The ability to produce language correctly (with the right grammar and pronunciation).

A text not produced for language teaching or language learners. Some examples of an authentic text would be newspapers, novels, advertisements, menus, internet articles and timetables (there are many more). All of the examples mentioned above are written for native speakers of the language.

The whole class repeating in unison.

Words that are used and stored together in the brain. E.g. disturb the peace; high expectations; final proof; unleash a storm, etc. Focusing on collocation in lessons can help students write (and speak) natural sounding English.

The idea underlying the meaning and use of a word or a grammatical structure.

Questions asked by the teacher to check that students understand the concept of an item. These are usually asked during the presentation stage of the lesson.

Spoken communicative practice in which the teacher guides or limits the students’ use of language. The main aim of controlled practice is to encourage accurate usage of the language.

Here learners are taught the rules and given specific information about a language. Then students try to apply the rules as they use the language.

A wrong production of the language caused by a real lack of knowledge about the language (as opposed to a mistake).

To draw on students’ previous knowledge (of the world and the language) by asking questions and providing guidance towards answering a question. In the case of presenting a new word or grammatical structure, this will be the first stage in showing its meaning.

The ability to produce language easily and to communicate effectively and smoothly, though not always with correct  grammar or pronunciation.

The words (and their sounds) used to express a grammatical concept.

Spoken practice where the students use the language for real communication and there is no interference with or attempt to control their production by the teacher. The goal of freer practice is to encourage fluency among the students.

The reason why the language is used e.g. asking for permission, making a demand, requesting something, etc. Sometimes the same function can be expressed using different grammatical structures, these are called exponents of the function.

A simple question or  simple task designed to check the students general understanding of the whole text, rather than an understanding of the details.

In this approach, the learners are enabled to discover or induce rules themselves from examples. They are not taught grammatical or other types of rules directly.

A situation where all the information isn't known by all the  students. They have to use language they have been taught to complete the information gap by asking questions and giving information.

During an utterance the rise and fall in pitch. Different intonations cannot change the meaning of words in English, but they can change their function completely.

A set of words (or phrases) that are in some way related.

A sentence, given as an example to the class, containing the target language.

In contrast to an error, a slip of the tongue or forgetfulness etc. which the student can self-correct when encouraged. Self-correction can take place because a mistake is not caused by a lack of knowledge.

In open pairwork, a pair of students exchange language across the classroom while the other students listen. In closed pairwork, students talk in pairs privately, with the whole class working simultaneously.

The introduction of new grammatical structures, when their concepts are shown, explained, demonstrated, etc. and other necessary information (e.g. form) is given for the first time.

Speaking and writing. Productive tasks should lead the students to speak and write natural English accurately and with confidence.

Real objects (things the students can see, touch, hear, smell, taste etc.) brought into the classroom for teaching purposes.

Listening and reading. Receptive tasks should help students understand what they hear and read.

A technique used when the reader wants to find a particular piece of information without reading or understanding the whole piece of text. E.g. you would scan a menu or a timetable.

A type of rapid reading where the reader wants to get the main idea(s) from a text. E.g. you might skim the front page of a newspaper before buying it.

Student talking time.

Greater emphasis put on a syllable in a word or sentence, making it louder than the other syllables or words around it.

Teacher talking time.