How to Teach English Effectively: Practical Classroom Strategies for Teachers

 Hello my respected teachers,

I know that you are already  an experienced English teacher, and you are doing fantastic job. but still we are not getting desired result. So here I’ll focus on practical classroom strategies that really work in government school classrooms.

Below is a teacher-friendly, step-by-step guide to teach English better, not theory-heavy, but classroom-ready.

1. Shift from “Teaching English” to “Using English”

Many students know rules but can’t speak or write.

What to do in the classroom

• Use simple classroom English daily

  • “Open your book.”

  • “Have you done your homework."

  • “Who wants to try?”

• Encourage students to reply in English (even 1–2 words)

 Rule: English must be heard before it is written

2. Teach Vocabulary Before the Lesson

Students fail because they don’t know words, not grammar.

How to teach vocabulary:

• Select 8–10 key words from the lesson

• Write on board → say aloud → students repeat

• Use:

  • Pictures

  • Actions

  • Mother tongue only if needed

Example (Chapter: The Portrait of a Lady):

• peaceful, affectionate, devoted, courtyard

👉 Then start the lesson.

3. Use the “Listen → Speak → Read → Write” Order

Most teachers do Read → Explain → Write (wrong order).

Correct classroom flow:

1. Listen – You read / play audio

2. Speak – Students repeat / answer orally

3. Read – Silent & loud reading

4. Write – Short answers, sentences

This builds confidence + comprehension.

4. Teach Grammar Through Sentences, Not Rules

❌ “Today we will learn Present Perfect Tense.”
✅ “Let’s talk about what we have done today.”

Example:

• I have finished my homework.

• She has cleaned the room.

Ask:

• What have you done today?

👉 Rules come after practice, not before.

5. Daily 5-Minute Speaking Activity (Must-Do)

No extra period needed.

Simple speaking tasks:

• One student – one sentence

• Picture description

• Today’s news (1 line)

• Pair talk (30 seconds)

 Even broken English is allowed.

6. Teach Writing in Steps (Very Important)

Students fear writing because they are asked to write full answers suddenly.

Writing ladder:

1. Fill in the blanks

2. Make sentences from words

3. Answer in 1–2 lines

4. Paragraph (5–6 lines)

5. Long answers

Correct content first, grammar later.

7. Encourage, Don’t Correct Too Much

Over-correction kills confidence.

❌ “Wrong English!”
✅ “Good try, say it like this…”

Praise effort:

• “Very good attempt”

• “Much better”

• “Try again”

These are just simple suggestions. You all are much experienced...

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