108894916 CELTA Focus On The Learner Assignment
Alexandra Smit
Focus on the Learner
The students attending the pre-intermediate English language course at International House are mostly Italian1. The age range is quite varied (early twenties to late sixties) and they are all very highly motivated and passionate about learning the language2. Most of the students come from a strong cultural background and have a scholastic knowledge of
English, having learnt the language at school as part of the compulsory curriculum. Those who don’t, have at least 1 to 2 years experience of learning the language and a number of them have already attended the course taught by CELTA trainees in previous years.
As for learning styles there is a core group of retired teachers (mainly Italian and Latin) who
I perceive to have a strong linguistic approach. This also emerges from the interviews we had with them on our first day of training: the majority of students highlighted their strengths in English as reading and writing. Most of them also enjoy visual arts (during class interviews there was a high percentage of students who listed going to art exhibitions as a hobby). The size of the room and the number of students attending class3 makes it difficult to have a more kinesthetic approach even though a good number of them are passionate about dancing, sports and regularly pursue these hobbies.4
The students are involved in class activities and there are a few risk-takers who regularly intervene making lessons very enjoyable and making us teachers feel like we are contributing to their learning. As the course has evolved I have also noticed that many of those who appeared shy at the beginning are now more confident and ask questions for further clarification.
With regards to the skills they want to develop, an overwhelming majority have expressed the desire to improve their understanding and communication in English and have listed these as their main aims in English language learning.
It is difficult to assess their feedback on the
Focus on the Learner
The students attending the pre-intermediate English language course at International House are mostly Italian1. The age range is quite varied (early twenties to late sixties) and they are all very highly motivated and passionate about learning the language2. Most of the students come from a strong cultural background and have a scholastic knowledge of
English, having learnt the language at school as part of the compulsory curriculum. Those who don’t, have at least 1 to 2 years experience of learning the language and a number of them have already attended the course taught by CELTA trainees in previous years.
As for learning styles there is a core group of retired teachers (mainly Italian and Latin) who
I perceive to have a strong linguistic approach. This also emerges from the interviews we had with them on our first day of training: the majority of students highlighted their strengths in English as reading and writing. Most of them also enjoy visual arts (during class interviews there was a high percentage of students who listed going to art exhibitions as a hobby). The size of the room and the number of students attending class3 makes it difficult to have a more kinesthetic approach even though a good number of them are passionate about dancing, sports and regularly pursue these hobbies.4
The students are involved in class activities and there are a few risk-takers who regularly intervene making lessons very enjoyable and making us teachers feel like we are contributing to their learning. As the course has evolved I have also noticed that many of those who appeared shy at the beginning are now more confident and ask questions for further clarification.
With regards to the skills they want to develop, an overwhelming majority have expressed the desire to improve their understanding and communication in English and have listed these as their main aims in English language learning.
It is difficult to assess their feedback on the
Bibliography: A. Duguid, “Italian Speakers”, in M. Swan and B. Smith, Learner English: A Teacher 's Guide To Interference And Other Problems, 2002 (1987), CUP J. Wingate, “Multiple Intelligences”, in English Teaching Professional, from: http://celta.wikispaces.com/file/view/Wingate.pdf Alexandra Smit – Focus on the Learner CELTA IH Rome Spring 2010 Page 4