Most important: Communication

Our students don't learn English, or whatever language, just like any other subject: math, history, geography, literature... Yet we as teachers must help them become conscious they are learning a tool, and this one in order to communicate with the world. That very activity or exercise she has to do as homework, if the case, is a step farther on toward success in mastering the means of communication. Even more, the teacher can exploit the vocabulary or the grammar inherent to that activity as an activity of communication. The teacher both uses that language in her question and besides expects that language in the response. In that way, our student will realize that what he or she is learning is useful for something else! So the important thing in the class is to raise communication, though this might be from a zero level or nearly. And remember the necessary rapport with your students: sometimes an appropriate sense of humor helps more than a stern face look.