Facing the C2 challenge

1. Facingthe C2 challenge Judy Rose Somepracticaltipsforteachinglearners of English at thehighestlevel

2. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Why do students study at C2 level? • Maintaining their level • Gaining confidence before studying CPE • Social activity • Use it daily in their private or professional lives • Doing a post graduate degree • English teachers themselves • They love the language!

3. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE What should we be teaching at this level? • A good question! • Textbooks often tell us what ‘syllabus’ we should be delivering to our students if there isn’t one already set by your academy/school. • Not much published material available • There is a combination of opinions from teachers

4. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE “Refine the knowledge of the grammar points they are already familiar with and teach them less common language they wouldn’t have seen at lower levels.” Luke Worsnopp “One thing we should be looking at is an amplification of vocabulary and focusing on the grammar at C1 to make sure that it’s consolidated and used correctly at C2.” Phil Trust “You need to be using as much authentic material as possible that isn’t full of high-end over the top academic language.” Sam “It’s not really what we should be teaching but more how we should be responding to the students and the students’ needs. What language they are trying to produce and not able to do it perfectly. Ross McConnoch “We have to be constantly challenging them and put them in situations where they use English that are outside of how they usually use it.” Tom Paffett “They need support (from teachers) to move from high level users of English to being confident, proficient, autonomous communicators. Teachers need to listen to their learning needs and be flexible and creative in their response.” Melody Philip

5. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE How do you decide? • We’re good at recognising and categorizing what language represents which level of proficiency our students have. • At C2 it is just everything else…. • Make sure we’re teaching the four skills: • Reading • Writing • Speaking (monologue and interactional) • Listening

6. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Three ways to structure your C2 classes and know you’re delivering the right stuff • Adapt existing materials designed for CPE and lower levels: • Go back to the basics • Use authentic materials

7. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE

8. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE

9. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE BRICK: to be built like a brick shit house; to brick it BUCKET: to have a bucket list; to kick the bucket DRILL: to perform a drill of something HAMMER: to get hammered; to hammer a point home LADDER:to get on the property ladder; to get on the career ladder; to have a ladder in your tights NAILS:to nail something; to nail someone; for something to be as hard as nails; the final nail in the coffin PLANKSOF WOOD: to be as thick as two short planks ROPE: to rope someone into doing something; to feel/look ropey; to be at the end of your rope SCREWS: to screw someone over; to screw someone; to have a screw lose; to be a bit screwy STRING:to string someone along; to be strung out TAP: to tap your fingers; to tap out of something; to tap into something; to tap a phone TILES:to have a night on the tiles WIRES: to be wired; crossed wires SHED: a shed load of stuff

10. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE

11. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Back to the basics • There are many fossilized mistakes that C2 students can make: • - edendings • Phrasal verbs • Prepositions • Gerunds and infinitives • Incorrect collocations • Substitution and ellipsis • Contractions • Any more?

12. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Authentic Materials TV series/Film Novels Everything else authentic

13. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Why we should use TV in class • A way of delivering language in an authentic and engaging way • Improves listening skills • Repeated language in the episode or series allows for a higher chance of retention success • Enjoying the presentation of the language helps motivation • Gives endless opportunities for discussion and improving speaking skills • Helps students to understand humour • Exposure to different accents and dialects • Understanding vocabulary used in multiple English speaking countries

14. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Ways to use TV series and Films • Reviews • Discussion and debate • Role play similar situations • Re-enact scenes with intonation • Predictions • Recommendations: • The Night Of; The Night Manager; The IT Crowd, Mad Dogs; The Good Place

15. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Readinga book • Many different ways to get your students reading different things: online articles, the news, social media, reviews… etc • One of the best ways to get them reading is to do it with them. It can be really hard to read a book with your students in a general English course with a text book but in C2 you have that freedom and time. • Make it a mixture of a book club and English language class! • Discuss the chapters and the themes that come up. Spark Notes is a great resource.

16. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE

17. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE “Daddy’skneeismade1…………… 2. ……..……moonbone,” he wouldtellher, or “Miss Koeklesaidmycolorswerereallygood” – shewouldnodher head. Shehadbecomeaware3…..…………… whatshedid. Shecutcarrots and celery4…..............…..ediblelengths. Shewashed5…….…………. thermoses and lunchboxes, and whenLindseydecidedshewastoooldfor a lunchbox, mymothercaughtherselfactuallyhappywhenshefoundwax-lined bags thatwouldkeepherdaughter’s lunch 6………..……….. seeping7…………………and stainingherclothes. Whichshewashed. Whichshefolded. Whichsheironedwhennecessary and whichshestraightened8…………………… hangers. Whichshepicked9……..…….… 10…………… thefloororretrieved11……………… the car oruntangled12………………….. thewettowelleft13……………….. thebedthatshemadeeverymorning, tuckingthecorners14……………………, and fluffingthepillows, and propping15……………….. stuffedanimals, and openingtheblinds to letthe light 16……….………... 17………………………. themomentswhenBuckleysoughther18…..……….., sheoftenmade a barter of it. Shewouldfocus19……..………….. him20…………..……… a few minutes, and thenshewouldallowherself to drift21……….…………. 22……………………… herhouse and home and think23……….……… Len.

18. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE “Daddy’skneeismade1……OUT………. 2.…OF………moonbone,” he wouldtellher, or “Miss Koeklesaidmycolorswerereallygood” – shewouldnodher head. Shehadbecomeaware3..……OF………… whatshedid. Shecutcarrots and celery4…INTO… …ediblelengths. Shewashed5……OUT…………. thermoses and lunchboxes, and whenLindseydecidedshewastoooldfor a lunchbox, mymothercaughtherselfactuallyhappywhenshefoundwax-lined bags thatwouldkeepherdaughter’s lunch 6……FROM………..seeping7……OUT……………and stainingherclothes. Whichshewashed. Whichshefolded. Whichsheironedwhennecessary and whichshestraightened8……ON……………… hangers. Whichshepicked9…UP…….…10 …FROM………… thefloororretrieved11…FROM………… the car oruntangled12……FROM…………….. thewettowelleft13……ON………….. thebedthatshemadeeverymorning, tuckingthecorners14………IN……………, and fluffingthepillows, and propping15……UP………….. stuffedanimals, and openingtheblinds to letthe light 16…..IN………... 17…………IN……………. themomentswhenBuckleysoughther18 …OUT……….., sheoftenmade a barter of it. Shewouldfocus19……ON………….. him20……FOR……… a few minutes, and thenshewouldallowherself to drift21 ……AWAY…………. 22…FROM……………… herhouse and home and think23……OF……… Len.

19. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE What to do next with the language? Recycle the language: Debate: https://freeenglishlessonplans.com/ 2. Discussion http://www.sparknotes.com/ https://www.shmoop.com/literature/ 3. Same scene, different situation

20. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Other books to try with C2

21. FACING THE C2 CHALLENGE Everything and anything else! • Youtubevideos • Radio news headlines • Online articles • Podcasts • Recordings of yourself and others- take advantage of your surroundings and the different accents around you

22. Thankyouforyourattention