CELTA Chat 5th March 2018: Alternatives to Coursebooks in TP
Participants:
Cathy Bowden @Cathyofnusle, Fiona Price @fionaljp, Darren Bell @bellinguist, Giovanni Licata @GioLic1976, Amy Blanchard @admiralwamy
Summary:
The need for an alternative
It was quickly agreed that despite problems with coursebooks
(out of date or boring materials, prescriptive lexical sets, a repetitive
formula of text-based presentations), trainees need to know how to work with
coursebooks, and this is an important skill to focus on during CELTA
courses. Giovanni emphasised that he
encourages trainees to adapt the coursebook from the word go. Amy includes an
input session that evaluates coursebook practice activities and teaches
trainees how to adapt them to make them more relevant/engaging/useful.
However, we all agreed that it would be useful to consider
alternatives to coursebooks. Cathy and Amy shared a similar approach; following
the coursebook until week 3 and then encouraging trainees to make their own
materials/find more suitable materials, based around the language presented in
the coursebook. Thus, the coursebook is still responsible for setting the
syllabus, a fact that Amy finds unsatisfactory at times.
Needs analysis and moving away from a CB based syllabus
Fiona suggested that trainees do a needs analysis with the
TP students - they can get to know sts and think about needs so syllabus is
needs based not CB based. Some worry was expressed that this would create more
work for trainees, when they are already under so much pressure, though
Giovanni countered that sometimes coursebooks can create work for them. “If you
focus their attention on the learners and their identity as learners rather
than the teaching, you can really remove some of the pressure”. Fiona added
that trainees would need guidance but the tutors could provide TP points based
on needs analysis to show as example / model for reflection. Darren talked of
his experience on a course where the trainees had time early on in the course
to speak to the learners about the lesson and to get their feedback. The
self-evaluation was as much about the learners as it was the teacher, which
could feed into a needs analysis. It was then pointed out that needs
analysis/course planning is not part of the Celta syllabus - more a Delta level
skill, though Fiona made the point that trainers need to promote the right
message i.e teaching the learners not the course book. The FOTL assignment
requires a needs analysis, so it was suggested that could be tied in with
preparing for that assignment, though on some courses by the time trainees have
done that assignment, they've changed to the other group of students. Fiona
suggested after completing the FoL assignment they could have an input session
to share ideas to inform TP content for the next level (with tutor guidance).
She suggested aiming for a 50/50 or even 60/40 CB- based/needs analysis- based
approach to TP points make it more workable.
Authentic Materials
Cathy raised another problem with coursebooks – if TP
students attend a few courses, they will have already completed the units in
the coursebooks. She told us about a solution they’re working on: “So we've
batted about the idea of creating our own packs of 'starting point' materials,
less a finished product than coursebooks, which could be combined more flexibly
and where candidates have to create tasks around the material. Just an idea so
far”.
Cathy said that on her courses she used to ask trainees to
create a lesson using authentic material for first round of TP in week 3. “It
was interesting and gave room for strong candidates to show ability but was v
demanding too. They had pretty much a free rein and they tended to be skills
lessons…I liked it but colleagues felt it was too hard for weaker candidates,
and we abandoned it. They had a point”. Giovanni follows this approach for TPs
7, 8 and 9. He added that trainees usually cope very well. He checks that the
text they choose is "suitable" and that's all. But he believes that for
them to succeed there needs to be a focus on the use of authentic materials
right from the beginning. Fiona helps with this by using authentic material for
reading skills input to highlight sub skills and provide a model for assignment.
An unplugged approach to teacher training
Anthony Gaughan @anthonygaughan wasn’t involved with the
chat but has talked about his ‘unplugged’ approach to teacher training here:
There was some support for an input session that focussed on
dealing with emergent language, though Amy expressed concern that it may be
asking too much from trainees. “No doubt it would help make them more effective
teachers... but there's nothing in the CELTA criteria about emergent language,
is there? Not til Delta?” Giovanni pointed out that it’s part of monitoring,
which is something we expect trainees to do. He suggested demonstrating it as a
technique in some of the grammar seminars. On courses with free TP teaching
slots, Amy has done some of the teaching and encouraged trainees to get
involved during the freer practice parts, to practice really listening to
students, noting down things they said that they'd help with etc. This is
useful practice, but wasn’t as effective as she had hoped. However, this practice was supported by the following responses:
I’m sure it gave them something to think about and may have filtered down post course #CELTAchat - it’s a lot to take in!— Fiona Price (@fionaljp) March 5, 2018
I know, it IS hard. #CELTAchat— Giovanni Licata (@GioLic1976) March 5, 2018
Here is a link to the Wakelet transcript of the #CELTAchat
