Job Discussion Forums

[dribom]

Hey� so, having gotten a nibble from Berlitz in San Luis Potosi I am wondering what people have to say about method teaching. Specifically, how commonly is it advanced by institutions and how can I avoid it?

I�m not very interested in Berlitz right now mostly because I wonder what the value of being CELTA certified is if they want to retrain you in a very different method. I understand that the Berlitz method is almost purely oral, and while I appreciate that this works for some people, the idea that there is a linguistic cure all smacks of laziness and fraud to me.

Also, my impression from having studied with Latin Americans abroad and studied Spanish for many years is that (in general) Latin American students are more accustomed to traditional teaching methods, relying heavily on grammar tables. Yes� I realize that this a HUGE generalization, and I understand things vary even school to school. But there is also the fact that I actually believe in learning/teaching grammar.

Now I sound like a cruel school marm� but I swear I�m not that droll of a person.

Any feedback?

[ls650]

[hlamb]

[Dragonlady]

deleted

out of date

[Guy Courchesne]

I've worked mostly with adults, long out of school (except for two Korean girls for whom grammar is an hors d'oeuvre) and in their careers. Most seem to be either flummoxed by too much grammar or completely uninterested in it, preferring a more practical and readily usable approach. Code for 'conversation' class, so one has to slip in the grammar by function and context.

[dribom]

[MO39]

After teaching ESL/EFL to adults over many years in various countries and different kinds of schools, I have developed my own eclectic method of teaching, which means whatever works is what I do in the classroom. Adults with some amount of formal education usually appreciate a certain amount of explanation (grammatical, cultural, situational) along with opportunities for practicing the language (speaking, writing, reading). Some people pick up new words and structures aurally while others need to see them in written form before they sink into the part of the brain dealing with language.

As I see it, the problem with Berlitz is you do things "their way or the highway" with no chances for the teacher to figure out what's best for the particular students they're working with at any one time. I'm in complete agreement with dribom that the majority of adults do not learn a second language the way they learned their first, making the Berlitz method counterproductive except for those linguistically-gifted people who are capable of picking up second (and third and fourth) languages through immersion methods, like the Berlitz variety.

[ls650]

[Cdaniels]

[dribom]

[ls650]

[MELEE]

[Ben Round de Bloc]