TEFL methodology under the microscope-the PPP approach

The PPP approach, is an effective method of teaching elementary students. It teaches basic skills, and ensures that all bases are covered. Present your language, give the students opportunity to practise, and check that your students can effectively use the language.

The first ' P' is the most important in the PPP model. In the presentation part of your lesson you establish the meaning of the language, work on the pronunciation, and show how the sentence is structured. This is the time to make sure that your students really have understood, and have memorised the language securely.
Communicate both the meaning, and how the language is used.
How on earth do teacher begin communicating meaning of everyday sentences? Make sure you put your sentences in a short dialogue. Don't just write sentences such as these on the board!

Where is my coat?
Where are my keys?
Where are my gloves?

To communicate the meaning, pretend to look for your coat (show flashcard of coat if needed).However, if mime does not get the meaning across clearly enough then putting the sentences into a short dialogues make much more sense!

Put your target language into a short conversation

Language is meaningless without a context. It is much for students to understand the meaning of sentences, and easier for the teacher to check the meaning when sentences are written up in a short dialogue:

Where's my coat?

It's on the table! 

Check the meaning!
Do not write up your example, and assume your students will understand! No, no, no! This would be far too easy! Make sure you use concept-checking questions to ensure that your students have grasped the idea!

However, just to double check your students have understood, we could also do the following:
Teacher show keys, and then puts them on the table.

T: Are my keys on the floor ?(Points to keys, and then the floor)
Sts: No, they're on the table!.
Teacher: Yes, that's right! (Teacher gets class to repeat, sentence)


Teacher point to coat.

T: Is my coat on the floor?
Sts:No, it's on the chair

T: Yes,, that’s right!

By doing this, you practise the vocabulary, and check that the students really understand what you've just asked them!

Drill, drill, drill!
Many students struggle with English pronunciation, and committing the new grammar to memory. Drilling really helps to cement in the knowledge, and also builds confidence!

Showing the form of the sentence

Sentences of only two or three words can be easily written on the board as follows?
Where's my coat?
It's on the table

behind the chair

on the floor.

Help in structuring longer sentences
Even longer sentences can be presented in a logical, and meaningful way. Take the following sentences:

Where is the ________________?

Is where? What place?

The theatre is next to the swimming pool.

The swimming pool, is opposite the park