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ESA By Matthew Edwards The Engage, Study, and Activate Methodology of Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a relatively new approach that is the combination of a variety of other methodologies. Originally put forward by Jeremy Harmer, this methodology aims to combine the best parts of multiple other approaches while leaving out the ineffective portions. This approach to teaching English provides endless flexibility for new and experienced teachers alike. In its most simple form, the Straight Arrow Lesson, the ESA method provides a basic model that can be followed or adapted in any setting. Proper use of this style will give the class a repeatable and expected structure without becoming stale or boring. The Straight Arrow Lesson is best for beginner or elementary stage learners, as any style more complex may be disadvantageous to their ability to learn and retain new language. Step one of the Straight Arrow lesson (or any lesson) is the Engage portion. Drawn partially from the Community Language Learning style, this step provides high student involvement and talk time. It is also important because it gets the students into a mindset of speaking and listening to English, without which, their receptiveness to the material would be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the Engage stage can and should be fun for both the students and the teacher, which will increase student motivation and aid the teacher in building rapport with the class. Step two of the Straight Arrow Lesson is the Study portion. With roots in Audio-Lingualism, PPP (Presentation, Practice, and Production), and Task-Based Learning, this is the stage where new language or material is presented in the lesson. The study stage can be broken up into several smaller steps, as described below. The teacher may give a short lecture, complete with visual aids such as flashcards, posters, charades, videos, and many others. While presenting material, the teacher should ask questions to gauge how well the students are absorbing the lesson. He should ask several questions to the entire class, then call on several students at random to asses everyone's progress. The class will then practice what they have learned either alone or in groups. They might practice speaking to one another, conduct language drills, or complete worksheets. The teacher could also give each student or group a task to complete in this stage, such as write a letter or describe a favorite vacation. Step three of the Straight Arrow Lesson is the Activate portion. This stage is similar to the Communicative Language Teaching Methodology, and involves using language to communicate and maximizing student talk time. There are a wide variety of activities that can be conducted in this stage, including "mill-drills", role-play, story writing, and communication games. The students could also be called on to present their completed task from the Study stage. The key to this portion of the lesson is using language in a safe, simulated environment. The Straight Arrow Lesson can be modified into several other styles, while still maintaining a recognizable ESA structure. The Boomerang lesson incorporates an additional Activate stage just after the Engage stage. This style offers two advantages. It allows the teacher to see what the students need to learn prior to teaching the lesson, and it allows the students more opportunity to use English. The Patchwork lesson is most useful for higher level students. It allows a high level of flexibility and can include multiple phases of all three steps. Out of all the previously developed teaching methodologies, the ESA Method offers more flexibility and advantages while minimizing the disadvantages. The lesson structure is similar to what most students and teachers are probably accustomed to. The various stages of the lesson allow the teacher to fill various roles in the classroom as needed for each stage. This method of teaching is basically a tool belt filled with as many or as few tools as the teacher and students need in any particular lesson. After learning about it, I am eager to try it out for myself.
