good method to the madness.

If you are an experienced teacher – or even a newbie - that has some positive advice or a great story to tell TEFL Newbie readers,  CLICK HERE.

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