Job Discussion Forums

[britbikest]

I'm a newbie, but one thing I've noticed throughout the board is a universal condemnation of working for Berlitz language schools.

Could someone give me some concrete examples of the bad things they do?

Thanks. Inquiring minds want to know.

[spiral78]

Berlitz uses a very specific method to teach, which is based on 1950s -era behavioral science. Extensive research over the past 30 years has proven behaviorist-based approaches to language learning to be vastly less effective than approaches that involve learners in the learning process.

Basically, you could be extreme and say that methods like this one turn teachers into robots and learners into parrots.

That said, some teachers actually love Berlitz because it's easy to work in their style. After all, you're just the deliverer of the goods developed by the experts. In simplistic terms you just show up and open the book to the correct page.

[Cdaniels]

I think spiral78 is right in pointing out the reason for teachers' dislike of Berlitz and its old-fashioned methods, but there's a reverse trend that I find a bit disturbing. While the Behaviorist psychological methods haven't been as successful as once hoped, at least they have been fairly thoroughly investigated and disproven on their own terms (scientifically). I don't hear much about scientific research into newer methods. I would feel a lot more comfortable about the 'communicative method' if once in a while results of a study was presented in the popular books/textbooks. I'm sure I can find references and linguistic studies if I want, but too often I hear "studies show method A is superior to method B" without any references or citations. I know I could do more research on my own, but don't expect me to be entirely convinced by the phrase "studies have shown." Toss me a freakin' bone once in while, please!

[spiral78]

I'm no expert, but have done tons of reading recently as I finished up an MA in TESL/TELF. Of course, there is a lot of material out there on the subject, and I'm sure others on this forum could contribute - probably much more significantly than me!

But, I suggest that you could take Ausubel's cognitive learning theory as one possible starting point. He found that learning takes place through the relating of new items to already existing concepts. He found that this relatability accounts for several important items in learning: acquisition of new meanings, retention, organizing knowledge. He contrasted rote vs meaningful learning. Rote learning is (like ALM) is the process of acquiring materials selected by 'experts' which may or may not relate (or have particular meaning) to the learner. Meaningful learning allows learners to relate new material to "relevant established entities in cognitive structure" (I went to a familar textbook so that I could express this information accurately - thanks to Brown: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching.1987: Prentice-Hall). I think that's a fairly strong basis for the relative effectiveness of CLT and other more 'meaningful' approaches to language learning.

You could also google Vygotsky and his studies on scaffolded learning. ESL/EFL are quite tied up in research on how learning takes place in general.

I agree with you that a lot of claims are made without adequate backup. Some of it's based on real research, the reader's knowledge of which is taken for granted, maybe, but some research is just sloppy. I recently read a published theory that repeating an exercise with the same students a few days after the first occasion produces some very positive results in terms of learning. However, in the fine print I found that the theory was based on one study of one learner - and an atypical learner at that! (That learner had lived in the UK as a child, then away for a long time, but had plenty of latent language knowledge).


I don't know if you consider all this of any use as a 'bone', but at least I got to drivel on for a while about a topic that interests me (though maybe no one else!).

[Cdaniels]

That was great! A couple of names I can Google!


Lately I've been puzzling over stress and learning/memory. Perhaps constantly reducing stress isn't always good? Perhaps the nun/headmaster with the switch was somtimes more effective?

The following is not ontopic, but its a good example of mixing science with touchy-feely stuff.
www.naturalstresscare.org/StressandLearning.aspx

[spiral78]

I do a lot of work with team-based learning, and I actually think the stress of having to negotiate with other learners all the time is an overall benefit. I've found that student feedback at the end of week one is often somewhat negative, but after the initial stress of working in a new style wears off, students have been 100% positive about the exercise.

But then, there's the stress of testing - which seems to fit better in terms of the article about stress and learning. I suppose my personal theory would be that if a learner has some time to prepare to meet that stressful event (whatever it may be), it's likely to be positive in terms of learning. Would that idea fit in with your puzzling?

[Cdaniels]

as a teacher its interesting stuff, but as a student it is not good news at all!
This seems a good time to post this: priceless
http://www.englishdroid.com/blitzer.html

[spiral78]

Thanks!

[britbikest]

Thank all of you for your replies, but perhaps I did not explain myself sufficiently.

I wasn't asking about Berlitz's educational philosophy, although all of you provided a most knowledgeable examination of it.

What I want more information about is the day to day reality of working for Berlitz. I've read on this board that they treat their employees like dog feces (so to speak).

For example, they expect you to work from 9 am to 10 pm everyday, even if there is nothing to do. Or, they tend to be quite abusive.

Does anyone have any light to shed on these topics?

Thanks.

Floundering newbie.

[spiral78]

Dear Floundering: as I pointed out in my first reply, Berlitz schools don't share one blanket approach to employment practices. To repeat, the Berlitz in Prague has a generally good reputation among teachers in terms of general business practices. You have to ask questions about the specific location where you may be teaching. And only someone who knows that specific school can probably answer you relevantly.

[teflexpert]

When I worked in Stuttgart for Linguarama(about 6 years ago), some teachers I knew from Berlitz said that there were microphones in all the classrooms so that the DOS could listen in on any lesson at any time to check the 'Berlitz method' was being used and used correctly. Their hourly teaching rate was the worst in Stuttgart. However, I believe that each school is a franchise, so this could just have been the situation in Stuttgart. Does anyone else know if other schools have microphones in their classrooms so that teachers can be listened in on?

[spiral78]

I heard a few years back that the Berlitz in Prague had microphones in the rooms, too. Maybe that is (or was?) a company policy, for the reasons you mentioned.

[Justin Trullinger]

Berlitz Quito seem to do most of their classes off site, so microphones would be impractical. (They could make every teacher carry one, I guess.)

When I was in Barcelona I knew some Berlitz teachers, and nobody ever mentioned microphones.

As I understand their franchise, it will be dramatically different from place to place.

The complaints about their methodology are relevant to quality of work environment as well. Many of us teach because we like to teach. When it feels mechanical and brainless...we like it less.

Justin