Everybody has always wanted to learn English by achieving the rules first and then practise them. It is easier this way but has anyone ever thought that a different modern method maybe would bring less stress in learning a new language?
What would be the first thought that crosses a student's mind once he or she starts to learn a foreign language? He/She is curious, wants to know and find out as much as s/he can about the language s/he is about to approach. Questions like: "Will I be able to live up to the teacher's expectations of me?", "Will learing become accessible?" and many more, web their mind and maybe prevent them from thinking that learning is fun.
In an intermediate English class, let's say, students might feel awkward at first.
They expect rules, explanations, questions to be asked directly. What happens when the teacher comes with a totally different teaching idea? Instead of rules listed on the board, all students get is conversations, questions to answer, and rules to come up with. They need to carry out a conversation and anwer questions that their teacher asks in order to discover the rule that they are about to learn.
This is not an easy task. Yet, if we take a look at the issue, students get the chance to practice the little or as much English as they know, by speaking it. They get more chances to write down rules and lose track of what they are suppose to learn in class. By communication, even if they make mistakes, they discover the rule, they feel in control, they feel they bring something good in the process of learning for themselves, with no or little help from their teacher. Once they discover the rule, they note it down, discuss it with their teacher, but go on practicing it by speaking the language, not by doing thousands of grammar exercises until they get tired of it all. The only persons in control of their learning through discovery is themselves. The teacher becomes a facilitator, a guide, instead of staying only a teacher.
As a conclusion, encourage students of all ages to discover learing on their own, to discover a foreign language using their own efforts, so they could feel proud of their achievement at the end of the class/day.
