At the risk of disappointing, I must confess that I don't have any specific methods or techniques, but rather resources and a toolbox. The first of these, and the most important in my opinion, is setting goals: a clear, realistic, and measurable objective. Once the goal is set, the rest is pure joy... and incidentally work.
In fact, I approach teaching French with the same approach as directing theatre: after setting the framework (or delineating the playing field), I simply focus on listening, observing, questioning, adjusting, inspiring, negotiating and then validating.
And I adapt, adapt, adapt… but without ever deviating from the previously set objective. I've given lessons while walking, running, mountain biking, in cars, on trains, planes, in lodges, holiday cottages, camp-sites, in classrooms, vineyards, barracks, Defence Academy of the UK, offices, on the top floor of Canary Wharf, theatres, shops, pubs, restaurants, museums, ice rinks, by the Thames or the Gironde estuary, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans etc... I might have forgotten some, but I'm certain the best is yet to come... :)
And since the journey is (must be) more memorable than the destination, this is where style comes into play: since we are all, or almost all, children of Aristotle; I strive, as much as possible, to ensure that a session, a pronunciation exercise or a grammar point, for example, tells or contributes to a story... If you can kill two birds with one stone, we're not going to hold back ...
One of the things I am most proud of is being able to convert even the most reluctant students into absolute grammar fans. It must also be said that grammar is a great moment of relaxation and laughter in my classes... it's freestyle!
This success, however, has its downside because in end-of-course feedback, I'm reading more and more comments like 'Christophe is a great entertainer' (in the absence of 'great teacher' – you will have noticed) to which I can't help but comment: 'That's nice, but otherwise... did you learn anything in French?'
Joking aside, the lessons are punctuated by activities during which students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and therefore take action! This involves missions, scripts, role-playing, challenges or simply conversation!
I like the idea - without being fixated on it though - of the teacher as 'facilitator,' 'guide,' in the "humanist school" style, which ensures learner-centred teaching. I am also very attached to the quality of the classroom environment, its dynamics, as well as to the constructivist approach in which the learner constructs their knowledge by establishing connections, bridges, between different concepts that she/he knows or masters ...
Finally, learning a language or any other discipline is long and therefore must be fun, otherwise you get bored (to be polite) and life is too short for that!
When work is fun, then fun becomes work!
À très bientôt,
Christophe