The TEFL Academy e-Learning

In reading, decoding is the process of applying knowledge of letter-sound relationships and strings of letters to pronounce and thereby recognise written words, i.e., converting the symbols on a page or screen into meaningful words.

In listening, the decoding process includes recognising sounds, where words begin and end, sentence stress and chunks of language.

In reading, decoding is the process of applying knowledge of letter-sound relationships and strings of letters to pronounce and thereby recognise written words, i.e., converting the symbols on a page or screen into meaningful words.

In listening, the decoding process includes recognising sounds, where words begin and end, sentence stress and chunks of language.

You may also see the term deductive presentation. This is a 'Rules → Language' way of teaching new grammar. The teacher explains the rules for how a new piece of language is used. Students then go on to apply the rules in controlled practice exercises.

This is generally regarded as less effective than inductive presentation for most learners, but can be useful for revision of the language that students have already learned.

It means correcting students after they have completed an activity rather than while they are doing it. If an activity is accuracy focused, correction is usually immediate, whereas if it is fluency focused, correction is delayed.

This, that, these and those are a class of determiners which indicates proximity in space or time to the speaker (or writer). This and these refer to things that are close to the speaker while that and those refer to things further away.

E.g., No one cares these days.

They didn't have computers in those days.

When this, that, these and those are used before a noun (this hat, that house), they are usually referred to just as demonstratives. You may also see the the term demonstrative adjective - it is the same thing.

These words can also be used as pronouns; this group is known as demonstrative pronouns.

I don't like these.

Pass me that.

Can I borrow this?

Those are nice.

In these examples the words act as subjects or objects, so they are pronouns.

See subordinating clause.

There are five categories of determiners:

• Articles: a, the 
  
• Demonstratives: this, that, etc.
  
• Possessive adjectives/possessive determiners: my, our
  
• Interrogative adjectives/interrogative determiners: whose, which
  
• Quantifiers: some, a few,  several
  

Numbers: Cardinal (one, two, three) and ordinal (first, second, third) numbers are also used as determiners.

A diagnostic test is a test  designed to identify problems that learners have with the language.

A dictogloss is a kind of dictation activity where learners reconstruct a text rather than writing it down exactly word for word. The teacher reads the text in short chunks as in a normal dictation, but at a speed too fast for learners to write it down exactly. Instead, they note down key words and then work in groups using their notes to rebuild the original. They then compare their text with the original one. It is a good way for identifying learners' errors and the acceptable different ways of expressing the same idea.

See differentiation.

Differentiation means providing different tasks or teaching materials, or adapting tasks to suit students of different levels in a mixed ablity class.

Two letters which together represent a single sound, e.g., ph, sh, ee, ea, etc.

A 'double vowel' - two vowel sounds which together make up what is perceived as a single sound.

E.g. hair /heə(r)/

go /goʊ/

It is also called the Natural method.

In the late 19th century, Heness and Sauveur opened a language school in the United States teaching German and French. They employed what they called the Natural Method because it was felt to mirror how children naturally learn their first languages. However, the approach came to be more commonly referred to as the Direct Method. The principles of the Natural/Direct Method, as outlined by Richards and Rogers (2001), are:

• Classroom instruction was conducted exclusively in the target language.
  
• Only everyday vocabulary and sentences were taught.
  
• Oral communication skills were built up in a carefully graded progression organised around question-and-answer exchanges between teachers and students in small, intensive classes.
  
• Grammar was taught inductively.
  
• New teaching points were introduced orally.
  
• Concrete vocabulary was taught through demonstration, objects and pictures; abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas.
  
• Both speech and listening comprehension were taught.
  
• Correct pronunciation and grammar were emphasised.
  

 (Richards and Rogers, 2001, p. 12)

Many features of this method or approach are still in evidence in the modern language classroom.

In some words in spoken English one syllable is not pronounced. E.g., 'interesting' looks as though it should be pronounced 'in-ter-est-ing,' but most native speakers say 'in-trest-ing.'

Discourse markers are words and phrases such as however, althoughand on the other hand in writing, and so, well and OK  in spoken language which are used to show how different parts of the text relate to each other.

They are also referred to as linking words, linking phrases, connectors, connectives and conjunctions.

This is a teaching approach particularly associated with Scott Thornbury and Luke Meddings. Dogme rejects course books and grammar-based teaching. The focus is on 'emergent' language. Lessons are based around the language that the students produce.

Drilling is when students repeat a word or phrase modelled by the teacher to practise pronunciation or help memorise structure.

See stative verb.