Showing posts with label EAP and ESP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EAP and ESP. Show all posts

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Online EdDs and PhDs

Updated 20 March 2017

If you're looking for an online masters degree program, please read this post.

Here are a few programs that offer doctorate degrees that can be earned completely online or only require a few on-campus sessions that are usually held for a couple days during breaks. Some of these universities are B and M (brick and mortar) and others are online schools. Do your research thoroughly before choosing a school. 

Don't just choose a programme based on price! You can get grants for doing a doctorate. Check out profellows for more info. If you're looking for encouragement while drudging through your programme, PhinisheD is a great website with like-minded people. More info can be found at ISR: distance degree programmes. 

Doctoral degrees aren't the end all. Here are some articles against them.

Australia

Canada

Korea

New Zealand

South Africa

United Kingdom

 United States

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, 7 September 2014

The Top 10 Presentation Errors to Avoid

Teaching presentation a lot different than teaching speaking. Some people are gifted speakers and some aren't. One of the best speakers I've ever seen was Joshua Davies. He worked at one of the universities I was at in Korea, but was there a couple years before me. He was recruited by the LAM Institute and travels all over Southeast Asia teaching people how to give presentations.

He still gives presentations at KOTESOL (Korea Organisation of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) conferences. The one I went to was packed full of people wanted to see him speak. So it just goes to show you that being a TEFL teacher isn't an end-all job. You can easily use your skills to transition to another field.

Another great speaker is Liam Lusk who together with Carl Kwan have a website dedicated to teaching people about presentations. Their website, Pesentation Expressions has a neat post about the Top 10 Presentation Errors to Avoid. If you think about it, every time you give a class you're giving a presentation. So even if you don't teach presentation per se, this post should be able to help you out.

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, 17 July 2014

Online vs On-site TEFL courses

The main problem with online certs is that there is no practice teaching component, but things are starting to change. Cambridge has recently come out with the online CELTA. You do most of the work online, and then have an on-site component composed of observation and teaching practice. Not all TEFL courses are created the same. Take a look at how to choose a TEFL course for more info.

TEFL Course Basics
The following information has been taken from Wall Street Institute.
  • At least 120 hours over 4 weeks or more
  • At least 6 hours teaching practice with real students
  • Trainers should have a degree, a TEFL cert (preferrably a diploma), and at least 8 years teaching experience in 2 different countries.
  • Exams should be oral, written, and teaching
  • The curriculum should cover: grammar, methods, phonetics, classroom management, activities, use at least 3 different textbooks, practice with audio and visual aids, introduce international exams or Business English.

On-site Courses
The advantages of taking an on-site course are that you can take a course in the country you're interested in teaching in. By doing this, you can learn a little about the area and jobs available. In addition, your trainers will probably have experience in that country. Moreover by taking an on-site course you can interact with your fellow trainees.

The drawbacks are the time and expense. Not everyone has a month or so to take off work and study. In addition to the cost of the course, you're going to have to take into account lost wages. Then there's the whole matter of actually getting there, as well as food and accomodation.

Online Courses
The biggest advantage is the convenience. You can literally study anywhere in the world. You can work at your own pace too. These courses are often cheaper than on-site courses. Some popular online courses are the CCELT (100 hours) and the University of Toronto (100, 120, and 150 hours).

The drawback is the fact that it's online. Many employers view online courses as being a step down from on-site courses. This holds true for online masters degrees as well. Since it's online it's often perceived as being easier. Additionally, many online courses don't have a practical teaching component. It's like getting your license without ever having driven a car before.

So Which is Best?
Honestly, most people agree that an onsite course is the best, however, not everyone is able to take onsite courses. With that being said an online course is better than no TEFL cert at all. As mentioned above CELTA now has an online course. Since they also have a practical teaching component their online course is just as good as their on-site one.

Want to Take an Online Course?
Many employers will give you a raise if you have a TEFL cert and sometimes an online course is the only option. If you go that route, make sure they have a practical teaching section. They should also have 120 hours with 6 hours of teaching practice.

They should also offer lots of support and tutor feedback if you need it, in the form of email, skype, or phone calls. At the beginning of the course they should give you a clear syllabus to let you know what direction the course will take. Make sure they use a good online format.

Free Courses
If you don't have the money for a course at the moment, check out these free options. 


In Summary
You really should get a cert and on-site ones are the best, followed by online ones with a teaching component, and finally online ones without a teaching component. It's only fair to your students that they have a teacher who knows what they're talking about. If you can't get a TEFL cert there are other ways to learn about teaching. Try reading is a TEFL cert necessary? to find out more

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, 25 October 2013

How to Choose the Right TEFL Course for You

The following is a guest post from Teach Away and an explanation of their online TEFL cert from the University of Toronto.

TEFL vs. TESL - What’s the difference? 
TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language. If you are teaching English in a country where English is the official language, your students will be learning English as a second language.

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. If you are teaching English as a foreign language, you are teaching English in a non-English speaking country; for instance, teaching in Vietnam.

Not All Certificates Are Created Equal
A TEFL course is ideal for teachers planning on teaching English overseas. Courses can vary from a 20 hour course all the way up to a Masters degree in TEFL. Regardless of the type of course you enrol in, a good one will give you the strategies necessary to run a well organized and effective class, and prepare you to plan lessons and work with your students.

There are some key things to look out for when selecting your TEFL certification. We’ve put together some guidelines to help you to identify a Great TEFL course as well as a Not-So-Great TEFL course.

A Great TEFL Course
Here are some thing a great TEFL course should have.

From teflonline.teachaway.com
Course Length
  • 100 hours or more - courses of less than 100 hours are not usually recognized by schools looking for teachers
Reputation
  • Recognized worldwide 
  • Reputable Educational institution providing and promoting the course (ie. University or College) 
  • Follows a curriculum written by professionals in English language education 
Course Work
  • Broken down into modules; students have a clear idea of what they will be learning in each lesson 
  • Students submit assignments for assessment, and write tests or quizzes before they can complete course modules, ensuring that they have a complete understanding of the material before moving on.

Feedback and Communication
  • Assistance is provided with any potential technical issues.
  • There is a number you can call, an email address, and/or Skype ID. Someone should get back to you within 24 hours
  • The course provides plenty of information prior to enrollment - for example, representatives hold webinars or information sessions, or provide detailed information on the course on their website or brochure. 
Documentation
  • Students receive a certificate with a seal of authenticity from the developer of the course The certificate is professional-looking and can be shown to employers as proof of TEFL certification 

Job Assistance
  • Assistance with overseas job placement provided after you graduate 

From teckgeek.com.au
A Not-So-Great TEFL Course
Here are some warning signs of a not-so-great TEFL course.

Course Length
  • 20 hours, 40 hours, 86 hours (anything less than 100 + hours) 

Reputation
  • They have a nice looking website 
  • An English speaker wrote the course material 
Course Work
  • Is a click through of web pages 
  • No assessed assignments or tests, students can finish the course as long as they can use a mouse and keyboard 

Feedback and Communication
  • Technical support is provided … maybe (if you can find contact information) 
  • You’re told, “The best way to learn more about the course is to take the course!” 

Documentation
  • Students receive a certificate of completion without a seal of authenticity
  • Employers question whether you made the certificate yourself. 

Job Assistance
  • Good luck! 

From teflonline.teachaway.com
The University of Toronto and Teach Away
The University of Toronto has partnered with Teach Away to provide the 100 and 120 hour TEFL Online course. The University of Toronto is a top 20 university in Canada. Their partners at Teach Away have been recruiting educators since 2003 for educational institutions all over the world.

The University of Toronto’s TEFL Online 100 hour course covers the six core modules - touching on classroom management, lesson planning and the pedagogical principles of ESL teaching. Their 120 hour course includes two additional units of specialization (depending on your area of interest). Teaching English to young learners? To Arabic speakers? Test Preparation courses? You can find these specializations within the University of Toronto course.

If you are interested in finding out more information, TEFL Online regularly hosts webinars, and you are always able to call and speak with a representative. As well - during the course, if you hit any snags, TEFL’s friendly full time web team will be able to assist you.

When you are finished the course, TEFL Online’s relationship with Teach Away works to your benefit - happy to provide placement assistance to TEFL grads, they will help you to explore your employment options as a new TEFL teacher.

Click here to find out more information.

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, 10 May 2013

Common TEFL Acronyms

Updated 13 June 2014

Here is a list of commonly used TEFL acronyms compiled from ESL Base, iteslj, Gone2Korea, Teaching ESL to Adults, and TEFL.net.

  • 5W's = Who, What, Where, When and Why 
  • 4 Skills = Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking
  • ABD = All But Dissertation (meaning you've done the coursework for a PhD or EdD)
  • ACTFL = American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (USA) 
  • ADOS = Assistant Director of Studies
  • AOP = Academic Oral Presentations
  • APA = American Psychological Association
  • ARELS = Association of Recognised English Language Services
  • ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • BASELT = British Association of State English Language Teaching
  • BE = Bilingual Education / Business English
  • BEC = Business English Certificate
  • BC = British Council 
  • BULATS = Business Language Testing Service
  • CAE = Certificate in Advanced English, Cambridge Advanced English
  • CALL = Computer Assisted Language Learning 
  • CALLA = Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach 
  • CALP = Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency 
  • CBC = Criminal Background Check
  • CBI = Content Based Instruction 
  • CEELT = Cambridge Examination in English for Language Teachers
  • CELTA = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults 
  • CELTYL = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners
  • CILT = Centre for Information of Language Teaching and Research
  • CLIL = Content and Language Integrated Learning
  • CLL = Community Language Learning 
  • CLT = Communicative Language Teaching 
  • CRC = Criminal Record Check
  • CPE = Cambridge Proficiency Examination
  • CTESOL = Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • DELTA = Diploma in English Language Training to Adults
  • DOS = Director of Studies
  • DL = Distance Learning 
  • DPhil = Doctorate of Philosophy
  • DTEFLA = Diploma in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language
  • EAL: English as an Additional Language
  • EAP = English for Academic Purposes 
  • ECIS = European Council of International Schools
  • EdD = Doctor in Education
  • EFL = English as a Foreign Language (Studying English in non-English-speaking countries) 
  • ELI = English Language Instructor
  • ELL = English Language Learner 
  • ELICOS = English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students
  • ELT = English Language Teaching (or sometimes Training)
  • EMT = English Mother Tongue
  • EMI = English as a Medium of Instruction
  • EP = Transitional English Proficiency 
  • EPIK = English Programme in Korea
  • ESAC = English in Specific Academic Contexts
  • ESL = English as a Second Language (Studying English as a non-native speaker in a country where English is spoken.) 
  • ESOL = English to Speakers of Other Languages (Note: ESL and EFL are often used interchangeably.) 
  • ESP = English for Specific Purposes / English for Special Purposes / English Speaking Environment
  • EST = English for Science and Technology 
  • EX: Exam Classes
  • FCE = First Certificate in English
  • FEC = Foreign Expert Certificate
  • FEP = Fluent English Proficient (or Proficiency) 
  • FES = Fluent English Speaker GTM = Grammar Translation Method
  • FLT = Foreign Language Teaching 
  • GEPIK = Gyeonggi-do English Programme in Korea
  • GET =  Guest English Teacher
  • HOD = Head Of Department
  • IATEFL = International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (UK) 
  • ICELT = In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching
  • IDLTM = International Diploma in Language Teaching Management
  • IELTS = International English Language Testing System
  • IEP = Intensive English program 
  • IH = International House
  • IPA = International Phonetic Alphabet (or Association)
  • KET = Key English Test
  • L1 = "Language 1" = the student's native (primary or first acquired) language. 
  • L2 = "Language 2" = the language being learned or studied 
  • LDT = Language Development Training
  • LEP = Limited English Proficiency (or Proficient) 
  • LES = Limited English Speaker 
  • LL = Language Lab 
  • LMS = Language Minority Student 
  • LOS = Letter of Release
  • LS = Language Support
  • LSA = Language Skills Assignment 
  • LSAC = Listening and Speaking in Academic Contexts
  • LSP = Languages for Special Purposes
  • MLA = Modern Language Association 
  • MLAT = The Modern Language Aptitude Test 
  • MOE =  Ministry of Education, Metropolitan Office of Education
  • MONO: Monolingual
  • MULT = Multilingual
  • NCTE = National Council of Teachers of English (United States of America) 
  • NEP = Non English Proficient (or Proficiency) 
  • NESE = Non-English Speaking Environment
  • NET = Native English Teacher
  • NNS = Non-Native Speaker 
  • NS = Native Speaker 
  • OH = Office hours
  • OND = On Demand
  • PET = Prelimiary English Test
  • PGCE = Post Graduate Certificate in Education
  • PhD = Doctor in Philosophy
  • POE = Provincial Office of Education 
  • PR  = Permanent Residency
  • QTS = Qualified Teaching Status
  • RP = Resident Permit
  • RSA = Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce
  • RWAC = Reading and Writing in Academic Contexts
  • SLA = Second Language Acquisition 
  • SMOE =  Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
  • SR = Special Requirements
  • STT = Student Talking Time Time
  • TALK =  Teach and Learn Korea
  • TBA = To Be Announced
  • TBC = To Be Confirmed
  • TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language 
  • TESL = Teaching English as a Second Language 
  • TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.
  • TKT = Teaching Knowledge Test
  • TOEFL = Test of English as a Foreign Language 
  • TOEIC = Test of English for International Communication
  • TL = Target Language 
  • TPR = Total Physical Response 
  • TPRS = Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling
  • TSE = Test of Spoken English
  • TTT = Teacher Talking Time 
  • TWE = Test of Written English 
  • UCLES = University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate
  • VESL = Vocational English as a Second Language 
  • VYL  = Very Young Learners
  • YL = Young Learners 
  • YLE = Young Learners English 

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, 6 May 2013

Pros and Cons of Teaching Content Courses

From sustain.inside.tru.ca
Some teachers think that teaching content / subject courses is much better than teaching the 4 skills and in fact look down on those who teach the 4 skills. There are a variety of content courses out there.
  • They can be extensions of English courses, such as presentation or academic writing.
  • They can be subjects within the students' normal classes, such as math or science.
  • They can English for Specific Purposes, like Aviation English. 
There are advantages and disadvantages to teaching these types of courses. Many schools, from elementary to university are trying to teach subject courses in English to up their ratings. Let's assume that these courses are taught be a native or near-native English speaker and not a local teacher who barely speaks English but is required to teach in English so just stumbles over the words as they read from the textbook.

Pros
  • More rewarding for the teacher and the students.
  • Students may be more motivated.
  • Teachers might get higher evals if the students have a high level of English.
  • Teachers can use a higher level of English in these types of courses.
Cons
  • More work for the teacher.
  • May be too difficult for the student.
  • Teachers might get lower evals if it's a required course but the English is too high for the students.
  • Students might feel resentful because they are trying to learn about their major and not English. They also might be required to buy two books: one in English and a translation.

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, 15 December 2012

An Excerpt from Using Drama in the ESL Classroom by Chris Boudreault

The following is a guest post by Chris Boudreault. Chris has taught in Asia and South America. 
An Excerpt from Using Drama in the ESL Classroom by Chris Boudreault 
William Shakespeare claimed that . . .
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143

If so, then maybe we need to use drama more in the schools. Using drama in the ESL classroom is not a new concept. Drama provides an excellent platform for exploring theoretical and practical aspects of the English language (Whiteson,1996). The improvisation aspect of drama gives students opportunities for developing their communicative skills in authentic and dynamic situations. By using drama in the English classroom, we can use English with our students in intriguing and useful ways. The language can be used in context and makes it come to life. Drama has the potential of making the learning experience fun for the students and even memorable because it is interactive and visual.

There are many studies about using drama to learn English. Wan Yee Sam talks about the communicative approach, drama techniques, value of drama in education, advantages and disadvantages (Sam,1990). Alan Maley and Alan Duff are classic sources for the benefits of using drama techniques; how it helps to learn new vocabulary, builds confidence, motivates the students and helps shift the focus from the teacher to the students (Maley,1982). Drama is a special communication situation which makes considerable demands on the flexibility and skills of the teacher (Kao,1998). We have Morrow (1981) who gives some guiding principles behind the use of the communicative activities. Susan Holden (1981) adds some definitions as to what drama is and how it provides opportunities for a person to express themselves. The personal nature of improvisation provides many outlets for self-expression. We even hear that children need to play as an important developmental process.

Benefits of Using Drama
This is all very relevant information concerning using drama in the ESL/EFL classroom. We can sum up the benefits of drama in language teaching as follows:
·         the acquisition of meaningful, fluent interaction in the target language;
·         the assimilation of a whole range of pronunciation and prosodic features in a fully contextualized and interactional manner;
·         the fully contextualized acquisition of new vocabulary and structure;
·         an improved sense of confidence in the student in his or her ability to learn the target language.” (Wessels, p.10).
Drama puts the teacher in the role of supporter in the learning process and the students can take more responsibility for their own learning. Ideally, the teacher will take a less dominant role in the language class and let the students explore the language activities. In the student centered classroom, every student is a potential teacher for the group.

Drama for second language learners can provide an opportunity to develop the imagination of the students. The students can go beyond the here and now and even 'walk in the shoes' of another. It provides an opportunity for independent thinking (McCaslin 1996). Students are encouraged to express their own ideas and contribute to the whole. Creative drama will offer exercises in critical thinking and the chance for the students to be creative. A good example of this is role-plays in small groups The ESL/EFL group will have many situations where they can develop their own ideas as well as skills of cooperation when interacting with classmates. The group work builds social awareness and understanding as we walk in the 'shoes of another'. Drama gives an excellent method for studying human nature and working in harmony. The play acting provides the opportunity for a healthy release of emotion in a safe setting which can work to relieve the tension of learning in a second language.

Drama Brings Literature to Life
Most teachers see the value of drama in offering training in speech. What is not obvious is how even abstract learning is easier when acted or demonstrated. Drama can also be used to bring literature to life for the students. It is more dynamic than simple text and helps the visual learners as well as recycles new vocabulary. While drama does have a characteristic of recreation, the fun aspect should not be under-estimated. When the students are enjoying an activity, they are learning and letting their guard down. The shyness and fear of using English very often blocks learning. When the students are submerged in an active fun activity, they are more open to new concepts and learning will occur. When the students are having fun, they let their second language guard down and become less inhibited. The student will tend to relax and stop blocking out the new language. They will forget how hard it is and start absorbing the ideas presented. Changing the students’ perception of the language learning from a negative to a positive is a huge plus for the learning process.

A good example of the attributes of drama being used outside the classroom is the game of theatre sports. Starting out in Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary, Canada (Johnstone,1999). This drama activity has grown to become an international endeavour, taken up by practitioners the world over, which involves the audience as much as the actors in creating a very spontaneous event. Theatre sports demonstrates how powerful a motivating force role-playing can become for the actors as well as the audience. There are presently teams in many different countries using different languages who put on an unrehearsed game for countless spectators and the appeal is only growing.

Drama as a Powerful Teaching Tool
In the ESL/EFL classroom, role-playing is a powerful tool. It teaches cooperation, empathy for others, decision making skills and encourages an exchange of knowledge between the students. These aspects alone make role-playing beneficial because the students are learning from each other. Yet, there are many other positive aspects to the role-playing. Apart from the obvious development of communication skills, it encourages leadership, team work, compromise, authentic listening skills and practice with real life savior-faire. However, it does not stop there. It teaches cooperation, empathy, develops decision making skills, promotes the exchange of knowledge, builds confidence and self-esteem, refines presentation skills, encourages self-acceptance and acceptance of others, features of empowerment, pride in work, responsibility, problem solving, management and organizational skills, begets creativity and imagination.

A good drama teacher can use the practice with role-playing to contribute to the self-esteem of the students, build their confidence in using the target language (English) as well as develop many of the skills mentioned above which will carry over to real life. It is certain that self-acceptance can be encouraged in subtle ways and acceptance of others.

Drama has the potential to empower the students, give them many opportunities to have pride in their work, it teaches them responsibility, problem solving, management and directing proficiencies. The many activities of team work force students to develop organizational skills and to think on their feet. These are tools that can be used in all aspects of their lives. These skills will be useful in the future job market when the students need to work with others or even in the future job interview when the potential employer asks an unexpected question and you need to think quickly.

Drama Reveals Aspects of the Human Condition
When you think about it, drama is a method to reveal aspects of the human condition, life is nothing more than a grand series of improvisations (Price 1980). Through the games, the students begin to realize the importance of shared space, time, attention, information and ideas. The games spark spontaneity and minimize self-consciousness which often inhibits learning. The games are also good for developing concentration and trust in the classroom. While the students are having all this fun, they are developing skills of coordination, imitation while focusing on the task at hand. The improvisation enables the students to flex their emotional, mental as well as physical muscles in a safe and controlled setting. A good example of this was a role-play one group performed where they displayed their displeasure with the school principal. There was no harm done and all the students were feeling the same.

Final Reflections on Improvisations and Benefits of Drama
'Improvisation, then, is an organic experience where skills are constantly being refined. In particular, students develop an increasing facility to meet changing or unknown stimuli with immediate responses. Ideally, improvisation leads to a blending; the students create the personality traits as he/she simultaneously identifies with the character as it evolves. Obviously, the teacher-director should never lose sight of the metamorphic and highly personal nature of improvisation; therefore, there must never be the question of success or failure.' (Price, p. 6)

Drama in its purest form gives the student several avenues to self-awareness. It is one of the closest literary forms to life itself. It is a dynamic process that reveals and examines aspects of the complicated lives we lead (Price 1980). All of this leads me to believe that there are many subtle benefits to drama in the ESL classroom.

The benefits of drama to develop the imagination should not be undervalued. In our rote school routines of memorization and compulsory subject matter, we sometimes do not spend enough time on encouraging our students to use their imagination. It is the spark that makes the ordinary into something incredible. Imagination is the magic force that is beyond facts, figures and techniques which can inspire new ideas. It is with imagination that the ordinary is transformed into something significant. There is a need to cultivate this trait in our students. Imagination is closely linked to dreams and inspire us to get up every morning. Drama has the capability to keep this alive and/or rekindle what our routine daily lives are burying in ourselves. We need imagination to make a better world. In order to accomplish anything worthwhile, we first need to imagine and dream it. We should not neglect this facet of human sentience. It may seem like a trivial point, but dreams without imagination would be like life without colour. We would all be worse off without it.

The Power of Transformation with Drama
We all present ourselves in everyday life as we want to be perceived. Erving Goffman (1958) talks in detail about how we present ourselves in everyday life from a sociological perspective. We are all acting out theatrical performances to present ourselves in regard to how we wish to be seen. When we are in the presence of others, we are to some extent on stage. We will act and communicate in our own interests to influence the people around us to act voluntarily in accordance with the individuals plans (Goffman,1959). We are in essence, recreating ourselves all the time as our social world evolves. In everyday life, first impressions are so very important. So, how we are perceived often depends on a blink of a moment which may define us for a long period if not forever. Our communication skills are so important in how we are seen by others. Our words and body language project subtle messages to those around us and others respond in accordance to what they perceive as "us". In life, we are all playing many roles, therefore, we are wearing many masks.

In a sense, and in so far as this mask represents the conception we have formed of ourselves- the role we are striving to live up to- this mask is our truer self, the self we would like to be (Goffman, p.30).

We know that an individual will attempt to induce the audience to see them in a certain way. The more convincing we are in our own roles only help to create the persona that we wish for. The better we are at communicating our ideas helps ourselves to become who we want to be.

Therefore, it makes sense that dramatic skills can help us become the person we want to be. In this way, drama has a wider reach than simply making us more fluent in a second language. It has the potential of making our lives better as we will be better understood and may help us become the people we want to be. Drama is all about how we present ourselves. If the student can communicate better, the more likely others will see him/her as he/she wishes to be seen. Therefore, the skills of drama can help the student become the person that he/she wants to be.

References
·         Goffman, Erving (1959), The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Penguin Books, London.
·         Holden, Susan (1981): Drama in Language Teaching. Essex: Longman
·         Johnstone, Keith (1999), Impro for Storytellers. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, NewYork
·         Kao, shin-Mei and Cecily O’Neill. (1998) Words Into Worlds, Learning a Second Language through Process Drama. Ablex Publishing corp. Stamford, USA.
·         Maley, Alan and Alan Duff. Drama techniques in Language Learning. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1982.
·         McCaslin, Nellie (1996). Creative Drama in the Classroom and Beyond. London, Longman Publishers
·         Morrow, Keith (1981): Principles of communicative methodology. In: Johnson, Keith / Morrow, Keith (eds.): Communication in the Classroom. London and New York: Longman
·         Price, Pamela (1980). Creative Play Production in the Classroom. Yale, Yale Publishers.
·         Royka, Judith (2002). Overcoming the Fear of Using Drama in English Language Teaching. The Internet TESL Journal, vol.8, #6, June 2002.
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Royka-Drama.html
·         Sam, Wan Yee (1990) Drama in Teaching English as a Second Language- a Communicative Approach. The English Teacher, vol. 9, July 1990. Malaya.
·         Spolin, Viola (1986). Theatre Games For the Classroom. Northwestern University Press, Evanston, Illinois
·         Wessels, Charlyn (1987). Drama. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
·         Whiteson, Valerie (1996). New Ways of Using Drama and Literature in Language Teaching. Alexandria,VA., TESOL.

from the book Using Drama in the ESL Classroom by Chris Boudreault
any comments can be forwarded to solartrees@gmail.com

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , ,

Saturday, 13 October 2012

You Can Now Do the Delta Online

Not to be confused with the Distance Delta which is run through IH and has a 2 week orientation session or a 6 week session depending on whether you choose the Integrated or Blended one, the Online Delta is through Bell and seems you can do it completely online.

Not too much info on the site, but it looks like online education is finally getting accepted. First the Distance Delta, then the Online CELTA (which is really blended, not completely online) and now the Online Delta.

Just doing the modules isn't enough. You'll have to take the exams in June or December and pass all 3 in order to get the Delta.

The 3 Modules
Mod 1: Language and theory. You have to pass a written exam which is composed of two papers, each lasts 1.5 hours. It's externally assessed. It's cheaper to do Module 1 with the Distance Delta.

Mod 2: Practical teaching as well as reading and research. This is the tough, expensive one. You'll have to nominate a local tutor to assess 4 of your classes during the course and then pay for the Cambridge assessor for the teaching exam, which might include their flight, local food and transport. There's more info on the Distance Delta site. It's cheaper to do Module Two with the Online Delta.

Mod 3: Choose a specialism such as Young Learners, Business English, English for Academic Purposes, ESOL with Literacy Needs and Exam teaching with guided reading for 3 further Delta specialisms: Teaching One-to-one, Teaching Monolingual classes and Teaching Multilingual classes, ELT Management with specialisms in Academic Management, Human Resources Management, Customer Service or Marketing. You're assessed on a 4000-4500 essay. It's cheaper to do Module Two with the Online Delta.

 What Bell Says
I emailed Bell with a couple of questions. You can find my questions and their answers below.

1. Regarding module 1, I just wanted to double check on the price, the distance Delta is £400 and the online Delta is listed at £756. Does this include the exam fee or any other additional material that the distance Delta doesn't?   
We offer Module One as an online course with no face-to-face content. This is referred to either “distance” or “online” Delta. Our M1 course at £756 (2012 rate) includes intensive personalised tutor support to ensure that participants have the best possible chances of passing the exam. Many other course providers who offer M1 courses for less only offer generic advice rather than personalised tutor feedback. For 2013 we also plan to offer a version of the course at around £500 which will offer more generic exam tips and feedback to help participants prepare for the exam. Our course fees do not include Cambridge ESOL exam fees.
 
2. For module 2, I'd have to nominate a RDT, what are the requirements for the RDT?
You should nominate somebody as an RDT who has got teacher training experience. I’ve attached the RDT job description for your information.

3. I understand that for module 2 there is a teaching assessment, who would do that? There is a BC near me, would someone there be able to assess me or would I have to pay for someone to fly over from Europe?
The external assessor has to be done by a Cambridge ESOL approved Delta assessor. On the current list provided by ESOL one assessor is listed for South Korea, so it shouldn’t be necessary to fly somebody in from another country, provided the assessor in Seoul is available. This might require some flexibility regarding dates/times of the assessment and unfortunately we cannot give any guarantee that a local assessor can be found for you, although of course we will do the best we can to arrange this. Please be aware that you will be responsible for bearing any travel/accommodation costs for the assessor.

What People Are Saying
You can see the discussion on Dave's here. Below you can find what some posters have said about it.

Denim-Maniac states that "25% fail rate of module 1 in 2010 - Thats according to a Delta report dated June 2010. Cambridge states that you should have a minimum of three years teaching experience.

Debatable. With over 15 years experience at the time I took the course, I was learning things I had never heard of. I think it is not so much the time you have been teaching, but more how much knowledge you have of i.e. discourse analysis, pragmatics, CLIL, intrinsic motivation, summative assessment etc. If you know little to none of this, you will have to cram-read it all during the course, and you will have to summarise all that crammed-in knowledge into well written, well-informed sentences, answers etc. on the exam.

Therefore three years is probably o.k., as long as you are ready and able to speed read and absorb things you have never encountered before. So I personally would recommend a minimum of five years experience and recommend you take the course after having read at least one book on varied linguistic related topics and teaching methodology."

Teacher in Rome says, "I did the precursor of the DELTA with no teaching experience to speak of, and without a CELTA. I passed with Distinction, first time, but, and it's a huge but, I had lots of luck on my side: I could study full-time for 9 months. I didn't have to worry about paying rent, or having to attend job interviews. I came straight from uni and had reasonably good study skills. I could absorb large amounts of info. I was young, with plenty more brain cells than I have now. And it was mostly face-to-face, meaning I had the support of  an excellent tutor and all my classmates.

When I failed my first assignment, my tutor went through it with me, line by line, and gave me more reading to do, tips to pass assignments, and so on. Each assignment we did, in fact, we had extensive feedback and were shown how to write the "perfect" answer for that type of question.

Encouragement was a huge part, too. The first TP I ever did in front of the class was a complete disaster. When asked for feedback, my classmates said, "well you've got a lovely manner". So the content was crap, but at least I had a good starting block. The techniques are things I can work on.

Knowing I had at least some of the raw materials gave me hope. - I did nothing else but read, research, TP. No social life to speak of  and no "distractions" - my examiner took a like to one of my examined lessons and gave me a distinction. Very fortunately for me, as he's a lexical expert and my overall aim was vocabulary acquisition.

I knew there was nothing else / better that I could do right at that moment, and I had a lot riding on it. Failing was not an option. I had no other safety net - no parental nest to return to, benefits that were going to run out after those nine months, no savings, and friends that were as poor as me."

To do the distance / online DELTA I think you need a lot more than just x years' experience. Support, encouragement, access to a specialist library, and a very good reason for wanting it are all important.

Sashadroogie reminds people that, "Support, in the form of a quality school which has well-organised classes, is essential. Especially for the observed lessons, naturally. But also for providing an environment where a Delta trainee can get help when they struggle. Help from people more qualified than they are, and who possibly did the Delta themselves."

Disclaimer:

Posted by 0 comments
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Privacy Policy and FTC Disclosure

Please read TEFL Tips' Privacy Policy and FTC Disclosure.
Paperblog
Google Analytics Alternative Google Analytics Alternative