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Why do I want to be an English teacher?. Svetla Tashevska, NBU. Are you:. a teacher of English? a teacher trainer? a Manager/ Director of studies? a professional materials writer/ publisher? a student of English? other – specify: _____________________________.
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Why do I want to be an English teacher? Svetla Tashevska, NBU
Are you: • a teacher of English? • a teacher trainer? • a Manager/ Director of studies? • a professional materials writer/ publisher? • a student of English? • other – specify: • _____________________________
Your start in teaching English • Why did you become a teacher of English?
How long have you been teaching English? • less than 1 year • 1 ÷ 5 • 6 ÷ 10 • 11 ÷ 15 • 15 ÷ 20 • 21 ÷ 25 • more than 25 years
Why are you a teacher of English? • Do you consider teaching English as your main professional interest? YES NO • If not, why are you teaching it? • to earn my living; • because I enjoy teaching; • other – specify: • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________
Context • Cambridge CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) – Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages • Introductory course – little or no previous ELT experience; or some experience but little previous training • AVO-Bell, Sofia, Bulgaria • 5-week intensive course
Review of applications • 40 candidates • for 2008 and 2009 courses: • Feb 2008 – 5 candidates • Jun 2008 – 11 candidates • Aug 2008 – 6 candidates • Nov 2008 - 6 candidates • Feb 2009 – 6 candidates • Jul & Aug 2009 (forthcoming) – 6 (so far)
Candidates’ age • 20 ÷ 30 – 17 candidates • 31 ÷ 40 - 8 • 41 ÷ 50 - 11 • 51 ÷ 60 - 3 • Over 60 - 1
Or • Under 35 – 25 candidates (62.5%) • 36 ÷ 40 – no candidates • Over 41 – 15 candidate (37.5%)
Non-Bulgarian – 21 (52.5%) British – 9 (1 Dutch/ Brit) Canadian – 3 (1 Germ/ Canad) American – 1 Russian – 2 Romanian – 2 Italian -1 Serbian – 1 Turkish – 1 Lybian – 1 Candidates’ nationality • Bulgarian – 19 (47.5%) -> Different education backgrounds
NESTs - Non-NESTs Ratio • Native English speaking teachers – 13 • Non-native English speaking teachers – 27 -> 32.5% NESTs ÷ 67.5% Non NESTs
Women – Men Ratio • Women – 26 • Men – 14 -> 65% ÷ 35%
Candidates’ experience teaching English ranges from: • one-to-one (private) lessons to classroom settings • general to specific purposes (business) • no experience/ a few months to 19 years • students of different levels & ages • in different places around the world
Personal Statement • Part of AVO-Bell CELTA application procedure: Please write on a separate sheet why you want to do the course and how you feel you would benefit most from this course.
Reasons • candidates give include reasons: • why teach • why English • why CELTA • why CELTA in Bulgaria & vary from quite practical to very idealistic from quite honest & straightforward to ‘elated’ formulations aiming to impress
What do you think? • What are the candidates’ 2 top reasons? • What are the 3 most frequent words used in their personal statements?
Formulations (quantity) • qualification/ qualify/ ~ed/ ~ing– used 35x by 15 people • enjoy/ like/ love (teaching/ working with people / with ESL ss etc.) – 27x by 17 p. • career, ~ change, (enhance/ continue ~) – 23x by 19 p. • develop (teaching skills/ techniques/ qualities etc.), development – 23x by 15 p.
Formulations (2) • certification/ certify/ ~ed/~ing– 22x by 15 people • culture, etc. – used 22x by 11 p. • improve (skills/ qualities/ methods/ style/ awareness/ knowledge,etc. ) – 20x by 19 p. • travel, etc. – 11x by 6 p. • step – 7x by 5 p.
Reasons • Difference between younger & more mature candidates? • More mature: • established in teaching – improvement, quality, development • changed circumstances – career change • Younger: • aware of needs – training, improvement • not aware of needs (but aware of personal strengths) – start in life
Reasons (quotes) • handout
In conclusion REASONS: • improvement & professional development • career prospects • learning about other cultures BUT – MAIN REASONS: • enjoying teaching • & enjoying English
Resources • Cambridge ESOL CELTA www.cambridge-efl.org/teaching • www.avo-bell.com • Medgyes, P. (1994), The non-native teacher, MEP Monographs, Macmillan • Woods, D. (1996),Teacher Cognition in Language Teaching, Cambridge Applied Linguistics, CUP
Thank you! • Svetla Tashevska • svetla_tashevska@yahoo.co.uk • www.nbu.bg