In this guide
Cambridge Veritas · Original TESOL self-study resources
Understand the idea
Predict difficulties with meaning, word order, morphology, stress and connected speech, then choose the ones most likely to block the lesson’s aim. Do not attempt to teach every detail discovered during preparation. Leave room to respond to actual learner output.
What you will practise
- Explain the key idea in “Anticipating and prioritising learner problems” using a concrete example.
- Choose a teaching response that fits the learner and the purpose.
- Identify evidence you could collect to evaluate that response.
A closer look at the teaching
Prioritise problems by their effect on the lesson goal and their likelihood for this group. A distinction that blocks understanding may deserve immediate attention; a rare exception may not. Plan a response that addresses the actual difficulty: listening work for recognition, a contrast for meaning or a brief pattern focus for form.
Research protects the quality of teaching decisions. A teacher needs an accurate account of the language, a useful contextual model and a realistic prediction of learner problems. Different sources can answer different questions, so identify what you need to investigate before collecting information. Once the research is complete, select what matters for this lesson. Good preparation creates the confidence to simplify responsibly while recognising where an explanation has limits.
In the classroom
A class understands a request on paper but fails to recognise it in conversation.
Before choosing an activity, identify what the learner needs to understand or communicate. Separate the language demand from other demands such as reading instructions, managing equipment or speaking to a large group.
A teaching sequence you can adapt
Use these stages as a starting point for this topic. Keep the language goal visible, and change the support when learner responses show a different need.
- 01
Write a precise question about the language and choose a contextual example that illustrates it.
- 02
Consult suitable teaching and reference sources, checking that their examples concern the same meaning and setting.
- 03
Record the relevant meaning, form and pronunciation together with a likely difficulty and a short check.
- 04
Rehearse the explanation, select the learner-facing focus and review actual questions or errors after teaching.
Compare the learner’s performance before and after the selected intervention on a similar but new example.
A common mistake to avoid
Do not give another written rule explanation when the observed difficulty is recognising the phrase in speech.
When reviewing the activity, distinguish what you observed from what you inferred. Use the task outcome and a fresh example to decide whether another explanation, a different scaffold or more independent practice is needed.
Adapt it for your learners
Make the task accessible.
Use an analysis form with separate headings so a missing meaning check or pronunciation note is easy to notice.
Extend the thinking.
Investigate a counterexample and explain whether it challenges the teaching rule or represents another use.
Keep the intended outcome consistent when comparing responses. Record which support was available so you do not confuse a supported performance with the same task completed independently.
Try it, then compare.
Take a moment to make your own decision. Compare your reasoning with the example, then adapt it for a teaching context you know.
Try it in a teaching context
Choose a priority and a suitable practice task.
Your questions, answered.
What is a common mistake with Anticipating and prioritising learner problems?
Do not give another written rule explanation when the observed difficulty is recognising the phrase in speech.
How can I check whether the teaching worked?
Compare the learner’s performance before and after the selected intervention on a similar but new example.
How can I support learners who find the task difficult?
Use an analysis form with separate headings so a missing meaning check or pronunciation note is easy to notice.
How can I add a useful extra challenge?
Investigate a counterexample and explain whether it challenges the teaching rule or represents another use.
Quick revision
- The key idea: Predict difficulties with meaning, word order, morphology, stress and connected speech, then choose the ones most likely to block the lesson’s aim.
- The context to remember: A class understands a request on paper but fails to recognise it in conversation.
- A useful next step: Choose a priority and a suitable practice task.
For your teaching portfolio: keep a brief plan, a note of what learners actually did and one change you would make next time. Use anonymous examples.
Take the module self-checkSources and authorship
This module maps to the supplied syllabus PDF, Introduction to researching language (5 pages). The study notes, examples, application tasks and self-checks on these pages are original Cambridge Veritas resources.
View the supplied PDF ↗ · Publication reference: source chapter
Written by Cambridge Veritas. Updated .
Use these resources for preparation and reflection. Browser self-check results are for personal study and do not award a qualification or replace observed teaching practice.