How Can an ESL/EFL TeacherHow Can an ESL/EFL Teacher Teach Teach Successfully?Successfully?

Babak FalsafiBabak Falsafi

University of San FranciscoUniversity of San FranciscoFall 2010Fall 2010

Dr.PopalDr.Popal

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?

WHO?WHO? Who is the learner?Who is the learner? Where does he/she come from?Where does he/she come from? What is his/her first language?What is his/her first language? What is his/her level of education?What is his/her level of education? What is his/her socioeconomic level?What is his/her socioeconomic level? What is his/her intellectual capacities?What is his/her intellectual capacities?

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?successfully?

WHO?WHO? Who is the teacher?Who is the teacher? Where does he/she come from?Where does he/she come from? What is his/her first language?What is his/her first language? What is his/her level What is his/her level of education?of education? What is his/her What is his/her philosophy of education?philosophy of education? What is his/her teaching experienceWhat is his/her teaching experience??

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?successfully?

HOW?HOW? How does learning take place?How does learning take place? How can a person ensure success in language How can a person ensure success in language

learning?learning? What cognitive processes are utilized in Second What cognitive processes are utilized in Second

Language learning?Language learning? What is the optimal interrelationship of cognitive, What is the optimal interrelationship of cognitive,

affective, and physical domains for successful affective, and physical domains for successful language learning?language learning?

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?successfully?

WHEN?WHEN? When does second When does second language learning take place?language learning take place?

Why does the age of learning make difference?Why does the age of learning make difference? How do cognitive & emotional developmental changes affect How do cognitive & emotional developmental changes affect

language acquisition?language acquisition? How much time does the learner spend on learning?How much time does the learner spend on learning? Is the learner in a immersion or drip-feed program?Is the learner in a immersion or drip-feed program? Is the learner totally submerged Is the learner totally submerged in the culture?in the culture?

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?successfully?

WHERE?WHERE? Does the learning take place in an ESL or EFL Does the learning take place in an ESL or EFL

setting?setting? How might the sociopolitical conditions of a How might the sociopolitical conditions of a

particular country affect the mastery of the particular country affect the mastery of the language?language?

How do intercultural contrasts and similarities How do intercultural contrasts and similarities affect the learning process?affect the learning process?

How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach How can an ESL/EFL teacher teach successfully?successfully?

WHY?WHY? Why are the learners are attempting to acquire the Why are the learners are attempting to acquire the

second language?second language? What are their purposes/motivations?What are their purposes/motivations?

Instrumental/extrinsic?Instrumental/extrinsic? Integrative/intrinsic?Integrative/intrinsic?

WHAT IS LANGUAGE?WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

• Language is a systematic and generative system.Language is a systematic and generative system.• Language is a set of arbitrary symbols.Language is a set of arbitrary symbols.• The symbols are primarily vocal but may also be visual.The symbols are primarily vocal but may also be visual.• The symbols have conventionalized meanings.The symbols have conventionalized meanings.• Language is used for communication.Language is used for communication.• Language operates in a speech community/culture.Language operates in a speech community/culture.• Language is mainly human but not limited to human.Language is mainly human but not limited to human.• Language is acquired by all people in much the same way; Language is acquired by all people in much the same way;

language and language learning have universal language and language learning have universal characteristics. characteristics.

Creativity in LanguageCreativity in Language

Language is a set of arbitrary symbols which operates Language is a set of arbitrary symbols which operates in a speech community; it is essentially human and is in a speech community; it is essentially human and is acquired in much the same way.acquired in much the same way.

Language is a set of sounds and symbols which Language is a set of sounds and symbols which are primarily vocal but may also be visual that are are primarily vocal but may also be visual that are understood by a community and used for understood by a community and used for communication between human cultures and communication between human cultures and learned by most people in much the same way.learned by most people in much the same way.

Creativity in LanguageCreativity in Language

Language is a symbolic, systematic, Language is a symbolic, systematic, primarily vocal form of communication primarily vocal form of communication which operates within a community or which operates within a community or culture and whose acquisition has culture and whose acquisition has universal characteristics.universal characteristics.

Language is a systematic culture-based means of Language is a systematic culture-based means of communication, using arbitrary and conventionalized communication, using arbitrary and conventionalized symbols; language and language learning have universal symbols; language and language learning have universal characteristics.characteristics.

What do we teach when we teach a language? What do we teach when we teach a language? LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGELINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

1. 1. Phonology:Phonology:

It is the knowledge of the sound system. It It is the knowledge of the sound system. It enables us to recognized the following:enables us to recognized the following:

• Human sounds from non-human sounds.Human sounds from non-human sounds.• Native language sounds from non-language soundsNative language sounds from non-language sounds• Sounds in the initial, medial and final position of wordsSounds in the initial, medial and final position of words

What do we teach when we teach a language? What do we teach when we teach a language? LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGELINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

2. Morphology:2. Morphology:

It is the study of the internal structure of words. It It is the study of the internal structure of words. It concerns the following topics/issues:concerns the following topics/issues:

AffixesAffixes PrefixesPrefixes InfixesInfixes SuffixesSuffixes

Parts of speechParts of speech How words are coined in a language:How words are coined in a language:

What do we teach when we teach a language? What do we teach when we teach a language? LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGELINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

3. Syntax:3. Syntax:It is the study of the internal structure of sentences. It It is the study of the internal structure of sentences. It concerns the following topics:concerns the following topics:

Word OrderWord Order Surface and Deep StructureSurface and Deep Structure Hierarchical orderHierarchical order Linear OrderLinear Order Sentence DiagrammingSentence Diagramming Phrase structure RulesPhrase structure Rules

What do we teach when we teach a language? What do we teach when we teach a language? LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGELINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

4. Semantics:4. Semantics:

It is the study of meaning, logic, and reference. It It is the study of meaning, logic, and reference. It concerns the following topics:concerns the following topics:

Connotative Meaning of WordsConnotative Meaning of Words Denotative Meaning of WordsDenotative Meaning of Words Lexical AmbiguityLexical Ambiguity Semantic PropertiesSemantic Properties Sense and ReferenceSense and Reference Discourse Analysis Discourse Analysis

What do we teach when we teach a language? What do we teach when we teach a language? LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGELINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE

5. Pragmatics:5. Pragmatics:

It is the use of Language in socially appropriate It is the use of Language in socially appropriate contexts. It concerns the following topics:contexts. It concerns the following topics:

Sociolinguistic Rules of languageSociolinguistic Rules of language Speech ActsSpeech Acts PresuppositionPresupposition DeixisDeixis AnomalyAnomaly MetaphorMetaphor