I think having an English only environment is the best way to learn...when dealing with children above 7 or 8 years old. I had a couple classes with 5 year olds and if had sat there speaking in English the whole time, I would have lost all of them.

With younger kids you need to base the class in their native lanugage and teach them small parts of the language. Little by little you incorporate more and more English into the class but their native lanugage still plays an important role.

With older children and adults...I believe that it should be 99% of the time, with one or two word confirmations thrown in.

I remember having a class of 8 adults and they were beginners. One woman, Eva, came to me after class very frustrated because she didn't understand most of the class. I assured her that the first class is always difficult but the more she listens the better she will understand...and within months she was doing better that the students who understood me to be begin with.

I loved the article though. Very informative and helpful!

All the best,
Diana