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 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. Main topics covered include: Use of the target language by students; ear- and voice-training Working together: general principles Some possibilities for small-group work; using webquests Exploiting audio and video recordings Exploiting texts and pictures Independent reading Using stories in the classroom Making good use of written work Dictionary and reference skills Learning words and phrases Integrating grammar into communication The book has been kept thoroughly in line with national and European language policies and with contemporary trends in the teaching and learning of languages, making it essential reading for trainee and practising teachers.