1. Adult-centered teaching English. Meeting the needs of learners
Anna Voronina,
Pearson-Longman teacher trainer,
(20)

2. Aims of the session:
To speak about the Common European Framework and how Pearson books are related to the system of levels of language competences;
To show how we can teach with Pearson books in both traditional and creative classrooms;
To highlight similarities of teaching English and exam training.

3. Buzz words in ELT Communicative Approach The Common European Framework
Student-centred learning
The Lexical Approach
New technology (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Internet resources, blended learning)
I’d like to start with a question “What are the buzz words in ELT today?” What do we mean by modern approaches in ELT?

4. Seminar plan: Features and Adult Learner characteristics Needs
Psychological
Practical
Linguistic
Teacher’s role
Materials to meet
the needs

5. Questions: Who we teach? What we teach? Why we teach / they learn?
How we teach?

6. Learner’s portrait puzzle

7. Adult learners:
Are people with established values, beliefs and opinions;
Have accumulated a foundation of life experience and knowledge;
Are autonomous and self-directed;
Are goal-oriented;
Are relevancy-oriented;
Are practical.
We need to demonstrate respect for different beliefs, value systems and lifestyles. Let students know that they are entitled to their opinions but that everyone in the room may not share their beliefs. And they also have to respect that.
Have accumulated a foundation of life experience and knowledge (incl. work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education); It means that in many cases we need to base the choice of topics, language and explanation of new material depending on students’ knowledge, interests and experience.
Autonomous and self-directed; - they are people with basic learning strategies and skills, they know their individual easiest way of perceiving language material and information, i.e. how they learn better. As teachers we need to use a variety of teaching methods, such as auditory, visual and participatory, organize pair and group work activities to give each of the students a chance to make most of the class. Choose the appropriate level of challenge, don’t spoon-feed the learners.
Goal-oriented; upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goal they want to attain. They, therefore, appreciate an educational program that is organized and has clearly defined elements. We need to show our students how this class will help them to reach their goals. (“Can do” statements, lesson aims)
Relevancy-oriented;- students must see a reason for learning something. Learning has to be applicable to their future professional needs to be really valuable to students.
Practical. – adult learners are people who tend to have a problem-centred orientation to learning. Many of students start working when they are still in the university. We need to focus their attention on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them.
All six features influence the adult learner MOTIVATION

8. Learner’s portrait

9. Adult learner’s needs:
Psychological;
Linguistic;
Practical.
Why we teach / they learn?

10. linguistic psychological practical
motivation
linguistic
psychological
appropriate
language
level
self-esteem
learning style
communicative
competences
learning skills
self-assessment
skills
practical
cutting edge
technology
exams taking
strategies
goal-oriented
language learning

11. What we teach?

12. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
A European system of levels of language competence:
Grades and defines language ability, achievement and progress in language learning
The CEFR is made of a series of competence descriptors: ‘can do’ statements
The Common European Framework is a common European system of levels of language competence, which allows transparent comparison between language ability and qualifications in different languages. It is relevant to the European Language Portfolio, in that all ELPs make specific reference to the CEFR for defining language competence.
The CEFR is made up of a series of competence descriptors, or ‘can do’ statements, that refer to the ability of the learner in terms of the four skills and with particular emphasis on their ability to communicate and understand.

13. Effective proficiency
CEF levels C
Proficient User C2
Mastery C1
Effective proficiency B
Independent User B2
Vantage B1
Threshold A
Basic User A2
Waystage A1
Breakthrough
There are 6 CEF levels.
These levels are used by examination boards, materials writers, course designers, and provide a transparent standard against which to benchmark courses, coursebooks, examinations and tests.

14. CEF scales B1 Global scale
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics, which are familiar, or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
There are 6 CEF levels.
These levels are used by examination boards, materials writers, course designers, and provide a transparent standard against which to benchmark courses, coursebooks, examinations and tests.

15. CEF scales B1 Overall listening comprehension
Can understand straightforward factual information about common everyday or job related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details, provided speech is clearly articulated in a generally familiar accent.
Can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure etc., including short narratives.

16. Self-assessment grid B1
Reception
Listening
I can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main point of many radio or TV programmes on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

17. CEF helps students to:
reflect on their own language learning experiences and strategies
assess their own competence
aim for individual progress in proficiency
Students need to learn to:
reflect on their own language learning experiences and strategies
assess their own competence
select their best work for the dossier
How can we help them to do this?

18. CEF helps teachers to:
How to integrate the Portfolio into lessons
don’t spend whole lessons on Portfolio work
don’t do ‘extra’ work for the Portfolio
when planning lessons, homework and other assignments, think about projects, roleplays, writing tasks which might be suitable for the Dossier.
when looking at the “learning aims” of a unit in your textbook, think about the self-assessment descriptions. Are the students learning a new communication skill described in the Portfolio?
use the self-assessment descriptions to help you when planning tests and examinations.
think about using self-assessment as part of your regular progress tests because this will encourage students to think about their own communicative competence.
show students what they need to be able to do to reach a certain language level
choose coursebooks and materials
design tests and exams
write a syllabus or curriculum

20. What is special about teaching an exam class
What is special about teaching an exam class? Give one example that shows a difference between exam classes and non-exam classes
EXAM CLASSES
NON-EXAM CLASSES

21. Teaching for Exams Important things to keep in mind:
Students need to know English at particular level;
Students need to have exam skills;
Students need to know about the exam.

22. International Language Exams

23. How we teach? Longman books’ philosophy
Student-centered approach;
Balance of language knowledge and communicative skills development;
System of activities for various learning style development;
Plenty of doing;
Lifelong learning skills development;
Self-assessment skills development.

24. Language Leader levels
Proficient user
Language Leader levels С1
CAE
PTE L4
Independent user
PTE L3 B2
FCE B1
PET
PTE L2
Basic user
Language Leader Elementary correlates with A2 level,
Pre-Intermediate – starts with A2 and comes to the beginning of B1, Intermediate covers B1, Upper Intermediate – correlates with B2
KET
PTE L1 A2 A1
PTE A1

25. Five Levels from A2 to C1
- factual rather than lifestyle content
- adult and sophisticated design
- scenario spreads that lead to a final communicative task
- a strong focus on study skills
- a stimulating and comprehensive writing syllabus

43. STUDY SKILLS HOW TO READ FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY
HOW TO WORK WELL IN GROUPS – TEAMWORK
HOW TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY
HOW TO DEVELOP STUDENTS’ LISTENING AND NOTE-TAKING
HOW TO DESCRIBE GRAPHICS, CHARTS AND TABLES
HOW TO MAKE INFORMAL/FORMAL PRESENTATIONS
HOW TO REFERENCE SOURCES FOR DISSERTATIONS
HOW TO PARAPHRASE & AVOID PLAGIARISM

47. Total English levels CAE C1 B2 FCE PET B1 KET A2 A1 Proficient user
PTE L4 C1
Independent user B2
FCE
PTE L3
PET
PTE L2 B1
PTE L1
KET A2
Basic user
PTE A1 A1

48. Website resource bank

52. Total English Portfolio

54. Teacher Support
Teach rich, varied lessons using the Teacher’s Book with thorough teaching notes, photocopiable activities and DVD worksheets
Get all the test material you could ever need using the Test Master CD-ROM, with fully editable tests for all stages of the course
Add more variety to the course using the Companion Website with photocopiables and webquests for every unit
Total English portfolio available for all levels of the series

60. linguistic psychological practical
motivation
linguistic
psychological
appropriate
language
level
self-esteem
learning style
communicative
competences
learning skills
self-assessment
skills
practical
cutting edge
technology
exams taking
strategies
goal-oriented
language learning

61. Teacher’s role Be patient!
Choose appropriate language material to meet practical, linguistic and psychological needs of students;
Base explanation on Ss’ actual knowledge and life experience,
Guide Ss in developing learning skills;
Use a variety of teaching methods to support different learning styles;
Be patient!

62. “It is a supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge”
– Albert Einstein
“We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility”

63. avmos@longman.ru; voronina.anna21@gmail.com;
Questions
Opinions
Seminar materials requests
THANK YOU!