How Essential Teacher Knowledge supports learning for the TKT
A LANGUAGE
TKT Exam
Specs
Grammar
Core Module
1] What’s in a sentence?
Core Module
a)
Parts of speech
Core Module
b)
Sentence elements
Core Module
c)
Getting things in the right order
Core Module
d)
Teaching ideas: word order
Core Module
2] How we use clauses
KAL3
a)
Main clauses and subordinate clauses
KAL3
b)
Clause functions and meanings
KAL3
c)
Relative clauses
KAL3
d)
Conditional clauses
KAL3
e)
Teaching ideas: conditional clauses
KAL3
3] Asking questions
a)
Saying yes, saying no
b)
Different types of questions
c)
Learning English by telephone and Skype
4] Introducing verbs
a)
Types of verb
b)
How verbs are made
c)
Verbs in combination
d)
Total physical response
5] Verb tenses (form and meaning)
KAL3
a)
How verbs show time
KAL3
b)
One form, many meanings
KAL3
c)
One meaning, many forms
KAL3
d)
The homework issue
6] Aspect
KAL3
a)
What is aspect?
KAL3
b)
Simple and continuous
KAL3
c)
Perfect verbs
KAL3
d)
Burnout
7] Teaching verbs (and adverbs)
a)
Teaching ideas
b)
Teaching the present continuous and present simple
KAL3
c)
Teaching the present perfect
KAL3
d)
Teaching the future
KAL3
e)
Teaching the past simple
KAL3
f)
Teaching the past continuous and the past simple
KAL3
g)
Teaching the past perfect
KAL3
h)
Teaching used to
KAL3
i)
Teaching the passive
KAL3
j)
Teaching adverbs
KAL3
8] Auxiliaries and modals
a)
Auxiliaries and modal auxiliaries
KAL3
b)
What modal auxiliaries mean
KAL3
c)
How modal verbs behave
KAL3
d)
Modal verbs and modality
KAL3
e)
Using the students’ language – their LI
f)
Teaching ideas: modal verbs
9] Multi-word and phrasal verbs
a)
What are multi-word verbs?
KAL3
b)
Four types of phrasal verb
KAL3
c)
Teaching ideas: phrasal verbs
d)
When war breaks out!
TDI
Module
1
1
1
1
1
1
1B
1B
10]
a)
b)
c)
11]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
12]
a)
b)
c)
13]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
14]
a)
b)
c)
d)
15]
a)
b)
c)
d)
16]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
17]
a)
b)
Verb complementation
Reporting what people say
Other ways of reporting conversations
Substitution can be fun
Introducing adverbs
What is an adverb?
How to make one-word adverbs
Where we put adverbs
Teaching ideas: adverbs
Using drama in the classroom
Introducing nouns
Different kinds of noun
Pronouns
The pronoun gender problem
Articles
What are articles?
Using the indefinite article
Using the definite article
No article
Native speaker or non-native speaker?
Quantifiers
What are quantifiers?
Quantifiers, nouns, sentences and questions
Quantifiers plus!
Praise, medals and rewards
Introducing adjectives
What are adjectives?
Making adjectives
How adjectives work
Do you like being corrected?
What comes after nouns?
Before and after
Describing nouns
Participles (and gerunds)
Technophile or technophobe?
Teaching ideas: post-modification
Teaching the noun phrase
Elements of the noun phrase
Making noun phrases
Lexis and vocabulary
18]
What words mean
a)
What does head mean?
b)
How head is related to other words
c)
Teaching ideas: word meaning
19]
How words are formed
a)
b)
c)
d)
20]
a)
b)
c)
d)
Making words from different bits and pieces
Teaching ideas: word formation
American and British English
Bullying
Collocation and lexical phrases
Words alone, words together
Lexical phrases, lexical chunks
Why collocations and chunks matter
Being observed
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
KAL3
Core Module
Core Module
Core Module
Core Module
Core Module
KAL1
Core Module
Core Module
1
1
1
1
1,
Core
Core
Core
Core
1
1
1
1
Module
Module
Module
Module
1
1
21]
a)
b)
c)
22]
a)
b)
Metaphor, idiom, proverb and cliché
Describing one thing as something else
More about metaphors
Teaching ideas: idiom and metaphor
Meeting and remembering words
How do students remember words?
Examples of word-remembering activities
Pronunciation
23]
The phonemic alphabet
a)
Sounds and spelling
b)
The phonemic alphabet
c)
Using phonemic symbols in teaching
24]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
25]
a)
b)
c)
26]
a)
b)
Where sounds are made
Making consonants
What vocal cords are for
Making vowels
Making diphthongs
Show, explain or listen?
Sounds in combination
Sounds alone, sounds together
Do students have to learn sounds together?
Teaching ideas: contractions
Stress
All words have a stressed syllable
All phrases have a main stressed syllable
c)
We can change where and how we place stress in a
phrase
d)
Showing stress
e)
Giving presentations
27]
Intonation
a)
What is intonation?
b)
c)
28]
a)
29]
a)
What do pitch and intonation mean?
Showing intonation
Teaching sounds
Distinguishing between sounds
Teaching stress and intonation
Hearing stress and intonation patterns
Text and discourse
30]
Language functions
a)
What we say and what we mean
b)
Language and language functions
c)
Teaching language functions
d)
Teaching ideas: functional dialogues
31]
Written and spoken English
a)
Speaking or writing?
b)
Differences between speaking and writing
c)
Punctuation
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
KAL2
1,
1C
1,
1C
1,
1C
Core Module
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
1
1,
1,
1,
1
1C
1C
Core Module
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
KAL2
Core Module
1
1,
1,
1
Core Module 1
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
Module
Module
Module
1
1
1
1
Core Module 1
Core Module 1
Core Module 1
5B
5B
5B
5B
5B
1D
1D
1D
32]
a)
b)
c)
33]
a)
b)
34]
a)
b)
c)
d)
Genre
What is genre?
How do we know about genre?
Teaching ideas: genre
Register
What is register?
What do u think? R txt msgs gr8 or not?
Cohesion and coherence
What is cohesion?
What is coherence?
Teaching ideas: cohesion and coherence
Going to conferences
KAL4
KAL4
KAL4
KAL4
KAL4
5C
5C
KAL4
KAL4
KAL4
KAL4
B BACKGROUND TO LANGUAGE TEACHING
METHODOLOGY
35]
a)
b)
c)
d)
36]
a)
b)
c)
d)
37]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
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b)
c)
d)
e)
39]
a)
b)
c)
d)
40]
a)
b)
c)
d)
41]
a)
42]
a)
b)
How people learn languages
Acquisition and learning
Why does the difference between acquisition and
learning matter?
Which way is best?
How Fernando learnt English
How people learn languages
Four methods
How people learn; how people teach
Adrian’s story
Pavlov’s dogs
Students make mistakes
We all make mistakes
Why do learners make mistakes?
What kind of mistakes do learners make?
What do mistakes look like?
Do mistakes matter?
Learning at different ages
Young learners
Adult and older learners
Adolescents
Tips for teaching adults
Tips for teaching teenagers
Student-centred teaching
The right priorities
Personalisation, agency and learner training
Talking about adults
Talking about teenagers
Learner characteristics
Getting to know our students
The good learner
Talking about differences
What to do about student differences
Different contexts, different levels
Different kinds of English learning Language levels
Large and mixed-ability classes
Teaching large classes
Teaching mixed-ability classes
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
2B
2B
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
2B
2C
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
2B
2B
5C
5C
5C
5C
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
Module
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Core Module 2
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
Module
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Module
2
2
2
2
2
2
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2
2
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
Core Module 2
43]
a)
b)
c)
Motivation
The importance of motivation
Where motivation comes from
Sustaining motivation
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
Module
Module
Module
2
2
2
2
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
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Core
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3
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3
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
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Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
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3
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1
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1
B1
C TEACHING LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE SKILLS
44]
a)
b)
c)
45]
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b)
46]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
47]
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b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
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d)
e)
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c)
d)
e)
50]
a)
51]
a)
b)
c)
d)
52]
a)
b)
c)
d)
Introducing new language
A popular way of introducing new language
An example of PPP in action
Teaching ideas: showing language construction
Introducing new language
Ways of introducing new language
Alternatives to introducing new language
Researching new language
Making discoveries
Puzzling it out
Looking for information (research)
Mining texts
Accidental meetings
Teaching ideas: research
Teaching ideas: mining a text
Repetition and drilling
Repetition: choral and individual
Drills and drilling
How much repetition and drilling is the right amount?
An example of a cue–response drill
An example of a question and answer cue–response
drill
Have a good mumble!
Practising new language 1
Controlled practice
Sentence activities
Dictation
Dictogloss
Matching activities
Practising new language 2
Practice of specific language items
Story chains
Interviewing each other
Quizzes
Games
Practising new language 3
Information-gap activities
Teaching speaking
The reasons for speaking activities
Building the speaking habit
Interview
Turning on the inner voice
Teaching speaking
Discussions
Reaching a consensus
The teacher’s role in speaking activities
Turn-taking
2C
2C
2C
2C
2C
1D
1D
53]
a)
b)
c)
54]
a)
b)
c)
55]
Teaching speaking
Telling stories
Making oral presentations
Simulation and roleplay
Teaching reading
The need for reading
Extensive reading
Intensive reading
Teaching reading
a)
What texts should we give students for intensive
reading?
b)
What to do before students read a text
c)
56]
Reading activities
Teaching reading
a)
Responding to a text
b)
More comprehension
c)
Language questions
d)
Follow-up tasks
57]
Teaching writing
a)
The importance of accuracy
b)
Teaching the ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing
c)
The process of writing
58]
Teaching writing
a)
Encouraging writing
b)
Spontaneous writing
c)
Students writing together
d)
Pictures and writing
e)
Music and writing
59]
Teaching writing
a)
Producing a finished product
b)
Preparing for writing
c)
From analysis to production
d)
Portfolio writing
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
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Core
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Module
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1D
1D
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1D
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1D
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1D
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1D
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1D
e)
Writing journals
f)
Blogs, wikis and contacts
60]
Teaching listening
a)
The importance of listening
b)
Types of listening
c)
Audio devices and who uses them
d)
How often should students listen?
61]
Teaching listening
a)
Prediction
b)
Before listening
c)
Listening tasks
62]
Teaching listening 3
a)
Listening again
b)
Listening again: language matters
c)
Extensive listening
d)
Using video
63]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
64]
a)
b)
c)
d)
Core
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Module
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1D
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1D
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1D
Module
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Module
Using poetry
Choosing the right poems
Predicting poetry
Poetry and language
Poetry and meaning
Writing poems
Using music and drama
Using songs and music
Talking about music and songs
Being careful with music
Using drama
D MANAGING LEARNING AND TEACHING
65]
a)
b)
c)
66]
a)
b)
c)
d)
67]
a)
b)
c)
Teacher roles
A variety of roles
The teacher’s role, the teacher’s place
What scaffolding means
Teachers and students
Establishing rapport
The teacher in the classroom
Celebrating success
Respecting students
Where students sit
What classrooms look like
Working alone, working together
Putting students into pairs and groups
5C
5C
5C
68]
a)
b)
c)
d)
69]
a)
b)
c)
d)
70]
a)
b)
c)
d)
71]
a)
b)
c)
72]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
73]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
74]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
75]
a)
b)
c)
d)
76]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
77]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Teacher language
Who does the talking in class?
The teacher’s voice
Giving instructions
Teaching ideas: demonstrating a Find someone who
... activity
Giving instructions, checking meaning
Giving instructions
Checking instructions
Checking meaning
An example of instruction giving
Classroom moments
How to start a lesson
When students are late
When the class needs to be quiet
Finishing the lesson
Discipline
Reasons for discipline problems
Preventing discipline problems
But when there are discipline problems, what then?
Giving feedback
Teacher feedback
Acknowledgement and evaluation
Going further
Which kind of feedback
Giving feedback on written work
Correcting speaking
Different kinds of correction
Students correct themselves
Students correct each other
Reformulation
From correction to (re)teaching
The Silent Way
Correcting speaking
When should we correct?
Correcting while the activity is taking place
Making a record of what is being said
Correcting after the event
Correcting for the future
Correcting writing
How much to correct
What to correct
Using correction symbols
Other kinds of correction
Homework
The magic of homework
What kind of homework?
Using mobile devices for homework
Making homework ‘work’ for students
Making homework ‘work’ for teachers
Using the L1
L1 in the classroom
Some background facts
Arguments against using the students’ L1 in the
classroom
Arguments in favour of using the students’ L1 in the
classroom
An L1 ‘policy’ Translation activities
Teaching ideas: translating a poem
5D
5D
5D
5D
5D
5D
5D
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
Module
Module
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Module
Module
2
2
2
2
2
2
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Core
Module
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2
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2
78]
a)
b)
c)
d)
Teacher development
Continuous professional development
Burnout just around the corner?
Doing it ourselves
Doing it with others
E PLANNING, RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENT
79]
Planning lessons
a)
b)
c)
Different attitudes to planning
To plan or not to plan?
What are lessons like?
d)
What goes into a plan?
80]
a)
b)
c)
81]
a)
Planning sequences
Lesson shapes, stages and sequences
Planning a sequence of lessons
ESA Syllabus, curriculum, course
Using coursebooks
The coursebook issue
b)
c)
Thinking about the next coursebook
How to choose a coursebook
d)
Using coursebooks
82]
a)
b)
c)
83]
a)
b)
Using dictionaries
Different kinds of dictionary
What students can find in good learners’ dictionaries
Using dictionaries with students
Supplementary materials and activities
Why use supplementary material and activities?
What supplementary materials can teachers use?
c)
Deciding what materials and activities to take into
class
d)
Deciding on games
84]
a)
b)
c)
Teaching without materials
Teaching unplugged
Why teaching without materials is a good idea
Why teaching without materials may not be a good
idea
d)
What the teacher needs to do when teaching without
materials
e)
Examples of materials-light teaching
3B, 3C
/ FTYL
2B
3B
3B
3B /
FTYL
2B
FTYL
2C
FTYL
2B
FTYL
2B
4B
4B /
FTYL
3B
4B
4B /
FTYL
3B
4B /
FTYL
3B
4C
4C /
FTYL
3C
4C /
FTYL
3C
4C
FTYL
4C
85]
a)
b)
c)
Classroom technology
Teaching with technology
Deciding what technology to use
Using boards and other ‘showing’ technology
86]
a)
Classroom technology
Using pictures, cards and strips of paper
b)
c)
87]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
88]
a)
b)
c)
89]
a)
b)
c)
d)
90]
a)
b)
c)
d)
4D
4D
4D
4D /
FTYL
4B
4D
FTYL
4D
FTYL
4D
Using realia and other devices
Mobile learning
Classroom technology
Software in the classroom
Researching online (and on mobile devices)
Making recordings Presenting online
Using internet programs for learning and social
interaction
Using virtual learning environments and learning
platforms
Blended learning
Assessment and testing
Assessing students
Types of assessment
Designing and making tests
Test items and how to teach them
Types of test item
Direct test items
Indirect test items
How to prepare students for tests
Marking and grading tests
After the test
The trouble with marking and how to deal with it
Using assessment scales
Involving the students
4D
4D
4D
4D
Core
Core
Core
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Core
Core
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Core
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Core
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3
2D, 3D
2D, 3D
2D, 3D
F TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS
91]
Describing young learners
YL1
a)
Theories of learning and child development
YL1
b)
How young are young learners?
YL1
c)
Instructional scaffolding
YL3
d)
Children aged 5–7
e)
Children aged ten and above
92]
Teaching young learners in a foreign language
classroom
a)
Creating the right conditions for language learning
b)
The classroom as a learning environment
c)
Some examples of useful classroom English
FTYL
1B
FTYL
1B
FTYL
1B
FTYL
1C
FTYL
1B
FTYL
1B
YL1
YL2
YL2
FTYL
1C
FTYL
1C
FTYL
1D
93]
Movement, games and special friends
YL2
Movement
YL2
b)
c)
94]
a)
b)
95]
a)
Special friends
Games
Chants, rhymes and songs
Chants and rhymes
Songs and singing
Language teaching with young learners
Teaching language to children
YL2
YL2
YL2
YL2
YL2
YL2
YL2
b)
96]
a)
b)
c)
d)
97]
a)
b)
c)
d)
98]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
99]
a)
b)
c)
d)
100]
a)
b)
c)
101]
Some examples of language teaching sequences
Young learner listening
The importance of listening
Listen and do
Listen for information
Stories
Young learner speaking
Creating confident speakers
Speaking activities
Storytelling
Using drama and play acting
Young learner reading
Encouraging reading
Learning sounds, learning words
A few things that young learners can do with reading
Reading aloud
Let students read!
Young learner writing
The value of writing
Copying activities
Dictation
Portfolio writing (and other writing tasks)
Topics and themes
Planning around a subject
Thinking about topics and themes
Themes, topics and activities
Assessing young learners
YL2
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
YL3
a)
Why we test young learners
YL4
b)
Continuous assessment
YL4
c)
Students assess themselves
YL4
d)
Types of test items
YL4
a)
YL4
G CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING
102]
a)
b)
c)
d)
103]
a)
b)
Introducing CLIL
What is CLIL?
CLIL methodology
How is CLIL offered around the world (and who
teaches it)?
How to make CLIL successful
The language of CLIL
Types of language Grammar and CLIL
Language for a purpose
CLIL1
CLIL1
CLIL1
CLIL1
CLIL1
CLIL2
CLIL2
FTYL
4C
FTYL
4C
FTYL
4B
FTYL
4D
FTYL
5B
FTYL
5B
FTYL
5B
FTYL
5C
104]
a)
b)
c)
105]
a)
b)
c)
106]
a)
b)
c)
107]
a)
b)
c)
d)
108]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
109]
a)
b)
c)
d)
110]
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Genre in CLIL
Language functions and tasks
Genre and CLIL
Helping students to understand and produce genre
features
Using visual organisers
Presenting information in a visual way
Why visual organisers matter
Types of visual organiser
Materials and resources for CLIL
Differences between materials for CLIL and general
English
Adapting materials for CLIL
CLIL resources
Teaching CLIL
The teacher’s responsibilities
How teachers can help students with language
How teachers can help students with cognitive skills
How CLIL teachers encourage good learning
CLIL activities
Balancing activities
Cats and dogs
Rivers
Music, anyone?
Life on the edge
Planning CLIL
Planning CLIL lessons
Outcomes and demands
Lesson shapes
What goes into a CLIL lesson plan
Assessing CLIL
Types of assessment
What is special about assessing CLIL?
Supporting students in CLIL assessment
Some CLIL test types
Students assessing themselves and each other
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL1
CLIL1
CLIL2
CLIL2
CLIL3
CLIL3
CLIL2
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL5
CLIL4
CLIL4
CLIL4
CLIL4
CLIL4
CLIL4
KEY
Core Module = Core Modules from TKT Test
KAL = section from Knowledge about Language optional supplementary TKT Module
YL = section from Young Learners optional supplementary TKT Module
CLIL = section from CLIL optional supplementary TKT Module
FTYL = Fundamentals of Teaching Young Learners (TDI Module)