MODULE 3

MANAGING THE TEACHING AND

LEARNING PROCESS
UNIT 27
USING LANGUAGE
APPROPRIATELY FOR A RANGE OF
CLASSROOM FUNCTIONS

Definitions
Classroom language
+ Language used by the teacher
and learners in the classroom
+ Has to suit the learners and
situations
Classroom functions
Purposes of the use of language in
the classroom

Functions
Instructing
Students are told what to do at different
stages of the lesson
Often imperative language for young
learners and beginners
E.g.: Turn to page 398.
For older and higher-level learners, full
sentences are often used.
E.g.: For this activity, you will work in pairs.

Explaining
Learners may be explained about how to
do an activity or how to organize a
project.
Often the language used for describing
processes is spoken.
E.g.: When explaining about project work
we may say: Firstly, we plan and divide
the work among members. Secondly, we
carry it out. Thirdly, we edit it. And lastly, we
put the product on the wall.

Narrating
Telling a story or talking about
something that has happened
Stories are often told in class.
Stories include past experiences,
past events, fairy tales, situations
for a speaking activity, etc.

Eliciting
Getting information from learners
The information can be about
topics or language.
E.g.: The teacher shows learners a
picture and asks them What can we
see here?

Prompting
Saying something that can help
learners think of ideas or
remember a word/phrase
Giving short hints or suggestions
E.g.: At the start of a storytelling
activity, we can say You could start
the story with this picture.

Correcting
Indicating where and how a
mistake has been made
Among the most frequent
functions in class
E.g.:
Student: He going to turn it on.
Teacher: He is going to turn it on.

Checking learning
Done most of the time, but most often
after the lesson has been presented
Questions related to the concepts are
used to check learners understanding.
E.g.:
+ Can anyone give me a sentence using
this word?
+ When do we use the simple past
tense?

Conveying meaning
Meanings of new words are shown.
Can be done in many ways:
+ Using realia (real objects)
+ Using mime (actions, not words)
+ Asking questions
+ Explaining the meaning using target
language
+ Translating when the word is very difficult

ATTENTION TO TEACHERS

The
language
must
be
appropriate for the classroom
function, level and age of the
learners. E.g.: Avoid using formal
language with young learners.
The language used in class needs
to be graded, i.e. at or below the
language level of the learners.

 Use language in a sequence to give

learners opportunities. E.g.: Listen to
the talk, then work with a partner.

Learners can learn classroom

language by hearing it many times.
It is important to use the same
classroom language for classroom
functions at the early stages (e.g.
Open your books and look at
page).

EXERCISE

Look at the following situations and

three possible things a teacher can
say. Choose the most appropriate
option.

1. In a class of 9-10 years of age, the

learners are finishing a pairwork task. The
teacher wants to check the answers with
the class.
A. Whats the answer to number 1?
Hands up, please.
B. Can any of you possibly tell me what
you think the answer to question 1?
C. Answer?

Answer: A

2. In a class of teenagers in their

second year of English, the teacher
wants to check their understanding.
A.Does everyone understand?
B.Who can give me an example
sentence?
C.Please explain the meaning.
Answer: B

3. A group of businesspeople are

doing a discussion activity. The
teacher notices a learner has made
a mistake and says:
A. Thats wrong.
B. A bad answer.
C. Is that quite right?
Answer: C

4. In a class of adult learners of mixed

levels, the teacher is giving the first
instruction for a complex group activity.
A. You all know what to do so you can
start.
B. First, get into the groups you were in
yesterday.
C. Heres the handout for the activity. You
can start.
Answer: B

5. The teacher is telling a story to a

class of very young primary learners
who have only been learning English
for one month.
A. Here is a little boy. Look. One
day
B. This is a story about a little boy
who used to live in the city.
C. Stories are very important for you.
Answer: A

MODULE 3
MANAGING THE TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS
UNIT 28
IDENTIFYING THE FUNCTIONS OF
LEARNERS LANGUAGE

Definition of learners language

Language which learners use in the
classroom
Purposes:
Greeting
Asking for clarification

Checking
information
and
understanding
Saying goodbye

Greeting
Done when the teacher comes into
the class
Often, students stand up and say
Good morning/Good
afternoon/Good evening.
Also can be done outside the class
when the teacher and students see
each other.

Asking for clarification

Done when there is something the
students do not understand
Can be related to the instructions or
the knowledge presented by the
teacher
Students can say Could you
please explain that again?, What
do we have to do?, etc.

Checking
information
and
understanding
Done when the students have finished
doing a task/an activity
Learners use language to check their
answers/meanings/concepts by asking
each other
They can say What answer do your
have for?, Do you know what it
means?, etc.

Saying goodbye
Done when the session ends
After the questions have been
asked, the homework has been
assigned and everything else has
been done
Learners say goodbye to one
another and to the teacher.

ATTENTION TO TEACHERS
Learners need a range of
classroom language so that they
can interact appropriately with one
another and with the teacher.
The language they need can be
formal and informal.

Students need to know special

words and phrases for certain
games and activities, e.g. Its my
turn, Its your turn, After you,
etc.
Classroom language may or may
not be mentioned in textbooks, so
when necessary, the teacher
needs to provide them with it.