Job Discussion Forums

[sheeba]

Before I began my CELTA I thought that my spelling was pretty good. I don't know if being in China has actually made my spelling worse but I am worried about my ability to succeed as a good TEFL teacher. I am seriously thinking about the DELTA next year but I might get more serious with my Chinese learning instead. I'm not the world's worst but sometimes my Chinese students even correct me!!!

As a teacher I feel I have the correct attributes. I plan effectively, I teach effectively and I have the enthusiasm required to become good in the English classroom. I enjoy TEFL because it requires highly energetic classes.

So - Do you think that the flaws I have in spelling ability should steer me away from the DELTA. I have no place in this profession? Surely If I plan the words I want to teach before the lesson, check the dictionary and then teach then that is the main concern?

[dmb]

Don't worry too much about it. When you do assignments just make sure you do a spell check before submitting them. Anyway yout tutor won't be looking for spelling so much, more the content
dmb(DELTA tutor who also has spelling problems)

[merlin]

Definetely spelcheck hadnouts

And just use the security of the whiteboard less often.
I hardly never use it anymore - only when trying to model a complex concept visually. Most vocabulary you want to teach should be on a handout anyway and a DELTA teacher should be able to anticipate what vocabulary will "come up".

I think most people run into spelling problems when they want to put everything on the board and they don't know where their lesson is going then whoops! A student asks what a word means and you don't know how to spell it. Or worse you know how to spell it but for some reason you just leave out a leter.

Another trick - let that student with too much physical energy write everything on the board. you know, the one that causes disturbances becuse he cant sit still? That one - give him the marker and if her makes a mistake you can appear to be the wise teacher "Does he have it right class? Someone look it up in their dictionary."