Job Discussion Forums

VladJR87 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 87 Location: Moscow RU

Cross-posted from the "Newbie Forum" as I will be doing my CELTA at BKC-IH.

--

So I am doing my CELTA next month in Moscow with BKC-IH. I was warned about my English proficiency during the interview, something I completely expected. I am from the generation and region where we do not learn any grammar anymore in school, and honestly without a little study I would not have been able to tell you what an article or pronoun were.

Knowing that, I obviously intended to do some studying before starting my CELTA. The problem is, I cannot figure out where to begin. I purchased three general books that BKC-IH recommended. The first was full of exercises, I was hoping exercises for me, turns out they are exercises for students while teaching, so useless for me at the moment. The second ended up being entirely methodology, not my concern at the moment. The third is grammar rules, but holy cow is it advanced! I just read a chapter on modifiers and was confused as possible, I know little of it I am retaining, and most of it were rules like when to use 'a' with 'few'... Very advanced stuff. I can see where this book will be very usefull teaching, but it seems for me at the moment... well I do not feel like it is doing what I need.

I am not going to remember all these advanced rules, and I suspect the teaching is not nearly so advanced... so where should I be starting? What should I be doing to build myself a good foundation in English... I obviously speak and write it quite well, it is the grammar rules, the "why" I need!

Thanks in advance Smile

!

EDIT: These are the three books I purchased. Number three is the one I have been reading the most.

1) Grammar Practice Activities Paperback with CD-ROM: A Practical Guide for Teachers (Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers)

2) The Practice of English Language Teaching with DVD (4th Edition) (Longman Handbooks for Language Teachers)

3) Grammar for English Language Teachers

Salix · Joined: 25 Oct 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Moscow

The three books you mentioned are all good, but I would recommend you buy "Practical English Usage" by Swan. It doesn't have any exercises, but it will tell you all the rules and why. It would be especially good for when you start teaching. It would help with preparation.
Good luck

Dedicated · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 972 Location: UK

You might like to buy " The CELTA Course" by Scott Thornbury and Peter Watkins, Cambridge University Press.(ISBN :978-0-521-69206-9).
This provides full coverage of the CELTA syllabus in a ready-to-use course. There is a whole section on language awareness.

As for grammar, you might like to look at a coursebook (eg. Headway) and see how grammar is presented to the learner. See if you can understand the explanations.

Good luck!

VladJR87 · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 87 Location: Moscow RU

Thanks guys, I went with English Grammar in Use, the intermediate version (by Raymond Murphy). It was recommended by many in the "Newbie" forum. I think out of the materials I have, what I was lacking was a good, true beginner book. I think this should satisfy what I am looking for.

Thanks again guys, hard to believe how fast it is approaching! Leaving in like 20 days!