Teaching Beginner Level English Language Learners

This book supports English language teachers working with beginner and low-level learners in developing their classroom techniques and strategies and planning engaging lessons. Teachers often complain that they feel ill-equipped even after graduating from teacher training courses to address the needs of low-level learners and are forced to learn ‘on the job’ how to teach them. With easily replicable and adaptable lesson plans, the authors combine an understanding of current second language acquisition theories and practical teacher training materials. They cover the main areas of language, including listening, speaking, pronunciation, feedback and assessment, while exploring key and emerging concepts applicable across all language, such as translanguaging, working memory, comprehensible input, repetition and creative language use in the classroom.

Based on the authors’ first-hand experience and supported by theories from the fields of language learning and second language acquisition, this book helps teachers reflect on their in-class experiences in order to equip them with tools to facilitate continued teacher development.

Author Biography

Lesley Painter-Farrell is Director of the MA TESOL at The New School, USA.

Gabriel Díaz-Maggioli is Professor and Director of the Center for Continuous Professional Development and Teaching Innovation for the faculty at the Catholic University of Uruguay, Uruguay.

Together, they authored Lessons Learned: First Steps Towards Reflective Teaching in ELT (2017).