Page 141 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

9

Inside the Language Classroom

Chapter Objectives
• Recognizing the importance of routines for facilitating FL learning
• Examining the role of classroom interaction and teacher talk
• Giving efficient instructions in the target language
• Identifying various types of corrective feedback

The YLs’ classroom is characterised by a number of different elements which
require from the YLs’ teacher great flexibility and a unique combination of ef-
ficient classroom management and language teaching strategies. Stepping
insidesuch aclassroomonewouldbeableto recognisesometypicalfeatures
which are common for the everyday activity of a YLs’ class, such as the use
of routines for language development, a special emphasis on using various
classroom communication patterns and an efficient use of teacher and stu-
dent talk. In addition, one would be able to notice several different strategies
used by the teacher to give feedback on learners’ performance. An effective
YLs’ teacher will be able to incorporate these skills and strategies in order to
enrich the pupils’ learning experience and help them progress according to
their capabilities.

Routines
It is a well-known fact that efficient routines facilitate teaching and learning.
Especially in lower levels, teachers are well aware of the benefits of using fa-
miliar routines and predictable patterns in their daily classroom life. Learners
are reassured by the existence of classroom routines because they know ex-
actly what is expected of them and how they are supposed to act. Moreover,
byusingpredictablepatterns,teacherscan savevaluableclassroomtimeand
focus on meaningful instruction (Bratož & Žefran, 2014).
Routines can be defined as established patterns of behaviour or courses of
action in which all the people involved know what is expected of them and
how they should behave. Several authors in the area of FL teaching have em-
phasized the benefits of developing and reinforcing routines in the FL class-
room. Cameron (2001) argues that routines give learners the opportunity to
make predictions while at the same time providing a platform for variation
and novelty where children can experiment with more complex language.

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