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BBC | British Council teaching English - Literature - Storytelling - benefits and tips
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Storytelling - benefits and tips Literature contents
Adapted from a workshop by Paula Stoyle, British Council, Jordan Creating a class play
Using drama texts in class
We often give stories to our students to read, but how often do we tell them a story? Storytelling
This article looks at the benefits of storytelling and gives advice on performance skills Motivating pupils to read 2
Motivating pupils to read 1
● What can storytelling offer? Children's literature
● Storytelling and intercultural understanding
Think Other features
● Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom
Methodology
● Commonalities of cultures around the world
Pronunciation ● Performance techniques
Literature
Questions
● A last word
Resources
Speaking Activities
What can storytelling offer?
Listening Children have an innate love of stories. Stories create magic and a sense of wonder at
Reading the world. Stories teach us about life, about ourselves and about others. Storytelling is a
Quizzes
Vocabulary unique way for students to develop an understanding, respect and appreciation for
other cultures, and can promote a positive attitude to people from different lands, races
Writing and religions.
Other sites
Top of page
Send us an email
Storytelling and intercultural understanding
There are a number a number of ways in which storytelling can enhance intercultural
understanding and communication. Stories can…
● allow children to explore their own cultural roots

● allow children to experience diverse cultures
● enable children to empathise with unfamiliar people/places/situations
● offer insights into different traditions and values
● help children understand how wisdom is common to all peoples/all cultures
● offer insights into universal life experiences
● help children consider new ideas
● reveal differences and commonalties of cultures around the world
Top of page
Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom.

Stories…
● Promote a feeling of well being and relaxation

● Increase children's willingness to communicate thoughts and feelings
● Encourage active participation
● Increase verbal proficiency
● Encourage use of imagination and creativity
● Encourage cooperation between students
● Enhance listening skills
Commonalities of cultures around the world

Stories reveal universal truths about the world. Through stories we see how very
different people share the same life experiences and how human nature can transcend
culture.
Top of page
Performance techniques
Telling a story can captivate an audience…that is, with the right techniques and a little
practice:
Remembering and retelling the plot:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/literature/storytelling.shtml (1 of 2)7/4/2004 3:16:22 PM

BBC | British Council teaching English - Literature - Storytelling - benefits and tips
● map the plot as a memory technique

● use story skeletons to help you remember the key events
● think of the plot as a film or a series of connected images
● tell yourself the story in your own words
● create your own version of the story (adapt and improvise)
● retell it numerous times until it feels like a story
Performance skills.
Remember to...
● vary the volume, pitch and tempo of your voice (enunciate clearly and
exaggerate expression)
● use your face, body and gestures (let your body speak)
● make your body and face respond to the tale
● have a clear focus and maintain concentration
● maintain engaging eye contact with the audience/ individual listeners
● create a charismatic presence (make the audience believe in you)
● use different, exaggerated character voices
● use your space/ be dynamic
● remember to pace yourself
● always remember to regain your style as a narrator
● use silence and pauses to add dramatic effect
A last word…
Young Learners share a remarkable variety of personal experiences, values and ways
of understanding .The language they learn in the classroom is the tool they use to
shape their thoughts and feelings. It is more than a way of exchanging information and
extending ideas it is their means of reaching out and connecting with other people.
Stories can link not only between the world of classroom and home but also between
the classroom and beyond. Stories provide a common thread that can help unite
cultures and provide a bridge across the cultural gap:
Top of page
© BBC World Service, Bush House, Strand, London WC2B 4PH, UK © British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN, UK
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BBC | British Council teaching English - Think - Methodology
Home > Think > Methodology
Methodology Methodology contents
On these pages you will find links to articles connected with teaching methodology. Testing and assessment
Exploring metaphors
Latest article Storytelling
Drilling 1
Testing and assessment Drilling 2
Richard Frost, British Council, Turkey Sense of humour
Think
I will always remember the horror of receiving my chemistry result when I was thirteen Dogme: A teacher's view
years old. I knew it wasn't going to be high, but to come bottom of the class was very Which syllabus
Methodology upsetting. It was all made worse by the fact that the chemistry teacher read the results
Reflective teaching
Pronunciation to the whole class, from first to last place. My humiliation was complete. Students can
Community language learning
Literature have very negative reactions towards tests and it's no surprise when they too may have
had experiences like this. Teaching English to the blind
Resources
Negotiated objectives
Speaking Learner training
Go to this article >>
Listening A Task-based approach
Reading Other articles Teacher as a teaching aid
Vocabulary Project work
Writing Exploring metaphors in the classroom Discipline problems
Gillian Lazar, Senior Lecturer, Middlesex University, London Circle games
When our students listen to pop songs in English, browse web sites in English or watch
movies in English they frequently meet language rich in its use of metaphors. Yet Teen angst
metaphors are often rather neglected in the classroom. So what kinds of metaphors Total Physical Response
should we teach, why should we teach them and how can we do so effectively?
Starting primary
Motivating teenagers
Intercultural learning 1
Storytelling in young learner classes Intercultural learning 2

Patricia Ielmini, Argentina Advanced students' progress
According to David Vale and Anne Feunteun in 'Teaching children English: A training Lesson planning 2
course for teachers of English to children', kids start developing their identity as readers
Content based instruction
and listeners from the age of three or four years old, because they start constructing
their world of meaning and imagination when they are first exposed to different stories of Error correction 2
life. It is vitally important that we, as teachers, support this development. Error correction 1
Lexical approach 2
Lexical approach 1
Mixed-ability classes 2
Drilling 1
Mixed-ability classes 1
Julie Tice, Teacher, Trainer, Writer, British Council Lisbon
Drilling is a technique that has been used in foreign language classrooms for many Group v whole class
years. It was a key feature of audiolingual approaches to language teaching which Visualisation
placed emphasis on repeating structural pattern practice through oral practice.
Personality approach
Professional competence 2
Additional educational needs
Drilling 2 Professional competence 1

Julie Tice, Teacher, Trainer, Writer, British Council Lisbon Managing young learners
Drilling is not a new or a fashionable classroom technique, but, used appropriately in the Silent grammar
classroom, it can be of great value to our learners. This second article will focus on how
Peer observation
we drill.
Repertoire
Go to this article >> Learning styles
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology.shtml (1 of 8) [11/12/04 18.28.22]

Sense of humour Action research
Nik Peachey, teacher, trainer and materials writer, British Council Use of mother tongue
For me, one of the most under exploited and neglected areas within language learning is Teaching large classes
humour. How many course books have a section on humour? How many syllabi include Lesson planning 1
the ability to tell or understand a joke? Yet understanding the sense of humour of a
people is a key element of understanding the culture and language and perhaps even
more importantly of developing relationships with people from that country.
Dogme: A teacher's view

Jo Bertrand, Teacher, Materials writer, British Council Paris
In this article one teacher gives us her view of how the ideas and principles of a new
approach to teaching have shaped her classroom practice.
Which syllabus
Vanessa Steele
Traditional and holistic syllabuses reflect different views of language and language
learning and teaching. Both viewpoints are quite valid, and most courses nowadays will
reflect elements of both. It is the relative emphasis given to language as a body of
knowledge to be mastered, or language as a communicative process to be developed,
which will determine which of the labels 'traditional' or 'holistic' I would apply to a given
syllabus.
Reflective teaching
Julie Tice, Teacher, Trainer, Writer, British Council Lisbon
Reflective teaching means looking at what you do in the classroom, thinking about why
you do it, and thinking about if it works - a process of self-observation and self-
evaluation. By collecting information about what goes on in our classroom, and by
analysing and evaluating this information, we identify and explore our own practices and
underlying beliefs. This may then lead to changes and improvements in our teaching.
Community language learning

Jo Bertrand, Teacher, Materials writer, British Council Paris
Community language learning (CLL) was primarily designed for monolingual
conversation classes where the teacher-counsellor would be able to speak the learners'
L1. The intention was that it would integrate translation so that the students would
disassociate language learning with risk taking. It's a method that is based on English for
communication and is extremely learner-focused.
Teaching English to blind students

Chok Seng of Malaysia
Of all the subjects teaching English to the blind is the easiest. Having said so there are
one or two things teachers who are not trained to teach the blind may need to know
before they can be an effective teacher to a blind student.
Negotiated objectives
Nicola Meldrum, British Council, Spain

Many students, especially at intermediate level, express the feeling that they are not
making any progress. This is because their progress is not as noticeable as it was when
they started learning English. This tends to have a de-motivating effect on the students
and can lead to students losing interest in the learning process. One tactic I have
employed over the last two years has been to compile a negotiated list of objectives with
the students to try to help them see their progress more clearly and thus become more
motivated.
Learner training with young learners

Lynn Gallacher, British Council, Spain
Learner training is about developing students' awareness of how they learn. It aims to
develop students' learning strategies with the intention of making learners more effective
and independent. Learner training can be started with students as young as 5 years old!
The article that follows contains learner training activities you could try with your young
learner students.
A Task-based approach
Richard Frost
In recent years a debate has developed over which approaches to structuring and
planning and implementing lessons are more effective. This article presents and
overview of a task-based learning approach (TBL) and highlights its advantages over
the more traditional Present, Practice, Produce (PPP) approach.
The teacher as a teaching aid

Sima Jalil
"Although we now live in a high tech world and have access to a variety of teaching aids,
there is one aid that is convenient, portable, uses no electricity, can be used effectively
in light or dark and is available all the time. Yes, the teacher him or herself!"
Project work with teenagers

Lynn Gallacher, British Council, Spain
" Project work is becoming an increasingly popular feature within the ELT classroom.
Common projects are class magazines, group wall displays about students' countries
and designs for cities of the future. A project involves students in deciding together what
they want to do to complete a project whilst the teacher plays a more supporting role."
Discipline problems
Nina M. Koptyug, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English, Lyceum # 130, Novosibirsk,
Russia
" In this article, we'll be looking at the causes of discipline problems, and at various ways
of solving the problems. We shall try to see how the traditional four skills can be varied
according to the class level and aptitude, and to work out some strategies for
maintaining law and order in the classroom!"
Circle games
Joanna Budden, British Coucil, Spain

"Circle games are a great way to encourage the whole class to work together. They also
provide an often welcome change in working pattern. They are mostly used with young
learners, but teenagers will play them and so will the right kind of adult class: one that
doesn't take itself too seriously."
Teen angst
Richard Frost, British Council, Turkey
"Effective teachers are those who can prevent problems from occurring in the first place
and know what to do and feel confident when trouble starts. Following a few rules can
help... "
Total physical response

Richard Frost, British Council, Turkey
"This is an introduction to the teaching approach known as TPR - total physical
response."
Starting primary
Gail Ellis, Head of the Young Learners Centre, British Council, Paris and Special
Lecturer in the School of Education, University of Nottingham
It is common for teachers to be asked by their institution to teach young learners even
though they don't have specific training. Those first lessons with the class, which are
quite probably in a different institution to your regular work, can seem daunting. In this
article I provide some advice on how to deal with starting work with primary level
students and I give ten top classroom management tips.
Joanne Budden, British Council, Spain
In this article I will discuss how teachers can aim to improve the motivation levels of
teenage students. I will link three practical classroom activities to the ideas of American
Psychologist Carl Rogers.
Chris Rose, British Council, Italy
This is the second of two articles that deal with the topic of intercultural awareness and
learning. The first article - Intercultural learning 1 - sets out the methodological
background to this topic, and this, the second article, offers practical suggestions for the
classroom. If our students are to have any hope of using their language skills to
genuinely comprehend and communicate in the global village, intercultural awareness is
crucial.
Chris Rose, British Council, Italy
This is the first of two articles that deal with the topic of intercultural awareness and
learning. This article sets out the methodological background to this topic, and the
second article - Intercultural learning 2 - offers practical suggestions for the classroom.
If our students are to have any hope of using their language skills to genuinely

comprehend and communicate in the global village, intercultural awareness is crucial.
How to Measure Advanced Level Students' Progress.

Nina M. Koptyug, Ph.D., associate professor of EnglishLyceum # 130, Novosibirsk,
Russia
In this article, we'll be looking at how to measure the progress of advanced level
students. We'll be faced with the dual problem of both teacher assessment of student
abilities and student self-assessment. We'll try to offer some new insights into using the
traditional four skills as a tool for measuring student progress, and to provide a few
suggestions for future work.
Lesson planning 2
Callum Robertson, BBC English
Lesson planning 1 outlined the rationale behind lesson planning. This article looks at
some of the elements to consider when planning an actual lesson; aims, concepts,
contexts and marker sentences.

Nik Peachey, teacher, trainer and materials writer, The British Council
"In recent years content based instruction has become increasingly popular as a means
of developing linguistic ability. It has strong connections to project work, task based
learning and a holistic approach to language instruction..."
Error correction 2
Rolf Donald, teacher and teacher trainer, Eastbourne School of English
Some students are only interested in developing their fluency at the expense of
accuracy while others are so focused on accuracy that they have no fluency. While
these are clearly extremes, it is not unusual to find students like this in a typical class. In
Error Correction 2 we look at ways to deal with spoken errors and ways to raise the
students' awareness of their own language production.
Lexical Approach 1 - what does the lexical approach look like?

Carlos Islam, The University of Maine
Ivor Timmis, Leeds Metropolitan University
"This article looks at the theories of language which form the foundations of the lexical
approach to teaching English..."
Lexical approach 2
Carlos Islam, The University of Maine
Ivor Timmis, Leeds Metropolitan University
"We apply theories of language learning to a lexical approach and describe what lexical

lessons could look like..."
Error correction 1
When it comes to error correction we are dealing with one individual's reaction to a
student's piece of writing or utterance. This inevitably means that there will be some
disagreement among teachers about what, when, and how to correct. Therefore the aim
of this article is not to be prescriptive, but to highlight some key areas
Teaching mixed-ability classes 2

Gareth Rees, teacher/teacher trainer, London Metropolitan University, UK
You may often be teaching a class which has students who are clearly of different
levels. They may have different starting levels of English or they may learn at very
different speeds - for any number of reasons. There are several strategies that a teacher
can use to deal with this situation
Teaching mixed-ability classes 1

Gareth Rees, teacher/teacher trainer, London Metropolitan University, UK
You may often be teaching a class which has students who are clearly of different
levels. They may have different starting levels of English or they may learn at very
different speeds - for any number of reasons. There are several strategies that a teacher
can use to deal with this situation
Group work v. whole-class activities

Simon Andrewes, teacher, president of Granada English Teachers' Association
Group and pair work are so much a part of our everyday teaching routine that we hardly
pause to think before partitioning the class to tackle some particular communicative
task. But group work may not always be the best option. There will be a time and a
place for whole-class activities in the English language classroom, just as there's a time
and a place for group and pair work.
An Introduction to using Visualisation

"Visualisation has been widely used in sports psychology over the last 30 years to
enhance all aspects of performance. In this article I will be looking at some of the ways
that it can be applied to language learning."
Additional educational needs

Gail Ellis, Head of the Young Learners Centre, British Council, Paris and Special

"This article is about teaching English to children who may have learning difficulties or
other additional educational needs. It deals with the rationale behind teaching English to
such children and provides teaching strategies for the institution and the classroom...."
Professional Competence 1
Saleh M. Abdo, English Language Unit, National College of Science & Technology
Salalah, Sultanate of Oman
"A selection of top tips to help teachers of English develop their professional
competence that cover issues of professional conduct, strategies for dealing with
students and their language production, the importance of meaningful communication
and the example the teacher sets...."
Professional competence 2
Saleh M. Abdo, English Language Unit, National College of Science & Technology
Salalah, Sultanate of Oman
"This is a selection of top tips to help teachers of English develop their professional
competence. They cover issues of professional conduct, strategies for dealing with
students and their language production, the importance of meaningful communication
and the example set by the teacher..."
Managing young learners

Gail Ellis, Teaching Centre Manager, Paris and Janet Leclere , Teacher, Young
Learners Centre, Paris
"Ideas for classroom management and teaching strategies in the young learners
classroom..."
Rediscovering silent grammar

Sam Shepherd, Eastbourne School of English
"What exactly is the Silent Way, and how can it be used to teach structure in a modern
classroom...?"
Peer observation
Graham White, Principal of Eastbourne School of English
"Peer observation helps provide effective teaching. This article looks at the basic
principles of peer observation and its value..."
Repertoire
Andy Baxter, British Council, Portugal
"All teachers have a variety of techniques and activities that they regularly use - their

repertoire. This changes all the time, but is that a good thing or..."
Learning styles and teaching

Cheron Verster, teacher and materials writer, South Africa
Your students will be more successful if you match your teaching style to their learning
styles...
Action research
Cheron Verster, teacher and materials writer, South Africa
A process in which teachers investigate their teaching and learning so as to improve

their own and their student's learning...
From mother tongue to other tongue

Luke Prodromou - teacher, teacher trainer, writer
British Council, Greece
The issue of whether or not to use the mother-tongue (L1) in the English language (L2)
classroom is complex. This article presents the results of a survey into student attitudes
towards the use of L1 in class and some suggestions for using the L1 and its culture as
a learning resource...
Teaching large classes

Teachers in Action, BBC World Service / OLSET
Large classes are a reality in many countries and they pose particular challenges. This
article suggests ways to help discipline, to use group work and to cope with limited
resources...
Lesson Planning 1
Callum Robertson, BBC English
"Planning is one of those essential skills of the competent teacher. This article looks at
some general lesson planning questions..."
If you have any thoughts on teaching methodology you would like to share on this site,
contact us.

BBC | British Council teaching English - Think - Resources
Home > Think > Resources
Resources Resources contents
On these pages you will find links to articles connected with resources Webquests
Using authentic materials
Latest article Students as a resource
Using flash cards
Webquests Home-school connection 2
Gavin Dudeney and Nicky Hockly, Educational Consultants, Spain Home-school connection 1
Video and young learners 2
Think
Methodology As more students gain access to the Internet, there is growing pressure on teachers to
help their students use this valuable resource as an effective study tool. Webquests are E-learning and motivation
Pronunciation just one way in which teachers can help. Low-tech learners
Literature ICT, vocabulary, motivation
Using the internet 1
Resources Go to this article >>
Speaking
Learning circles
Listening Previous articles Self-access framework
Reading Self-access on a budget
Using authentic materials
Vocabulary Other features
Sam Shepherd, teacher, New Zealand
Writing
Using authentic materials is one of the mainstays of an imaginative and motivating
higher level course, but rarely feature at levels lower than intermediate. There are Questions
several reasons for this, primarily a kind of fear that students will panic when faced with
language that is largely unfamiliar, and a feeling that to prevent this the language should
be edited to the students' level. Activities

Quizzes
The not so hidden resource - the students
Sam Shepherd, teacher, New Zealand
Other sites
Students can be an invaluable resource, and for some perhaps the only resource. But
how can we tap into this resource and use it effectively?
Send us an email
Using flash cards with young learners

Joanna Budden, British Council, Spain
Flash cards are a simple, versatile, yet often under exploited resource. I would like to
offer some reasons for using flash cards and a selection of activities for use in the
Young Learner classroom, although some of the activities could also be used with fun-
loving, lower level adult classes.
The home-scool connection 1

Theresa Zanatta
If we accept that as teachers we need to invite, inform, and coach parents in ways to
become active participants in the development of their child's literacy and language skill
development, then we must begin to think about how to go about putting this objective
into practice. Theresa Zanatta shows us how parents can be encouraged to create
opportunities for their children to learn English at home.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/resources.shtml (1 of 3) [11/12/04 18.28.47]

The home-scool connection 2

Theresa Zanatta
If we accept that as teachers we need to invite, inform, and coach parents in ways to
become active participants in the development of their child's literacy and language skill
development, then we must begin to think about how to go about putting this objective
into practice. Theresa Zanatta shows us how parents can be encouraged to create
opportunities for their children to learn English at home.

Lynn Gallacher, British Council
This first article will give an introduction to some of the issues surrounding video with
young learners. It will discuss the benefits but also the potential drawbacks of using
video, the different roles video can take and then present criteria for selecting videos.
Some ideas for the kinds of video suitable for young learners are also given.

Lynn Gallacher, British Council
The way the video is used and the materials prepared for use with the video will depend
on the role the video is to take. Issues such as this are discussed in Video and young
learners 1. This second article concentrates on classroom activities. In the Try
Resources section there are sample lesson plans which relate to these activities.
E-learning and motivation - a personal reflection

Leite Monteiro, English teacher, Language Centre, Civil Service College, Portugal
"This article concentrates on interactive learning classrooms and focuses on issues of

student motivation. Self directed learning on the internet is becoming increasingly
popular and it is one other way to encourage our students to practise their language
outside the classroom, or it is a vital resource for the student who cannot get to a
classroom."
Low-tech learners
Sam Shepherd, Eastbourne School of English
"Some students are reluctant to work on computers. But how can we get around this...?"
ICT, vocabulary and autonomy

Nina M. Koptyug, Ph.D., associate professor of English, Novosibirsk, Russia
"Ways to encourage independent learning strategies using information and computer
technology...."


Callum Robertson, Radio broadcaster and on line producer, BBC World Service
"This article looks specifically at using the internet as a materials resource and how to
prepare for and manage internet lessons..."

Callum Robertson, Radio broadcaster and on line producer, BBC World Service
"This article looks at searching the internet, online teacher development and using the
net to increase students' communication practice..."
English learning circles - a path to learner independence

Karen Adams, professional development manager
"Getting students to use English with each other is a problem which is often difficult to
overcome. Learning Circles are one way to help students recognise the importance of
using English and to motivate them to do so in the classroom..."
Self-access: a framework for diversity

Michael Rodden, British Council, Lisbon
"What is a self-access centre, why might your students benefit from using one, and how
might you go about setting one up in your school."
Self-access on a budget
Michael Rodden, British Council, Lisbon
"Not all self-access ideas need to cost a fortune. Here are a few ideas for how you might
develop resources in your school."
If you have any ideas about resources you would like to share on this site, contact us.

BBC | British Council teaching English - Think - Literature
Home > Think > Literature
Literature Literature contents
On these pages you will find links to articles connected with the teaching of literature. Creating a class play
Using drama texts in class
Latest article Storytelling
Creating a class play Motivating pupils to read 1
Richard Frost, British Council, Turkey Children's literature
Think Other features
Methodology "Studying German at school was a thoroughly depressing experience for me. Grammar
translation, authoritarian teachers and constant tests. I can remember very little of what
Pronunciation was 'taught' but something that I have never forgotten was thanks to a German native-
Literature speaker teacher who came to our school for one term and encouraged the class to take
Questions
Resources part in a play."
Speaking Activities
Listening
Reading
Other articles Quizzes
Vocabulary
Writing Using drama texts in the classroom
Henry Robinson, MA Applied Linguistics and ELT, LCTL DIP TESOL Other sites
"In this article, I try to define what I mean by language learning through drama/theatre
Send us an email
texts, outline some of the benefits it can bring to the language learning classroom and
some of the differing methods and approaches that can be utilised to fully exploit the
potential of drama and theatre texts."
Storytelling - benefits and tips

Adapted from a workshop by Paula Stoyle, British Council, Jordan
"We often give stories to our students to read, but how often do we tell them a story?
This article looks at the benefits of storytelling and gives advice on performance skills"

Gail Ellis, Head of Young Learners Centre, The British Council, Paris and Special
"This is the second of two articles that looks at ways to apply the process model of
motivation as proposed by Dornyei (2001) to a number of suggestions and techniques
for making the challenge of reading authentic literature accessible and motivating. This
article describes ways to maintainl motivation, the first one shows how to generate this
motivation."

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/literature.shtml (1 of 2) [11/12/04 18.29.19]

BBC | British Council teaching English - Think - Literature
"This is the first of two articles that looks at ways to apply the process model of
motivation as proposed by Dornyei (2001) to a number of suggestions and techniques
for making the challenge of reading authentic literature accessible and motivating. This
article describes ways to maintain motivation, the second one shows how to maintain
this motivation."
Learning English through children's literature

"A story provides the starting point for developing a wide variety of language and
learning activities involving children personally, creatively and actively..."
Related
Downloads - Brit Lit - Using short stories in the classroom

Classroom activities - Reading
If you have any teaching listening ideas you would like to share on this site, contact us.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/literature.shtml (2 of 2) [11/12/04 18.29.19]

BBC | British Council teaching English - Methodology - Error Correction 2
Home > Think > Methodology > Error correction 2
Error Correction 2 Methodology contents
Rolf Donald, teacher and teacher trainer, Eastbourne School of English Teaching one to one
Exam-based writing skills
As mentioned in Error Correction 1, students can differ greatly in their attitude to On-going assessment
producing spoken English. Some are only interested in developing their fluency at the NLP in our classes
expense of accuracy while others are so focused on accuracy that they have no fluency. Taboo in the classroom
While these are clearly extremes, it is not unusual to find students like this in a typical
Register and formality
class. In Error Correction 2 we look at...
Think Analysing language
Checking answers
Methodology ● A basic approach to improving fluency and accuracy
The child as learner
Pronunciation ● Dictogloss - A way of raising students' awareness of their inter-language
The child as learner 2
Literature ● Criteria for dealing with spoken errors
Monitoring
Resources ● Practical techniques for correcting spoken errors
Checking understanding
● Further reading
Speaking Young learner testing
Listening Keeping teens interested
Reading A basic approach to improving fluency and accuracy Make no mistake
Vocabulary CLIL
Writing In contrast to writing, students have very little processing time when it comes to speaking, Planning a grammar lesson
so it is hardly surprising that the following may occur. NLP in ELT
Using dictation
● Students don't experiment with new language presented by the teacher. Teacher positioning
● At lower levels students' output is mostly lexical. Humanistic language teaching
● The more accuracy-focused students test the patience of the listener in the time
Syllabus writing
they take to say something.
● The speech of some very fluent students is littered with errors and therefore may Non-verbal communication
have a negative effect on the listener. Structured inquiry
Teaching online
Just as with writing we can help students to improve their accuracy and fluency. Teachers Conveying meaning
can help students improve their fluency by giving guided preparation time for a task. Socio cultural awareness
Students receive specific guidance in choosing appropriate language as well as rehearsal Time lines
time. Task-based learning research shows that this leads to a greater range of language
Thinking frames
being used.
Thinking frames 2
When it comes to accuracy, research into second language acquisition says that the first Multiple intelligences
stage of improving accuracy is awareness-raising. Namely, raising students' awareness of Test question types
gaps in their inter-language. You can do this by using a recording of teachers / higher Test writing
level students performing the same task that your students have done. Use awareness-
Monitoring speaking
raising exercises to focus on specific linguistic areas in the recording.
Top of page Testing and assessment
Exploring metaphors
Dictogloss - A way of raising students' awareness of their inter-language Storytelling
Dictogloss (see 'Grammar Dictation' by R.Wajnryb OUP) is a very effective technique for Drilling 1
doing this. After an introduction to the subject and some pre-teaching of essential lexis, Drilling 2
students are read a text twice. The first time they listen to get the gist of the text. The
second time they have to note down the key words. Then, in groups they work together to Sense of humour
produce a version of the text. The emphasis is on successfully communicating the main Dogme: A teacher's view
points using their English. If they can reproduce the original text, that is great, but it is not Which syllabus
essential. The teacher and groups then correct their texts and compare them with the Reflective teaching
original. The aim is to make students aware of the gaps in their inter-language. Community language learning
Top of page
Teaching English to the blind
Criteria for dealing with Spoken Errors Negotiated objectives
In 'Correction' by M.Bartram and R.Walton present these questions as a guide to deciding Learner training
whether to let an error go or not. Which do you consider to be the most important? A Task-based approach
Teacher as a teaching aid
1. Does the mistake affect communication? Project work
2. Are we concentrating on accuracy at the moment?
3. Is it really wrong? Or is it my imagination? Discipline problems
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4. Why did the student make the mistake? Circle games

5. Is it the first time the student has spoken for a long time?
Teen angst
6. Could the student react badly to my correction?
7. Have they met this language point in the current lesson? Total Physical Response
8. Is it something the students have already met? Starting primary
9. Is this a mistake that several students are making?
10. Would the mistake irritate someone?
11. What time is it? Intercultural learning 1
12. What day is it? Intercultural learning 2
13. What's the weather like?
Advanced students' progress
Top of page Lesson planning 2

Practical techniques / ideas for correcting spoken English Error correction 2
Error correction 1
● On-the-spot correction techniques.
Lexical approach 2
These are used for dealing with errors as they occur.
Lexical approach 1
❍ Using fingers Mixed-ability classes 2
For example, to highlight an incorrect form or to indicate a word order
mistake. Mixed-ability classes 1
Group v whole class
❍ Gestures
Visualisation
For example, using hand gestures to indicate the use of the wrong tense.
Personality approach
❍ Mouthing Professional competence 2
This is useful with pronunciation errors. The teacher mouths the correct
pronunciation without making a sound. For example, when an individual Additional educational needs
sound is mispronounced or when the word stress is wrong. Of course it Professional competence 1
can also be used to correct other spoken errors. Managing young learners
❍ Reformulation Silent grammar

For example: Peer observation
Student: I went in Scotland Repertoire
Teacher: Oh really, you went to Scotland, did you?
Learning styles
● Delayed Correction techniques - For example, after a communication activity. Action research
❍ Noting down errors Use of mother tongue

Either on an individual basis i.e. focusing on each student's mistakes or for Teaching large classes
the class as a whole. 'Hot cards', as Bartram and Walton call individual Lesson planning 1
notes, can be used to focus on recurring mistakes. The student then has a
written suggestion of what to work on. Other features
❍ Recording
In addition to recording students (individually, in pairs etc.) during a Questions
speaking task to make them aware of errors that affect communication we
can use a technique from Community Language Learning. Students sit in a
circle with a tape recorder in the centre. In monolingual classes they check
Activities
with the teacher, who is bilingual, about how to say something in English,
then rehearse it and record it. At the end of the lesson they listen back to
the tape and can focus on specific utterances etc. With higher level
multilingual classes students take part in a discussion which they have Quizzes
prepared for in advance. When they have something to say they record
themselves and then pause the tape. Just as with monolingual classes
they can use the teacher as a linguistic resource. At the end of the Other sites
discussion students analyse their performance with the teacher. The focus
is on improving the quality of what they say and expanding their inter-
language. Although this form of discussion may seem a bit artificial it has Send us an email
two main advantages:
■ Students pay more attention to what they say as they are taking
part in a kind of performance (it is being recorded)

■ Students not only become more aware of gaps in their spoken
English but also can see how their spoken English is improving.
Further reading
'Correction' by M.Bartram &R.Walton Thomson Heinle (2002)

Related
Think - Error correction 1
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N - BBC British Council Teaching English - Think - Methodology

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BBC | British Council teaching English - Literature - Storytelling - benefits and tips

● allow children to explore their own cultural roots

Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom.

● Promote a feeling of well being and relaxation

Commonalities of cultures around the world

Remembering and retelling the plot:

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● map the plot as a memory technique

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Storytelling in young learner classes Intercultural learning 2

Drilling 2 Professional competence 1

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Sense of humour Action research

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Dogme: A teacher's view

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Community language learning

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Teaching English to blind students

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Learner training with young learners

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The teacher as a teaching aid

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Project work with teenagers

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Total physical response

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comprehend and communicate in the global village, intercultural awareness is crucial.

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How to Measure Advanced Level Students' Progress.

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Content based instruction

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Lexical Approach 1 - what does the lexical approach look like?

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lessons could look like..."

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Teaching mixed-ability classes 2

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Teaching mixed-ability classes 1

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Group work v. whole-class activities

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An Introduction to using Visualisation

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