Esl Teaching Methods, Materials and Techniques

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ESL Teaching methods

English teaching methods make teaching process considerably easy, promote students being active during the class.ESL teaching methods develop students communicative, listening skills, enrich their word stock etc .

But in many countries it is still difficult to perform English as a second language (ESL)  teaching as :

  • Millions of people around the world can’t access to modern technologies such as: internet, TV, telephone or they have limited access to it .
  • Contact with native speakers is almost missing .

So the task of ESL teachers is to try to develop students speaking, writing, reading and listening skills taking into consideration their personal characteristics, abilities. Here below we present some ESL teaching methods using hand made cards, posters, audio and video listening, watching cartoons and short movies, discussing them and using another ESL teaching materials.

According to their meaning ,morphological and syntectic features words in English fall into classes called parts of speech.

These are :

    1. The Nouns 
    2. The Pronouns 
    3. The Adjectives
    4. The Adverbs
    5. The Prepositions 
    6. The Numerals
    7. The Interjections 
    8. The Conjunctions 
    9. The Articles
    10. The Verbs
    11. The Modal Verbs
    Parts of Speech are divided into 2 main types :notional and structural .Nouns ,adjectives , pronouns ,numerals verbs and adverbs belong to notional parts of speech ,as they have independent meaning and function in the sentence . Prepositions ,conjunctions ,articles and particles are considered structural parts of speech.They have no independent function in the sentence. They serve to connect words or clauses or to specify the meaning  of words . Interjections are used to express various kinds of emotions ,but they do not enter the structure of the sentence as a part of sentence .
1) The Nouns
 According to morphological composition  nouns can be  divided  into simple , derived  and compound .
 Simple ones consist of one root -morpheme :rat,nose ,book ,hat ,hand pen ,man ,chalk ,milk ,bread etc.
Derived nouns consist of one root morpheme and one or more derivational morphemes (prefixes and suffixes ): modesty , unemployment, freedom  etc .
Compound nouns consist of two or more stems : girlfriend, blackboard , classwork ,classroom , timetable, bookcase etc .
Semantically ,nouns fall into proper nouns and common nouns .
The Category of Number
If the noun ends in -s ,-ss,-sh,-ch,-tch,-x plural is formed by  adding -es to the singular  form: actress-actresses,match-matches , brush- brushes,box-boxes .
If the noun ends in -y preceded by a consonant, y is changed into -i before -es  .ex lady-ladies,candy-candies.
But the letter y remains unchanged in :
1) proper names : the Abrahamyans, the Kennedy
2) compounds: stand-bys,lay-bys
2) The Article
The article is a form word whose basic role is to mark nouns or noun phrases as either definite or indefinite.
   There are 2 articles in English : definite and indefinite . The definite article usually points to something which is already known while the indefinite article presents something new ,strange . The choice of the definite  or indefinite article is determined by the speaker’s and hearer’s  mutual perception of objects.
The Indefinite Article – a, an 
The indefinite article has 2 forms : 1) a
before words beginning with a consonant (  a lady , a a book , a note, a stone ) 2) an  before words beginning with  a vowel ( an orange ,an apple , an envelope, an address).
 Ther indefinite article is used :

with countable nouns in the singular.  There was a stranger at camp this summer .

The Definite Article-the 
The definite article is  used to  specify people or things, both singular and plural.
Unlike the indefinite article the definite article has specifying and generic functions  in the utterance .
This is a notebook. The notebook is green.
Here is a mistake in a test .The mistake is about tenses in English .
The Use of Definite Articles with Proper Nouns 
The definite article is used with:
1) astronomical names :
the  East, the West ,the South, the North ,the Great Bear, the North Pole , the Arctic
2) the names of rivers, lakes, seas, oceans:
the Hrazdan ,the Pacific ,the Indian Ocean 
3) with names of mountains , ranges:
the Alps,the Pennines;
4) the names of canals and gulfs:
the English Channel, the Gulf of Mexico
5) the names of some countries and cities :
the UK ,the USA, the Congo , the Lebanon ,the Vatican
6) the names of deserts
the Gobi, the Sahara
7) the names of groups of islands :
the Philippines
8) the names of vessels :
the Titanic , the Queen Elizabeth
9) the names of public buildings,museums , institutions ,organisations , hotels ,theatres :
the National Gallery ,the white house ,the Hermitage , the Saryan Museum ,the NATO
10) the names of most newspapers  and journals :
the Times ,the Washington post, the Independent
11)the definite article is used with personal names and names of pop groups :
the Beatles ,the Rolling Stones
12) the definite article is used in a number of set expressions:
in the morning ( afternoon, evening  )
the other day
the dat after tomorrow
by the way
to pass the time
on the whole etc .
4)The Pronoun

The pronoun is a part of speech which indicates objects  and their properties without naming them .

 Ann is  a schoolgirl .She is 10 .

Rob and David are teens .They are friends .

Pronouns fall  into the fallowing groups :

  • Personal pronouns
  • Possessive  pronouns
  • Reflexive pronouns
  • Reciprocal pronouns
  • Demonstrative pronouns
  • Indefinite pronouns
  • Definite pronouns
  • Interrogative pronouns
  • Conjunctive pronouns
  • Relative pronouns
  • Negative pronouns
5) The Adjectives 
The adjectives are words that  describe nouns or pronouns .They do not modify verbs , adverbs or other adjectives .
Ex. Furry dogs may overheat  in the summertime .
According to  morphological  compositions adjectives are classifies into 3 groups :
  • simple ( young, true, brave )
  • derived ( glorious, homeless , troublesome)
  • compound ( dark-eyed,yellow-coloured,well-known)
Adjectives do not have the categories of number or case. The only form of morphological change is the degrees of  comparison.
   There are 3 degrees of comparison of adjectives : Positive, comparative and superlative .
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives 
Comparative and superlative adjectives are used to make comparisons between people and things .
Robert is the tallest boy in their classroom.
This is the hardest work I have ever done .
Ann had a cold last week .Now she looks healthier.
Yesterday Mike was late for the class .Today he has arrived earlier.
How to form comparative and comparative adjectives 
  • We usually add -er or -est to one syllable words to make comparative and superlative .

short-  shorter -(the) shortest

clean- cleaner-(the ) cleanest

strong-  stronger -(the) strongest

  • If an adjective ends in -e we add   -r  or -st.

nice -nicer -nicest

brave -bravest

large -larger -largest

  •  If an adjective ends in a consonant -y we change it into -i and add – er ,-est.

noisy- noisier-noisiest

silly -sillier-silliest

happy-happier- happiest

  • If an adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant ,we double the consonant .

big -bigger -biggest

hot -hotter-hottest

  • We use more and most  to make comparatives and superlatives mostly for 2 syllable  adjectives and for all adjectives with 3 or more syllables.

harmful-more harmful-most harmful

interesting -more interesting – most interesting

  • There are some adjectives that are used  more and most with  even though they have one syllable.

fun -more fun -most fun

real-more real- most real

right-more right-most right

wrong -more wrong -most wrong

 Irregular  adjectives 

Irregular adjective don’t follow the  standard rules  for their  comparative and superlative forms. Irregular adjectives can be both regualar and irregular .

A small number of adjectives are irregular .The most important irregular adjectives are listed below :

  • good- better -best
  • well-better-best
  • well-better -best
  •  bad-worse-worst
  • far-farther-farthest(regular)
  • far -further-furthest(irregular)
  • old(general use) -older-oldest
  • old(people in a family)-elder-eldest
  • many/much-more-most
  • little-less-least
  • late-later-latest/last
 6)  The Numerals

English numerals are used to count people , things or are used to put things in order .

There are simple (1-12), derivative (13-19) and composite numerals(43, 65, 24).

There are 2 common types of  English numbers:

  • cardinal
  • ordinal

Cardinal numerals  show   number ( one, two,three).

Four  students missed the graduate  exam.

For example :

There were 6 mistakes in the test .

Vivaldi composed 4 seasons .

Ordinal numerals describe the order , position or rank in sequential order ( first,second ,third )

CARDINAL NUMERALS, ORDINAL NUMERALS

0-zero 0-zero
1-one 1st- first
2-two 2nd-second
3-three 3rd-third
4-four 4th-fourth
5-five 5th-fifth
6-six 6th- sixth
7-seven 7th-seventh
8-eight 8th-eighth
9-nine 9th-ninth
10-ten 10th-tenth
11-eleven 11th-eleventh
12-twelve 12th-twelfth
13-thirteen 13th-thirteenth
14-fourteen 14th-fourteenth
15-fifteen 15th-fifteenth
16-sixteen 16th-sixteenth
17-seventeen 17th-seventeenth
18-eighteen 18-eighteenth
19-nineteen 19th-nineteenth
20-twenty  20-twentieth
21-twenty-one  21-twenty-first
22-twenty-two  22-twenty-second
23-twenty-three  23-twenty-third

7) Modal Verbs 

Modal verbs are used  to express, obligation, give advice, talk about possibility, ask for permission  etc.

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs. It means we can add ”not ” to the end of the auxiliary verb. For example:

We should not go out today .

They must not stay out late.

To make  a question  place  the modal verb before the subject .

Should we go out tonight ?

Must they stay out late?

 Modal verbs can’t be used in different times or tenses .

There are 12 main modal verbs in English . They are :

  • can -ability, doubt, permission   He can correct his mistakes in the test .
  • could– ability, possibility     We could have a chance to  leave London for a week .
  • will– willingness, promise    Ann will enjoy her birthday party  at the restaurant .
  • would – request, invitation   Tom would invite his best friend Narek for his birthday.
  • shall-obligation ,suggestion   We shall visit our grandparents next week.
  • should– advice ,suggestion  We should stay at home and have good rest .
  • may– permission    You may not play computer games till midnight .
  • might-possibility   They might have lost the keys at the bus stop .
  • must – obligation  He must  wait until school bus arrives .
  • ought to-opinion ,advice  90 minutes ought to be enough to take an exam.
  • have to– obligation  I have to wake up early to go to school.
  • be to- obligation    She is to stay at home till her parents return . 
 
    8) The Verb 

A verb describes what the subject of a sentence is doing . Verbs are “doing ” words .They can indicate actions ,occurrence etc .

Verbs Conjugation 

verbs can change form depending on subject ,tense, mood and voice .This is called conjugation .

Verbs and subjects must agree in number .If  the subject is plural the verb must be plural .This is called subject -verb agreement .

 V  Ann talks a lot .

X  Ann talk a lot .

V We talk a lot .

X  We talks a lot .

Verbs Aspect 
Moods of the Verb

Verbs have 3 moods :

  • indicative 
  • imperative 
  • subjunctive 
 
Indicative Mood 

Indicative mood is used in most statements, questions .

He works every day .

Does he work every day ?

Imperative Mood

Imperative mood is used in  requests and commands .

Sit down!

Stand up !

Go back !

Subjunctive Mood 

It is used to express ,wishes , hopes desires and other imagined  situations you might describe in speech and writing .

Subjunctive verbs usually appear with 2 clauses :in one clause  is ther is a subjunctive verb, and in the other is an indicative verb .

There are 2 types of subjunctive verb forms :

  • Present subjunctive
  • Past subjunctive

Verbs in the present subjunctive take the indicative form .

 My parents suggested that I entered technical  college.

 

ESL specialists often come across with teaching problems ,they try to make teaching material as interesting as possible, easy and not standard . Many of them use interesting ESL teaching methods, materials and some percentage of them look for these materials intensively.

This website aims to help teachers, ESL teachers, to make teaching process more interesting , effective , equipped.

We’ll present most teaching methods prectically.These methods are mainly used at Armenian Republic and  at Artsax schools,but we shall use language teaching another approaches too .

So the aim of this website is to give brief information about parts of speech in English , using them practically, doing exercises in the classroom in oral or written form .

So we invite you to this website .

 

Interjections

Interjecttions are  used  to express  imotions, feelings .They are often used in everyday speech ,but not in formal writing  and speech .

Example:

Oh no,oh well ,ow, yay, ugh,whoops,gosh ,ouch ,godness,cheers,wow  etc.

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