Blog post 5

Topic: Changes to my study programme

Instructions:

Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (career).

Among others, think about:

• The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)
• Workload and length of studies
• Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)
• Use of technology
• Teaching methods

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Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post

Word Count: 230 words

 

For years, language teachers found ways to make a naturally exciting topic into a deathly dull one. Language teaching for most of the 20th Century was heavily influenced by the ‘grammar-translation’ of the 19^th Century, which involved learning a new word or grammatical structure, translating it into your native language and memorizing it.

Teaching was based on a strict syllabus of what educators considered to be important, whether it was relevant to students’ needs or not. This led many people to think they were bad at languages

Techniques gradually adapted to be more situational, so grammar and vocabulary would be taught in contexts in which you might realistically use it. But the emphasis was still very much on reading, repeating and memorizing.

The ideas that came with the communicative approach are still dominant in language teaching today, for example a focus on the needs of each group of students, as opposed to using a rigid syllabus based on grammar, and the popularity of information gap exercises.

Although great teaching comes first from a great teacher, technology is making a big difference in modern classrooms. A huge variety of tools and exercises are available to teachers.

Dave from British Study Centres identifies the smartphone as a potential tool for the classroom, as the current generation of learners are fluent users of the devices. Apps make the “hard” work of memorization into a game, and can be an excellent addition to traditional classroom study.