Best Practices in ESL Teaching

The industry of English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) teaching has grown immensely. There are many curricula, academies, schools, and methods available. Learning English is a need that can be met with relative ease in almost every country in the world. However, it is also true that there are qualities within the spectrum of options, and there are certain identified characteristics, methodologies, and philosophies that have been found to be the most effective in bringing about the attainment of the goal: to be fluent in English.

The best practices in ESL teaching are many and are documented in several manuals and catalogues of organizations dedicated to the study of teaching English, such as the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS); the International Association of Teachers of EFL (IATEFL); International Association of Language Teaching Technology (IALTT); Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and many others. The following are a few of the more important practices and philosophies to look for when selecting an ESL program:

-    Integration of four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking
-    Holistic approach to reading and writing skills. This means you should not only be taught reading and writing mechanics, but comprehension, peer evaluation, lectures, and other tools should be used in order to make you apply the skills and gain better comprehension.
-    Integration of language and content. This means you should not just be taught vocabulary and grammar, but they should be presented within a context that makes them more comprehensible.
-    Emphasis on language use rather than form
-    Emphasis on authentic meaning and function. This refers to not being stuck on formal definitions, but on the meaning and use of words and phrases
-    Skills taught in context through topics of interest to students

The above practices would be considered essential in a modern ESL or EFL teaching environment. The last ingredient is the use of technology, such as collaborative online groups, streaming video, and other teaching aids that are widely available in our technology-driven society.

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