ABSTRACT
Against the background of the classroom as an impoverished language-acquisition environment, as noted in Chapter 1, this chapter explores ways in which the classroom can function as an enhanced learning environment compared to the naturalistic acquisition environment. Attention is devoted to the syllabus, needs analysis, teaching materials, information and communication technology (ICT) and classroom interaction.
Concerning the syllabus, it is first explained just what a syllabus is, what its functions are and how it can both constrain but also support the classroom teacher. The range of different syllabus types is then discussed, with attention being paid to the grammatical syllabus, the lexical-grammatical syllabus, the situational syllabus, the topic-based syllabus, the notional-functional syllabus, the output-based syllabus and the multi-track syllabus. Mention is also made of cyclically versus linearly organised syllabuses. It is noted that in many English for Special Purposes (ESP) courses and some Survival English (SE) courses there may be no syllabus and the teacher may first of all have to conduct a needs-analysis survey. Guidelines for how to do this are presented.
The focus then switches to an examination of the range of teaching materials available to the teacher and these are categorised according to various criteria with special attention being paid to the distinction between authentic and didactic (contrived) materials, with semi-authentic and quasi-authentic materials occupying positions on the middle ground.
ICT available to the teacher is then discussed with a focus on online resources of various kinds, presentation software, virtual learning environments (VLE), online tools, classes based on internet research and the use of hand-held devices in the classroom.
The chapter closes with a discussion of the teacher’s role as an orchestrator of classroom interaction. The possible classroom roles which teachers and learners can assume are sketched out by way of introduction before the issue is addressed of how teachers can effectively modify their language in the classroom to ensure that communication occurs without a classroom pidgin developing. A distinction is drawn between input modification (language simplification) and interactional modification (discourse modification to provide support for learners). Further discussion is devoted to the development of learner cooperation in the classroom and to increasing learner self-direction. Against this background, in which the teacher is primarily a learning facilitator, advice is offered on when and when not to correct spoken error. Direct and indirect techniques of providing feedback on error are outlined and the importance of positive as well as negative feedback is stressed. Finally, some rules of thumb for the management of classroom interaction are listed.
