CELTA - Lesson from the Classroom

Essay by iamsamCollege, Undergraduate March 2009

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Assignment 4 - Lesson from the Classroom.

Having not have taught before, I have gained tremendous amount of insight into student focus teaching techniques like student participation, making the class interesting, eliciting, drilling etc. I did not know that too much teacher talk was not good, because that was what I was brought up with at school and at university. The teacher talks and you take notes, or copy down points from the board. I must admit that when there was too much TTT, I as a student would switch off. My TTT has improved compared to when I started the CELTA. It does help to know that the less I talk, the more students learn.

I am therefore pleased with my overall progress in my teaching practice sessions. I do however need to revise my grammar rules and remember to always use the 'CELTA way' like concept checking and maintaining a student centred class rather than a teacher centred class.

I need to be more time conscious as well as tuning into what the students need rather that just working through my lesson plan. I think this will improve with experience.

I have gained a lot by observing both experienced and CELTA trainee teachers. I think I have gained most by observing my CELTA colleagues. I have learnt from their mistakes and picked up many good techniques from them. I would like to highlight an example that I used in my teaching practice. I was teaching the elementary class and was using intonation to correct grammar mistakes. I was told by my tutor not to use intonation to correct grammar, as the use of intonation does not make the point clear to students at elementary level. He suggested I mention the word 'grammar' to get students to...