CELTA PRE-COURSE TASK

Section 1: Learners and Teachers, and the Teaching and Learning Context
Task 1:
1. In what context will you be doing the CELTA course?
- Lessons in groups
- Multilingual groups
- Open groups, small classes of about 12 trainees
- Full-time courses, day classes
- Mixed ability and gender groups
2. Do you know what context you will be teaching in after you finish the course?
After the CELTA course, I want to work in language centers. The context might be:
- One-to-one lessons/lessons in groups
- Monolingual groups
- Open groups
- Part-time courses
Task 2:
1. Think about why you decided to teach adults.
Adults usually have a better understanding of their purposes for learning English. They
tend to have clear learning goals which help them to sustain their motivation in
studying. Thus, adults are often more cooperative and disciplined than young learners.
2. Think about what you, as an adult, bring to this learning situation.
As an adult, I think I can relate my own learning experience with theirs. I want to help
students to identify and overcome their problems. I also want to help them build
interest and motivation in learning English.
3. Look at your answers to questions 1 and 2 and use these ideas to help you to write down
what characterizes adult learners.
- Having specific learning purposes and strong motivation.
- Having higher expectations; wanting to make progress in a short time.
- Setting clear learning goals and having study plans.
- Being more cooperative and engaging in class.
- Having a wider range of knowledge and experience.
Task 3:
1. What would you want to find out about a group of learners that you had to teach so
that you could plan your lessons?
- The number of students
 - Their age and English level
- Their learning purposes and expectations
- What they have covered in previous classes
2. How would you find out?
I can look over their placement tests to have an idea about their level, their strengths
and weaknesses in English. I can find the information about the number of students,
their age, their learning purposes and expectations from their registration forms. I can
also get more detailed information about the class from their previous teachers.
Task 4:
If you were teaching a group of learners, each of whom had different motivations for learning
English, which learners would be the most challenging in terms of motivation?
In my opinion, learners who study English just because of external pressure such as pressure
from their family or school are the most challenging ones to motivate. They are unlikely to
understand the point of learning English and have little interest in the language. They only
study to meet others’ expectations, for example to satisfy their parents or to pass a test, and
are unwilling to make extra effort to develop themselves.
Task 5:
Look at the list of qualities and skills that a teacher might have. Which do you think learners
most often rate in the top five?
All of the listed qualities are highly appreciated by learners. In my opinion, most learners would
choose:
- Knows about language and learning
- Builds rapport
- Gives clear information and feedback
- Is approachable
- Inspires confidence
Section 2: Language Analysis and Awareness
Task 6:
Make a list of associations you have with the word ‘grammar’. (They may not all be negative!)
- Rules about how to form and conbine words of a language
- Fundamental principles of a language
- Necessary to express and clarify meanings
- Complicated and confusing, difficult to understand and remember with many
receptions
- Can be boring and daunting to learn
Task 7:
Look at the following sentences and decide which are correct. Write a correct version of the
examples that are incorrect.
1. We’ve been looking for you for ages.
 Correct
2. I’ve been to the movies last night.
 Incorrect: I went to the movies last night.
3. He often come late.
 Incorrect: He often comes late.
4. They were waiting by the fountain.
 Correct
5. Can I have a coffee black, please?
 Incorrect: Can I have a black coffee, please?
6. People with 12 items or less can queue here.
 Incorrect: People with 12 items or fewer can queue here.
Task 8:
Provide a list of reasons why English language teachers need to know about grammar. In doing
so, try to give some thought to the learners’ perspective.
Grammar is fundamental principles of a language. It is necessary for learners to have a certain
understanding of grammar rules in order to express their thoughts correctly. That is why most
coursebooks and school syllabuses place particular emphasis on grammar from beginning level.
Teachers have to know about grammar to deliver these lessons to their learners.
English language teachers are expected to have a deep knowledge of the language, including
grammar rules so that learners can be comfortable and assured when asking for help. Many
learners find grammar confusing and struggle to distinguish different grammar points;
therefore, language teachers need to have good explicit language knowledge in order to
explain, simplify and clarify complicated structures in an understandable and memorable way.
Task 9:
Identify the underlined words in the following dialogue. Use a grammar reference book or a
dictionary to help you with this if necessary.
1. Subject pronoun
2. Indefinite article
3. Coordinating conjunction
4. Adverb of degree
5. Adjective
6. Modal verb
7. Demonstrative determiner
8. Preposition
9. Verb
10. Noun
Task 10:
Decide if the underlined verbs in the following sentences and questions are lexical verbs or
auxiliary verbs.
1. Lexical verb.
2. Lexical verb.
3. Auxiliary verb.
4. Auxiliary verb.
5. Auxiliary verb.
6. Lexical verb.
Task 11:
Decide if the underlined verbs be, do and have have an auxiliary or lexical function in the
following sentences and questions.
1. Lexical verb.
2. Auxiliary verb.
3. Auxiliary verb.
4. Lexical verb.
5. Lexical verb.
6. Lexical verb.
7. Auxiliary verb.
8. Lexical verb.
Task 12:
All of the following sentences (1-5) contain modal auxiliary verbs that are underlined. Match the
meaning of the modal verb to the definitions below (A-E).
1. You should see a doctor as soon as you can.  C. Advice
2. You may go now, thank you.  E. Permission
3. This letter must be from Frank – he’s the only one who hasn’t written so far.  B. Logical
deduction
4. I can’t play the piano very well.  A. Ability
5. We could go out, but I don’t know if I’m in the mood.  D. Possibility
Task 13:
Match the underlined verb form examples to the correct definition.
1. I worked until 7 o’clock last night.  past tense form
2. They’ve been seeing a lot of each other lately.  -ing form
3. She lives not far from here.  3rd person – present simple tense
4. You have to try harder.  base form
5. It was handed to me as I was leaving.  past participle form
Task 14:
Think of the past form and the past participle forms of the following verbs. Which are regular?
Which are not regular?

Base form Past form Past participle Regular/irregular

Hear Heard Heard Irregular
Think Thought Thought Irregular
Go Went Gone Irregular
Do Did Done Irregular
Take Took Taken Irregular
Drink Drank Drunk Irregular
Help Helped Helped Regular
Steal Stole Stolen Irregular
Arrive Arrived Arrived Regular

Task 15:
Identify the different elements (past, present, modal, perfect, progressive, passive) underlined in
the following verb phrases.
1. I was hoping to see you.  past progressive
2. They might have got home by now.  modal, perfect
3. We have tried to help.  present perfect
4. They were being questioned at length.  past progressive, passive
 5. I saw it coming.  past simple
6. This time next week you will be lying on a beach.  modal, progressive
Task 16:
Identify the tense names of the underlined verbs in the following sentences. You will most likely
need to refer to a grammar reference book to help you.
1. I am having a really good time.  present continuous
2. We stopped doing that years ago.  past simple
3. She lives somewhere near here.  present simple
4. We had been for a drink before we met him.  past perfect
5. These computers are made in China.  present simple passive
6. You will have been here for 2 days by then.  future perfect
7. It happened as I was driving home.  past simple; past continuous
8. I have been feeling unwell for a while.  present perfect continuous
Task 17:
The following examples of language contain different tenses which are underlined. The name of
the tense is also given. Decide what the time reference of each example is and remember that
the time reference may not match the tense name.
1. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. (past progressive).  past
2. They’ll have finished work on the bridge by then. (future perfect simple)  future
3. She’s been working in the garden all morning. (present perfect progressive)  past up
until present
4. Have you got a minute? I was wondering whether we could have a word. (past
progressive)  present
5. They own most of the land around here. (present simple)  past, present and probably
future
Task 18:
1. What auxiliary verb is used to create the present progressive?
 Be (am/is/are)
2. What is the form of the lexical verb of the present progressive?
 -ing form
Task 19:
Look at the following mini-dialogues below and decide the time reference or use of the
underlined examples of the present progressive.
1. I’m meeting Judy for a drink.  an arrangement in the future
 2. He’s always running late.  a habitual (usually irritating) action happening in the past
and repeating until the present.
3. Suddenly, I find I’m walking down the street all on my own and I can hear the sound of
footsteps…  a story in the past. The present continuous is used to make the story
sound more immediate and dramatic.
Task 20:
What is the problem with the following examples?
In these examples, the lexical verbs are all stative verbs and refer to a state or a condition
rather than temporary events. We generally avoid using state verbs in progessive tenses and
use present simple instead to describe a state.
Task 21:
Make a list of what extra information dictionaries can provide about words apart from the
meaning. It would be a good idea to refer to a dictionary to help you.
- Word class
- Pronunciation
- Examples
- Collocations, synonyms or antonyms
- Formal or informal word
- Positive or negative tone
- Family words
Task 22:
In the following sentences, there is a vocabulary error of some kind. Identify and describe the
problem.
1. He’s the highest person in the family by more than 2 centimetres.
 ‘Highest’ is wrong here and should be replaced by ‘tallest’. We use the adjective ‘tall’
to describe a person’s height while ‘high’ describes the elevation of something from the
ground and is not used to talk about people.
2. I think I’ll go to bed now. I’m feeling a little enervated.
 The adjective ‘enervated’ means ‘drained of energy or vitality’ and sounds too formal
in this context. A more correct word can be ‘tired’.
3. It is an extremely good essay. The ideas in it are original and pretentious.
 The adjective ‘pretentious’ has a disapproving connotation. Because the first
sentence is a compliment, it is unlikely that the speaker wants to give negative feedback
here. ‘Pretentious’ should be replaced by a positive adjective such as ‘creative’, ‘clever’
or ‘brilliant’.
4. Her grandfather gave her a loving slap on her face.
  The noun ‘slap’ refers to a quick hit with the palm of the hand. It is hardly considered
‘loving’ and should be replaced by nouns which refer to more gentle gestures such as
‘touch’ or ‘stroke’.
5. Every day I like to go footing after work. It’s good exercise and it helps me to relax.
 ‘Footing’ does not make sense here. As the speaker wants to describe the activity of
walking as a form of physical exercise, the correct word should be ‘jogging’.
Task 23:
In the following sentences, you can find the following examples of collocation:
2 verb-noun collocations; 1 verb-preposition collocation; 1 adjective-noun collocation; 3 adverb-
adjective collocations.
Underline and identify these different examples. Note: some sentences contain more than one
collocation.
1. Not only was he nice, but he was also strikingly handsome.  adverb-adjective
collocation
2. After he got up, he made his bed and did some housework.  verb-noun collocation
3. It was absolutely fabulous!  adverb-adjective collocation
4. They both really depend on each other.  verb-preposition collocation
5. Their farewell at the airport was highly emotional.  adverb-adjective collocation
6. She was caught in a vicious circle.  adjective-noun collocation
Task 24:
Match the terms 1-3 with the definitions A – C.
1. stress - B. giving emphasis to one syllable
2. phoneme - C. an individual sound
3. intonation - A. the music of our voices
Task 25:
Match the problems 1-3 with the outcomes A-C.
1. an individual sound is mispronounced - B. the listener might understand ‘bin’ when the
speaker wanted to say ‘pin’
2. a request is made with very flat intonation - C. the speaker can sound arrogant and
demanding
3. the wrong syllable is stressed in a word - A. the word is incomprehensible
Task 26:
What are these words?
 1. Their 4. Peaceful 7. Search
2. South 5. Young 8. Equation
3. Language 6. Call 9. Sugar
Task 27:
Where does the stress fall on the following words?
1. guarantee 6. speculative
2. cavalry 7. success
3. mechanization 8. balance
4. language 9. identity
5. retreat 10. articulate (adjective)
Task 28:
1. Mark the main stress on the words in the following 'word family'. Why do you think non-
native speakers often experience problems with these words?
photograph photography photographer photographic
Non-native speakers often have problems with these words because although they have
quite similar pronunciations, they are stressed on different syllables. Moreover, there
are no clear rules to help learners remember.
2. Mark the stress in the following pairs of words. Can you identify a pattern?
to record / a record to present / a present
to increase / an increase to import / an import
When it is a two-syllable verb, it is stressed on the second syllable whereas when it is a
two-syllable noun, it is stressed on the first syllable.
Task 29:
Underline the /ə/ in the following words:
mother forget announce tonight

notable mention patrol indicative

Section 3: Language Skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing
Task 30:
Think of all the texts you have read so far today and comment on the way in which you have
read these texts.
Today, I read the package leaflet of my dietary supplement. First, I quickly scan through the
leaflet to find information about recommended dosage and instructions for use (scan reading).
Then I carefully re-read the whole leaflet to gain more details on nutritional facts, possible side
effects, warnings and other information (detailed reading).
I also read news on the Internet. I read the titles and skim through the articles to get the overall
ideas (skim reading). I can also infer the writers’ point of view on those topics (reading to
infer).
Finally, I read the pre course task. I paid close attention while reading the questions and
instructions to understand them thoroughly. While answering the questions, I constantly re-
checked with the information in the pre course task in order not to make any unnecessary
mistakes (intensive reading).
Task 31:
Below are some different text types. Think about which of the above reading sub-skills we would
use to read these texts.
1. An academic article we need to read for an essay we are writing.
 First, we would probably skim quickly to get the general idea and find any parts that
are relevant to our essay. After that, we would carefully re-read important points and
read to infer the writer’s point of view on the topic. (skim reading, detailed reading,
reading to infer)
2. A telephone directory.
 It is likely that we would scan it to find out the name and number that we need. (scan
reading)
3. The editorial of a newspaper on a topic we care about a lot.
 In case the editorial is about a topic in which we have particular interest, we would
probably read it carefully for detailed information. We might also read to understand
the writer’s point of view on the topic. (detailed reading, reading to infer)
4. An advertisement for a job that might be suitable.
 We might start by taking a quick look over the advertisement to see if it is a suitable
position. Then, we would read it again more carefully for details to check every
important information about requirements and benefits so that we could decide
whether to apply for the job or not. (skim reading, detailed reading)
Task 32:
What problems are there with this way of reading?
This way of reading can create many problems. First, it is very time-consuming when learners
look every unfamiliar word up in dictionaries. This makes reading daunting for many learners,
and they gradually lose their interest in reading. Moreover, when they give too much focus on
details, they probably find it difficult to follow the flow of the story and end up forgetting or
misundestanding the general ideas. This way of reading also reduces their ability to guess from
context.
Task 33:
Make a list of reasons why you think non-native speakers might find listening more challenging
than reading.
- When reading, learners can control their reading speed. They can take their time to
digest the meaning of the text and re-read it if needed. As for listening, they cannot
control the speed of the spoken text. They cannot pause or recheck information.
- They cannot catch the words because of unfamiliar accents or pronunciations.
- They might have no reference to help them understand the text such as visual
information or punctuation.
Task 34:
Think of three different situations in which you listened today. Make a note of who you were
listening to, your motivation for listening and describe how you listened.
Today, I was watching a TV series while cooking. Since I was busy in the kitchen, I mostly
listened to the conversations to follow the content. I did not pay much attention and only
caught kew words to understand the main story (skim listening).
I also had a face-to-face conversation with my brother. We talked about his day at school and
his argument with his friend. I listened to him carefully to understand thoroughly his
circumstance and gave him advice (detailed listening, listening to infer meaning).
Finally, I listened to the news on TV. I did not pay much attention to some parts that I was not
interested in and only caught the main ideas (skim listening). I paid closer attention to some
important news about Covid-19 (intensive reading). When it came to weather forecast, I
waited until they talked about my city (scan listening).
Task 35:
Match the above listening sub-skills to the following listening texts.
1. A lecture for a course you are taking at university.  Intensive listening, listening to
infer meaning
2. A sales pitch for a computer that doesn’t really interest you. However, you are at work
and you can’t just walk out.  Skim/gist listening
 3. Announcements at a train station when you are waiting to hear the time of the next
train to your destination.  Scan listening, intensive listening
4. Instructions from your boss for a new task that is critical for your job.  Intensive
listening
5. An interview with someone who is famous and whose political opinion you would like to
find out about.  Intensive listening, listening to infer meaning
6. A radio programme on a topic that is mildly interesting for you.  Skim/gist listening
Task 36:
Think about this disparity between 2 years’ study of a language and a lack of ability to speak.
Why do you think this happens?
Many learners do not have opportunities to practice speaking and utilize the vocabulary and
grammar that they have learned. Gradually, they cannot express their ideas through spoken
words although they may recognize the words in reading or listening texts.
Many learners are taught to focus too much on grammar accuracy, making them lack fluency
when they speak. This also reduces their confidence to speak and make mistakes because they
tend to keep silent until they are certain that what they are going to say is grammatically
perfect.
Task 37:
Look at the following examples of learner language and decide whether the student has
managed to communicate successfully or not.
1. Could I please have a ….? (learner gesticulates, indicating he is unsure of the word)
 Unsuccessful. The speaker does not finish the sentence and thus, the listener cannot
know what the speaker wants.
2. You come my house tonight? (said with rising intonation)
 Successful. Although the sentence is grammatically incorrect, the speaker
successfully expresses his ideas, and the listener can understand his message.
3. Yesterday good time. Next week we see, no? (learner smiles)
 Successful. Although the sentence is grammatically incorrect, the speaker
successfully expresses his ideas, and the listener can understand his message.
4. A: How long have you been in New Zealand?
B: I stay here 5 weeks.
 Unsuccessful. The speaker gives an unclear answer. The listener may be unsure of
whether he has been in New Zealand for 5 weeks or he is going to stay 5 weeks in total.
Task 38:
Decide if the following descriptions of conversations are transactional or interactional.
1. You ask a colleague if s/he would mind helping you with something.  Transactional
 2. You offer to collect your neighbour’s mail while s/he is away on holiday.  Transactional
3. You comment on the weather to an acquaintance at a bus stop.  Interactional
4. You visit a friend and spend time admiring and talking about his/her garden. 
Interactional
5. You participate in a university group tutorial that is useful for an essay you are writing.
 Transactional
6. You go out with your boss and other colleagues for a drink after work.  Interactional
Task 39:
Make a list of reasons why you think speaking fluency practice could help learners’ language
development.
- Give learners chances to practice speaking skills, especially fluency.
- Develop their confidence in speaking English.
- Encourage them to speak in a spontaneous way and focus more on their messages
rather than grammar, thus improving their competence in communication.
Task 40:
Which of the following characteristics would you associate with spoken language (S) and which
with written language (W).
1. Includes gesture and facial expression to back up the message. (S)
2. Uses punctuation to make the content easier to understand. (W)
3. Includes hesitation devices and fillers such as ‘yeah’, ‘umm’, ‘ah’ etc. (S)
4. The communicator usually gets immediate feedback from the person they are
communicating with. (S)
5. Usually involves greater planning in advance. (W)
6. Uses pauses, stress and intonation to show where ideas begin and end. (S)
7. Is spontaneous and planning usually takes place in the moment of communicating. (S)
8. Suggests that meaning is static in the communication, although open to interpretation.
(W)
9. The communicator may never find out what the person he is communicating with thinks
of his message. (W)
10. Includes headlines, different type sizes and colours to enhance the content. (W)
11. Is usually smooth-flowing. (W)
12. Involves negotiation of meaning between the communicator and the person they are
communicating with. (S)
Task 41:
Look at the learner errors in the sentences below. Identify the mistakes and try to decide why
the learner made these mistakes.
 1. She through the ball hard so it hurt when I court it.
 She threw the ball hard so it hurt when I caught it.
The learner seems to confuse words with similar pronunciations.
2. My brther livs in Swedn.
 My brother lives in Sweden.
The learner seems to omit vowels. This may be because of some common literacy
problems such as dyslexia or the influence of his first language in which the use of
vowels is unecessary.
3. However, hard I try it never works.
 However hard I try, it never works.
The learner probably has learned the word ‘however’ as a conjuctive adverb which is
followed by a comma, and he has overused this rule.
4. first of all he invited me to sit down after that he offered me a coffee I was very surprised
by his politeness
 First of all, he invited me to sit down. After that, he offered me a coffee. I was very
surprised by his politeness.
The learner seems to lack knowledge of punctuation. This may due to the influence of
his first language in which the use of punctuation is unecessary, or he might write like
the way he speaks.
Task 42:
1. Look at the samples of learners’ writing below and identify the difficulties encountered
by these learners and other learners whose first language do not have a Roman script.
- Writing from left to right and writing on the line.
- Using upper case and lower case appropriately.
- Punctuation and paragraphing.
- Spelling.
2. Suggest some activities that teachers can use to help students to develop basic writing
skills.
Teachers can present learners’ samples in the class and ask them to correct their text
themselves. Teachers can help learners to find out mistakes and explain the rules to correct
the mistakes and write properly.
Teachers should encourage learners to write more so that learners can get used to Roman
script. For example, they can ask students to write their answers on the board.
Section 4: Planning and Resource
Task 43:
Below are some extracts from lesson plans. Decide which part of the lesson plan (1-7 above)
they may come from.

Extract Probably from

a. I’d like to smile more and create a better rapport today. Personal aim
b. Students  Students in pairs. Interaction pattern
c. By the end of the lesson students will be able to use a range Lesson aims/learning
of adjectives to describe someone’s personality. outcomes
d. Teacher hands out text and gives a different set of questions Procedure
to each group.
e. Some students may find the pronunciation of several words Anticipated problems and
quite difficult. I must make sure I use lots of repetition. solutions
f. To get students interested in the topic of the listening text. Stage aim

Task 44:
Below is a list of possible resources you may be able to use. Match them to their uses.

Resource Can be used for

1. Published coursebook f. Developing students’ language and skills in a structured
way and allowing them to review at home
2. Cassette or CD player g. Developing students’ listening skills with specially prepared
or real materials
3. Newspapers in English b. Developing students’ ability to read real texts
4. Internet e. Finding information on a particular topic area and
developing reading skills
5. Overhead Projector (OHP) i. Showing pre-prepared work on a large screen for clarity
6. Whiteboard h. Writing down new words for students to focus on, making
the form, meaning or pronunciation features of a language
area clear
7. TV/radio d. Developing students’ ability to listen to authentic speech
8. Teacher’s own materials c. Giving students work which can be tailored to their
individual needs
9. Dictionaries a. Encouraging students to expand their vocabulary and to
find out about new words on their own
Section 5: Developing Teaching Skills and Professionalism
Task 45:
Below are some instructions given by teachers. In each case the group of learners had difficulty
following the instructions. For each one write:

 Why do you think the difficulty occurred?

 How could you give the same instruction in a more effective way?

1. Jot that down.

 The learners may be unfamiliar with the phrasal verb ‘jot down’.
Instead, the teacher can use ‘write that down’.
2. I wonder if you’d mind just looking at question number 4 and then if you could just
answer it.
 The instruction is too long and complicated for learners to follow.
Instead, the teacher should use a shorter and simpler sentence such as ‘Please read and
answer question 4’.
3. I’d like you to read the text on page 4 and answer the first three, then compare your
answers with the person next to you. After that write a short summary of the story and
discuss this with your partner.
 The teacher gives too many instructions at once, which makes it hard for learners to
remember all steps.
Instead, the teacher should give instructions one by one and let the learners finish each
task before giving them the next instruction. For example: The teacher gives the first
instruction ‘Read the text on page 4 and answer the first three questions’  Students
read and answer the questions  The second instruction ‘Compare your answers with
the person next to you’  Students compare their answers  The last instruction
‘Write a short summary of the story and discuss this with your partner’  Students
write and discuss with each other.
4. Look at the question at the bottom of the page and think about an answer.
 The instruction is unclear. The learners may confuse whether they are asked to think
or to answer.
Instead, the teacher should give clearer instruction such as ‘Read and answer the
question at the bottom of the page’.
Task 46:
Imagine you are the teacher of the students who made the comments below. How would you
respond to them?
1. I don’t want to work in a group because I will only learn mistakes from other students.
 I would explain the benefits of group work. Working in groups gives learners more
chances to speak, communicate and exchange ideas, which improves their English
speaking and communication skills. They can also benefit from learning from each other
by pointing out and correcting others' mistakes.
2. I wish you could translate more words into my language.
I would explain that not translating is a way to stimulate their ability to infer meaning
from context which is an important skill in real-life circumstances. In case they are
unfamiliar with key words which make them unable to follow the lesson, I can explain
the words in English or encourage them to use a monolingual dictionary.
3. Please don’t ask me to work with that student. I don’t like people from her country.
I would encourage them to talk and connect on a personal level, so they can understand
each other’s characters better. However, if this learner’s discrimination affects the
learning of the class, or he shows any aggressive behaviors towards the other student, I
would separate them or transfer this learner to another class to avoid any dispute.
4. Could we just talk in class and not use any books?
I would explain the importance of textbooks. Coursebooks can help learners to develop
their language and skills in a structured way and allow them to review at home. Using a
variety of learning methods can help learners to develop different skills.
Task 47:
Below is a description of an activity you might use in a language learning classroom. Read it and
describe:
• how you would arrange the classroom to carry out the activity (position of desks,
chairs, students and teacher)
The students playing assistants can sit at one side of the classroom. The students playing
customers can move from one desk to another to ask for information about the courses. The
teacher can go around to observe and give assistance if needed.
• what resources you could use to make the activity more effective (pictures, real
objects, handouts, music, etc.)
The teacher can give students playing assistants cards with detailed information about prices,
hours, times of the courses. The students playing customers should be given role cards which
describe their characters and their requirements for the course.
• any problems about the organisation of the activity that you could anticipate.
Some less confident learners may reluctant to play the game. The learners can complete the
task with different speeds. The fast ones may have to wait for others while the slower ones can
feel rushed. The activity can be quite chaotic for classes with large numbers of students.
Task 48:
You notice that your students have been confusing certain areas of language. You decide to
have a lesson focusing on these different areas. Describe how you would make the differences
clear to your students. Try to avoid long explanations and use as many different ways as
possible (pictures, stories, diagrams, miming, etc).
• Different meanings
1. Slim / thin
 Show students pictures of slim people and skinny ones. Explain the difference: ‘slim’
has positive connotations while ‘thin’ has negative connotations.
2. To wink / to blink
 Use actions to describe the words. Close one eye and say ‘this is wink’, then close
both eyes and say ‘this is blink’.
3. I used to get up early / I am used to getting up early
 Draw a timeline to point out the difference. Draw a point in the past, such as ‘when I
was a child’ or ’10 years ago’, to refer to ‘I used to get up early’ and explain that I did it
every day in the past but I do not do it now. Draw another point in the present to refer
to ‘I am used to getting up early’ and explain that I do it everyday now as a habit.

When I was young Now

4. Nervous / upset
 Use different examples and contexts to clarify the difference. For example, ‘I was
nervous during my driving test’ and ‘She was very upset to hear that the party had
been cancelled’.
5. 4 weeks ago / 4 weeks before
 Draw a timeline to point out the difference. Show that ‘four weeks ago’ refers to a
point before the present whereas ‘four weeks before’ refers to a point before an event
in the past.

4 weeks before 4 weeks ago Now

• Different pronunciation
6. I do it / I’ll do it
 Show learners that ‘I do it’ has 3 words while ‘I’ll do it’ has 4 words. Show them ‘I’
and ‘will’ go together to make ‘I’ll’.
7. Read (present tense) / read (past tense)
 Show learners two different phonemes /iː/ for read (present tense) and /e/ for read
(past tense).
8. Put / putt
  Show learners two different phonemes /ʊ/ for ‘put’ and /ʌ/ for ‘putt’. Show them
round their lips to produce /ʊ/. To produce /ʌ/, slightly drop their jaw and keep their
face relaxed.
9. Record (noun) / record (verb)
 Write the words on the board and show the different stresses: Record (noun) /
record (verb).
10. Live (verb) / live (something happening now)
 Show learners two different phonemes /ɪ/ for live (verb) and /aɪ/ for live (something
happening now).
Task 49:
Below are descriptions of two activities used by teachers. In 1 the teacher was trying to develop
students’ reading skills; in 2 the teacher was trying to develop the students’ speaking skills.
Neither activity was very successful. Read the descriptions and:
• explain why you think the activities were not very successful in developing the students’
reading/speaking skills
Reading:
- The learners may be unfamiliar with some key vocabulary needed to understand the
text.
- The teacher did not provide instructions or hints to guide the learners towards the
main ideas of the text.
- When reading aloud, the learners may focus too much on the pronunciation of
individual words and cannot understand the meaning of the text.
Speaking:
- The teacher neither provided vocabulary relevant to the topic for learners nor
helped them come up with ideas to discuss.
- Some learners might feel shy to speak in front of the class.
• describe two activities (one for reading, one for speaking) that you think would develop
those skills
Reading:
- Teach key vocabulary before learners read the text.
- Give questions for learners to work on while reading the text. The teacher can use
different types of question, such as multiple choice or match the paragraph with its
general idea, to stimulate learners use different reading skills (scan/skim/intensive
reading)
Speaking:
 - Provide topic vocabulary.
- Help learners to come up with ideas by asking questions related to the topic. For
example, with the topic ‘Living in the city’, the teacher can ask students how the life
in the city is, the advantages/disadvantages when living in the city, the difference
between living in the city and in the countryside, etc.
- Let learners work in pair or smaller groups to make sure everyone has their time to
organize their ideas and has their chance to talk.
Task 50:
Consider how the following form part of a teacher’s professionalism:
• Confidentiality: It is important to keep students' personal information and records
confidential. It also helps to build respect and trust between the teacher and their
students.
• Punctuality: Late arrival to class is rude, unprofessional and unacceptable. A teacher is
supposed to arrive early to prepare the classroom and greet students.
• Course planning/review: Course planning helps to set clear aims of a course. Thanks to
course planning, teachers can focus on these main purposes to prepare individual lesson
plans. It is also important to review the course along the way to ensure that it is
achieving what is set out in the course plan.
• Record keeping: It allows teachers to review the class progress and allows students to
see their progress.
• Assessment: It allows teachers to find out students’ weaknesses and strengths.
Professionally, teachers should assess based on clear objectives and criteria.
• Pastoral care: Teachers should be able to empathize with and support students in
personal issues. It also helps to build respect and trust between the teacher and their
students.
• Team work: Teachers need to create good working relationships with other teachers.
They should communicate with each other, share ideas and experiences, encourages
others, maintaining records, etc.
• Relationship with students: A professional student-teacher relationship is one based on
mutual respect. A teacher needs to be approachable and be able to build up a rapport
with students.
• Cultural awareness: A teacher should research the culture of students to show his
respect to students and ensure that he will not do anything that can offend students.
• Self-development: Teachers should have a lifelong passion for learning and self-
development because broadening their knowledge is instrumental to broaden students’
knowledge. Teachers with thorough understanding can be good role models for their
students.
• School/college policies and rules (including equal opportunities and health and safety):
The policies and rules of a school or college should be strictly adhered to as they are
there to safeguard the best interests of students.
• Membership of/contribution to professional bodies: Being a member of professional
bodies can be extremely helpful for professional development. Many learners will be
more attracted to places with more backing from recognized institutions. Membership
of these bodies allows you greater access to further course material, the latest teaching
methodology, and developments in the ESL field.
• ESOL/EFL and teacher training research and development world-wide: A teacher must
constantly update their skills. Research, advanced training, and new developments
promote greater communication between individuals working as teachers and thereby
further our knowledge of different methodologies and techniques.