English for Teachers
Introduction
Teachers need advanced language competences in their first language, the language of the school and, nowadays, in English - at least. The Faculty of Education and Humanities of Ceuta provides teachers-to-be with this course to refresh their communicative competence in English and learn the principles of foreign language teaching
Here you may find the study programme. There are five topic-tasks in the programme, which are:
- The European Language Portfolio
- Classroom English
- Plurilingualism and Pluriculturalism
- Designing a teaching unit
- The revision of the learning contract
Task 1 & 5
The European Language Portfolio
Every language course must start with the analysis of needs and interests of the students, and their assessment and self-assessment. There some useful resources we can use to assess ourselves on-line; for instance, the European Language Portfolio (see the Ministry of Education's ELP web site) can help us self-assess our language level, among other benefits. Then we can establish our own objectives in a learning contract.
To self-assess your level of English you may use the self-assessment grid from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, also included in the European Language Portfolio.
To assess your level of English you may use one of the following resources:DIALANG, Test Podium, Oxford University Onlice Placement Tests or Goethe Tests
Learning the language: the Language Learning Contract
After self-assessment and assessment the time has come to sign a contract between each student and the lecturer. You can have a look at a model of learning contract, a real learning contract and the theory behind it (check also this learning contract maker).
This learning contract will establish your objectives for this course (negotiated with the lecturer) and how to achieve them. Take it seriously, the revision of your learning contract is part of your final assessment!
Task 2
Language and Content
In task 2 we will learn English through contents.
Activity 1: The Coat of Arms
Activity 2: Animals. Find here more animals.
Activity 2: Fractions.
Activity 2: Plants.
Here you may find some links related to the activities in the classroom:
- Mathematics: addition and substraction
- Shapes
- Games & Sports
- The house
- The playground
- Spare-time activities
- Classroom arrangements
- Classroom phrases
- Classroom materials
- Art materials and activities
- Music instruments
- Music theory
- Sport activities
- Gymnastic equipment
Task 3
Plurilingualism and Pluriculturalism
Language teacher education has traditionally been focused on the didactic procedures for teaching particular languages. However, developments in contemporary society oblige educational institutions to face up to the challenges of plurilingualism and pluriculturalism. Consequently, it is necessary to enrich language teacher education by including the competences needed to promote linguistic and cultural diversity for the construction of democratic citizenship, social cohesion, mutual understanding and respect.
Language and culture awareness help to promote these aims. The recognition and acceptance of diversity leads to the development of positive attitudes, which impel the individual to value diversity and to act in consequence. Such a programme would enable teachers become key social actors with a major role to play both locally as well as globally.
Task 4
The design of a teaching unit
The point of departure will be a normal teaching unit (a fortnight) in each speciality. Then, we will consider the language elements involved and how to introduce them in our lessons.
Links and bibliography
Bibliography
- Cambridge Word Selector Inglés-Espańol, 1995, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
- Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary, London, HarperCollins
- Madrid, Daniel y Neil McLaren, 1995, Didactic Procedures for TEFL, Valladolid, La Calesa
- Madrid, Daniel y Neil McLaren, 2004, TEFL in Primary Education, Granada: Editorial de la Universidad de Granada
- Murphy, Raymond, 1998, Essential Grammar in Use (with answers), Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
- Murphy, Raymond, 1998, English Grammar in Use (with answers), Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
- Svecová, Hana, 2003, Cross-curricular Activities, Oxford, Oxford University Press
- Swan, Michael, 1995, Practical English Usage, Oxford, Oxford University Press
Links
- Isabel Perez's website: See Grammar, vocabulary, phonetics and culture exercises
- Language Learning in Tandem
- Learning English with the BBC
Good luck!