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TEFL Superior Colorado

Check out Tesolcourse.com about TEFL Superior Colorado and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad.

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This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned:

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Gramatik. Grammatica. Grammar. Whether in Danish, spanish or english, that words strikes fear in the hearts of most people. Fortunately, I found someone in my circle of friends and acquaintances that loves grammar. Can you believe that?! Included in this article are her thoughts, musings, and experiences in the world of grammar. Nancy obtained her BA in english and her Masters in Bridge to Literature, as well as a teaching certificate. Most recently, at the the university level, she taught Professional Writing. Also, she has lived in several countries around the world and has learned the nuts and bolts of the french language. These accomplishments and experiences have enabled her to gain some good insights into the challenges of learning grammar, something I don't recall struggling with as a child, but which has definitely tested my metal in this course. I began by asking her opinion as to what makes english grammar so difficult. Her reply? “There are so many rules...and exceptions to those rules”! My thoughts exactly! At this point I was dying to know, how did she get a good understanding of english grammar? Was she always interested in it? Did she take lots of classes where that was the focus? Or did she do her own extra study? “I've always loved it”, she replied. “Ever since the first grade. I love solving the ‘problem'. She described feeling a sense of accomplishment when she mastered the rules in a particular area of speech. During her school years, grammar instruction was a part of every english class. Next, I thought back to how I have been taught to teach grammar throughout this course and asked, “How important do you think charts and memorizing rules are to the learning of grammar”? “Charts are key”, said Nancy. “I still see grammar charts in my head that I learned when I was young. People tend to learn well visually. Small chunks of information are better than a string of words.” (Amen!) “Memorization is also important.” So sad, no getting out of memorizing. I wondered if Nancy had ever taught a course where english grammar was the focus. “Once”, she said, “as a grad student. I taught a special class of students that had trouble with grammar.” “Really”? I replied. What were her recollections about that class? As she remembers, the student's biggest obstacle was their own mental block to the subject. She added, “Presenting it positively and enthusiastically helps students not be overwhelmed.” Now I needed advice. “Do you have any tricks to help your students make sense of things”? “Make the language as visual as possible. Connect one concept to another, using things they can relate to in their world.” “Awesome”! I thought. I've been doing that as a Bible teacher for years and I know that totally works. However, while taking this course, something that's always been in the back of my mind is the desire to help people learn the proper way to speak; first so they can be understood and second, so that when they speak, they come across as someone to be listened to and respected. But how can they do this? “Study hard and practice” was Nancy's quick reply. “They must respect the language, (even it's rules) respect their teacher, have a high desire to learn, and most importantly, be willing to start out looking like a fool”! Yes, as learners of grammar, we make lots of mistakes and must be able to laugh at ourselves and try again. Nancy herself had this experience in Morocco, when she tried to put to use her “book” knowledge of the french language. “I knew all the grammatical rules and many french words, but could not make sense of the french I heard there.” Another case in point that focus on receptive skills is so important! I must make sure that students can understand grammar in everyday speech, not just form it properly themselves. So to sum up, learning grammar requires a positive attitude, good visual aids, some memorization, a teacher who truly caters to their students needs, and a willingness on the student's part to practice, practice, practice. Now that doesn't sound too difficult!


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