BACKGROUND TO LANGUAGE TEACHING
Warmer noun, warm up phrasal verb
An activity that often involves movement, which a teacher uses at the beginning of a lesson to give the class more energy. Warmers can also be used to introduce the topic of the lesson. For example, the topic of the lesson is Watching TV. The teacher asks learners who watch a lot of TV to move to stand near the door of the classroom, learners who watch a little TV to stand near the board, and learners who don’t watch any TV to stand at the other side of the classroom.
Chant noun and verb
To repeat a phrase, sentence, rhyme, verse, poem or song, usually with others, in a regular rhythm. Teachers use chants to practise pronunciation and to help learners remember vocabulary.
Role–play noun and verb
A classroom activity in which learners are given roles to act out in a given situation, e.g. a job interview role-play where one learner is the interviewer and the other learner is the interviewee. Role-plays are usually done in pairs or groups.
Problem-solving activity noun
Learners work in pairs or groups to find the solution to a problem. For example, learners are given a problem situation such as a town centre with too much traffic and they talk together to think of solutions to the problem. Problem-solving activities usually help to develop oral fluency.
Survey noun
An activity in which learners find out information from others by asking questions or using questionnaires in order to practise speaking skills and/or specific language. For example, learners might conduct a survey to find out how often their classmates use the internet.