The CELTA pre-interview

One of the frequent questions asked by potential candidates directly to us or via social platforms and groups is how to do well on their pre-interview task and what it’s about.

Cambridge loves a name all of its own for things done and this one is no exception! The ‘pre-interview task’ is primarily a test of language and here are a few of the parameters that are being tested:

Aspects of Language tested in the pre-interview task

the ability to analyse language and use metalanguage (grammar terminology) correctly
language awareness; being aware of what is acceptable and appropriate in different social contexts
being able to understand what it is language users are doing with language (language functions)
understanding of meanings in words and sentences
idenfication of errors of syntax, choice of lexis or grammatical forms
accuracy in own written production including spelling and punctuation
good use of grammar and syntax when writing
ability to produce a coherent and cohesive piece of written text

These aspects of language assessment are all part of the tasks different centres and Cambridge include in their pre-interview tasks. They aim to determine whether the proficiency level of a candidate is high enough to be able to teach language not just use it for work, life, studies.

Each centre will attempt to achieve this through a different range of exercises and mini tasks, but all of use are looking to see if you know the subject matter of what you propose to learn to teach: the English Language.

Another important issue is the time frame and administration of this task. Most centres do not offer this is a timed assessment administered under supervision and, in fact, encourage candidates to look up their answers in grammar books or dictionaries. (A quick writing task is also given to the candidates during the interview to see how they perform under pressure and to ensure that they can think quickly and produce quality answers in a tight time frame)

The aim is not to test the candidate’s memory but to check as to whether the correct answer can in fact be found through researching appropriate sources. This is what teachers do every day in their teaching lives, or they should if they are not!

In this way, it becomes obvious that the pre-interview task aims to do more than assess language proficiency but aims to check whether and to what degree a candidate

can find the right source and information about a sentence, phrase or word
can use it to describe language
is able to explain language simply and clearly to a learner
has a sense of what it means to be a foreign language learner of a particular level, e.g. a beginner
can tone down/simplify their language to suit the level

Simplifying language is not rocket science – some candidates think it’s too much to ask, but mothers and fathers do it every day for the benefit of the language acquisition of their child, so this is not such an unlikely thing to be checking on.

The pre-interview task and its role in the interview

Tutors meeting candidates during the interview, will typically/normally use the candidate’s answers in the pre-interview task as a springboard to further check the candidate’s knowledge and potential for the course. This may include

more questions on the same topics as the test
different questions if the interviewer has doubts and looks to check further into the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of how English works
clarification on how an answer was arrived at; the thinking behind it
asking more information about the text the candidate was asked to produce – e.g. to elaborate on a point or explain it further

Obviously, accurate and fluent spoken language is an expectation and the interview aims to check just that, that the candidate is able to communicate without making mistakes in everything utterance and that, although their speech may be accented (non-native or Australian accents fall pretty much under the same criterion), their spoken production is understandable and clear and would not confuse their listeners.

Native vs Non-native candidates

So far we have assessed CELTA candidates in their thousands and, like every other centre, we have had opportunity to notice some distinct characteristics of each candidate type although the points below are very broad generalisations and not every native or non-native candidates fits in with these rough strokes.

Native speaker candidates typically always do well in identifying the meaning of an utterance or a phrase, their functional intuitions are usually in place if there are questions about what a speaker is trying to do by saying X or Y sentence or phrase and can usually produce accurate and coherent passages in writing if they have a good level of education or did well in English at school. If not, their written production often suffers, spelling and punctuation can be erratic and identifying language forms seems to be quite difficult for many.

Non-native speaker candidates typically excel in identifying language forms, name parts of speech and grammatical structures well and their familiarity with the rules of the language can be impressive. Their writing also tends to be accurate with good spelling and punctuation, if somewhat loaded with connecting words such as however and moreover and so on in every other sentence. Functional intuitions are not as strong and sometimes their sense of social appropriacy is somewhat lacking.

Both types of candidates are accepted on courses as of course they should!

If they have weaknesses, some suggestions for appropriate sources to study so they can improve areas that need some improvement can help them a lot

But working side by side on courses also proves highly beneficial to both because they tend to support and pro up one another in the areas mentioned as weaknesses (if these exist). A lot of peer learning is generated in this way and, incidentally, a new ethos which will eventually prevail – that both types of teachers are equally valuable and have strengths to bring to a language programme on their own or in tandem.

My next blog post should perhaps cover questions during the interview and what CELTA tutors hope to find out about candidates, their eligibility and their potential for a successful outcome during their CELTA course.

Where you can find us

Recently relocated to new, more spacious premises, you can find us in the heart of Athens, a city with so much to see and do!

Our centre is within easy reach of multiple means of transport and just two metro stops away from the Acropolis and the surrounding area, Plaka, the old city quarter of Athens at the foot of the Acropolis and just 30 mins away from some of the best beaches in the Mediterranean.

Connect with us

Centre for English Language & Training, 3 G.Gennadiou Street, 106 78 Athens, Greece

Tel +30 210 3302406 | +30 210 3301455 | Fax +30 210 3301202| E-mail: info @celt.edu.gr

Please make sure you check your spam folder if expecting a reply from us as emails from addresses of schools often end up there!

Teaching Assessments Online during the CELTA

In this second blog post contributed by Sara Katsonis, a trainee on the same online/blended CELTA course which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions, lockdown and inability to complete the teaching practicum part of the course which was under way at the time. Sara started with tech issues even with simple things like getting her audio files to play while she was projecting a powerpoint, or accidentally leaning against the interactive whiteboard and losing her presentation (which is just what has happened in the photo below). It was with a look of horror on her face that she took the news about online teaching. I am truly pleased she offered to write this post – she is a great teacher and finished her course with the highest of grades. I took the liberty of changing the title she originally sent me, because this was not just teaching online but it involved teaching people who were not her students and being assessed at the same time. I thought this was an important point to make and to show that teaching is the same, it’s about people and good pedagogical decisions, not just about the tech!!!

Teaching Online – my Thoughts and Reactions

I was not quite half way through a CELTA course when lockdown started in Greece and, as a result of forced school closures, we were told that TPs* would be suspended indefinitely. At this point I had taught three classes face to face in Athens and had just started getting into the swing of things. Although I had another 5 TPs to go, I knew what was ahead of me and felt confident that I could cope with the demands of the course. Then, all of a sudden, we were left in limbo, not knowing when we would be able to continue our classes in Athens and, even more importantly, finish the course.

( *TPs = Teaching Practices )

However, after a month, our tutors informed us that Cambridge had taken the unprecedented step of allowing CELTA trainees to complete their TPs on line. My initial reaction was horror at the thought. TPs are already stressful enough without the added worry of what can go wrong if technology fails. I had enough trouble getting equipment to cooperate with me in a classroom and felt that teaching online could only lead to disaster. And I have always considered myself more of a traditional teacher enjoying the buzz you get from the face-to-face contact with students. Teaching online seemed so impersonal. How can you build up a relationship with learners when the only contact you have with them is through a computer screen?

But after talking things through with tutors and fellow trainees, I decided to give it a go. It was the only way I could foresee finishing the course before the summer, but I also saw it as a challenge – to push myself outside of my comfort zone and develop some valuable new skills.

So, after a few sessions learning how to use the various on-line platforms the day of my TP arrived. I had already observed two of the other course participants teaching the previous day and they had made it look so easy. That was not the case for me – problems with the sound and then with the internet connection made me feel like giving up halfway through the lesson. I was convinced the students had lost all interest as it was so difficult to gauge their reactions on the screen. However, after receiving feedback from my tutor at the end of the lesson, I realised that I had been focussing solely on what had gone wrong during the lesson rather than being positive and seeing what aspects had gone well.

As a result, my second lesson went much more smoothly, my confidence grew and I began to enjoy using the online learning platform. I saw how engaged learners could be if the tasks they were asked to do were varied and allowed them to interact with each other in a meaningful way. It is also possible to build up a relationship with learners online. It might take longer than in a traditional classroom, but taking advantage of the few minutes at the beginning of the class while waiting for all the students to log on is enough to allow you to learn a little about each individual and build on it in subsequent lessons.

I’ve now completed all of the remaining TPs on line and each time I felt that I was developing new skill sets. Lesson plans need to be much more concise as every activity has to count, time management is even more important and instructions have to be extra clear so that when students are sent to break-out rooms they don’t waste time trying to work out what they are supposed to be doing. And when all goes well, the rewards more than compensate for all the effort that has gone into the planning of the lesson.

Given the current situation, it looks like on-line learning is here to stay and I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to learn the necessary skills in a safe, controlled environment guided by our tutor and now feel that I can take on any new challenge that I may come across. I have conquered my fears of technology and am confident in my ability to cope with the demands of teaching on-line. I realise that I still have a lot to learn but there are so many amazing on-line resources out there and even more amazing colleagues who are happy to share their experiences that I always know help is at hand.post

Post contributor Sara Katsonis – trainee on the CELTA online course which ran from January to May – Sara completed her CELTA with a grade A.

Teaching Practices Online

The post below has not been edited in any way and is a letter sent to me by one of our recent CELTA trainees – her group started online but with the teaching practice component done in situ, at CELT in Athens. Until, suddenly, one day in March, we were told we had to close down the school and, after a few days, given permission by Cambridge to continue assessing the teaching online. Not all of our trainees of that cohort agreed and Maria was very relunctant at first. In this post, she reflects on why she changed her mind and how the whole experience felt to her in retrospect on the last day of her course

Maria Psoma has given us permission to reproduce her message as a blog post.

Our CELTA course started in January 2020 and is officially finishing today, Friday 8 May 2020 – at least for those of us who ventured to continue the TPs online, after a month’s interruption due to the coronavirus situation and the ensuing lockdown.

I clearly remember when you, Marisa, as our online tutor, announced to us that Cambridge had decided to offer us the option of continuing our TP”s online. My heart sank and my immediate response in the chat section of the screen was “I don’t think this is for me!”, and then you replied, “I would think about it if I were you”…

It seemed scary: TP’s are generally stressful in a classroom situation, so imagine how much worse, if we were to do them online… This is what I thought initially. Still, I had recently started teaching online myself and, although quite new to the practice of online teaching, I started to feel that it might be a good thing … What also helped was the fact that the platform chosen was the one I had already been working on. That, together with the fact that the time when we might continue with our TP’s in a real classroom wasn’t in sight helped me finally decide to go ahead with the online TP’s – I didn’t feel confident, however – far from it!

So what was it like? The students were great: upper – intermediate to start with and then pre – intermediate. All polite, pleasant, fully cooperative, clearly aware that it must be hard for their teachers and eager to help us, a pleasure to teach! And our tutors? Helpful and understanding, guiding and supporting us, firm when that was necessary, and always exhibiting this amazing ability to show us exactly what it was we had to work on, when we ourselves saw there was a problem but were at a loss to say how we could put things right! This had been there since the beginning of the course, in the actual classroom, and continued throughout the online teaching practices. Our tutors themselves are more suited to say what added difficulties online observations of our lessons posed for them, but for us, their presence was definitely equally unobtrusive and extremely helpful.

With the TP’s behind me, then, and a couple of months’ experience teaching online, I can safely say that the online classroom is not so different from the real one. Your students are the same, the rapport you had is still there, and, in the case of children or younger teenagers, they can be more focused and cooperative, both because the immediate distractions of proximity are absent and because they feel comfortable using technology and they see themselves as learners in a much more … professional light! Pair- or group-work is still there through the breakout rooms of the online platforms. The lesson needs better organization, of course, in that you need to have all your materials ready in advance, you have to mail students materials to use in the lessons (or the TP!) before they actually start, and you need online tools so that you can correct homework etc – but there are lots of options available and the whole thing takes some getting used to – but not much!

Continuing with my TPs online was a decision I haven’t regretted! If anything, the January 2020 CELTA course armed us with one more, invaluable skill as things currently are: the ability to teach online – and do it well! Hopefully, the present situation will change, and we will all be able to gradually return to our classrooms. Still, knowing that we can do it if need be is a comfort and an added source of confidence for us teachers.

Thank you, Marisa, for not letting me lightly dismiss the option of online TPs!

Thank you, Alexander, for strongly encouraging us to go for it!

Best of luck to all the colleagues who are starting their fully online CELTA course now! Demanding it is; really challenging it can sometimes be, but it is also definitely worth it!

Blog post contributor – Maria Psoma Saturday 9 5 2020 – Maria completed her CELTA with a Grade A

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Why Should Teachers Blog?

Great post full of good ideas on how to get started as a blogger

by Martin Sketchley

Last week, I was inducting some new teachers into our school: preparing them for their teaching career for the year ahead. We looked at various areas about teaching: classroom management, get to know you activities, games in the classroom, etc. The final area we looked at was about continuing professional development (CPD). We looked at formal and peer observations, attending workshops, contributing to workshops as well as blogging. All teachers with varying years of experience, including a teacher who had just completed her CELTA (or equivalent), had only come across the mainstream websites related to English language teaching (TEFL.com, Dave’s ESL Cafe or Teaching English) yet had not really considered blogging a tool for CPD.

What is a blog?

A blog is a website which is updated frequently and resembles a journal or diary. Most ELT bloggers used their personal website to reflect on teaching, suggest lesson ideas and activities, develop teacher networking, create a professional portfolio of achievements as well as to promote their own services either as an online English teacher or as a freelance teacher trainer.

Why should teachers have a blog?

Nowadays, people use their own blogs to write about experiences and opinions on a range of topics and interests. So a blog can be a personal space for teachers to share their ideas of teaching and to better reflect on what could be improved in the classroom.

Continue reading …. = >>>>>> here

Our Online CELTA – about to lift off!

Is the CELTA really fully done online?

The CELTA Online is not really and truly a fully online course; it is a blended learning programme but as Cambridge Assessment started it with this name, the ‘online’ title has stayed with us and prevailed although many candidates around the world do not realise that their physical presence for the Teaching Practice Component of the course is a requirement.

On this first course, we will be concentrating the Teaching in a stretch of two weeks in Athens, but it is also possible to organise this over a number of weeks, more like our part time courses. This is something we will consider for a fall or winter course later.

Online for the first Six Weeks

For 6 weeks, our candidates will be working on their own online, at their own pace, logging into and out of their learning platform whenever it suits them to

view recorded seminars
participate in forum discussions
complete and check a variety of tasks.

The workload is very reasonable – depending on how quickly you can work and assimilate information, an average of 3-6 hours of work per week is expected.

What happens during the Two intensive Weeks in Athens

Two weeks in Athens in the second half of June are what is required for this particular first configuration.

During these two weeks you will be teaching and observing colleagues teach every day! Your tutors will be there to support your planning efforts and to guide you as well as give you feedback and direction on your next steps from being good to becoming a great teacher!

At the end of the two weeks, an external Cambridge CELTA assessor will review your progress, observe you in class and confer with your tutors about your development.

Four more weeks and it’s over!

During the last four weeks of the course, the leaning mode goes back to the online platform and you will be logging in for more input sessions and writing and submitting your written assignments, (four written assignments during the whole course).

In future, there will be other timetable configurations that we will be offering, so do please keep in touch with us if interested in this new way of following this great course.

For more information please check the following links:

General facts about the CELTA course
to learn more about the level and scope of the course, as well as view the Cambridge Syllabus.
Information about the CELTA online
to find out how this blended programme works and if it fits in with your work or life commitments.
The CELTA face-to-face in Athens
to check other course options and whether you might be able to follow the course face-to-face, if you prefer learning this way.

For more detail, do please send us an email ( info@celt.edu.gr ) and we will be most pleased to help you make the right choice – online learning is not the best choice for everyone but, at the same time, face-to-face instruction does not fit in with everyone’s life plan!!!

Is this the right course option for you? Or should you do a face-to-face course?

Think, but do also talk to our tutors who have experience with different modes of learning and can help you make the right decision.

N.B. The CELTA Certificate obtained via an online course does not indicate that this was an ‘online’ course and looks exactly the same as the contact course Certificate.

10 Reasons Why You Should Look for a Job in a Summer School

CELT International

More and more teachers are considering applying for a teaching job in summer schools in the UK or other countries. But, what does it take for your application to be successful?

A quick search through various ads for summer school teachers will show that the only essential qualification for your application to be accepted is the Cambridge CELTA.

Indeed, many of our trainees get summer school jobs after having completed a CELTA course with us and their feedback is always extremely positive!

Here is a list with the most common reasons why you, too, should look for a job in a summer school:

1/ Working in a different country

One of the main benefits of working in a summer school is that you will experience working in a different country. This will not only give you the opportunity to get away from the habit of working in your own country…

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New Course Dates for our Cambridge CELTA courses in 2017

2016 was a great year for us. With our CELTA courses growing steadily every year since we first received our Cambridge approvals, it meant that our old centre, the neo-classical building on Academias street where we trained hundreds of students since CELT moved there in 1993, was too small to contain all the training activity and free adult classes which form the heart of any good CELTA course.

At the end of May of this year, we moved to new and much more spacious premises, very close to our previous address, in the heart of Athens.

We are thrilled with our new centre! It’s so true that learning spaces can inspire teachers and learners with new energy, and we have been truly energised by the new CELT centre.

Here are some photos taken from lessons and training classes!

Since our move at the end of May, we have already run several CELTA courses with more than 100 trainees graduating successfully! Our pass rates remain among the highest in the world!

So, make the best decision for your teaching career. Choose us for our

experienced and highly qualified trainers
excellent success rates consistent since we started offering the CELTA
inspiring learning space in our newly acquired premises
outstanding connections with the ELT profession
very strong presence in social media and the blogosphere
reasonably priced accommodation for overseas trainees
excellence in presenting at local and international conferences
reputation for high quality in training, mentoring and supporting trainees
continued support to our trainees even after the end of their course
networking trainees with an international community of teachers and specialists
superb location for study as well as explorations of Athens, a living museum of human history

Visit our website to find out more about the content and structure of our courses. Follow the links below

Over and above all these great reasons why CELT Athens should be the ideal destination for obtaining this internationally recognised accreditation, is our dedication to excellence in teacher education and our commitment to principles of equity in employment opportunities for our trainees.

For more information, send us an email from this page

Connect with us here

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Here is a great blog post for those of you who have recently completed your CELTA or Delta course and are about to leave home for your first overseas teaching job!!!

Sandy also suggests “Don’t forget the blu-tak!!!” and you know how much you need that particular substance!!!

Enjoy!

The Best Ticher

what to pack

I headed abroad to start my first teaching job five years ago, but in many ways it seems like it was only yesterday. Everything was rather a last-minute decision, which resulted in applying for and receiving my visa, purchasing my plane tickets and boarding my first ever flight all in the space of a week. I spent much of that week frantically searching the internet for packing lists, looking to both procrastinate and bolster my own ignorance with someone else’s know-how. After all, how do you pack everything you will need for 9 months of your life into a grand total of two suitcases?

Clothes

Many language schools will have a dress code for teachers, and it’s wise to check this out before you leave. If it isn’t included in your contract or any teachers’ handbook materials you may have been sent, email and ask. First thing’s first, when it…

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How to Make Things Fall Apart – a PK on Classroom Management

A Pecha Kucha is a short talk based on 20 slides which are self promoted automatically every 20 seconds – so it can last no more than 6’40” . It was created by Japanese architects to relieve the boredom of long talks.

Reposting this from Thomas’ blog

One of my first Pecha Kuchas delivered tongue in cheek in 2011 and created in order to generate a good laugh – but a useful reminder of all the mistakes we have made at one or another time in our lives.

Profesorbaker's Worldwide Bilingual Blog

This Pecha Kucha, by Marisa Constantinides, should be required viewing for all EFL teachers. As hilarious as it is, there is a message lurking between the fits of laughter, the mirthful moments, the tears rolling down your cheeks, your sides hurting, as you laugh totally uncontrollably.

If I had an Oscar nomination for, Most Tears of Laughter Cried, or for Most Time Spent Holding Your Sides (because it is so funny it hurts to laugh, but you gotta laugh anyway), well, this Pecha Kucha would win hands down.

And lest we forget, Marisa still manages quite adeptly to touch us inside, where we are reminded, that this is only funny, because…it is true. We’ve all been guilty, from time to time, of the teaching “crimes”, she mentions in the PK.

Yes, in the end, we get a good laugh, and walk away with the firm conviction, to…”not do those things…

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CELTA lesson plans – back to front planning

Your tutor has just given you the materials you will be using for your next assessed lesson along with some notes.

Usually, it will be a section of a coursebook unit along with some suggestions.

How do you start preparing? How can you be sure that you won’t be wasting countless hours over a plan which will work AND get good comments?

How do most CELTA trainees approach this task?

A less effective approach to planning lessons:

The least effective approach would be to look at the coursebook first and then start thinking how to plan a lesson around it.

With experience and training, this is what you will probably be doing in your daily classroom practice. But while on the CELTA course, while you are finding your feet, so to speak, it’s best to avoid starting from the material which might, in fact, confuse you.

So, what do you include in your lesson? How do you start preparing?

A 5-stage approach to planning a lesson:

In this post, I want to try to show you a simpler 5-step guide as to what you can do to make the most of the otherwise painstaking process of lesson planning.

This process does not start with the material but from what you already know about lesson planning, something which your tutors will have covered during input sessions.

I also hope it will highlight the importance of a good plan and why it is basically considered to be a ‘thinking process’ rather than merely putting words on paper because you simply need to be assessed by your course tutor.

STAGE 1:

Counterintuitive as it may seem, don’t worry about the coursebook yet. If you are not in a position to evaluate each activity’s aim at a glance, and ergo its importance to achieving your lesson aim, it will not help at all. Instead, work the other way round:

1.Ensure you know the type of lesson you are teaching, i.e. skills (listening, etc.), language (grammar, etc.) and come up with the main aim if it’s not explicitly mentioned in your notes. (see images below)

2. Write down the stages of the particular type of lesson, i. e. Listening skills. Therefore: pre-listening, while- listening, post-listening (see image below)

3. Write down the procedure aims for each stage, i.e. Pre-listening stage: to engage the Ls, to create the need for the text, to raise the Ls’ awareness of language/content/genre, (see image below)

4. List some problems learners have with listening in general that prevent them from listening successfully,e. not understanding what the topic of the dialogue is, not being able to understand details because of accent, not being able to interpret intonation indicating attitude, etc. (see pic below)

STAGE 2^{^[1]}:

Now, it’s time to look at the actual coursebook. You need to decide on:

each activity’s aim, the stage it would fall under in your lesson plan, and which procedure aim it matches. (see image below)

2. After you have done that, you can evaluate the materials much more efficiently and check which procedure aims have not been addressed at all so that you add, skip, or modify as you see fit depending on the lesson aim(s) and the learners’ needs and interests. At this point, you can show your creativity and your ability to adapt the materials in a meaningful, imaginative manner.

3. Last but not least, revisit the anticipated problems and evaluate them according to their relevance to the specific materials and your learners, i.e. “I mentioned that the Ls will not be familiar with the topic. Is it true or possible? I mentioned the difficulty of the accent of the speakers; so, let me listen to the actual recording and check.”

4. Come up with suitable and practical solutions in case the difficulties occur during the lesson.

STAGE 3:

Now, we can start completing the remaining parts of the plan which, by no means, should be considered less important!

Let’s look at the two basic ones: the description of the procedure and time allocation; in other words, what the teacher and the learners will be doing during the lesson and how much time each stage/activity is likely to take.

When completing this section of the plan, we need to think of the amount of detail we should include to describe the procedure so that it is clear to both you and the reader (aka the course tutor). We sometimes feel that this is not an important bit of the plan; but if we take time allocation into consideration, the level of its significance changes dramatically. For example, let’s look at the following extract taken from a random lesson procedure and take a minute to estimate how much time it would take.

There are two problems here: first, the teacher has not included sufficient detail as to how he/she would do feedback, how many times he/she is going to play the recording, and a number of other things as well. So, this particular description is bound to lead to unrealistic time allocation – something along the lines of 5’ minutes, which is too little. This is one of the main reasons why trainee teachers usually end up having no time for half the things they have thought of doing in their lessons.

STAGE 4:

Once you have completed all sections in sufficient detail, it’s time to review and evaluate your lesson plan and make sure that it actually reflects the lesson aim(s). You can ask yourself the following questions:

Does the procedure reflect the type of lesson I am supposed to teach? Do the stages indicate a listening lesson, a grammar lesson, etc.?
Do the procedure aims help me achieve the main aim of the lesson in a relatively coherent manner?
Have I allocated time realistically? Have I allowed enough time for feedback / learner questions if need be?
Have I varied interaction by including appropriate interaction patterns, i.e. pairwork/groupwork, etc. so that the lesson in not monotonous?
What can I do if activity X does not go the way I have planned? (see anticipated difficulties and problems and revise/add)

STAGE 5:

This is the final stage where you try to incorporate feedback form previous lessons to show progress and improvement. At this point, you can set some personal teaching aims for your own development. For example, if your tutor has told you that you need to work on your monitoring, then you can go back to the procedure of the lesson and decide what you can do in each stage to work on that aspect of your teaching, and so on.

In this way, you can actually transform your lesson plan from a mere guiding tool to a developmental one.

Conclusion:

Lesson planning can be unquestionably a time-consuming and, at times, exasperating process; however, it is one of the means of organising our thoughts, ideas, and the knowledge we have accumulated during our training (and beyond, of course!).

Once you get into the habit of approaching a lesson in this manner, you will be much better able to prepare efficiently for individual lessons and will become much more experienced in the long term – up to the point that your experience will be an even greater tool!

^{^[1]} The coursebook page has been taken and adapted from “New Cutting Edge”, Intermediate S’s book. Pearson Longman. 2005.

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