Grammar is the most basic area of knowledge for an ESL generalist. Language learners expect their instructors to understand English grammar and be able to explain grammar points in clear, concise language. As a generalist, collect grammar texts as resources and read them frequently to acquire familiarity with various exercises for language learners. Study the 12 verb tenses, as well as modals and axillary verbs. Learn about how to use the tenses. When your students ask a question, they gain confidence when you can answer the question or point them in the right direction.
ESL reading instruction incorporates a spectrum of knowledge and applications. Language learners need awareness of phonemes and phonics. Teach a variety of reading strategies to give language learners confidence, such as previewing, pre-reading, skimming and scanning. Collect reading texts, search online for reading activities and bring library books into the classroom, always ensuring that the level challenges the language learners without overwhelming them. Provide a variety of authentic reading materials, such as newspapers, magazines and even comic books. Language learners appreciate and benefit from varied reading tasks, including reading for pleasure. Include vocabulary development, reading comprehension activities and reading outloud for both you and the language learners.
Use a process approach to teaching writing to ESL students. Whether the topic is assigned or student-generated, guide students to use brainstorming, outlining, drafting and revising. Assign a variety of types of writing assignments. Language learners improve writing through journals, free writing and learning logs. Practice rhetorical modes, such as description, narrative, classification and compare/contrast. Encourage students to move from short paragraphs to developed essays. Researched topics provide additional practice in summarizing and avoiding unintentional plagiarism. Place language learners in pairs or small groups for guided peer-editing activities. Offer multiple revision opportunities so that the students can learn how to correct their writing and develop their writing abilities.
Create an environment where language learners feel comfortable practicing their listening, speaking and discussion abilities and strategies. Search through listening and speaking books for practices in pronunciation. Add lessons to help language learners understand intonation, stressed and unstressed words. Authentic dialogues, such as phone conversations and lectures, provide additional practice in listening. Afterward, language learners can summarize what they have learned. Discussion can include student-generated and teacher-assigned topics. Other activities to practice include dictations, jazz chanting and practice with the International Phonetic Alphabet. Language learners appreciate opportunities for small talk. Introduce idioms and slang for current language trends.
Review theories and research studies associated with the practice of ESL language teaching. A good place to begin is the rationalist/empiricist debate between Plato and Aristotle, regarding the origin of knowledge. Plato's belief in innate knowledge is mirrored in many ESL methods and approaches, including the Communicative model, where the instructor assumes the language learner is learning through communicating. Other models follow Aristotle's view that we gain knowledge through our senses, emphasizing listening and reading before attempting speaking and writing. Other theorists include Noam Chomsky, Stephen Krashen and Anna Uhl Chamot. Reading these theorists and others helps ESL generalists stay familiar with teaching trends. The theorists can also inspire you to create new ideas and your own theories of language learning.