After a few days of blogging absence, I have some brilliant news to share with you all...
I'VE PASSED THE TEFL GRAMMAR MODULE! (just doing a little dance to celebrate).
It's been a pretty tough ride, but I'm glad I've managed it. I'll certainly never look at the English language in the same way ever again (I now deconstruct every sentence in the search for phrasal verbs, gerunds and indefinite articles, amongst other treats. Please note sarcasm.)
Anyway-I'll give a full evaluation of the module at a later date, but for now I really want to forget about grammar just a little bit. So instead-I thought I'd give you a little account of my experiences on the TEFL Classroom course, which was a far more enjoyable experience all round!
As I've said before-if you have a weekend (or a few weekdays) to spare to do the classroom course, I would wholeheartedly recommend that you do. Why? Because it'll act as a real motivator to get out there and fulfill your TEFL dream, whatever that may be. On my course, there were literally people from all walks of life, and each one of them had a different idea about what they wanted to do with their qualification-from internships in China to retreats in Nepal, to German-based adventures and trips to Thailand. It really got me excited for my own future adventure, and made me realise that doing this qualification will open so many doors and opportunities (I'm aware that this is all getting a bit cheesy now, so I'll move on swiftly).
Whilst our course leader, Steve, was keen to remind us that a TEFL qualification is well within reach, it was also clear that you can't really get there without some serious hard work and committment. Although the weekend course is only two days long, it's also two days of solid TEFLing- with the course running from 9am-7pm on the Saturday and 9am-6pm on the Sunday (it's meant to be even longer than this on paper, but in reality it seems that most tutors understand that there's only so much a student can take in). You get an hour or so for lunch and a morning coffee break (20 mins or so), but that's it. So my advice is-come prepared! Drink water, sleep well, stay nearby etc. Otherwise you might die.
 |
| Contrary to what this image suggests, your fellow TEFLers won't actually try to kill you. |
However-there was a really friendly and informal atmosphere to our course, and it wasn't really anything like I imagined it to be. I was expecting a pretty conventional classroom set-up, but it wasn't like that at all; in fact, parts of the course actually more closely resembled a drama workshop, with a real emphasis on interactivity. I laughed a lot and got to know my fellow TEFLers really quickly; which is just what's needed on such an intensive schedule.
In terms of the course content itself-you'll get a lot of information thrown your way.There's a lot of things to get through in a short space of time, so parts of the course feel quite rushed, and it's clear that you're only learning the bare basics here. But Steve was really open about the fact that it's impossible to train someone to be a teacher in a single weekend, and actively encouraged us to seek out further teaching experience when the course was over to further our training. Topics covered included-Classroom Management, Lesson Planning, Teaching Skills, Grammar (everyone's fave) and Phonology. Sounds dull and dry, but it was actually really enjoyable most of the time. You also get a lovely course booklet to take home with you, with loads of lesson ideas and top tips. Some are more amusing than others-I don't think I'm going to be 'entering a classroom with socks on my hands' to create a talking point anytime soon!
Most importantly, the course gives you a chance to actually try out your constantly developing teaching skills, as you'll plan a 15 minute lesson (usually with a partner) each day. For me, this was by far the most beneficial part of the course. Though a bit nerve-racking, it made me realise that I actually think this is something I might enjoy doing, as it really is rewarding to witness others getting involved in your activities. The first lesson I planned was based on ordering food in a restaurant, and the second was based on debating the issue of internet safety. I'm pleased to say that both went down well, which was a great source of encouragement to complete the rest of the online course, and get out there!
At the end of the course, I felt completely exhausted, but happy. Leaving with a heap of new resources, a few potential language school contacts (courtesy of Steve) and a new-found passion for teaching, my TEFL dreams feel closer than ever!
Anyway, that's it for now. If you've ever been on a TEFL course, please feel free to share experiences of any kind below. It's been lovely to see TEFLers springing up from all over the place!
Ciao for now,
Hope xx
No comments:
Post a Comment