Principles of Language Teaching

Introduction: Three Foundational Pillars

Effective language teaching is based on three major principles:

1. Psychological: How learners receive, process and retain language.

2. Linguistic: Language structure, sounds and usage.

3. Pedagogical: Child-centred teaching methods, materials and lesson planning.

Core Principles of Language Teaching

1. Principle of Habit Formation

• Language is a skill developed through practice, not memorisation.
• Four steps: Recognition → Imitation → Repetition → Variation.
• Develop correct pronunciation, intonation and direct thinking in the target language.

2. Principle of Motivation and Interest

• Intrinsic: Learning through personal interest and enjoyment.
• Extrinsic: Learning for marks, rewards and praise.
• Games, storytelling and audio-visual aids reduce anxiety and the Affective Filter.

3. Principle of Natural Order (LSRW)

• Natural sequence: Listening → Speaking → Reading → Writing.
• Oral skills must develop before reading and writing.

4. Principle of Oral Approach

• Speech is the foundation of communication.
• Prioritise listening and speaking before written work.
• Develop pronunciation, sound awareness and confidence.

5. Principle of Situational / Contextual Presentation

• Never teach vocabulary and grammar in isolation.
• Use real objects (Realia), pictures, role-play and dialogues.
• Connect language directly with real-life situations.

6. Principle of Proportion

• Give balanced attention to all four LSRW skills.
• Receptive skills: Listening and Reading.
• Productive skills: Speaking and Writing.

7. Principle of Learner-Centredness

• Maximise Student Talk Time (STT) and minimise Teacher Talk Time (TTT).
• Teacher acts as a facilitator.
• Encourage pair work, group work and role-play.

8. Principle of Linking with Life

• Connect language with daily life, society and culture.
• Practical learning makes language meaningful and effective.

9. Principle of Individual Differences

• Every learner has a different ability, background and learning pace.
• Use differentiated instruction, multi-sensory aids and flexible teaching.
• Provide suitable tasks for slow, average and advanced learners.

Principles of Selection and Gradation

Selection – What to Teach

Five criteria for selecting vocabulary and structures:

1. Frequency: How often a word is used.

2. Range: Number of different situations in which it is used.

3. Coverage: Number of meanings or ideas expressed by a word.

4. Availability: Ease of demonstrating a word using available objects.

5. Learnability / Suitability: Suitability for learners’ age and mental level.

Gradation – How to Sequence

Two processes:

1. Grouping: Arranging related language items together.

• Phonetic: Similar sounds – cat, bat, rat, mat.
• Lexical / Thematic: Same topic – pen, book, pencil.
• Semantic: Similar meanings – rich, wealthy, affluent.
• Grammatical: Similar sentence structures.

2. Sequencing: Arranging content progressively from easy to complex.