CELTA Language Task Essay Example

CELTA Language Task Essay I have chosen an authentic article, for it gives students taste of real language in use, and provides them with valid linguistic data for their unconscious acquisition (Swan 1 985, p. 85). Furthermore, an authentic text provides learners with opportunities to experience language as it is used beyond the classroom (Nana 1999, p. 80) as opposed to scripted texts. Thus, an authentic text proves to be more essential to LET for it should engage and challenge students at this level. Believe there are no words that are crucial to an overall understanding of the article. Ere with Harmer (2001 , p. 272) with reference to pre-teaching: by giving them some or all those words, we deny them a chance to practice tackling authentic texts. Nonetheless, I would elicit some lexis to make sure the students have understood the text and managed to guess the meaning from the context. This however would be done ATA later stage of the lesson. Lead in/prediction: At the beginning of a typical English languag e lesson it is good to lead-in by activating the students schema, which is their pre-existent knowledge of the world (Cook, 69, 1989). By encouraging students to use what they already now, the opportunity for language learning is maximized. I would begin by displaying the main picture and the heading of the article, then ask the class to work in pairs. The students would be asked to predict what the topic of the newspaper article is (Appendix 1. 0). This is a very student centered activity which creates interest in the content of the text and activates schemata. Once the discussions quiet down, class feedback would be gathered. To ensure the students read for gist in the next activity, would only flag up three predictions on the board for the students to verify. This stage will leave the dents with a good reason to read (Harmer, p. 288). Skimming (Reading for gist): would ask the students to skim read the article (Appendix 2. 0) and ask them to discuss in pairs whether the predictions they made earlier were correct or not before doing a class discussion. However, to ensure that students gist read only I would give learners 3 minutes, so that they do not read the article intensively. We will write a custom essay sample on CELTA Language Task specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on CELTA Language Task specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on CELTA Language Task specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This task is used to develop the students sub-skill Of reading for gist, or skimming (Scrivener, p. 185). Also to make students better readers, it is important to raise awareness that its not always essential to understand very word, as this could cause students to use their dictionaries and pause from reading (Scrivener, p. 153). Reading for further detail (Intensive reading In order to develop the sub skill of reading for further detail, set a series of true/false questions (Appendix 3. 0). The activity will test whether the student! Gained maximum information from the text (Harmer, p. 70). The true and false activities can fall both into reading for specific information and reading for detail, therefore it is very important to formulate appropriate questions, which will require the learner to read to find further detail as opposed to pacific piece of information. In order to have the students focus, they would work on their own, underlining the excerpts of text where they found an swers. Once done with reading and answering true/false statements, the students peer check and discuss their answers among themselves, referring to the highlighted text. Bellyacher quoted in (Alison, peg. 102) states that if there is a climate of trust and support in the classroom, then the students ARP more likely to contribute. One way of developing this is to allow pair checking of answers before open-class checking answers, the students will then be ore likely to contribute during the open class discussion. This promotes communicative language teaching. Furthermore, this would give me an opportunity to monitor student discussions. Once the conversation naturally quiets down I would gather whole class feedback. Nominating a student and also asking them to expand on their reasoning, as well as asking further questions or even getting their personal views. This is an important stage of the lesson, as Scrivener points out a lesson without feedback is teaching dhal proceeds forward without reference to what impact this is having on the g. 73). This is to show their engagement with the text, as opposed to simply answering true/false statements. This could be done with some follow up questions, as Harmer (2007, peg. 75) says, we should always ask the students where in the text they have found the answer, as it provoke a detailed study of the text. Post-reading free discussion The last activity is a free discussion, which would allow me to monitor further for any errors in meaning, form or pronunciation (MAP) while the students discuss their own opinions on these inventions in groups of four. Would first vie an example in the form of my own opinion to present the language in context and encourage students to express their thoughts on the topic. The purpose of the post reading task is to allow the students to utilize the studied vocabulary. I would then gather feedback from the class, nominating group members to summaries what their team has discussed, whether they agree with the creators or not. Having the chance to monitor two major discussion in the class, should at this stage have gathered some errors that the students have made, either with meaning, form or pronunciation. I have left his to the end, as interrupting student discussions to correct an error could be embarrassing, and would disrupt the flow of the lesson. Whereas, towards the end of the lesson it is easy to grab class attention and go through some of the errors together, eliciting the correct MAP from the students, in order to give them a chance to correct their mistakes and fossil the correct form. Reading like listening are receptive language skills and developing these skill: is key to increasing student comprehension and appreciation of the English language. Thus, a well-structured lesson which follows the SEA (Engage, stucco ND activate) stages is essential to the learners development.

How to Speak English As a Native Speaker

How to Speak English As a Native Speaker When you learn to speak English as a second language, it often seems that no matter how hard you study or how much you practice you still don’t get it quite right! There is a simple reason for this – the way we learn to speak English in an academic setting is not how native speakers actually talk! There are subtle nuances such as accent, vocabulary and grammar which make a world of difference between a native English speaker and someone who has learned English as a second language. However, there are a few helpful tricks that you can use if you want to know how to speak English fluently if you are not a native speaker! Why Put The Effort Into Perfecting Your English Before we get started with learning how to speak English fluently if you are not a native speaker let’s talk about why it is worth making the effort. For some people, knowing that you can speak the language well is enough, so why put in more time trying to sound like you have always spoken English? There are a number of benefits that come from being fluent in English. Native speakers will find it easier to understand you. If you use the same colloquialisms and accent as the local people it is going to make it much easier for them to understand you and there will be less likelihood of misunderstandings. You will feel more confident at work. If you need to speak English in a professional environment you will feel more confident if you know that you sound just like a native speaker. Get access to additional job opportunities. While we are on the topic of work, there are many jobs which require native-level English, so if you are able to master this skill you will find a whole new set of opportunities open to you. Often these jobs pay a little more too! How to Speak English Fluently If You Are Not a Native Speaker Now that we know some of the reasons why you might want to become as fluent as a native speaker, let’s get into how to achieve your goal. There are a number of great tips and tricks that you can use in your quest for how to speak English fluently if you are not a native speaker. #1: Familiarize Yourself with a Variety of English Accents There are so many different variations of English all over the world. In America, if you listen to a native New Yorker and someone from Texas they will sound completely different! In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are speaking a different language! In the United Kingdom, the most well know accent is known as ‘Queen’s English’, but in reality, few native speakers actually sound like that! If you want to sound like a native English speaker you are going to need to choose an accent to work on! Listen to as many English accents as you can and think about what one is going to be more suitable. You probably won’t want to choose one of the extremes, instead opt for something neutral. Think about where you are likely to work or travel to narrow down your options. #2: Imitate Native Pronunciation Once you have chosen the accent that you prefer the next step in learning how to speak English fluently if you are not a native speaker is mastering native pronunciation. Start by watching videos and television programs featuring native English speakers. This will not only allow you to listen and mimic the pronunciation, but you can also study the mouth and lip movements of the speakers since this can also impact your pronunciation. Look on YouTube for videos which teach the lip and tongue positions for every letter and sound combination in the English language and practice in front of a mirror. We need to be honest here – this is a long and tedious process! However, it will be worth it! You need to practice repeatedly until it become muscle memory. Pay attention to sounds that don’t exist in your native tongue! #3: Use Slang Phrases When Speaking English Slang is the name given to informal words and phrases also known as colloquialisms. Native English speakers will use slang in speech, but not usually when writing. The type of slang used is going to vary by area, so think back to when choosing your accent – which area is it from? You will want to learn slang that matches your chosen accent. There are some types of slang that are universal and will be used in any area, others are more localized. Here are a few examples of common slang phrases that are quite universal: â€Å"Do you wanna hang out?† – Means ‘do you want to spend time together?’ â€Å"We had a blast at the carnival!† – Means ‘we had a great time at the carnival’ These are phrases you would not learn from formal language lessons, but rather from listening to how native speakers talk to one another. If you can master using slang you will immediately sound more like a native English speaker! #4: Learn How to Use Idioms As well as slang phrases, when listening to native English speakers you will also hear them use idioms. These are funny little phrases that probably don’t much sense to a non-native speaker. Some examples of commonly used idioms would be things like ‘in the blink of an eye’ meaning very fast or ‘it’s a piece of cake’ meaning its easy! These phrases should not be taken literally and like slang it takes learning the phrases and their meanings. It can be a good idea to keep a list of these in a notebook, so you can memorize them. Using idioms will make you sound much more natural and more like a native English speaker. These tips will help you to learn how to speak English fluently if you are not a native speaker. You should first learn the language and then apply these tricks to master an appropriate accent, pronunciation and use of informal language to make your speech blend in with native speakers.