Good afternoon.
I've been reading the articles on the antimoon website for some tips on how to learn a language other than English (Italian if you wish to know) and have found quite a lot of their advice extreamly valuable to my own learning experience.
I'm also an English language teacher and, having read their article on 'why lessons suck,' I thought I'd add a few thoughts of my own with regards this subject from the other side.
I think the value in taking English lessons depends on the student. For some people, learning English in class is a motivational tool that encourages them to learn. Many people would not bother to try and learn anything without some form of schooling and this is where a lesson can work for some people, by putting pressure on them to try as well as by setting an amount of time in which something will be achieved.
For other people, home study is better. I personally prefer learning at home as I can move at my own pace and can always digress into areas which I find of interest.
English can be seen as a subject like any other. Another subject that I enjoy is History. Since the age of 14 I haven't taken History as a school subject and I have gained my knowledge through reading books, looking at the internet and watching documentaries. I have friends who I have discussed History with who have studied the subject at university. Sometimes I know more than them, sometimes they know more than me - but we have both got to a decent level through different means. There is no one hat fits all technique. You have to know what suits you the best.
So, If you decide to go to lessons, what should you look for?
1) To begin with, do not be put off by L2 English-speaking teachers. A friend of mine is currently suffering because she speaks English as a second language, despite the fact that her English language ability is on a par with any native speaker.
Remember, a native speaker hasn't learnt the language. Therefore, they don't know what problems exist when learning a language. Somebody who has learnt it and has succeeded is better equiped to help you as they will know the pitfalls that exist.
2) Remember that EFL is first-and-foremost a business and the educational aspect is secondary. If you decide to go to a language school, you should find out what the school is like for students. These are some simple questions.
- How long are the lessons?
Anything over 2 hours is pointless as by the 3rd, your mind starts to wander out of the window.
- What facilities are there for students?
Computers with internet access and well-stocked up-to-date libraries are a sign that the school has at least thought about you and your education
- What qualifications/experience do the teachers have?
Many teachers in EFL get by without even a CELTA (certificate in English language teaching to adults) or TESOL (teaching English as a second or other language) qualification. These are bare necessities and, even then, do not show great teaching ability. They are merely licenses to teach in the way that a driving license allows you to drive. Considering the number of bad drivers out there, a CELTA is not a guarantee of good teaching and is not even that difficult to obtain. Mine took a month, I put in very little effort and I still passed despite some awful, awful lessons - failure on these courses are very rare. Another trainee also passed and she Couldn't spot an adjective in a sentence to sav her life.
It should also be remembered that many people take the CELTA because they want to earn some money when travelling. Therefore teaching English is just a holiday job and nothing more - and the pay for teachers in most schools is a reflection of this mindset. If this is the case, don't expect good lessons.
Other qualifications such as a DELTA (diploma in English language teaching) and an MA are a good indicator of good teaching - though not a guarantee. I have witnessed a lesson by a DELTA qualified teacher with 20 years of experience who was gushing with praise for her students who had been taking intensive English lessons for three months (20 hours a week) only for it to become apparntly clear that they did not yet know that you would find a bath in a bathroom (let alone what a bath or a bathroom actually was).
Still, at least if people have spent time on gaining proper qualifications, there's a chance that they will be able to do a decent job.
- what coursebooks do you use?
Schools use coursebooks but, quite often, good teachers don't. If you discover that your teacher relies on their own skills to teach, you'll probably get a better deal.
Even then, some textbooks are better than others. One book to avoid is English for Life. It's cheap and that's why many schools use it. English file is a bit old now and I find its organisation messy, but it does teach pronunciation and many students find it challenging. Headway has become very popular and isn't too bad but it also avoids many principles of TEFL and can leave students and teachers confused.
- How many hours a week do your teachers teach?
A teacher should not teach more than 25 hours a week and should probably be teaching less. Anything more than this and they have little time left to prepare decent materials. If they do teach more than 25 hours, chances are that you'll be learning from the textbook.
- What levels do you cater for?
A school that splits students into beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced and proficiency levels is more likely to put you in a class that will actually test your ability than a school that lumps students of different abilities into one room. It's unlikely that an advanced learner will learn some idiomatic English phrases if the guy sitting next to him is struggling with 3rd person singular -s. Yes, I have seen this happen.
- How many people are there in a class?
Anything over 15 is a nightmare and anything over 10 is likely to inhibit your progress.
So if you are going to a school, ask questions, talk to the Director of Studies (They're in charge of the programme) and ask to talk to a teacher. That way, you'll get an idea of whether the school is good or not. Also, look around the place. You're going to be spending time here so if it feels like a prison, just don't go.
3) Don't expect to learn everything in a lesson. Home-study is just as useful and by reading magazines, watching films or even just going through lesson notes, your English will improve. My students that do the homework do make decent progress, those that don't, don't improve their English in the least.
Hope these are some useful tips for anybody wishing to learn/improve their English. Sorry it's a bit wordy and I'd like others to add to this list - both teachers and students alike.
Good luck in your adventure in English. It's a great language with so many odd formations and phrases that I can't help but find it interesting. I hope you do to.
I've been reading the articles on the antimoon website for some tips on how to learn a language other than English (Italian if you wish to know) and have found quite a lot of their advice extreamly valuable to my own learning experience.
I'm also an English language teacher and, having read their article on 'why lessons suck,' I thought I'd add a few thoughts of my own with regards this subject from the other side.
I think the value in taking English lessons depends on the student. For some people, learning English in class is a motivational tool that encourages them to learn. Many people would not bother to try and learn anything without some form of schooling and this is where a lesson can work for some people, by putting pressure on them to try as well as by setting an amount of time in which something will be achieved.
For other people, home study is better. I personally prefer learning at home as I can move at my own pace and can always digress into areas which I find of interest.
English can be seen as a subject like any other. Another subject that I enjoy is History. Since the age of 14 I haven't taken History as a school subject and I have gained my knowledge through reading books, looking at the internet and watching documentaries. I have friends who I have discussed History with who have studied the subject at university. Sometimes I know more than them, sometimes they know more than me - but we have both got to a decent level through different means. There is no one hat fits all technique. You have to know what suits you the best.
So, If you decide to go to lessons, what should you look for?
1) To begin with, do not be put off by L2 English-speaking teachers. A friend of mine is currently suffering because she speaks English as a second language, despite the fact that her English language ability is on a par with any native speaker.
Remember, a native speaker hasn't learnt the language. Therefore, they don't know what problems exist when learning a language. Somebody who has learnt it and has succeeded is better equiped to help you as they will know the pitfalls that exist.
2) Remember that EFL is first-and-foremost a business and the educational aspect is secondary. If you decide to go to a language school, you should find out what the school is like for students. These are some simple questions.
- How long are the lessons?
Anything over 2 hours is pointless as by the 3rd, your mind starts to wander out of the window.
- What facilities are there for students?
Computers with internet access and well-stocked up-to-date libraries are a sign that the school has at least thought about you and your education
- What qualifications/experience do the teachers have?
Many teachers in EFL get by without even a CELTA (certificate in English language teaching to adults) or TESOL (teaching English as a second or other language) qualification. These are bare necessities and, even then, do not show great teaching ability. They are merely licenses to teach in the way that a driving license allows you to drive. Considering the number of bad drivers out there, a CELTA is not a guarantee of good teaching and is not even that difficult to obtain. Mine took a month, I put in very little effort and I still passed despite some awful, awful lessons - failure on these courses are very rare. Another trainee also passed and she Couldn't spot an adjective in a sentence to sav her life.
It should also be remembered that many people take the CELTA because they want to earn some money when travelling. Therefore teaching English is just a holiday job and nothing more - and the pay for teachers in most schools is a reflection of this mindset. If this is the case, don't expect good lessons.
Other qualifications such as a DELTA (diploma in English language teaching) and an MA are a good indicator of good teaching - though not a guarantee. I have witnessed a lesson by a DELTA qualified teacher with 20 years of experience who was gushing with praise for her students who had been taking intensive English lessons for three months (20 hours a week) only for it to become apparntly clear that they did not yet know that you would find a bath in a bathroom (let alone what a bath or a bathroom actually was).
Still, at least if people have spent time on gaining proper qualifications, there's a chance that they will be able to do a decent job.
- what coursebooks do you use?
Schools use coursebooks but, quite often, good teachers don't. If you discover that your teacher relies on their own skills to teach, you'll probably get a better deal.
Even then, some textbooks are better than others. One book to avoid is English for Life. It's cheap and that's why many schools use it. English file is a bit old now and I find its organisation messy, but it does teach pronunciation and many students find it challenging. Headway has become very popular and isn't too bad but it also avoids many principles of TEFL and can leave students and teachers confused.
- How many hours a week do your teachers teach?
A teacher should not teach more than 25 hours a week and should probably be teaching less. Anything more than this and they have little time left to prepare decent materials. If they do teach more than 25 hours, chances are that you'll be learning from the textbook.
- What levels do you cater for?
A school that splits students into beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced and proficiency levels is more likely to put you in a class that will actually test your ability than a school that lumps students of different abilities into one room. It's unlikely that an advanced learner will learn some idiomatic English phrases if the guy sitting next to him is struggling with 3rd person singular -s. Yes, I have seen this happen.
- How many people are there in a class?
Anything over 15 is a nightmare and anything over 10 is likely to inhibit your progress.
So if you are going to a school, ask questions, talk to the Director of Studies (They're in charge of the programme) and ask to talk to a teacher. That way, you'll get an idea of whether the school is good or not. Also, look around the place. You're going to be spending time here so if it feels like a prison, just don't go.
3) Don't expect to learn everything in a lesson. Home-study is just as useful and by reading magazines, watching films or even just going through lesson notes, your English will improve. My students that do the homework do make decent progress, those that don't, don't improve their English in the least.
Hope these are some useful tips for anybody wishing to learn/improve their English. Sorry it's a bit wordy and I'd like others to add to this list - both teachers and students alike.
Good luck in your adventure in English. It's a great language with so many odd formations and phrases that I can't help but find it interesting. I hope you do to.