Don’t you want to know the truth?

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (iv)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’.

In the previous three posts, I explained three of its principles. Let’s now look at the fourth one.

CLT Principle Four: Student Centredness

In CLT, the student is the centre of the classroom. This is the only way to ensure everyone is actually engaged in the material, processing it in their minds, and therefore learning. Think about it. If the students are just sitting there doing nothing, ‘listening’ to the teacher, how do you really know if they are learning anything? What is really in their minds? They might all be looking at the whiteboard, but in their minds they are thinking …

• I want to go home.
• Why don’t I have a better boyfriend?
• This is boring.
• I don’t understand.
• I want to send a text message.
• I like the boy across the room.

In other words, no one is really listening to the teacher or learning anything. It just looks like they are.

The only way students will actually learn is if they participate in the process, and that’s what CLT tries to do. It assumes the students are intelligent individuals who bring a range of knowledge and experience into the learning environment which can be accessed and used for the benefit of all.

What this means in the classroom is that – for example, the teacher will always try to ‘elicit’ the words, grammar, and meaning from the students. The teacher will constantly ask the students questions, such as ...

• What can you see in this picture?
• Give me three words to describe it.
• What’s the difference between these two sentences?
• Which one of these is clearer? Why?

The students’ writing will be error-coded, and the students will work out the answers, with help from the other students and the teacher. And I could give you many other examples. But they all mean one thing – you, the student, are the centre of the learning.

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

• to engage in (v)
• to access (v)
• to elicit (v)
• to code (v)
• to be passive (adj)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Five.

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

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (iii)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’.

In the previous posts, I explained two of its principles. Let’s now look at Number Three.

CLT Principle Three: Meaningful Use

In CLT, it was realised that language is for use in real situations and meaningful ways. Again, instead of the traditional ‘John has a pen. It is a red pen. John picks up the pen …’ CLT tries to reflect real life.

What these means in the classroom is that there are meaningful contexts or situations given to the speaking, and the teaching tries to reflect realistic use of language, and realistic pronunciation. Again, one of the simplest contexts is the students’ own personal lives, called ‘personalisation’. Here, the students have to talk about themselves, and this is obviously very meaningful. People like to talk about themselves, and most people are interested in the lives of others.

One important point here is that the student always should talk truthfully, to make the message the most meaningful of all. Rehearsing or memorising answers from a book is a blatant form of dishonesty, and this doesn’t happen in real-life communication between people. Think about it. When you talk to other people, do you just ‘invent’ answers for them to hear? Of course not! So why would you think this is acceptable in the class-room? Or in an IELTS Speaking Test?

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

• to reflect (v)
• a context (n)
• to be artificial (adj)
• to be external (adj)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Four.

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

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (iii)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’.

In the previous posts, I explained two of its principles. Let’s now look at Number Three.

CLT Principle Three: Meaningful Use

In CLT, it was realised that language is for use in real situations and meaningful ways. Again, instead of the traditional ‘John has a pen. It is a red pen. John picks up the pen …’ CLT tries to reflect real life.

What these means in the classroom is that there are meaningful contexts or situations given to the speaking, and the teaching tries to reflect realistic use of language, and realistic pronunciation. Again, one of the simplest contexts is the students’ own personal lives, called ‘personalisation’. Here, the students have to talk about themselves, and this is obviously very meaningful. People like to talk about themselves, and most people are interested in the lives of others.

One important point here is that the student always should talk truthfully, to make the message the most meaningful of all. Rehearsing or memorising answers from a book is a blatant form of dishonesty, and this doesn’t happen in real-life communication between people. Think about it. When you talk to other people, do you just ‘invent’ answers for them to hear? Of course not! So why would you think this is acceptable in the class-room? Or in an IELTS Speaking Test?

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

• to reflect (v)
• a context (n)
• to be artificial (adj)
• to be external (adj)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Four.

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

Isn’t it time you knew the truth about how people really learn languages? Then you can know better about how YOU can learn, right?

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (ii)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’.

In the previous post, I explained the first of its principles. Let’s now look at the second.

CLT Principle Two: Task Based

In CLT, it was realised that people learn better when there is an intelligent purpose for doing any communicative activity. No one picks up a pen and says, “This is a pen. It is red. I like this pen. I will use this pen.” That sort of language has no purpose behind it. In real life, we speak for a reason! Thus, CLT bases the presentation, practice, and learning of language around purposeful tasks or reasons for speaking.

What these means in the classroom is that when you do skills work (such as reading and listening) there is always a task, such as easy or harder set of comprehension questions. These question might reflect real life. Think about why we read, and why we listen. We do this for information that is necessary in a specific situation. So, in CLT, this situation is given, explained, then the listening or reading begins.

Similarly, speaking in pairs or groups is based around achieving specific goals (for example: expressing three regrets about your childhood), using specific grammar or language (for example: talk about when you last did something), or specific speaking strategies (for example: divide your response into good and bad aspects).

Speaking about yourself has a purpose, since in real life we often tell others about ourselves.

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

• comprehension (n)
• specific (adj)
• to regret (v)
• to be intellectual (adj)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Three.

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

Isn’t it time you knew the truth about how people really learn languages? Then you can know better about how YOU can learn, right?

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (ii)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’.

In the previous post, I explained the first of its principles. Let’s now look at the second.

CLT Principle Two: Task Based

In CLT, it was realised that people learn better when there is an intelligent purpose for doing any communicative activity. No one picks up a pen and says, “This is a pen. It is red. I like this pen. I will use this pen.” That sort of language has no purpose behind it. In real life, we speak for a reason! Thus, CLT bases the presentation, practice, and learning of language around purposeful tasks or reasons for speaking.

What these means in the classroom is that when you do skills work (such as reading and listening) there is always a task, such as easy or harder set of comprehension questions. These question might reflect real life. Think about why we read, and why we listen. We do this for information that is necessary in a specific situation. So, in CLT, this situation is given, explained, then the listening or reading begins.

Similarly, speaking in pairs or groups is based around achieving specific goals (for example: expressing three regrets about your childhood), using specific grammar or language (for example: talk about when you last did something), or specific speaking strategies (for example: divide your response into good and bad aspects).

Speaking about yourself has a purpose, since in real life we often tell others about ourselves.

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

• comprehension (n)
• specific (adj)
• to regret (v)
• to be intellectual (adj)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Three.

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

Don’t you want to know the truth? This is the truth many schools and teaching don’t want you to know!

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (i)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? Let me explain.

The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’. To repeat, it is a loose term, and sometimes is divided into ‘hard’ CLT, and ‘soft’ CLT. Hard CLT is more extreme; soft CLT allows more flexibility. Most teachers who have studied TEFL would probably call themselves proponents of soft CLT.

Whatever the case, there are five principles. I will discuss these principles now, while at the same time comparing them to the ‘old’ grammar-translation method from long ago. In this post, let us look at the first principle.

CLT Principle One: Communication

In CLT, there is an emphasis on fluency over accuracy. It was realised that translation and memorisation were artificial and unnatural, and that a language is actually a tool for communicating a real message. This reflects real–life use of language. When people speak to each other, they don’t care about the grammar of the other person; they just care about the message, and whether it is clear.

What these means in the classroom is there will be an emphasis on increasing student-talking-time (STT), and reducing teacher-talking-time (TTT). There will be pair work and group work, and very little of the ‘traditional’ lecturing.

Another point is the teacher doesn’t sit down and talk directly to all the students, because that would mean most of the class is NOT talking, or practising the language. So, when a teacher advertises, “You only talk to the teacher!”, that teacher is showing that they are not trained in modern CLT. This is an important point – in fact, it is one of the ‘signs of a fake teacher’ which I will give much later in this series of posts.

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

• flexibility (n)
• proponent (n)
• principle (n)
• emphasis (n)
• fluency (n)
• to rehearse (v)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Two.

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

Don’t you want to know the truth? This is the truth many schools and teaching don’t want you to know!

The Principles of Modern English Language Teaching (i)

So, what is the most modern system of teaching language? What are its principles? Let me explain.

The most modern methodology of teaching English is loosely known as Communicative English Teaching, which is usually just called ‘CLT’. To repeat, it is a loose term, and sometimes is divided into ‘hard’ CLT, and ‘soft’ CLT. Hard CLT is more extreme; soft CLT allows more flexibility. Most teachers who have studied TEFL would probably call themselves proponents of soft CLT.

Whatever the case, there are five principles. I will discuss these principles now, while at the same time comparing them to the ‘old’ grammar-translation method from long ago. In this post, let us look at the first principle.

CLT Principle One: Communication

In CLT, there is an emphasis on fluency over accuracy. It was realised that translation and memorisation were artificial and unnatural, and that a language is actually a tool for communicating a real message. This reflects real–life use of language. When people speak to each other, they don’t care about the grammar of the other person; they just care about the message, and whether it is clear.

What these means in the classroom is there will be an emphasis on increasing student-talking-time (STT), and reducing teacher-talking-time (TTT). There will be pair work and group work, and very little of the ‘traditional’ lecturing.

Another point is the teacher doesn’t sit down and talk directly to all the students, because that would mean most of the class is NOT talking, or practising the language. So, when a teacher advertises, “You only talk to the teacher!”, that teacher is showing that they are not trained in modern CLT. This is an important point – in fact, it is one of the ‘signs of a fake teacher’ which I will give much later in this series of posts.

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

• flexibility (n)
• proponent (n)
• principle (n)
• emphasis (n)
• fluency (n)
• to rehearse (v)

The next post will explain the CLT Principle Two.

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

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)

Is your school or teacher thinking like what you see in this picture, using broken techniques? Remember, nothing in this picture works anymore? People should know more now.

The Historical Background (ii)

In the previous post, we were talking about the 1960s and 70s – a long time ago – when all the language teaching was based on an approach known as ‘grammar-translation’. And it didn’t work well at all, but it didn’t matter to anyone at the time.

The trouble was, in the 1970s and 1980s, globalisation become a dominant force in the world. Europe adopted a common-market economy, people began migrating more to other countries, and organisations became more global. Thus, learning languages steadily become more important. It became so important that it became a field of research. Linguists and teachers all began questioning why no one was actually learning much. It was no longer good enough to just go through the motions, and pretend it was working. The simple fact was that it didn’t work well at all.

You can probably see what I’m suggesting here. The ‘old’ grammar-translation method from long ago can often live on in parts of Asia – in fact, it sometimes feels like a time-warp here in Taiwan – just like the picture above. Here, you can step back in time 50 years to the situation which my parent faced – a situation of cobwebs, ancient techniques, and old-dated thinking. They do things which were discredited ages ago; things which are inexcusable in the classroom (e.g. ‘We’ll teach you how to sound British’). Many school, teachers, and organisation are stuck in the distant history, using a thinking pattern from the lo-ooooong past – so long it’s almost embarrassing, but that’s the way it happens in Taiwan. This leads to the big question.

Why is it like this?

Well, I will explain the answer to this question in a later post [but here are two clues: ask yourself: (1) what’s the most important thing to these schools: helping you, or making money? and (2) How much money are these schools and teachers making by keeping things the way they are?].

So, it’s time to think for a moment. Does the grammar-translation-memorisation ‘teaching’ I described in the previous posts sound exactly like what you face in the classroom when you study for IELTS? If so, you definitely should read on.

The next post will continue with this historical background.

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

• an approach (n)
• to migrate (v)
• to go through the motions (v)
• a time warp (n)
• cobweb (n)
• to be discredited (adj)
• to be inexcusable (adj)
• a clue (n)

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

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)

作者openoh (開)

看板IELTS

標題

時間Thu Nov 16 21:54:25 2017

我是上班族，補習兩個月後第一次考試就很幸運的拿到overall 7，以下是一些準備上的

心得分享

考場：北科集思會議中心

考試日期：2017/9/21

L: 8 R: 7 W: 6 S: 6 Overall: 7

https://i.imgur.com/yPrw6ug.jpg

[聽力 Listening]

使用資源：

1. BBC 6 Minute English/ Grammar/ Vocabulary

2. BBC world service News

3. Cambridge IELTS真題

4. Andrew課堂練習

以上1.2兩項資源都是在通勤的時候聽，如果要坐在電腦前認真花個幾十分鐘認真逐字聽

的話太費力大概兩天就放棄了！所以我的習慣是用iphone內建的podcast，把想聽的頻道

抓進去，不用特地去下載各式各樣的app，這些英文資源就像spotify或kkbox一樣在手機

裡，只要把平常聽音樂的習慣改成聽這些英文頻道，就能方便又快速的養成聽英文的習慣

，而且BBC的主持人也大多是英國腔，如果很容易被腔調影響的話這也是一個很好的練習

機會。

6 minute English是兩個人圍繞在一個主題的對話，類似IELTS Listening Section 1.3

的模式，而且可以學到一些話題、單字、口語說話的方式，對speaking也有些幫助，在BB

C learning English 的網站上有逐字稿可以對。6 minute Vocabulary/ Grammar則是可

以聽到英文解釋單字和文法，也是很好的資源，唯獨沒有逐字稿這個小缺點。

針對考試的話，最重要的還是練習IELTS真題，必須先了解IELTS的聽力每個section的題

型，個人覺得沒必要把速度調快，因為原始速度就已經夠快了，再調快大概會信心崩潰，

做完題目之後不要馬上對逐字稿，把錯的題目再仔細聽聽看到底是聽錯、被騙到、漏掉、

字尾s ed沒聽清楚、還是真的聽不懂。

補習在Listening上的幫助，就是不論聽說讀寫課都是全程英文的教學，因為我拆成兩期

來上，每週都有2-3個晚上，每次3小時的全英文環境，此外老師在Listening課堂上會仔

細介紹每個section的題型並搭配練習，還有如何圈關鍵字、預測答案、注意拐你的答案

、Table題型作答順序…等技巧。

[讀Reading]

使用資源：

1.Cambridge IELTS真題

2. Andrew課本

以前我是個不從第一個字讀到最後一個字會覺得不舒服的人，但要在60分鐘內讀完三篇文

章+回答40個題目，每篇文章都又臭又長的情況下精讀絕!對!做!不!完!所以找到自己的答

題模式非常重要。

Andrew老師的系統是「先skim文章→再看題目→回去文章鎖定答案」，這樣的做答模式非

常有效率，可以省掉花在看不懂又沒重點的內容的時間，有時候甚至不需要知道某些單字

的意思也能填出答案。但這種方法對於我這種不精讀會覺得哪裡怪怪的人來說最大的問題

就是T/F/NG題型，常常會有疑心病，明明已經找到答案了卻又怕有機關在我沒有讀到的句

子，但經過課堂和真題的練習，發現其實文章並不會跟你說True然後下一句還是在結尾的

時候又說其實那錯的拉應該是False，所以可以放心的用題目來鎖定答案的這種方式。

[寫 writing]

使用資源:

Andrew Task1 Task2課本

考前我只有把writing課堂上寫的作業(5篇task 1+ 4篇task2)訂正過一次，而且沒有計時

，所以在此建議各位練習的時候一定要記得計時練速度阿！不然考試的時候真的會緊張到

邊寫手邊抖然後腦子一片空白。我在正式考試的時候光task1就寫了30分鐘而且非常混亂

，導致task2只有勉強寫到第三段，字數明顯不夠，考完writing在等著考口說的時候我都

已經在滑手機看還有哪些場次可以報名了，沒想到意外的還有拿到6分，但我想這6分應該

來自我的架構有達到task response，雖然內容可能很爛而且字數不足，但我還是有盡量

把架構寫出來，讓它勉強還像一篇essay。

Andrew老師是IELTS寫作考官，在課堂上會非常清楚的分析寫作的評分項目，還有四種

題型(argument, discussion or mix essay)的架構，每種題型的架構包含introduction

、body paragraph、conclusion的寫法，以及其中的起承轉合如何讓文章有cohesion，還

有如何精簡句子等等，這些技巧對於寫作棘手毫無頭緒看到雅思題目連下手都不知道怎麼

寫起的新手來說幫助真的很大。

還有寫作除了架構以外真的很需要點子，我是在練習task2的時候發現自己常常腦子空空

，如果準備時間夠的話，真的建議培養看新聞等等閱讀的習慣，才不會寫作的時候力不從

心，想舉例卻想不到明確的例子，顯得自己的論點很薄弱。

[說 Speaking]

使用資用:

Andrew課堂練習

因為除了課堂外我沒有練口說，所以只有拿到6分，但在考完試後才發現，怎麼考官問我

的都是雅思哥裡面的題目阿!!!!!!!!早知道就卯起來練了!!!在此真情推薦考前要愛用雅

思哥的口說題庫阿!!

但回答口說題目也是需要策略而不是想到甚麼就講什麼，在Andrew老師的課堂中會兩兩一

組練習，老師會先講解可以運用在口說的技巧和策略然後讓我們練習，老師會在旁邊聽，

結束練習後一起糾正錯誤。

[選補習班心得]

不想浪費時間在自己摸索考試所以決定補習，上網爬了很多補習班的心得，因為不喜歡連

鎖大型補習班，師資跟班次太多很難馬上進入狀況，所以選擇上大致剩下外師或中師。

原本擔心外師的課會不會聽不懂，但準IELTS考試是為了出國留學，出了國上課不也都是

外師嘛，所以當下連試聽都沒有就立刻決定報Andrew老師的課程，一來是因為老師的網站

把課程大綱、開課日期、學費等資訊都清清楚楚的列在網站上，不用像外面很多老師學費

還要私下問弄得很神秘，Andrew相較就很公開透明，二來是因為老師是IELTS的現任考官

，而且非常資深，如果能讓改考卷的人來告訴自己該怎麼樣拿到高分，豈不是針對考試最

有效率的準備方式。

一開始上課的時候發現老師講話語速很慢，原本還以為老師是不是本來講話就比較慵懶，

後來在下課聽到老師講電話的語速之快的，才恍然大悟其實老師應該是為了要讓我們聽清

楚聽懂，所以上課的時候講話會講的比較慢且清楚，就算對自己的聽力極度沒信心怕聽不

懂老師上課，課堂上還有搭配PPT引導，真的不用擔心聽不懂的問題，而且老師精美的PPT

和活潑互動的教學方式讓我這個每天早上6:30就已經起床的上班族下班後上課到晚上10點

也不會想睡覺，也很幸運的在補完習後雖然還沒有足夠充分的練習就拿到7分。

如果有準備考試上或補習班選擇的問題歡迎站內信我！祝大家也能早日考到目標的分數！

The Historical Background (i)

A long time ago, there was an approach to teaching known as ‘grammar-translation’. Now, keep in mind, this was a loooooonnnng time ago, in the days before modern language-learning. We are talking about the 1960s and 70s. Back then, people didn’t know much at all about how languages were learnt. They followed conventional thinking, and didn’t think much at all.

Grammar-translation was the teaching our parent would have received at school: chanting French sentences written on a blackboard, repeating phrases like robots as they read from French course books. The grammar was explained (in your own language) in detail. The conjugation of verbs was listed, and long columns of nouns had to be memorised, as did sentences and sets of situational speaking (‘Peter and Mary are meeting each other in the office’). There was constant translation, explanation, and the endless copying. It was as old, dusty, rigid, and inflexible as the picture above. It locked everyone down.

If your parents remember this experience, they remember it with distaste and a little fear. And they will admit that they didn’t learn much. They will also admit that what they did learn, they quickly forgot. However, it didn’t matter to anyone. In my country, it was just the high-school French or German class that everyone had to take. And forget.

Many teachers were happy with this, because it was easy to teach. They just followed pages from a textbook, and spoke in the students’ language. Day One, Pages 2 to 7. Day Two, Pages 8 to 12. The grammar-translation-memorisation method needed no effort, required no skill, and took no preparation. You didn’t need any special training whatsoever. A car mechanic could teach languages in this way. People just went through the motions, and it looked like ‘teaching’ to anyone who watched.

The next post will continue with this historical background.

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

• to be conventional (adj)
• to chant (v)
• column (n)
• to be rigid (adj)
• mechanic (n)
• to go through the motions (v)

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

Introduction (ii)

In the previous post, I was saying how smarter people, those who do the research, will be more successful in life, and here, we talking about YOUR FUTURE. And you are risking your future by going to bad schools and bad teachers.

So, in the next 39 posts I will outline, piece by piece, exactly what you need to know about the teaching situation here in Taiwan, and about the teaching of IELTS and English, about the signs which should make you worried, and what you should look out for.

You are advised to read each post VERY carefully, and think VERY carefully about the message, and the decisions you take about what teacher and what school you go to when preparing for IELTS.

Of course, it will also help your English reading skills, and improve your vocabulary, especially if you check the underlined words in your dictionary, as advised at the end of each post. To repeat, this is a long, thoughtful, and intelligent series of posts which can help you with your English development, and your life. You should take this seriously.

Here is the structure of the next 38 posts.

Posts 3 – 5               The Historical Background (of Teaching Language)

Posts 6 – 11             The Principles of Modern Language Teaching

Posts 12 – 15           Some Reflections on This

Posts 16 – 25           A Conversation of Someone who (Strongly) Disagrees

Posts 26                    Final Thoughts about This

Posts 27 – 30           Five Signs of a Fake Teacher

Posts 31 – 34           Six Signs Which Should Make You Worried

Posts 35 – 36           How to Use these Signs

Posts 37 – 38           Analysing a Fake Teacher

Posts 39 – 40           Conclusion and Final Thoughts

It all starts with the next post.

Make sure you read it. Your future may depend on it.

作者openoh (開)

看板IELTS

標題

時間Thu Nov 16 21:54:25 2017

我是上班族，補習兩個月後第一次考試就很幸運的拿到overall 7，以下是一些準備上的

心得分享

考場：北科集思會議中心

考試日期：2017/9/21

L: 8 R: 7 W: 6 S: 6 Overall: 7

https://i.imgur.com/yPrw6ug.jpg

[聽力 Listening]

使用資源：

1. BBC 6 Minute English/ Grammar/ Vocabulary

2. BBC world service News

3. Cambridge IELTS真題

4. Andrew課堂練習

以上1.2兩項資源都是在通勤的時候聽，如果要坐在電腦前認真花個幾十分鐘認真逐字聽

的話太費力大概兩天就放棄了！所以我的習慣是用iphone內建的podcast，把想聽的頻道

抓進去，不用特地去下載各式各樣的app，這些英文資源就像spotify或kkbox一樣在手機

裡，只要把平常聽音樂的習慣改成聽這些英文頻道，就能方便又快速的養成聽英文的習慣

，而且BBC的主持人也大多是英國腔，如果很容易被腔調影響的話這也是一個很好的練習

機會。

6 minute English是兩個人圍繞在一個主題的對話，類似IELTS Listening Section 1.3

的模式，而且可以學到一些話題、單字、口語說話的方式，對speaking也有些幫助，在BB

C learning English 的網站上有逐字稿可以對。6 minute Vocabulary/ Grammar則是可

以聽到英文解釋單字和文法，也是很好的資源，唯獨沒有逐字稿這個小缺點。

針對考試的話，最重要的還是練習IELTS真題，必須先了解IELTS的聽力每個section的題

型，個人覺得沒必要把速度調快，因為原始速度就已經夠快了，再調快大概會信心崩潰，

做完題目之後不要馬上對逐字稿，把錯的題目再仔細聽聽看到底是聽錯、被騙到、漏掉、

字尾s ed沒聽清楚、還是真的聽不懂。

補習在Listening上的幫助，就是不論聽說讀寫課都是全程英文的教學，因為我拆成兩期

來上，每週都有2-3個晚上，每次3小時的全英文環境，此外老師在Listening課堂上會仔

細介紹每個section的題型並搭配練習，還有如何圈關鍵字、預測答案、注意拐你的答案

、Table題型作答順序…等技巧。

[讀Reading]

使用資源：

1.Cambridge IELTS真題

2. Andrew課本

以前我是個不從第一個字讀到最後一個字會覺得不舒服的人，但要在60分鐘內讀完三篇文

章+回答40個題目，每篇文章都又臭又長的情況下精讀絕!對!做!不!完!所以找到自己的答

題模式非常重要。

Andrew老師的系統是「先skim文章→再看題目→回去文章鎖定答案」，這樣的做答模式非

常有效率，可以省掉花在看不懂又沒重點的內容的時間，有時候甚至不需要知道某些單字

的意思也能填出答案。但這種方法對於我這種不精讀會覺得哪裡怪怪的人來說最大的問題

就是T/F/NG題型，常常會有疑心病，明明已經找到答案了卻又怕有機關在我沒有讀到的句

子，但經過課堂和真題的練習，發現其實文章並不會跟你說True然後下一句還是在結尾的

時候又說其實那錯的拉應該是False，所以可以放心的用題目來鎖定答案的這種方式。

[寫 writing]

使用資源:

Andrew Task1 Task2課本

考前我只有把writing課堂上寫的作業(5篇task 1+ 4篇task2)訂正過一次，而且沒有計時

，所以在此建議各位練習的時候一定要記得計時練速度阿！不然考試的時候真的會緊張到

邊寫手邊抖然後腦子一片空白。我在正式考試的時候光task1就寫了30分鐘而且非常混亂

，導致task2只有勉強寫到第三段，字數明顯不夠，考完writing在等著考口說的時候我都

已經在滑手機看還有哪些場次可以報名了，沒想到意外的還有拿到6分，但我想這6分應該

來自我的架構有達到task response，雖然內容可能很爛而且字數不足，但我還是有盡量

把架構寫出來，讓它勉強還像一篇essay。

Andrew老師是IELTS寫作考官，在課堂上會非常清楚的分析寫作的評分項目，還有四種

題型(argument, discussion or mix essay)的架構，每種題型的架構包含introduction

、body paragraph、conclusion的寫法，以及其中的起承轉合如何讓文章有cohesion，還

有如何精簡句子等等，這些技巧對於寫作棘手毫無頭緒看到雅思題目連下手都不知道怎麼

寫起的新手來說幫助真的很大。

還有寫作除了架構以外真的很需要點子，我是在練習task2的時候發現自己常常腦子空空

，如果準備時間夠的話，真的建議培養看新聞等等閱讀的習慣，才不會寫作的時候力不從

心，想舉例卻想不到明確的例子，顯得自己的論點很薄弱。

[說 Speaking]

使用資用:

Andrew課堂練習

因為除了課堂外我沒有練口說，所以只有拿到6分，但在考完試後才發現，怎麼考官問我

的都是雅思哥裡面的題目阿!!!!!!!!早知道就卯起來練了!!!在此真情推薦考前要愛用雅

思哥的口說題庫阿!!

但回答口說題目也是需要策略而不是想到甚麼就講什麼，在Andrew老師的課堂中會兩兩一

組練習，老師會先講解可以運用在口說的技巧和策略然後讓我們練習，老師會在旁邊聽，

結束練習後一起糾正錯誤。

[選補習班心得]

不想浪費時間在自己摸索考試所以決定補習，上網爬了很多補習班的心得，因為不喜歡連

鎖大型補習班，師資跟班次太多很難馬上進入狀況，所以選擇上大致剩下外師或中師。

原本擔心外師的課會不會聽不懂，但準IELTS考試是為了出國留學，出了國上課不也都是

外師嘛，所以當下連試聽都沒有就立刻決定報Andrew老師的課程，一來是因為老師的網站

把課程大綱、開課日期、學費等資訊都清清楚楚的列在網站上，不用像外面很多老師學費

還要私下問弄得很神秘，Andrew相較就很公開透明，二來是因為老師是IELTS的現任考官

，而且非常資深，如果能讓改考卷的人來告訴自己該怎麼樣拿到高分，豈不是針對考試最

有效率的準備方式。

一開始上課的時候發現老師講話語速很慢，原本還以為老師是不是本來講話就比較慵懶，

後來在下課聽到老師講電話的語速之快的，才恍然大悟其實老師應該是為了要讓我們聽清

楚聽懂，所以上課的時候講話會講的比較慢且清楚，就算對自己的聽力極度沒信心怕聽不

懂老師上課，課堂上還有搭配PPT引導，真的不用擔心聽不懂的問題，而且老師精美的PPT

和活潑互動的教學方式讓我這個每天早上6:30就已經起床的上班族下班後上課到晚上10點

也不會想睡覺，也很幸運的在補完習後雖然還沒有足夠充分的練習就拿到7分。

如果有準備考試上或補習班選擇的問題歡迎站內信我！祝大家也能早日考到目標的分數！

Do you think this person will agree with me? Probably not.

A Conversation with Someone who Disagrees (ii)

Let us continue our imaginary conversation with that person who strongly disagrees with everything I have said. They are like the picture above, and they certainly don’t look happy, right? I will list their comments, and give my answers, and let’s now look at their 2nd comment.

Their 2^nd Comment [By the way, don’t worry if you can’t understand this comment; it isn’t meant to make sense.]

Grammar translation is based on cultural dimension, and logical input is necessary in the IELTS test, so students need to have the underlying logic explained in Chinese in order to reformulate messages into good speaking. That’s the only way to really learn. And only by memorisation can the inner phrasing of collocated words become meaningful since you can identify the patterns through accepted ways of thinking, accessible to the learners.

My Response

Those who defend their methods of teaching will sometimes use a lot of words, and strange argumentation. There is an interesting phrase in English: ‘to blind someone with science’. This means, to just use a lot of strange words (for example, scientific words or jargon from a profession), and put these words together for the purpose of totally confusing the people who are listening, while trying to make yourself sound smart. Since the listeners are totally confused, they don’t know how to respond, so they assume you must know what you are talking about. You have ‘blinded them with science’.

Your job is to really think about this, and decide if the comments you are hearing actually make sense. The 2^ndcomment makes no sense at all. The comment comes from someone trying to ‘blind you with science’. Trust me, there’s a lot of this going on among schools and teachers: just lots of stuff that doesn’t make sense.

Their 3^rd Comment

CLT isn’t perfect. Many people disagree with it, and criticise it!

My Response

Actually, most people who know what they are talking about accept CLT, and it is the most widely used teaching methodology in the world. However, there is no ‘perfect’ system, and everything can be criticised. For example, some people say CLT does not offer enough grammar/structure; however, the ‘soft’ version of CLT introduces a lot of this.

Others say there are no ‘rules’ in CLT, so nothing can be standardised or systematically taught to teachers. There is no ‘rulebook’, but just a vague set of principles and techniques. My response is that this is true, and this is what makes CLT such a difficult skill, and why experience and hard work is always necessary – and why many who may claim that they teach in this way, may not be good teachers at all. Everything all depends on the teacher!

To those who take CLT and their professional seriously, and have developed their skills to make it work in the classroom. The drawbacks of CLT can be overcome, and the criticism can be easily answered. The obvious question I would like to ask these people is: do you have a better system? The answer is a definite ‘No, you don’t!’

We will look at another (critical) comment in the next post.

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

• a dimension (n)
• to blind sb. with science (v)
• to reformulate (v)
• jargon (n)
• to criticise (v)
• to be vague (adj)
• a drawback (n)
• to overcome (v)

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

Is your school or teacher thinking like what you see in this picture, using broken techniques? Remember, nothing in this picture works anymore? People should know more now.

The Historical Background (ii)

In the previous post, we were talking about the 1960s and 70s – a long time ago – when all the language teaching was based on an approach known as ‘grammar-translation’. And it didn’t work well at all, but it didn’t matter to anyone at the time.

The trouble was, in the 1970s and 1980s, globalisation become a dominant force in the world. Europe adopted a common-market economy, people began migrating more to other countries, and organisations became more global. Thus, learning languages steadily become more important. It became so important that it became a field of research. Linguists and teachers all began questioning why no one was actually learning much. It was no longer good enough to just go through the motions, and pretend it was working. The simple fact was that it didn’t work well at all.

You can probably see what I’m suggesting here. The ‘old’ grammar-translation method from long ago can often live on in parts of Asia – in fact, it sometimes feels like a time-warp here in Taiwan – just like the picture above. Here, you can step back in time 50 years to the situation which my parent faced – a situation of cobwebs, ancient techniques, and old-dated thinking. They do things which were discredited ages ago; things which are inexcusable in the classroom (e.g. ‘We’ll teach you how to sound British’). Many school, teachers, and organisation are stuck in the distant history, using a thinking pattern from the lo-ooooong past – so long it’s almost embarrassing, but that’s the way it happens in Taiwan. This leads to the big question.

Why is it like this?

Well, I will explain the answer to this question in a later post [but here are two clues: ask yourself: (1) what’s the most important thing to these schools: helping you, or making money? and (2) How much money are these schools and teachers making by keeping things the way they are?].

So, it’s time to think for a moment. Does the grammar-translation-memorisation ‘teaching’ I described in the previous posts sound exactly like what you face in the classroom when you study for IELTS? If so, you definitely should read on.

The next post will continue with this historical background.

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

• an approach (n)
• to migrate (v)
• to go through the motions (v)
• a time warp (n)
• cobweb (n)
• to be discredited (adj)
• to be inexcusable (adj)
• a clue (n)

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