TeachingEnglish: How to teach speaking

Welcome to 'TeachingEnglish: How to teach speaking'

How will the course help me?

Develop your understanding of speaking skills and explore teaching techniques and activities which promote oral communication in the classroom for a range of ages and levels.

What does the course include?

How to teach speaking is a free self-study training course, which is divided into three hour modules. It also includes:

• A dedicated Facebook community of course participants with up-to-date insight, resources and innovative ideas for you to try out.
• Engaging discussions taking place in the Facebook community
• A free workbook with extra learning content and resources.

What will I learn?

Module 1: Understanding speaking – key terms and issues

The aim of this module is to explore key terms and issues in the teaching of speaking. You'll look at how to evaluate and modify activities in terms of communicative quality, and consider how to get your learners using 'real speaking', not just completing grammar tasks. 

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

- recognise issues related to accuracy and fluency in speaking practice
- distinguish between oral activities which practise grammar and oral activities which are communicative
- evaluate a range of speaking activities
- modify activities to make them more effective in developing oral communication skills.

Module 2: Understanding speaking – maximising interaction

The aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of techniques and activities which promote speaking in your classroom. You'll look at the benefits of pair and group work and adapt tasks to maximise student interaction.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

- distinguish between oral activities which practise grammar and oral activities which are communicative
- adapt reading tasks to make them more communicative.

Module 3: Understanding language practice activities

The aim of this module is to explore and evaluate a range of practice activities. The module also looks at flexible activities that can be adapted for different ages and levels. You have the opportunity to select appropriate activities which match with lesson aims, and justify your choices.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

- identify the skills and language that different activities practise and address some common concerns about practice activities
- use songs, stories and mobile phones in a variety of ways for classroom language practice
- choose language practice activities which correspond to your lesson aims and learners' needs.

When is the course?

Enrolment for 'TeachingEnglish: How to teach speaking' is now closed. We hope to run the course again in 2024 / 2025.

How much does the course cost?

The course is free.

How can I get a certificate?

For participants who successfully complete all tasks and achieve a score of 60% or above in the online exercises, there will be a downloadable certificate of completion at the end of the course.

What level of English do I need?

Minimum CEFR B1