English didactics covers the field of teaching English as a foreign language. Learning a language consists of acquiring language systems (vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar) and developing language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Additional skils might be considered as translation and acquisition of cultural awareness connected with the language that is being taught. These main objectives are achieved through didactic principles that go hand in hand with the paradigms and beliefs in foreign language acquisition. Thus, various approaches, methods, techniques and tasks are followed. The vocabulary with the grammar are demonstrated within the topics and practiced through the four language skills reflecting the already mentioned principles in the teaching materials such as textbooks, workbooks or additional materials.
In ELT, the approaches, methods, techniques and tasks are chosen in accordance with the age of learners as well as their level of language competence described through the descriptors in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2007). The age of learners vary from very young and young age at a primary level of schooling, teenagers at a secondary one and adults at the secondary, higher secondary, tertiary level and professional world. The levels of competence are described from A1 to C2 level. However, the most essential essence of language teaching and learning is the need of the learner to know a language. That is the driving power indicating the teacher to choose the right ‘path’ of language teaching and learning. The art of teaching a language then follows a plan of finding the strategies of how to engage and motivate the learners and provide the satisfying space for presenting, practicing and producing ‘the language’ optimal for the particular age and level.
In the following chapters we are going to discuss acquisition of language systems and development of language skills in more detail.