Basics

Language teaching, more than any other subject, provides an unlimited choice of subject matter, methods and materials. It is perhaps the only classroom where a discussion of the weather or the latest news would not be considered unprofessional or irresponsible. And therein lies the danger, both on the part of the student and of the teacher, of losing sight of the objectives of the class. The teacher, first and foremost, has to make sure that the students are called upon to use all four language skills at some point during each class. The teacher must take to the class on a regular basis a variety of reading and listening materials to avoid that the students become accustomed to and therefore limited to the teacher's voice and way of speaking. The students, on the other hand, must filter what is presented in each class and take what is useful for them.