Teaching and Learning Languages: A Practical Guide to Learning by Doing

Learning a language, especially in a class or group, is an intensely practical subject. Active participation by students is the key to successful language learning at any age or ability level. This practical book offers a multitude of activities in which students take the lead, and clearly links these to the various linguistic and pragmatic skills. Providing clear and comprehensive guidance on the classroom environment, models of teaching and learning, and assessment, the book aims to help teachers plan engaging lessons that will enable all students to develop the key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing in the target language. Topics covered include: The essentials of language learning Use of the target language; training the ear and training the voice Using stories in the classroom, and independent reading Making good use of written work Exploiting audio and visual recordings Exploiting texts and pictures Teaching and Learning Languages has been written in line with national and European language policies, along with contemporary trends in the teaching and learning of languages. The text's focus on active learning and its indispensable guidance for planning lessons make it essential reading for all trainee and practising teachers.