Why my teaching method is not purely traditional

I have nearly always taught adults. Initially I taught using traditional grammar teaching methods.  However, I found that the established teaching methodology of the “12 tenses” fell short of giving students an understanding of when and how English uses the tenses. In my opinion, the “12 tense” model is flawed. At its root it’s incorrect and misleading. What we say, and why and how we say it, is driven by meaning. That isn’t addressed in the teaching textbooks I have read. For that reason,  I developed  my own system of meaning-based teaching. 

Later, circumstance led me into teaching  a couple of relatively young children. I needed a course that taught the basic alphabet and the absolute basics, which, as a teacher of adults, I wasn’t used to. I utilized the “English for Everyone Junior” course books.  That led to the higher-level E.F.E. books 1-4, and the business English series, and that merged with my experience. 

I found that the synthesis of the grammar / meaning-based teaching and the pure repetition of quite simple sentences eliminated basic mistakes – irrespective of whether the student was at a low or high level.  This technique often works well for high-level speakers who continually make basic mistakes.  That group includes almost every professional (doctors/lawyers etc).