CELTA

Assignment 1
Focus on the Learner
Task:
a) Before you start doing this assignment, read the following texts:
 SHEPHERD, D. Portuguese Speakers in SWAN, M. & SMITH, B. (2001). Learner English – A teacher’s
guide to interference and other problems. CUP.
 RICHARDS, J. C and FARRELL, S. C. T. (2001). Practice Teaching: A Reflective Approach. Chapter 9:
Developing Learner-Centred Teaching. CUP.
You will receive copies of these chapters. Please notice that you can also read other texts if you prefer. These
are suggestions only.
b) Choose a learner who is currently studying English, or someone who has already studied English and would like
to resume their studies. Interview the learner for approximately 10 minutes and record the interview. Use the
interview guide provided on page 2. The interview does not need to be submitted with your assignment.
c) At the end of the interview, ask the learner to produce a piece of writing. The topic and genre are free, but it
needs to have at least 100 words. The piece of writing does not need to be submitted with your assignment.
d) Write a description of the learner mentioning their age, social and educational background, motivations for
studying English, learning preferences, and individual characteristics. Support your analysis with your
background reading. You need to use at least TWO quotes in your text.
e) Based on the interview AND the piece of writing, analyse TWO grammar, TWO vocabulary, and TWO
pronunciation mistakes the learner has made. Say what the mistake was, what the correct form should be,
and briefly explain why the student made the mistake. Support your analysis with your background reading.
f) Choose ONE mistake of each kind from PARTS 2, 3 and 4, and then select ONE task which could be used to
provide relevant practice for this student for each of the problems, totalling THREE tasks. Include the answer
key to the tasks. Justify your choice of tasks considering the linguistic needs of the student, age, learning
preferences, motivations for learning English, and individual characteristics.
g) The tasks you select for this assignment must come from reference books or from reference websites. You
must not create your own tasks.
h) A task is one activity only, not a series of activities, not a page from a book. The purpose of this is not for you
to explain how you would teach this point, but to show your ability to select tasks that are relevant to
students in light of their learning needs and preferences.
i) This assignment will have three appendices (the three tasks).
j) All appendices need to be attached to the assignment file, and a single editable (*.docx) document must be
submitted.
k) The word limit is from 750 to 1,000 words. The bibliography and the appendices do not count in the word
limit. Notice that you cannot fall short of or exceed the word limit under any circumstance.
l) You need to use the official cover sheet to submit your assignment. Do not copy and paste it into a new
document. Use the file provided

Assessment criteria:
Cambridge ESOL specifies that for this assignment, successful candidates can demonstrate their learning
by:

1. Showing awareness of a learner’s background(s), previous learning experience and learning preferences.
2. Identifying the learner’s language needs in relation to grammar.
3. Identifying the learner’s language needs in relation to vocabulary.
4. Identifying the learner’s language needs in relation to pronunciation.
5. Selecting appropriate tasks to help the learner’s language development.
6. Providing a rationale for using the activities selected with the learner.
7. Finding, selecting and referencing information from different sources.
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 8. Correctly using terminology relating to the description of language systems.
9. Using written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task.

Interview guide:
Social and educational background
1) How old are you?
2) Where did you go to school? What did you study at college?
3) What do you dio?
4) Where do you live? / Where were you born?
5) …add any other personal questions you find appropriate.

Motivations for studying English

1) Why are you studying English now?
2) Is this your first English course? Tell me a bit about your other experiences.

Attitudes towards English learning & Learning preferences

1) What do you like doing in class?
2) What do you like doing as homework?
3) How do you feel in relation to reading, listening, speaking and writing?
4) How do you feel in relation to grammar, vocabulary, functions and pronunciation?
5) What are your strengths in English? What do you think you still have to work on?

You may ask any other questions you like.

How to organize this assignment:

PART 1 (Student’s profile)

Describe your learner’s age, social and educational background, motivations for studying English,
learning preferences, and individual characteristics. Use the interview guide below to help you gather
this information.

E.g.

Student’s Profile
Name, age, nationality, mother Cristina is 61 years old, Brazilian, and lives in São Paulo. Her
tongue first language is Portuguese.
Current level of English Her level of English is intermediate.
Educational background She graduated from law school.
Professional background She used to be a lawyer, but now she is retired.
Previous English learning Cristina has studied English at various courses throughout
experience, i.e. group/individual the years. She said that she has already tried 1-2-1 lessons
lessons, teachers, but prefers to study in groups. She says she enjoys studying
positive/negative experiences English but has never actually learned it.
etc.
Motivations for studying English Cristina uses English mostly for leisure and likes the English
language very much. She needs to write in English as she
communicates through e-mail with an Italian friend and
English is their language in common. Cristina also needs
English to communicate while travelling – she has spent a
month in Canada and will soon be going to Holland.
Learning preferences and

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 Cristina says that she needs to improve her grammar, even
strategies, i.e. type of learner, though she doesn’t enjoy grammar very much. She likes
what activities do they like listening exercises and feels that this is her strength. She
inside and outside the class etc. also feels quite confident with reading. Cristina finds both
writing and speaking a little more difficult, especially
writing. She does not have much time for homework but
agrees that it is important.
Other relevant comments Cristina is constantly studying and learning and this has been
beneficial in keeping her creativity and generativity active.
As pointed by Harmer (2015) this generativity is directly
related to how much learning has been going on in adult life
before they come to a new learning experience. According
to Harmer (2015) Cristina would probably be classified as an
‘enthusiast’ as she certainly looks to the teacher as a point
of reference.

Do not forget to illustrate at least two of your comments with your background reading.

PART 2 (Grammar)

Select 2 grammar problems, classify them, and explain what they are, giving examples of your student’s
production, and justify why these mistakes were probably made based on the suggested bibliography.
Create a table like the one below:

E.g.

Problem and classification Correct Form(s) Reason

1. I’m loving the course. I love this course. According to SHOPHIRD (1999:214),
I am enjoying this course. speakers of Brazilian Portuguese
Classification: Present usually use stative verbs in the
continuous and present continuous form because in Brazilian
simple Portuguese, the continuous form is
used to indicate all temporary
actions.

PART 3 (Vocabulary)

Select 2 vocabulary problems, classify them, and explain what they are, giving examples of your student’s
production, and justify why these mistakes were probably made based on the suggested bibliography.
Create a table like the one below:

E.g.
Problem and classification Correct Form(s) Reason
3. I don’t make homework. I don’t do homework. According to SHOPHIRD (1999:214),
speakers of Brazilian Portuguese
Classification: Collocations usually confuse make and do because
with make and do in Portuguese there is only one word
that means both (fazer).

PART 4 (Pronunciation)

Select 2 pronunciation problems, classify them, and explain what they are, giving examples of your
student’s production, and justify why these mistakes were probably made based on the suggested
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bibliography. You need to use phonemic transcription in this section of the assignment. Create a table
like the one below:

E.g.

Problem and classfication Correct Form(s) Reason

5. I think /aɪ ˈsɪŋk/. I think /aɪ ˈθɪŋk/. According to SHOPHIRD (1999:216),
speakers of Brazilian Portuguese
Classification: -th sounds usually mispronounce the /θ/,
usually pronouncing it as a /s/ or a
/f/.

PART 5 (Suggested tasks)

Choose only one mistake of each kind for this part and provide a suggested task for each. Justify your
choice. Explain why you think your student will profit from it and why it is adequate for him/her.

E.g.

Suggested tasks
1 Present continuous and Exercise from PURFY Cristina is highly visual and
present simple (2005:42). English Grammar logical, and mentioned that
Being Used. SUP. she thinks she learns better by
doing mechanical activities,
so, I think this exercise will
provide her with mechanical
practice of the present
continuous contrasted with the
present simple.

Do not forget to include the references. Follow the example below.

REFERENCES

In-text references:

 If you mention an idea from a book using your own words:

According to Harper (1991), students who prefer written activities tend to…
- Mention the last name of the author and the year of publication.

 If you mention an idea from a book quoting the text directly:

According to Harper (1991, p.189), “learners who show a preference for activities in the written form…”
- Mention the last name of the author, the year of publication, and the page where the original text
can be found, and use quotation marks.

List of references:

HARPER, J. (1991). The Practice of Teaching English. Longfellow.

SPRIVEMER, J. (2010). Learning How to Teach. Pacpillan.

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 Watch out! These references do not exist. They are
models only!

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