Conclusions. We have discussed what language students need to learn

We have discussed what language students need to learn. We looked at the need to teach students how to produce and recognise the sounds, stress and intonation of the language. We said that for many the goal of native speaker pronunciation was not important (or appropriate), but communicative efficiency was. We emphasised the importance of listening as a way of acquiring pronunciation.

We discussed the grammar the students need to learn, noting that some grammar was necessary for lower level students while some was more stylistically appropriate to advanced levels. We emphasised the need for students to have language awareness and as part of this to use discovery activities.

We discussed the need for students to learn the vocabulary that was appropriate for their level and we stressed the importance of learning vocabulary in context.

We saw how students need to learn ways of performing function in English and how we clearly need to train them in the use of language skills insofar as they apply to a foreign language.

We discussed the basis on which syllabuses are organised and we measured the relative merits of grammar, vocabulary, functions, situations, topics and tasks as the main organising principle round which a syllabus could be designed. We concluded that the job of the syllabus designer was to combine all these elements to a greater or lesser degree depending upon the needs of the students.

Finally, we discussed the many varieties of English. We said, that at lower levels the teacher’s variety of English might be the main one for the students, whereas for more advanced students knowledge of many varieties is a definite advantage.

Discussion

1. How important is good pronunciation for an English teacher? How important is it for school students? What is good pronunciation?

2. How important is it to teach grammar? What is the best way of doing it?

3. Would you teach the four skills equally on a general English course? Would the level of the students matter?

4. In what ways (if at all) would you restrict the syllabus if your students were: a) KGB overseas operators; b) taxi drivers; c) travel agents; d) businessmen.

5. Find any authentic piece of English writing. What language would you make your students especially aware of when they read it? What level would your students need to be to understand it? How would you change it for the students a level lower/ higher?

6. List as many functions as you can. Choose one and say how many ways there are of performing it. Would you teach your students all of them in school? Why?

7. Make a list of 10 words you would teach beginners and 10 words you would definitely not teach beginners. What is different about the words in the 2 lists?

8. Make a list of the varieties of language spoken in the Crimea. Which variety would you teach a foreigner? Why?

4.1. Methods of language teaching

4.1.1. Traditional learning theories and approaches

4.1.1.1. Grammar-translation method

4.1.1.2. Direct method

4.1.2. Behaviourism: Audio-lingual method

4.1.3. Cognitivism

4.1.3.1. Structural approach

4.1.3.2. Structural-situational method

4.1.3.3. Situational syllabus

4.1.4. Communicative approach

4.1.5. Functional-notional courses

4.1.6. Acquisition and learning

4.1.7. Task-based learning

4.1.8. Humanistic approaches

4.1.9. Self-directed learning

4.1.10. Neuro-linguistic programming

4.2. Foreign language learning

4.3. Input and output

4.4. A balanced activities approach

4.5. Conclusions