ABSTRACT
In the primary languages classroom, while learners may be used to practising and using language at discrete moments in a lesson, during set activities, it is relatively rare to hear them speak spontaneously, without prompting. Target language talk is difficult to maintain, especially in a primary classroom, for a number of reasons. The following principles will help ensure a successful approach to promoting target language use: planning the language; presenting the language; practising the language; praising the language; progressing the language. Often the language taught to learners at primary school level, and indeed beyond, is very topic based and relates to specific groupings of words. The capacity to communicate early on in the language-learning process be considered an important factor in terms of motivating learners. Communicative language teaching (CLT) is based on the premise that learners should be taught contextualised, authentic language that they can put to use almost immediately.
