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jumboprawns
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:46 am Post subject: Berlitz Interview and Demo Lesson |
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Hello all.
Long time, first time. I have an interview with Berlitz tomorrow and was asked to give a short demo lesson on a topic chosen at the site. It's not a group interview. I will be alone with 2 of the management of Berlitz. Does anybody know what I might expect? Thanks in advance! |
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Kootvela
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 513
Location: Lithuania
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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| I expect they would want to see if you can logically sequence your lesson, oversee any possible problems and have ready-made solutions. I think they would like to see a lesson plan with many details. My two cents. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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In addition, they would probably want to see how little you talk and how much you make the students talk, even if the "students" are just those two people taking their place.
How is it set up? (logic)
How is it carried out? (enthusiasm) |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:42 am Post subject: |
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Also you want to show that you can teach by demonstrating rather than explaining. A rather large part of Berlitz teaching focuses on giving examples to demonstrate grammatical rules and structures rather than using lengthy explantions.
In addition, using more open ended questions is favored, trying to stimulate student talking time, something that Glenski alluded to earlier. Sometimes with lower level students this will be more akin to 'drilling' with choral or individual repition practice using questions and learned responses. Once students have 'seemingly' mastered that, then they do role-plays using the same structures and said vocabulary.
The main form should be as interactive as possible, and again it depends on the level of the students for the demonstration how really interactive it will be. |
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Miyazaki
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Location: My Father's Yacht
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
| Also you want to show that you can teach by demonstrating rather than explaining. |
Excellent point! One of the worst things you can ask your students is, "Do you understand?" And there are several variations of this questions: "You got it?", "Is that okay?" Demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate. Show Ss how you want them to do something rather than only explaining instructions verbally. Invariably, when Ts ask Ss this question Ss will all say "Yes!" even when they don't understand - so demoonstrate and make sure to ask them yes / no questions to show that they get it.
| gaijinalways wrote: |
In addition, using more open ended questions is favored, trying to stimulate student talking time.
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Yeah, think about your TTT and even mention that as something you're working on to become a better teacher. If they ask you about your weaknesses (a typical interview question) you might say that you're working on reducing your TTT by eliciting vocab and ideas from Ss and using more effective and appropriate questions to get them thinking (encourage "critical thinking skills") and increase their talking time. asking students "Why" is probably one of the best Q's to get them speaking. questions with a "yes" / "no" answer are also good to demonstrate understanding (Concept Questions):Tomoko went to the Osaka yesterday. "Is she in Osaka now?", "Did she go to Osaka today?", and "Was she in Osaka yesterday?" - these are the types of questions often used in the Direct Method.
| gaijinalways wrote: |
| using questions and learned responses. |
There are lots of questions and answers used in the Direct Method with both the T and Ss asking and answering questions. For example:
Statement: The pen is blue.
Questions from Teacher:
Yes: Is the pen blue?
No: Is the pen red?
What / When / Why / Who / Where / Which: What colour is the pen?
Or: Is the pen blue or red?
Recylce: Is the pen red?
Recyle: Is the pen blue or red?
Recycle: What colour is my pen?
Recycle: Is your pen black?
Questions from Student
Yes: Is the pen blue?
No: Is the pen red?
What (W5 type Q's): What colour is the pen?
Or: Is the pen blue or red?
Recylce: What colour is the pen?
Recyle: Is the pen black?
The Direct Method:
1. No Japanese in class!
2. No translation.
3. No explicit grammar explanation (inductive approach)
4. Lots of examples to demonstrate, use objects, pictures
5. Lost of questions from T. and Ss. (Yes, No, W5, and Or)
6. Behaviouristic approach (conditioning and reinforcement)
The Method is crap. Skinner's theory, as it applied to language learning was destroyed by Chomsky in 1959. also very few people in TESOL agree with this the bahavioristic approach to language learning. Berlitz has probably adjusted their position on the Method and would argue that their approach is broader than the above, but this is the methodology they train their instructors in. the students definitely don't know it's crap and not worth the 9,000 yen per 40 minute less. the teachers don't know it's crap (well some of them do). Berlitz came out with new materials (not that new now, I guess) about 5 years or so ago based on the same beahviouristic view of language learning.
for the lesson you prepare and present - think tasks / information gaps / jig saw puzzles / negotiation of meaning.... where there's a communication problem and the Ss have to use the language to solve it; where one student has once peice of the info and the other student has the other 1/2 of the info and they need to work together in the T/L to solve the problem - scheduling, planning, ranking, ordering, etc. Hit Konokuniya and have a look at American Headway / New Headway (OUP) or Top Notch and have a look at the tasks and speaking activities they present in these texts - incorporate these ideas into the lesson you ppresent.
Spend some time on pronunciation work on your lesson - little to no attention on pronunciation / phonology is given in a typical berlitz lesson (unless the new materials include pronunciation work). maybe take a look at linking sounds or omitting words / phrases (elision) - show the interviewers that you've got some understanding of the phonologifal features of Eng.
Have an objective, whatever it may be: to have Ss use "going to" in order to discuss future plans and intentions. have a look at the above textbooks to get an idea of how the language is presented. the interviewers will probably want to see that you have a clear objective guiding your lesson ideas and that there's a point to it all. What's the "Take away" factor? What will Ss be able to do with the new language after the lesson?
grammar - form, function and meaning. google it if you're not sure about it. have a clear explanation of the grammar if you're doing a grammar based lesson and highlight the form, function and concept. and give Ss lots of examples.
if your lesson is only 10 minutes, then you can't do much. but if it's a full 40 minute lesson, then you can obviously throw a lot more into it.
but the bottom line is that they won't expect much from you - only that you tow the company line, don't think too much and are reliable and not late for your classes.
good luck |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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I'm sorry, I needed to respond to some of Miyazaki's statements. Why, well not for any love of Berlitz (I only work there part-time), but rather what I see as inconsistencies in what he says.
| Quote: |
| Skinner's theory, as it applied to language learning was destroyed by Chomsky in 1959. also very few people in TESOL agree with this the bahavioristic approach to language learning. |
Really, never knew you were such a big Chomsky fan. I would hardly say he destroyed anything. There are many methods for learning languages, and believe it or not contrary to popular belief, people do learn at Berlitz. Whether it has to do with the method or just students who are motivated (or both), I couldn't tell you.
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| Berlitz has probably adjusted their position on the Method and would argue that their approach is broader than the above, but this is the methodology they train their instructors in. |
Have you been trained or taught at Berlitz recently? You should be careful in making broad general statements that you can't prove.
| Quote: |
| for the lesson you prepare and present - think tasks / information gaps / jig saw puzzles / negotiation of meaning.... where there's a communication problem and the Ss have to use the language to solve it; where one student has once peice of the info and the other student has the other 1/2 of the info and they need to work together in the T/L to solve the problem - scheduling, planning, ranking, ordering, etc |
They do this in the new Berlitz texts and I also use or have used the books you mentioned in my other jobs, nothing new there. Of course, sometimes I actually make my own material.
| Quote: |
| Spend some time on pronunciation work on your lesson - little to no attention on pronunciation / phonology is given in a typical berlitz lesson (unless the new materials include pronunciation work). maybe take a look at linking sounds or omitting words / phrases (elision) - show the interviewers that you've got some understanding of the phonologifal features of Eng. |
Depends on the teacher. You seem to think, "read book, teach book". You perhaps wish it was that robotic of a method.
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| Have an objective, whatever it may be: |
Always a good idea.
| Quote: |
| grammar - form, function and meaning. google it if you're not sure about it. have a clear explanation of the grammar if you're doing a grammar based lesson and highlight the form, function and concept. and give Ss lots of examples. |
Have to wonder, is giving a grammar based lesson the way to go? I suppose you mean a demo of a grammatical point? of course, if you can dovetail it within some other communicative task it's much better.
| Quote: |
| but the bottom line is that they won't expect much from you - only that you tow the company line, don't think too much and are reliable and not late for your classes. |
Your friends' opinions? |
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Miyazaki
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Location: My Father's Yacht
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: Berlitz Interview and Demo Lesson |
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| jumboprawns wrote: |
Hello all.
Long time, first time. I have an interview with Berlitz tomorrow and was asked to give a short demo lesson on a topic chosen at the site. It's not a group interview. I will be alone with 2 of the management of Berlitz. Does anybody know what I might expect? Thanks in advance! |
How did your interview go?
Gaijinalways,
Good points! Yeah, I cannot speak from personal experience. Glad you made your post to balance out my opinion. |
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