Change began happening in the world, but has it happened in Taiwan?

The Historical Background (iii)

Let’s continue our look into the historical background of the teaching of the English language. I mentioned that people in the 1970s began realising that the ‘grammar-translation’ method did not work well. So, a new generation of researchers wanted to know why this approach was so limited. These people had names like Chomsky and Halliday. The modern study and research of learning English as a Foreign Language (ELF) was born, and so was the art/science of the teaching of it (TEFL). Change was in the air (as the picture above shows).

Cambridge University was one of the leading players in this new research. Linguists, teachers, cognitive experts, and psychologists all got into the act. New names such as Widdowson and Krashen became well known as everyone tried to work out how languages could be more effectively taught, and more efficiently learnt. Cambridge University eventually tried to distill the most modern ideas into a specific TEFL teacher-training course, originally known as the RSA-Teaching Certificate.

This course underwent many changes and refinements as time moved on. Now it is known as the Cambridge CELTA (= the Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults). It is considered the most basic practical requirement for any teacher of English as a second language. The next step forward is the Cambridge DELTA (= the Diploma). The next step forward would be to become a Cambridge CELTA teacher trainer (and yes, I, Teacher Andrew, have done all these courses, plus I have a Masters of Education). Click HERE to read my credentials and qualifications, and proof that I have them, and proof is VERY important (as I will be explaining in later posts).

Obviously then, I am a product of this modern approach. It is an approach proven by the latest studies in language learning, and an approach I have seen work. Of course, the debate about the finer parts of ELT theory goes on, but no one doubts the fundamentals, and it is important for you, the consumer, to know these.

These principles are those of good teaching. Teachers who do not follow these principles are limiting your ability to learn. The stakes are high here. Very high. It is your money, your hard-earned money, which you are losing, and it is your future you are deciding.

You need to know the truth.

The next post will continue begin to give you the truth.

If you want to find out more about me, go to aisielts.com .

Now, check that you know the meaning of the underlined vocabulary (also repeated below).

• to be cognitive (adj)
• to get in on the act (v)
• to distil (v)
• refinement (n)
• credentials (n)
• stakes (n)