Micro-teaching

A technique used on teacher training courses: a part of a lesson is taught to a small number of students. A variation of this is ‘peer teaching’, where the 'students' are often peers of the trainee teacher attending the same course.

Mime (n., v.)

Body movements used to convey meaning without using words.

Mingle (n., v.)

A mingle is an activity which involves learners having to walk round the classroom talking to other learners to complete a task.

Minimal pair

A pair of items differing by one phonological feature; for example: sit/set, ship/sheep, pen/pan, fan/pan, pan/pat, among others.

Minimal pair drill

A drill in which minimal pairs are practised together, especially to help students to learn to distinguish a sound contrast. For example, if a teacher wanted to practise the contrast between /b/ and /p/, the teacher could a) explain how the sounds differ; b) present pairs of words containing the contrast, for listening practice, e.g. bore – pour, big – pig, buy – pie; c) get the students to show that they know which member of the pair they have heard; d) get them to pronounce such pairs themselves.

Mistake

According to Corder (1967), a ~ is a deviation in learner language that occurs when learners fail to perform their competence. It is a lapse that reflects processing problems. It contrasts with an error.

Mixed ability, mixed level

The different levels of language or ability of learners studying in the same class.

Model (n., v.)

A clear example of the target language for learners to repeat or write down or save as a record. If a teacher is focusing on the target language of a lesson, s/he usually chooses a model sentence, which s/he writes on the board. The teacher often models the language as well, by saying it clearly before drilling the learners.

Mother tongue

The very first language that you learn as a baby, which is usually the language spoken to you by your parents. Also called L1 or first language. See L1/L2