Project English - topic based language learning.

What is "Topic-based Language Learning" and why teachers should use this in encourage self directed language learning:
April 25, 2010 in Further Study
Tags: ESL, Language learning, TESOL
Topic-based language learning means that the emphasis of the lessons in language learning is on a subject, a topic or a theme, and the contents of the book are arranged around this topic. It also means that the lesson will include doing work on a topic in class.
Topic based teaching is not the only way to organize teaching, but it is useful, helpful, practical and exciting way to teach either all of the time or some of the time.
There are many benefits of topic-based language learning.

1. First, it is easier to relate the lesson to the experiences and interests of the learners.
2. Second, the learners can associate words, functions, structures and situations with certain topic while we know association can help both understanding and memory.
3. Third, it will bring learners and their needs more into focus.
4. Fourth, it allows teachers to give a personal or local touch to materials depending on the particular class at the particular time.
5. Fifth, the amount of time that the teachers spend can be as long as they like depending on how much time is available and how much material they have.

There are steps to set about topic-based learning. In planning time, teachers should decide at the long term planning stage which topics they are going to work and how long they plan to spend on each topic. In collecting material, once teachers have some idea of possible topics, they should start looking for materials at once. In the functions and situations, once teachers have their topic and collections of connected materials, they should work out which situations and functions of the language they want to concentrate on. When in doubt, it is better to choose the situation before the function. In methods and activities, topic-based work opens up all shorts possibilities. Teachers can choose free activity to lead to much more creative thinking for example. For assessment, the task-based learning gives teachers and the learners a good opportunity to assess what they have been doing and it is well worth starting in a very casual way.
In summary, we believe that learner motivation increases when students are learning about something, rather than just studying language. Topic based learning is particularly appealing in this respect because teachers can use almost any content materials that they feel their students will enjoy.