2+techniques+evaluation+by+Abdullah+ARAS


 * INNOVATIVE ELT TECHNIQUES **

In most of the class rooms, conventional teaching methods, materials and teaching techniques based on prescribed texts and syllabus are used homogeneously in spite of vast differences in class rooms and level of students. The traditional methods which largely depend on lecturing and rote learning reduce English language learning to mechanical memorization and miserably fail in developing language competency among the students. These stereotyped methods and teaching material makes the learning a monotonous activity and creates distaste among the students by reducing them to mere passive receptors of language and not active participants in the learning process. Therefore the necessity to deviate from the grand methods and materials and to use innovative material and techniques of teaching has been strongly felt. Use of novel teaching techniques like miming, dramatics, creating novel activities and tasks and participating in the same and use of authentic material as songs, cartoons, advertisements, sports commentaries, episode from films, local folk literature teachers can involve learners directly in the learning process by providing them direct experience by assuring their participation directly in the learning process. By using authentic teaching material available around him and the material that is connected to the experiential and background knowledge of the students, an English class room can be made interactive, interesting, enthusiastic and learner friendly. The first technique that I have chosen to provide this environment is Culture Comparison. This is an activity that has proven to be successful in presenting cultural information about the speakers of the target language and the places where the language is used is one that is adapted from Stempleski and Tomalin’s “Culture Comparison”. It requires learners to watch a film segment that includes features of the target culture and note down any differences or similarities between the target culture and their own. The teacher should explain to the students that their task is to concentrate on the cultural aspects of the film more than on the storyline.I believe that it can be applied in Turkey because Turkey has lots of different cultural aspects from many countries and these are easily observable. I think this technique is applicable in Turkey. My second technique is Student as Teacher. In this technique, students speak about the subjects that they know already as if they are a teacher. I think this technique is useful and also applicable in our country because many students enjoy the role reversal of being the authority figure. Even a shy student will feel more comfortable talking about something he knows. While applying this activity teacher can assign a familiar topic, like preparing a traditional meal or describing the job the student held in his native country, suggests Shirley Brod of the Spring Institute for International Studies.

