Workshop presented at Disal - São Paulo, Brazil - on February 23, 2013

1. learning teaching: being a better 
teacher every day
Higor Cavalcante – February 22, 2013 – DISAL Auditorium

2. ‘I stayed’ – Penny Ur.

3. But how to get better?

4. What’s a good teacher?
 ‘One of the reasons that it is difficult to give general
descriptions of good teachers is that different
teachers are often successful in different ways.’
 Rapport
 Knowledge of subject matter
 Creativity
 Professionalism

5. Rapport
RAPPORT
Difficult to define, but we recognize it when we see it. – Jim Scrivener

6. Professionalism
 Punctuality
 Lesson preparation
 Respect
 Fairness
 Reliability
 Being a professional

7. Knowledge of subject matter
 How can I improve my knowledge of my subject
matter?
 On my own / courses
 What is ‘knowledge of the subject matter’?
 Grammar
 Vocabulary
 Pronunciation
 Discourse
 Culture

8. Working on language
Read in order to live – Gustave Flaubert
 The joy of reading!
 Vastly and variedly
 Authentic texts (not ‘readers’!)
 News, blog, magazines (‘living language’)
 Novels:
crime, romance, epic, classics, American, British, Iris
h, Australian etc.
 Most complete exercise (all aspects of lgg)
 Get well informed.

9. Working on language - solo
 Improving vocabulary
 Reading (have I mentioned that?)
 Passive vocabulary => Active vocabulary
 ‘Keen eye’ for exposure to real language
 Vocab notebook
 English Vocabulary in Use – Advanced
 English Collocations in Use – Advanced
 Idioms Organizer / Phrasal Verbs Organizer

10. Working on language - solo
 Grammar:
 Reading! (repetitive?)
 Try out sophisticated grammar in your use
(speaking/writing)
 ‘Keen eye’ for exposure to real language
 Advanced Language Practice
 English for English Language Teachers
 Advanced Grammar in Use

11. Working on language - solo
 Pronunciation:
 ‘Keen eye’ for exposure to real use
 Attention to phonemic symbols (dictionaries)
 Attention to one’s own pronunciation
 Sound Foundations
 English Phonetics and Phonology
 How to Teach Pronunciation

12. Working on language - courses
 Exams preparation (CAE, CPE etc.)
 Reading, Writing, Use of English – grammar & vocab
–, Listening, Speaking.
 CPE? It’s not finished!
 Pronunciation courses
 Seven’s PELT (Marcelo Rangel); IH’s V.O.I.C.E.S. (Élcio
Camilo)
 Letras? (a degree in English? Translation?
Licensure?)

13. Teaching
 “We cannot hold a torch to light another's path
without brightening our own.”
- Ben Sweetland (author of Become Rich While You
Sleep (!))

14. Teaching - solo
 Scrivener’s Learning Teaching with a twist
 Learn ideas on magazines, blogs (workshops!) and
try them out!
 Take part in online social networks (#eltchat /
#breltchat)
 Go to conferences and seminars (Braz-
TESOL, IATEFL, TESOL)
 Talk at conferences and seminars (give workshops at
Disal)
 Class and peer observation
 Intra-school teachers’ gatherings
 Specialize

15. Teaching - solo
 Some more ideas
 Keep a teaching journal
 Write a blog
 Pedagogical meetings (to hell with the A/C!)
 Mentor / Guardian Angel
 Use the Internet (onestopenglish.com, teacher’s
forums, British Council, webinars etc.)
 Reading books on ELT/TEFL/TESOL, such as…

16. Teaching - solo
 Books:
 How to Teach English, Jeremy Harmer
 Essential Teacher Knowledge, Jeremy Harmer
 Learning Teaching, Jim Scrivener
 A Course in English Language Teaching, Penny Ur
 The Practice of English Language Teaching, JH
 Teaching by Principles, H Douglas Brown
 An A-Z or ELT, Scott Thornbury

17. Teaching - solo
 Lesson observation (NOT police work)
 Pre-observation meeting
 Observation (of the WHOLE class)
 Post-observation meeting (+ written feedback and
action plan)
 Peer observation
 Informal (+ feedback)
 Formal (as above)

18. Teaching - courses
 TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)
 The different modules test theory underpinning the
teaching and the learning of ELT:
 Background to Language Teaching
 Planning for Language Teaching
 Classroom Management
 KAL (Knowledge About Language)
 CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)
 YL (Young Learners)

19. Teaching - courses
 CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to
Adults) / Trinity CertTESOL / ICELT
 Input sessions (theory)
 Teaching practice (observed & assessed)
 Different levels & topics
 Written assignments
 On language
 On teaching
 On learners
 On development

20. Teaching - courses
 Trinity DipTESOL or DELTA (Diploma in English
Language Teaching to Adults)
 Internationally respected (teacher trainer / DoS)
 For experienced teachers (minimum Cert-level + 2
years’ experience)
 DELTA: 3 modules (2 of which can be done online)
 DipTESOL: 4 units (2 of which can be done online)
 Become a CELTA/CertTESOL/ICELT tutor

21. Teaching - courses
 MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other
Languages)
 “training tomorrow's leaders in this growing and
evolving field” – The New School – NY
 Foci on teaching, curriculum development, materials
design
 Become reference in the field

22. Thank you!
 ‘Good luck. I hope you enjoy it all!’ – Penny Ur

23. http://www.slideshare.net/higorcavalcante/learning-
teaching-becoming-a-better-teacher-every-day
 cavalcante.higor@uol.com.br
 Skype/Twitter: teacherhigor
 TKT online (starting March 3)
 CAE & CPE preparation (now running)
(Caltabiano Idiomas – (11) 3436-6004)