Agency Recognised TESOL

ESA Method of TeachingAlternative teaching methods such as ESA being used in the classroom can be useful to the teacher and beneficial to the students. Before I took the TEFL/TESOL course I was previously using a similar form of the engage and study stages in my lessons. I was not however using the activate stage. After taking this course I realized that I was giving them the material to learn, but they never actually had the opportunity to use or activate it in class. Activation assists the students in contextualizing the material they have just ingested. By performing the activities they have to actually put into action what they have learned which will allow them the opportunity to soak up the lesson and possibly even learn something and have it stick. How many times do we as teachers give the class, only to have the students leave and not remember a thing? This is where, in my opinion, the activate stage comes into play. The students will do a fun activity and that is what they will remember. Another benefit I can see with the ESA approach is the engage stage. I often remember how many times I have seen a teacher start a class with the class subject on the board and book in hand. I always remember how bored the students looked. The only motivated students in that environment were the very few that actually liked english as a subject. The classes were far too often boring and excruciating pain for the other students. Starting the class with an interesting and fun short activity breathes an enormous quantity of life into an otherwise dull and humdrum class. Once you have started the activity the students are participating and eager to continue on with the lesson. Now that students are motivated by your opening or starting of the class you can enter into the next phase of your lesson, the study phase. In this phase you are giving the actual instruction necessary for your curriculum. Instead of your students being asleep they are awake, ready, and motivated to perform the given task of soaking up your lesson and completing the given assignment. The motivation of the students is crucial in their retention. Not only does it encourage them to retain the lesson, but, also to complete the assignment. I also found that I was giving too much emphasis on the study stage. In my classes the students were studying, studying, and studying so I wonder now how much they actually retained. Once you have completed your study phase, you can enter the activate stage or phase. Using the activities learned or inventing your own the students will use the vocabulary and grammar learned in context. Thus producing more and speaking more. This course has allowed me the opportunity to use creativity in a lesson to generate enthusiasm amongst the students. I can only imagine how much more the students are actually soaking up and retaining through the activities done in class. Also here you can see the students interacting with each other and correcting each other. As the students are assisting the others they are once again retaining more. It is apparent as stated previously in the lesson that students learn easier from each other than the teacher. This statement apparently has merit. In closing I would like to point out that this ESA method can also be changed to different patterns such as patchwork or boomerang approaches. This will allow you to fit the methods into any class allowing for a variety of activities. Also the fact that you are continually changing the activity prevents boredom from entering your class. As we all know boredom is our worst enemy as a teacher. Bored students not only do not learn anything but will cause discipline problems as well. For these reasons I am convinced that the ESA format is most definitely a productive method for teaching english.