UNIT 3 – Three Main Teaching Techniques

Presenta�on, Prac�ce and Produc�on (PPP)

PPP is a rela�vely simple and logical way of structuring your lessons. You can combine it with other
teaching techniques to produce a full lesson adjusted to your specific students’ needs. We will look at this
in more detail later in the unit. PPP is the strategy used most o�en in coursebooks and is preferred by
teachers with limited experience.

As the name suggests, a PPP lesson has three key stages:

1. Presenta�on: the teacher presents an item of language in a clear context to convey its meaning
and students learn the meaning, form and pronuncia�on of the new language
2. Prac�ce: the lesson moves onto a controlled stage, in which students prac�se only the new
language
3. Produc�on: during the final stage, students carry out ac�vi�es designed to prac�se the new
language using all the English they already know
It does, however, have some limita�ons and is certainly not the only way to structure a lesson.

Test, Teach, Test

In a Test, Teach, Test lesson, you first ask your students to complete a task without any help.
1. Whilst the students are carrying out this ac�vity, you monitor the class and iden�fy your students’
language needs. (Test)
2. You then present the target language, based on the needs you have iden�fied. (Teach)
3. Finally, the lesson ends with a repeat of the ini�al ac�vity (or a similar ac�vity), which students
should now be able to complete successfully. (Test)

This is par�cularly useful for learners of intermediate level or above who might have learnt the lesson
content before. The teacher can see where students are s�ll struggling.

Task Based Learning

Task Based Learning uses tasks as the basic units for planning and teaching. Instead of being taught
predefined language items, students are given problems to solve. Language is then provided in response to
their needs.

For example, you could give your students a train �metable and ask them to find out the fastest way from
Point A to Point B. To complete the task, they must work with other students. You, as the teacher, provide
individual support with language during the task plus group feedback at the end. This means that the
language the students learn is determined by what happens during the task.

It is worth no�ng that, in prac�ce, Task Based Learning is usually applied in a modified form. For example,
the teacher may provide a model of someone doing the task followed by tasks that help them develop
useful language or strategies.

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