UNIT 16: PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES AND INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES

 

In this unit I have learned two main things about language teaching. First of all, about presentation techniques. It refers to the ways used by the teachers to focus learners´ attention on meaning or form of new language when introducing it for the first time. The most common ways of presenting new language are Presentation, Practice and production or PPP, and Task-based Learning or TBL. In the PPP approach, the teacher tries to focus on both form and meaning of the target language. The teacher firstly sets up a situation, then models the target language in a controlled practice, and finally ask learners concept questions to check understanding of the use of language. On the other hand, in TBL approach the teacher tries to focus mainly on meaning. Learners have to complete a task which is normally based a problem-solving situation, which help them to experiment language as in real communication, similarly to the way children learn their first language. There are other ways teachers can use to present language such as: guided discovery, or Test-teach-test. Second, another important term to mention is introductory activities. It refers to the activities that are used by the teacher to introduce or teaching a lesson. There are three kinds of introductory activities: warmers, lead-ins and ice-breakers. Warmers are used when the teacher wants to raise students´ energy before starting a lesson, and they are not always connected to the topic lesson. On the contrary, lead-ins are connected to the topic and they are used to motivate students to study a certain topic or make a link between the topic and their own lives. Furthermore, ice-breakers are used by the teacher when he/she wants students to get to know one another in order to make them feel comfortable in the classroom. They are normally used at the beginning of the school year.

How can I apply this knowledge in a teaching situation? Well, regarding to the presentation techniques. It will depend on the topic and learners because before choosing a certain approach, I have to bear in mind my learners´ age, level, needs or learning styles. For instance, if they are just beginners, among 12-15 years old, have visual learning style, and are learning about the quantifiers “how much & how many”. I can teach them by using the PPP approach, since they need to understand both form and meaning to make their learning permanent. Now regarding to introductory activities. I can use the “hand catching” warmer (it consist on trying to catch your partners hand each time she/he passes his/her hand through yours) when I notice that most of my students are tired or stressed out because it  will help them to get rid of stress and be woken up for starting the lesson. Moreover, I can present a lead-in by sticking several pictures around the classroom, so students in small groups will have to move around the classroom by describing the pictures and sharing ideas one another before doing a writing activity. To sum up, the teacher should carefully analyze which presentation technique or an introductory activity to choose before planning because they have to take into account the learner´s characteristics in order to get at the end a successful lesson.

 

You can check this video for further information:

 

I share you some links that I consider useful and have more information related to this topic.

ü  Sciberras, J. (2013). PPP to TBL Different approaches to language presentation. U.S. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/JGakonga/ppp-ttt-tbl-slideshare

ü  ESOL Nexus. (2007). Task-based approach. UK. Retrieved from http://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/teachers/staff-room/teaching-articles/task-based-approach

üCabral,A. & Colarte, A. (2012). Comparison and contrast: TBL + PPP. ISL UNA. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0laPOgDm7I