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widespread123
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
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 Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:51 am Post subject: Needed grammar help in Daegu |
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Hello,
I am taking the CELTA course in Vietnam at the beginning of next year and am embarrassed by my horrible grammar skills. I am really struggling with the pre-CELTA task and was wondering if someone could lead me in the right direction, preferably someone who has done the CELTA before. I would be willing to buy you lunch or beers. Please PM me, I live in Jisan-dong.
-Sean |
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GerryTulip
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Needed grammar help in Daegu |
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| widespread123 wrote: |
Hello,
I am taking the CELTA course in Vietnam at the beginning of next year and am embarrassed by my horrible grammar skills. I am really struggling with the pre-CELTA task and was wondering if someone could lead me in the right direction, preferably someone who has done the CELTA before. I would be willing to buy you lunch or beers. Please PM me, I live in Jisan-dong.
-Sean |
I have just taken my CELTA course and I will be arriving in Daegu just before new year. You shouldn't worry about grammar proficiency, I actually knew nothing whatsoever! Here in the UK there is absolutely no focus on english grammar during education . . . I basically knew when a sentence was in the past present or future and what an adjective and a noun was! You will probably find that there will be others on the course with a horrible knowledge of grammar and it is usually just laughed and joked about (is there really any need for an in depth knowledge of grammar in jobs other than being an english teacher?!). There will be others which may not be native speakers of english but who are very proficient and they usually know a hell of a lot of english grammar (make friends with them).
Anyway don't worry about anything as the instructors really hold your hand during the first few days and walk you through a lot of basic grammar. If you really want to improve before the course they seem to focus on:
main tenses/forms, 2nd and 3rd conditional, modal verbs, passive voice, time adverbials, past/present/future perfect. They also look at the different uses of tenses for example present continuous to describe a future event (I am going to the cinema tomorrow).
Basically don't worry about it, everyone on my course hated grammar and the instructors realised this and had a laugh about it! |
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GerryTulip
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:40 am Post subject: |
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| P.S I didn't even do my pre-course task haha! |
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widespread123
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I am just really stuck with the pre-CELTA task. I am completely lost and frustrated. Why do we have to do this if they are going to teach us in the course anyways? I am taking the course because I DON'T KNOW all of these grammar points. |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Do you have any of the Cambridge 'Grammar in Use' books? You can get them in most book stores here. Helps me when I'm teaching the present perfect continuous triple back flip swan dive. Try Kyobo. Also if you're stuck just post the questions/tasks here, sure someone will help explain them. |
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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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Betty Azar books are really good too if you can find them here. The Cambridge Basic Grammar in Use books for students and teachers are also quite good.
Simple explanations... nothing seems to be overlooked.
I know how you feel, OP. I took a TEFL course (easier than CELTA, but still very intense) a few years ago and was totally overwhelmed by all that grammar.
Now I have an M.A. in TESOL and while I'm not a grammar buff by any means, yet... I'm definitely on the ball.
The CELTA is no picnic, but you'll be glad you did it in the long run. |
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GerryTulip
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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To the OP,
The pre-course task is just a task and definitely not a test. It is aimed at letting you get a feel for what lies ahead. On my course they didnt even go over it when we started the course. You'll learn everything you need on the course don't worry, it's spoon fed to you!
Don't stress about the task d00d! haha |
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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| You might want to invest in ENGLISH USAGE by Michael Swan. Everything from soup to nuts regarding grammar.... |
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Dome Vans
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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For the CELTA, I did loads of the grammar learning before I did the course. Learned a lot but still panicked me that I didn't know enough. Got to IH in Budapest and found that there were a lot of the other people taking the course who had less grammar knowledge than myself.
The course leaders told us that their grammar knowledge was not always that good and they find that they learn it as they are teaching it. If you are well researched in your lesson planning it benefits you more, and you in turn learn more yourself.
Be more ready for the hectic schedule, do some reading on lesson planning, and teaching practices in general, as well as the grammar learning. If you are wanting the good grade these are all taken into consideration, not just the grammar alone.
You'll find the course very rewarding but it's hectic. |
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