Here's how you can utilize problem solving skills for language acquisition and teaching.

Identifying issues while learning a language is crucial. Whether it's understanding grammar rules, pronunciation nuances, or vocabulary usage, pinpointing areas of difficulty enables targeted learning strategies and resources to be employed. Moreover, acknowledging non-linguistic factors such as language anxiety and motivation is equally essential. Language anxiety, stemming from fear of making mistakes or being judged, can significantly impede learning. Conversely, high motivation can enhance language acquisition by fostering persistence and engagement. Recognising and addressing these factors ensures a holistic approach to language learning, promoting confidence, and fostering a positive learning environment.

In my experience coordinating teachers, one of their most effective techniques is to adapt the content of their materials or the curriculum to meet their students' needs. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen due to constraints like lack of time or expertise. Teachers who succeed in tailoring their curriculum to their students’ needs often do so through observation and active engagement. They take notes, ask about their students' experiences, learning preferences, and struggles. I recall an activity where students at a C2 level talked about their own language learning challenges. This provided invaluable insights, allowing me to pinpoint specific difficulties such as understanding certain accents or a lack of adequate input.

In a foreign/second language acquisition context, setting CLEAR objectives will provide students and teachers with a framework to assess their progress. These could, then, be broken down into smaller steps. Objectives must be: Communicatively meaningful, Linguistically relevant, Efficient, Agreed upon, and Realistic.

In my approach to teaching a new language, context is paramount. Rather than focusing solely on isolated vocabulary or grammar rules, I believe in immersing learners in meaningful contexts where language naturally occurs. By incorporating real-life situations, dialogues, and relevant cultural references, learners not only grasp the language's dynamics, but also understand its practical application. This approach enhances comprehension, retention, and fluency as learners connect language to their everyday experiences. It fosters a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and communication styles, facilitating more authentic interactions. Teaching in context enables a more engaging, effective, and enjoyable language learning experience.

Implementing routines is a fundamental strategy in education, as it creates a structured, safe and predictable learning environment. Preschool and Primary teachers excel at establishing routines with their students, and many of their techniques can be effectively borrowed for teaching other populations. One of the things I used to do was set clear lesson objectives and share them with my students. This helped me and my students evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson.

Addressing psychological barriers in language learning is crucial. Language acquisition is also about overcoming fears, doubts, and insecurities that may hinder progress. Psychological barriers such as language anxiety, fear of failure, or lack of confidence can significantly impede learners' ability to engage with the language and set them back. By acknowledging and addressing these barriers, we can create a safe space where learners feel empowered to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them. Moreover, we can help in promoting a positive mindset and motivation, essential for sustained language learning success. Ultimately, we can unlock learners' full potential and facilitate a more fulfilling language learning journey.

Observing teachers and being observed are very helpful activities that provide additional insights to help teachers reflect on their practices. Observations offer teachers specific, actionable feedback, enabling them to understand exactly what they are doing well and what may need adjustment. Observations can be as general or as focused as the observer and the observee agree upon. If a teacher has identified an area for development, they can create an observation instrument for a colleague to use during the observation. This activity will certainly help the teacher better understand their own teaching practice.