Skills and Techniques in Foreign Language Teaching

Abstract

Teaching is an art in which all teachers can continually improve their instructional skills. Even teachers who possess a natural aptitude for teaching can further develop their pedagogical competencies. Essential teaching skills that should be practiced for professional development include lesson introduction skills, explanation and exemplification skills, lesson summarization skills, questioning skills, attention-stimulating skills, reinforcement skills, and the effective use of instructional media. All teaching skills are interrelated and mutually dependent. For example, during lesson introduction, teachers may employ questioning techniques and instructional media while simultaneously stimulating learners’ interest. Likewise, when explaining concepts and providing examples, teachers may integrate questioning, instructional media, attention-stimulating strategies, and reinforcement. Periodic lesson summarization may also be incorporated throughout instruction. Therefore, all teaching skills are of equal importance and share a common objective: to present content effectively and to foster learners’ cognitive development, intellectual growth, and behavioral development.