A Teacher’s alphabet from the British Council
Keeping it short and simple

1
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A is for Aim
In simple terms the aim of a lesson details the teacher’s intention for that particular lesson. It is often the first and foremost statement of a lesson plan against which the success of the lesson w...
2
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B is for Board-work
Five things to remember:
Plan your board before the lesson. Planning is not just about making sure you have enough space to write up what has been said but also a way of ensuring that the important p...
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C is for Correction
“To correct or not correct – that is the question!”
What?
Whether or not correction is required depends not only on our attitude towards correction but also on the nature of the error to be correcte...
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D is for Demonstrate
“Practice makes perfect” or so we believe but we often forget that learners can’t practise if they don’t understand what is required of them. Demonstration of the activity in hand is key to successful...
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E is for Enthusiasm
As learners ourselves, we can all remember “good” and “bad” teachers. Now try to picture those “good” teachers – what made them so successful? The chances are that it wasn’t the materials they used or...
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F is for Foundations
Few of us would question that learning should be enjoyable. How a learner feels about learning will not only affect their approach to it but ultimately their chances of success later in life.
What do...
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G is for Group-work
Group-work is a form of classroom interaction that developed out of the need to get learners to work together and in doing so to produce more language and allow teachers to monitor this production. In...
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H is for Homework
Few language learners (if any) will achieve their full potential without studying at home. Homework provides the learner not only with the opportunity to reflect on what has just been taught without t...
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I is for Intelligences
Have you ever wondered how children learn?
As a teacher of young learners, parents often ask me what they can do to help their children learn. A simple question, you may think but one that often r...