The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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28 The Linguist Vol/58 No/3 2019 ciol.org.uk/tl OPINION & COMMENT Provided by Cambridge English Language Assessment, CELTA proposes a variety of techniques to give students a more communicative role in the classroom. Teacher-centred (deductive) methods are mostly based on what the teacher imposes on the students. This imposition of rules, such as the memorisation of grammar and vocabulary, brings about a controlled, quiet classroom in which students cannot learn to communicate effectively. In contrast, CELTA is a communication-oriented teaching method. Student-centred teachers use oral skills, such as gearing their language use to the level of each student, clear instructions and a friendly manner, to establish an effective rapport before doing any exercises. For such teachers, the primary function of language use is communication, and communication is the main path through which to achieve better student engagement. Effectual techniques include the use of real-life scenarios and pair work, which leads to interaction, effective relationships and greater cooperation. A student-centred model During CELTA training at the British Council in Greece, the instructors modelled how to use a mixture of physical objects, visuals and audio with an interactive multimedia whiteboard (using ActivInspire), board plans and hand- outs. This enables the teacher to generate interest, make students aware of the aim of tasks, provide context, convey the required vocabulary and deal with possible errors at the same time. We discussed ways of using authentic materials, such as interviews, sports commentaries, commercials and articles, to motivate learners and create a multicultural space in the classroom. Difficulties include a lack of available materials, comprehension issues for lower level students and cultural gaps for learners from specific cultures. We also learned how to focus on the needs of learners based on their skills, interests and cultures. According to Jeremy Harme, different learners are good at different tasks. 2 Intrapersonal learners (introverts) and interpersonal learners (extroverts) learn quite differently, for instance. Linguistic learners are Can CELTA teach an experienced teacher new tricks? While I was reading a book on modern teaching approaches and techniques, 1 a flashback from my school days came to me: as my high school English teacher recited the day's lesson, expecting us to memorise it word for word, a cluster of students chatted about their evening plans in the back row. The teacher kept talking but no one was listening. After every English sentence, he gave us the Persian translation. When he was finished, he asked questions about the text but received no answers. I had been teaching English for years, but the book inspired me to take up more serious research into new methods of teaching. This led, in turn, to CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). The question was how an English teacher could turn away from a traditional, teacher-centred method and choose to be more student-centred. Teaching the teacher REZA SHIRMARZ © SHUTTERSTOCK