ETpedia Teacher Training

500 ideas for teacher training in

English language teaching
© Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd

The authors have asserted their rights in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act (1988) to be identified as the authors of this work.

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First published 2020

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otherwise, without prior permission in writing of the publisher and the copyright owners.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Photocopying permission
The resources in the Appendix may be copied, without fee or prior permission, by the
purchaser subject to both of the following conditions: that the item is reproduced in its entirety,
including the copyright acknowledgement; that the copies are used solely by the person or
organisation who purchased the original publication.

Pavilion is the leading training and development provider and publisher in the health, social
care and allied fields, providing a range of innovative training solutions underpinned by sound
research and professional values. We aim to put our customers first, through excellent customer
service and value.

ISBN: 978-1-913414-16-0
PDF ebook ISBN: 978-1-913414-18-4
Epub ISBN: 978-1-913414-17-7
Kindle ISBN: 978-1-913414-19-1

Authors: Beth Mella-Leigh and Nicholas Northall

Editor: Penny Hands
Production editor: Mike Benge, Pavilion Publishing and Media
Cover design: Emma Dawe, Pavilion Publishing and Media
Page layout and typesetting: Phil Morash, Pavilion Publishing and Media
Printing: Ashford Press
Contents
Introduction
10 contexts in which to use this resource..................................................................... 6
10 reasons for using this resource................................................................................ 8
10 ways to use this resource...................................................................................... 10
10 facts about the authors......................................................................................... 12
Section 1: Getting started
Unit 1: 10 questions to ask about teacher training.................................................... 16
Unit 2: 10 routes into teacher training....................................................................... 19
Unit 3: 10 tips for new teacher trainers...................................................................... 21
Unit 4: 10 things to do before a course begins.......................................................... 23
Unit 5: 10 tips for planning courses........................................................................... 26
Unit 6: 10 things to focus on at the beginning of a course........................................ 28
Section 2: Input sessions
Unit 7: 10 key aspects of an input session................................................................. 32
Unit 8: 10 questions to ask yourself when planning an input session ....................... 35
Unit 9: 10 tips for delivering effective sessions ......................................................... 38
Unit 10: 10 ways to get to know your trainee teachers.............................................. 41
Unit 11: 10 warmers and lead-ins for input sessions.................................................. 44
Unit 12: 10 different types of material for input sessions........................................... 47
Unit 13: 10 activities for input sessions on teaching the four skills............................ 50
Unit 14: 10 activities for input sessions on teaching language.................................. 53
Unit 15: 10 activities for teaching classroom management....................................... 56
Unit 16: 10 tasks for before and after an input session ............................................. 59
Unit 17: 10 tasks for reflection and consolidation ..................................................... 62
Section 3: Teaching practice and lesson planning
Unit 18: 10 benefits of teaching practice................................................................... 66
Unit 19: 10 ways to overcome typical trainee fears about teaching practice............ 68
Unit 20: 10 ways to overcome typical trainer concerns with teaching practice......... 71
Unit 21: 10 tips to share with trainees before their teaching practice ...................... 74
Unit 22: 10 ways to approach planning before teaching practice............................. 77
Unit 23: 10 concerns trainees have with lesson planning.......................................... 80
Unit 24: 10 ideas to provide support with planning................................................... 83
Section 4: Lesson observation
Unit 25: 10 practical considerations for observations................................................ 88
Unit 26: 10 ideas for observing successfully.............................................................. 91
Unit 27: 10 observation tasks..................................................................................... 94
Unit 28: 10 alternative approaches to observing....................................................... 98
Unit 29: 10 ways to create an effective demonstration lesson................................. 102
Unit 30: 10 benefits of peer observation................................................................. 104
Section 5: The feedback stage
Unit 31: 10 ways to encourage post-observation reflection ................................... 108
Unit 32: 10 considerations for written feedback...................................................... 111
Unit 33: 10 things to remember when giving oral feedback.................................... 114
Unit 34: 10 different feedback approaches.............................................................. 116
Unit 35: 10 different feedback activities................................................................... 119
Section 6: Assignments and written tasks
Unit 36: 10 questions to consider when setting tasks.............................................. 124
Unit 37: 10 suggestions for written tasks................................................................. 126
Unit 38: 10 ideas to help trainees complete written tasks....................................... 129
Unit 39: 10 ways to mark written tasks..................................................................... 131
Section 7: Different types of training contexts
Unit 40: 10 tips for working with pre-service teachers............................................. 136
Unit 41: 10 tips for working with in-service teachers................................................ 138
Unit 42: 10 ideas for working with varied cohorts ................................................... 141
Unit 43: 10 considerations for online and blended teacher training........................ 144
Unit 44: 10 ways to teach an exam preparation training course.............................. 147
Unit 45: 10 ideas for mentoring............................................................................... 149
Section 8: Ending a course and further development
Unit 46: 10 ‘What if …?’ questions........................................................................... 152
Unit 47: 10 practical considerations for finishing a course....................................... 156
Unit 48: 10 tips for getting feedback on a course.................................................... 158
Unit 49: 10 questions to ask yourself at the end of a course................................... 161
Unit 50: 10 ways to develop as a teacher trainer..................................................... 163
Resources
10 more useful teacher training resources............................................................... 165
Appendix
Introduction
 10 contexts in which to use this resource

This resource is not restricted to use in one particular teacher training context. The
suggestions and activities can be used by trainers involved in training and developing
teachers in a variety of different contexts from formal teacher training courses to more
informal professional development workshops. Many of the tips are applicable to a range of
different levels from pre-service all the way through to experienced practising teachers; other
ideas can be easily adapted for use in your own situation. Below are ten contexts in which
this resource can be used.

1. Short, intensive pre-service courses

This is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in delivering an intensive pre-service
course. This may be an accredited course or an equivalent. These kinds of courses are not
only demanding for the trainees, but for the trainers too, and the tips and activities may
save you some valuable time and help to reduce stress.

2. Part-time pre-service courses

Likewise, the advice and ideas you will find in this resource will be applicable for use
on accredited or alternative entry-level courses that are delivered on a part-time basis
covering varying periods of time.
Introduction

3. Accredited in-service courses

The resource will also be useful if you are working with more experienced teachers who are
taking in-service teaching qualifications. Most of the ideas are appropriate for use with in-
service teachers as they stand; alternatively they can be adapted for use with teachers who
already have teaching experience. Unit 41 focuses specifically on training in this context.

4. Non-accredited in-service courses

In-service courses do not have to be externally accredited for the materials to be relevant.
Any experienced teachers taking a course to further their professional development will
benefit from the ideas in this resource.

5. Training your staff

If you are a Director of Studies (DoS), Academic Manager or anyone with responsibilities
on a training programme, you will find plenty of tips and ideas to help you organise and
provide training and development opportunities for your team.

6. Teacher examination courses

Some teacher training courses are designed to prepare teachers to take an exam that tests
their knowledge of teaching. Although practical in nature, this resource will help to expand
teachers’ knowledge of best practice by offering easily accessible advice and suggestions.
Unit 44 contains explicit tips on preparing teachers to take a teaching exam.

7. BA and MA courses
TESOL modules are offered in a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses at
universities all over the world. Many of the ideas in this book can easily be adapted to
these contexts or used to supplement core materials.

6 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Tailor-made training courses
If you are responsible for designing bespoke training courses, this resource will help to
guide you through the whole process, from designing your course to delivering it, to
getting feedback and evaluating it.

9. Online or blended courses

Throughout this resource, reference is made to online and blended learning. Unit 43 is
dedicated entirely to online training.

10. Workshops for practising teachers

The resource is not only relevant to those involved in longer-term training and
development. If you are asked to deliver a one-off, standalone workshop at your school,
you will find plenty of ideas to help you, particularly in Section 2.

Introduction

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 7
 10 reasons for using this resource

1. Everything in one place

Although there are some resources available for teacher trainers, these are limited and
may take some searching for. The aim of this resource is to bring together a collection
of 500 easily accessible tips, ideas, advice and activities all in one place for faster, more
convenient access.

2. Overview of teacher training

If you are a teacher thinking about moving into teacher training in the future, or if you are
simply interested in knowing more about this area of ELT, this resource gives an overview
of the main aspects of the role.

3. From teaching to training

If you are currently transitioning from teacher to trainer, this resource will provide you with
much-needed support to help you find your feet in your new role.

4. Supporting day-to-day teacher trainers

If you are relatively new to teacher training, this resource will provide you with practical
advice to support and guide you through your work. If you are unsure how to approach a
Introduction

certain aspect of your job or are stuck for an idea, dip into the book for some inspiration.

5. Experienced trainers
If you have been training for a while, this resource may remind you of ideas you haven’t
thought about or used recently, or it might give you some fresh ideas to extend your
repertoire.

6. Course designers
If you need to design your own courses, the ideas in this resource may provide a starting
point and give you more confidence to write your own material.

7. Range of contexts
The ideas in this resource can be applied to many different training contexts from
accredited pre- and in-service qualifications to bespoke courses for practising teachers and
MA TESOL modules to standalone workshops. Whether you are a teacher trainer, senior
teacher or Director of Studies responsible for staff development, you will find ideas and
tips to use in your context.

8. Range of ideas
You will find a variety of ideas covering different aspects of teacher training. Many of the
suggestions will be immediately applicable for your training situation, while others can be
adapted so that they are more tailored to the needs of the teachers you work with.

8 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
9. Additional photocopies and quotes
In addition to the resources offered in the units, you will also find a bank of
photocopiable worksheets in the appendix. These relate to the units, and can be
photocopied for use in your training context. Photocopiable worksheets are indicated
in the text by this symbol .

10. More time

It is hoped that offering a collection of practical, easy-to-use ideas for teacher trainers will
free up more time for you to spend on other aspects of your job that you feel you would
benefit from.

“I use the ETpedia books on

my teacher training courses
because they have lots of fresh
ideas for those who want to be
teachers of English as a second

Introduction
language as well as those who are
beginning their teaching career.”
Magdalena Dygała, teacher trainer, Poland

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 9
 10 ways to use this resource

This resource will be invaluable for anyone involved in English language teacher training (and
trainers of other languages). There is help and advice for new trainers who are starting out as
well as ideas for teachers who would like to move into teacher training but are unsure of how
to do so. More experienced trainers will find it helpful for refreshing their input sessions and
approaching training in alternative ways. It can be read and used according to your needs,
interests and levels of experience.

1. Cover to cover
You may choose to start at the beginning and read all the way to the end. If you are new
to teacher training, or considering moving into this area, this resource can serve as a useful
overview of the different aspects involved in being a teacher trainer.

2. Read a section
Each section covers a different aspect of teacher training. Choose the ones that are most
relevant to your current context and leave those that are not immediately relevant for later
(when you might need them).

3. Go to the unit
Introduction

Use the contents page to select specific units that deal with any immediate questions,
concerns or interests.

4. Trainer’s block
If you are stuck for new ideas to use in your training context, or struggling to come up with
ways to develop your practice, dip into the resource for some inspiration.

5. Evaluate training ideas

Use this resource to develop your ability to evaluate training ideas. Consider their
appropriacy in your context and think about how they could be adapted to make them
more meaningful and useful for the teachers you work with.

6. Supplement your own resources

Many of the ideas and photocopiable materials in the resource can be used to supplement
your own resources.

7. Develop new ways of training

Use the tips, ideas and suggestions to help you to develop your training techniques. If you
have been training for a while and are at the stage where you feel ready for more of a
challenge, the ‘Further development’ section (see pages 151−164) will help.

8. Help fellow trainers

If you are in contact with other trainers who are looking for ideas to develop their own
practice, you could direct them to this resource. If your colleagues are searching for
something specific to use in their training context, show them the relevant units or activities.

10 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
9. Last-minute sessions
If you find yourself in a situation where you have to cover a session at very short notice,
you should find enough ideas in Section 2 to help you deliver a complete and useful
workshop.

10. Write your own ten

Just like teaching, training is always evolving, and the ideas in this resource are by no
means exhaustive. Why not write your own ten tips or suggestions and share them with
your colleagues? There is a space to add your own ten at the back of this resource book
(see pages 264–265).

“As an educational adviser I quite

often have to give sessions for
teachers on a particular aspect
of English teaching. I frequently
use the ideas in ETpedia as a

Introduction
kind of checklist when preparing
those teacher training sessions.”
Mario Lecluyze, Educational Adviser, Belgium

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 11
 10 facts about the authors

Beth and Nick ...

1. are English language teachers and teacher trainers at the English
Language Teaching Centre at the University of Sheffield.
2. have taught for a combined total of nearly 40 years.
3. have taught and trained in the UK, Italy, Spain, Poland, Thailand,
Slovakia, Turkey and Mexico.
4. give talks and workshops at teacher training conferences.
5. have written articles for a number of ELT publications including
English Teaching professional, The Teacher Trainer Journal and IATEFL
Conference Selections.
6. have experience of both face-to-face and online teacher training in a
range of contexts, including Cambridge and Trinity pre- and in-service
Introduction

courses, undergraduate and postgraduate TESOL modules, bespoke

training for practising teachers and train-the-trainer courses.
7. have a website called Practical Teacher Training in ELT.

Beth:

8. has previously written under the name Beth Davies, which includes
writing a teacher training series in English Teaching professional.

Nick:

9. writes under the name Nicholas Northall, which includes writing a

teacher training series in English Teaching professional.
10. This is their first book.

12 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
Thanks and acknowledgements
The 500 ideas, tips, questions, suggestions, advice and resources in this book are based on
what we have learnt over the years as teachers, trainers, educators, presenters and materials
writers. The whole collection is a mixture of new ideas and classic teaching and training
activities passed from one trainer to another over the years. Many thanks go to all the people
we have worked with and learnt from, whose ideas and suggestions have helped to create
this book. We would like to thank John Hughes, Kirsten Holt, Penny Hands, Helena Gomm,
everyone at Pavilion Publishing, and the trainers who shared their expertise and ideas provided
in the quotes. We would also like to thank our colleagues at the ELTC for their support, and, of
course, our children, Tristan, Olivia, Emily and Matilda.

‘It's the book we wish we'd had

when we first started training.’
Beth Melia-Leigh and Nicholas Northall,
authors of ETpedia Teacher Training.

Introduction

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 13
Section 1: Getting started
The first three units in this section explore the transition from teacher to teacher trainer,
describing what a teacher trainer does and how this is both different from, and similar to,
teaching. These units aim to ensure that anyone considering moving into this new role knows
what to expect beforehand.

The first unit suggests some questions you might want to ask yourself when thinking about
becoming a teacher trainer. The aim is to clarify the role and help you consider whether it
would be the right fit for you. Unit 2 outlines the different routes available to teachers wanting
to make the transition. The third unit offers tips to new trainers to help them settle into the role.

The aim of Units 4 to 6 is to make sure your training course gets off to a good start. Unit 4
provides tips and advice to ensure potential course participants are adequately supported
before the course begins. Unit 5 goes on to consider ways in which you can successfully plan
your training course, considering both the practical and the academic aspects of this important
phase. The final unit in this section looks at ways to manage trainees’ expectations from the
outset to ensure that your course runs smoothly.
 10 questions to ask about teacher training

Whether you are completely new to teacher training, or whether you are considering making
the transition from teaching, you should ask yourself these 10 questions before going any
further. If you are already a trainer, it’s worth asking yourself these questions again; less
experienced trainers will gain some ideas about how to become a better trainer, and more
experienced trainers can ask them to reflect on their experiences.

1. Do I have in-depth knowledge of ELT?

Good language awareness and knowledge of current methodologies in ELT are essential
attributes for a teacher trainer. If your ability to analyse language and understand
underpinning theory has slipped over the years, or if you are not up to date with the
latest approaches or techniques in ELT, you will need to brush up on your knowledge.

2. Do I have relevant experience?

Consider what experience you have. You are likely to have a lot of experience in
different teaching contexts, which is essential for a good teacher trainer. Think about
how you could exploit this when working with trainees. Do you have any training
experience that you could draw on? This doesn’t have to be formal training experience,
but any work you have done supporting other teachers will be a useful starting point.
For more information on getting relevant training experience, see Unit 2.

3. Do I like working with other teachers?

Unit 1

You may have an encyclopaedic knowledge of English grammar, as well as being aware
of the most-up-to date issues in our profession, but as a teacher trainer you will also
need the interpersonal skills to be able to convey these ideas effectively. When working
with teachers, pastoral care is just as important as knowing the intimate details of how
to teach, so good people skills are essential. Dealing with difficult situations, creating
rapport with your trainees and getting the most from your teachers are all vital aspects
of this role.

4. Am I able to convey new knowledge and concepts clearly?

This is an important skill for teachers, who often need to be able to clarify complicated
language points to language learners of different levels or backgrounds. It is also a skill
that is necessary for a teacher trainer. However, there are some differences. Being able
to clarify a language point to a low-level language learner can be a challenge, but trying
to clarify the same language point to an inexperienced yet competent user of English,
who may have little understanding of how English works, is quite different. As a trainer,
you need to be careful not to patronise the teacher, while at the same time not over-
complicate your explanations. Teachers not only need to understand how language
works – which in some cases they might not – but they also need to know how to
manage learners, how to correct errors and how to create rapport. For more information
about how to aid teachers in managing the learning process, see Unit 15.

16 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Am I able to deal with stress and tight deadlines?
If you have ever taught students on high-stakes exams courses such as IELTS, you’ll
know how stressful it can be. Similarly, a teacher training course, particularly one that
results in a teaching qualification and involves teaching practice, can be demanding for
the trainer as well as the trainees. Do you think you can work effectively with people
who may be very stressed and emotional, but who need support, help and advice? Can
you bring out the best in these people when they are under pressure, without making
the situation worse? Teacher training courses can involve a certain amount of stress for
the trainers, too. Are you prepared for this and can you work under such circumstances?

6. Am I prepared to work long hours?

As a teacher trainer you may sometimes have to work long and unsocial hours. For
example, you could be observing teaching practice in the morning, giving feedback at
lunchtime, delivering an input session in the afternoon and then marking assignments in
the evening. This requires stamina and resilience.

7. Do I know what support is available?

If your school wants you to become a teacher trainer, it is likely that they will support
you with time, resources and perhaps a mentor. On the other hand, if your school is not
able to do this, you will have to find the support yourself. For example, think about a

Unit 1
teacher training course you could do. A simple search on the internet will reveal what
courses are available in your local area. If none are available, you may be able to take
a course online. Consider the idea of supporting yourself carefully, as it can be a costly
endeavour to become a trainer. See Unit 2 for more on routes into teacher training.

8. Do I know what teacher trainers do?

Read books and resources such as this one to find out what teacher trainers do.
You could also attend relevant events and speak to people who are already working
in the role. This will give you a different perspective from the one that is available in
books, including the lowdown on the nitty-gritty of the daily duties expected of you and
the realities of the job. As an extension of this, you could request to shadow a trainer
informally, perhaps by observing them giving feedback or by watching them deliver an
input session. This insight into the life of a teacher trainer may be invaluable in helping
you to decide whether it’s something you could imagine yourself doing.

9. Do I have good organisational skills?

As a teacher trainer, it is important to be organised and to have good time management
skills. Marking assignments, checking lesson plans, meeting trainees to discuss
their lessons and delivering input sessions all involve deadlines, and these in turn
require good organisational skills. You will also need to keep on top of any necessary
paperwork. As well as the organisational skills required while working on an intensive
course, a trainer will also need to plan ahead. You may, for example, have to plan
another course while working on the current one. In some cases, you may be working
on more than one course at the same time. If you decide to go freelance (see Unit 50),
you will have to plan your time so as to ensure that once one course finishes, you have
another one lined up.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 17
 10. Am I ready for a steep learning curve?
You may have been teaching for several years and have a range of rich experience
working in and outside the language classroom. However, working as a trainer requires
new skills and knowledge as you take on this exciting role. These challenges may
involve getting to grips with what is expected on the training course, remembering
what it was like to be a trainee teacher and understanding the administrative side of the
course, especially if it is an externally assessed one. If you are working with experienced
teachers, you might also have to do a lot of reading before delivering input sessions
and workshops.

“As you move into working as

a teacher trainer, educator or
mentor, I believe it's important to
continue to learn something new
(whether a language, a skill or
something else), to teach language
classes at different levels, and
Unit 1

to stay humble and helpful.”

Tessa Woodward. The Editor, The Teacher Trainer.
UK

18 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 routes into teacher training

Your route into teacher training will depend on the context in which you find yourself.
Some of these are accidental, some require a conscious decision to make the next step;
in other cases, the role might be thrust upon you. This unit looks at some possible routes
to becoming a teacher trainer.

1. The managerial route

If you take on a more senior teaching role, such as being an assistant director of studies,
senior teacher or coordinator, you will probably be expected to observe other, perhaps
less experienced, teachers. This may come about as part of an appraisal system or for
quality assurance, but part of the role will probably involve offering support and advice
to teachers on both planning and delivering their lessons. This is perhaps more of a route
into teacher development than teacher education, but may lead to further teacher training
opportunities in the future.

2. The ‘school needs a teacher trainer’ route

This can be an accidental route into teacher training. Essentially, it means being in the
right place at the right time. For example, you might be working for a language school
that suddenly decides it wants to offer teacher training courses and needs an experienced
and current member of staff to run these. Since you fit the bill, you are given the job.

3. The ‘do you have any ideas for my lesson?’ route

Unit 2
Another accidental route into teacher training comes about when an experienced
teacher regularly finds themselves in the position of being asked by their colleagues for
workable teaching ideas. This usually happens because they have a reputation for being
a good teacher, or because they know where to find up-to-date, engaging resources and
materials. Although this may not lead to a teacher training position in itself, it does show
that you have a good knowledge of teaching and that you can help others develop their
ideas and knowledge.

4. The mentor route

An extension of the above is when an experienced teacher takes on a mentoring role in
which they are tasked with supporting a newer member of staff. Since this role entails
supporting a teacher with their development and requires many of the same qualities
involved in teacher training, it is a natural route into more formal teacher training.
For more on mentoring, see Unit 45.

5. The teacher development route

If you work at a school that is particularly committed to teacher development, you could
offer to run a series of training workshops. And if you work for a school that is not so
teacher-development-friendly, perhaps offer to run some sessions anyway. Running
workshops allows you not only to share your knowledge of teaching with other teachers,
but also to have the experience of leading an input session.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 19
 6. The formal trainer-in-training route
Completing a formal trainer-in-training programme for an accredited external provider
(such as Cambridge or Trinity) is perhaps the most direct way to become a teacher trainer.
Taking this route is a lot easier if the school you are working for is already an accredited
teacher training centre and if they are looking for a new trainer. You may have to apply
for the position, giving details of your experience and qualifications. Once you have been
accepted for the role, you might initially have to shadow an experienced trainer before you
are asked to lead an input session or give feedback following a teaching practice session.

7. The conscious route

Another direct way is to approach teacher training centres or institutions and ask them
to take you on as a teacher trainer. You can also look for job advertisements for teacher
trainers and apply for these. Although you may not initially be able to get a job working
on an externally accredited course, you will see some advertisements for experienced
teachers to work on in-house training courses. You are likely to find that there are fewer
training jobs than teaching jobs advertised, so consider contacting schools individually
to offer them your services.

8. The conference presenter route

Another way into teacher training, and one that also gives you experience of speaking
Unit 2

to experienced teachers, is to present at conferences. Each year, most TEFL-related

institutions, as well as many regional and international schools and groups, hold
conferences, symposiums and other similar events. Putting in a proposal is not usually
difficult. Your proposal could be about any aspect of teaching you are interested in, and
which you think others will be keen to hear about, too. Another option is to present online
via a webinar. For more on this, see Unit 50.

9. The ‘I don’t want to be a manager’ route

For some, deciding to become a teacher trainer may be a more attractive alternative to a
career progression into management. If you don’t want to manage other people, moving
into teacher training is another way in which you can challenge yourself and continue to
develop professionally.

10. The ELT expert route

Many ELT professionals, thanks to being active online (e.g. via a blog, online forums
or social media), attending and presenting at conferences, or being published in ELT
magazines, become well known in the field. If this sounds like you, you may find that,
sooner or later, you get approached to share your enthusiasm for teaching by working with
other teachers. This route into teacher training may begin with your being asked to share
your ideas at in-house teacher development sessions or to present at conferences. If you
find you enjoy doing these things, you may seek opportunities and be asked to deliver
bespoke teacher training courses or to work on accredited teacher training courses.

20 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 tips for new teacher trainers

If the two previous units have helped you decide that teacher training is for you, this unit will
help you to get the most out of your new role and really enjoy it. Here are ten tips for new
(and perhaps not-so-new) trainers.

1. Model good practice

The way you train your teachers will be seen as a model and is likely to be emulated in
the classroom, especially by new teachers. This means that you should demonstrate good
practice at all times to give your teachers ideas and suggestions they can use in their
own classrooms.

2. Make sure you are familiar with the course

You need to be explicitly aware of the aims and learning outcomes of the course you are
working on. This will help you guide the course participants towards getting the most from
the course. If you are delivering a formal teacher-training qualification, make sure you are
familiar with the course requirements, syllabus and assessment criteria – and that you know
where to find this essential information easily. If, on the other hand, you are delivering a
series of in-house workshops to a group of experienced teachers, consider what areas of
teaching you want to help them to develop and why. For more on planning courses, see
Units 4 and 5.

3. Familiarise yourself with core texts

Unit 3
If course participants are going to be required to read a number of set texts, you will
also need to read them to get an overview of their contents. This will enable you to not
only guide the trainees to further information, but also ensure that you are aware of what
they are reading and perhaps why they do or say certain things. For entry-level courses,
remember to exploit any key texts the trainees have been asked to buy pre-, during- or
post-input session. With in-service teachers, refer them to relevant, up-to-date literature
and encourage them to make links between theory and practice.

4. Brush up your knowledge of methodology and language

Know your subject. If you’re working with pre-service trainees, go back to basics and
remind yourself of what you didn’t know when you started out, such as subject-specific
terminology, how to present boardwork clearly, how to give effective instructions, grading
language, and so on. Make sure your language awareness is up to scratch and that you
are familiar with key approaches, procedures and techniques. Keep abreast of the latest
developments in the field. Just like when you’re teaching learners of English, consider
how you can convey your knowledge to your trainees in a way that will be accessible and
meaningful to them.

5. Get support and advice from other trainers

No matter what kind of course you are working on, always try to get tips from other
trainers who have worked on this type of course before. You will probably have some
suggestions that you could share with them, too. Create a bank of resources to allow
you to share ideas on this and future courses. Another way to get support is to observe
more experienced colleagues delivering an input session or giving feedback. Remember:
experience and sharing count for a lot, so make sure you tap into this rich source.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 21
 6. Gain as much experience as possible
Just as it can be possible for teachers to get stuck in a rut, a trainer who is repeatedly
training teachers in one context and on one course can also fail to develop or see the
bigger picture. Therefore, if possible, try to train on a variety courses and in different
contexts. If you get the opportunity, work at different schools, deliver different course
types (e.g. both pre-service and in-service) and experiment with different modes of
delivery (e.g. full-time and part-time; face-to-face, purely online and blended). This will
allow you gain a wealth of varied experience and find out how things are done elsewhere.

7. Keep teaching
In an ideal world, even the most experienced teacher educators would teach as often as
they can. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to the demands of the role; there
are many teacher trainers who, upon taking on the position, rarely, if at all, teach learners
any more. However, if at all possible, try to continue teaching. This will give you credibility
in your role, ensure you put into practice what you preach and help you to empathise
when advising and supporting teachers.

8. Network
There are several online forums and groups aimed at teacher trainers; joining one or more
of these is a great way to develop professionally and to get to know other like-minded
Unit 3

people in the field. Develop an online presence by being active in forums and setting up
a blog. This ensures you are aware of and able to discuss any topical issues and situations
that may arise. Consider attending conferences where you will be able to meet other
teacher educators, giving you an opportunity to share ideas and raise your profile.

9. Continue your own professional development

Just as your own professional development is key to a successful teaching career, the
same is true once you are working as a teacher of teachers. Make the most of continuing
professional development opportunities that come your way, both formal and informal.
For more on continuing professional development, see Section 8.

10. Remember what it’s like to be a trainee teacher

It is really important to remember your own route into teaching. How did you cope with
this? Did you find it easy? Was it a challenge? It might be some time since you completed
your initial teacher training qualification, and you may have forgotten what it is like to be
a completely new and inexperienced teacher. Similarly, you may not have undertaken any
formal teacher education courses for a while. Take a step back and empathise with your
trainees. Remember what it was like to be overwhelmed with new ideas and information.
By putting yourself in the shoes of your trainees, you will be able to better relate to the
stress, pressure and, possibly, resistance to change that some of them may be feeling.

22 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 things to do before a course begins

Ensuring that candidates know exactly what your courses involve allows potential course
participants to decide whether your course is the right fit for them. Before a course starts,
there are several ways to help ensure that potential participants are able to find out as much
about the course as possible. Giving them plenty of information about your courses early on
ensures that they are both informed about the course and less likely to face any unpleasant
surprises later on. Your role may not cover all of these aspects; however, having all of them in
place will give your candidates some idea of what to expect.

1. Ensure your school’s website is up to date

As internet searches are usually the first port of call for most prospective course
participants, the information displayed on your school’s website needs to be accurate
and relevant. The kind of information a prospective candidate needs includes: course
dates and times, fees, location, some information about the tutors, how to apply, and
who to contact. Details of the contents of the course – assessment, aims, outcomes and
a timetable – should also be available. If the course is an externally accredited one, it is
a good idea to include links to the relevant course accreditor.

2. Provide testimonials from previous course participants

Prospective trainees should be made aware of the contents and challenges of the course
in advance. Gaining an insight into the realities of the course from someone who has

Unit 4
actually completed it ensures that new candidates know exactly what they are letting
themselves in for. One way to do this is to video-record past trainees talking about their
experience of the course, what they found challenging and what advice they would pass
on to potential trainees. These recordings are then posted online or made available to
new and potential trainees. Excerpts or selected quotes from the interviews could also
be posted on the school’s website.

3. Provide a straightforward application form

Once a candidate has decided that they want to apply for a course, the next step is for
them to complete an initial ‘expression of interest’ form. An easily accessible application
form gives every type of trainee – even those who are not particularly good with IT –
the opportunity to apply for the course. The contents of the application form will vary
depending on the course being advertised, but most will ask for personal details about
the candidate, including their qualifications, relevant experience and reasons for taking
the course. Again, if you are running an externally accredited course, it is essential to
check the course requirements with the external body to ensure that only candidates
who meet the requirements are allowed to proceed with their application.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 23
 4. Set pre-interview tasks
If you decide you would like to meet a potential candidate, you can give them
several tasks to complete before the interview. These could involve some
language-related tasks, perhaps a short explanation of why they want to take your
course and, depending on the course in question, a short teaching demonstration to be
delivered either to you or to a group of learners. If the course is blended, you could ask
trainees to find out as much as they can about the course, or indeed to complete a
webquest with guiding questions. This will allow you to ascertain potential trainees’
level of IT knowledge. There is an example webquest on page 168 and some example
pre-interview tasks on page 169.

5. Conduct an interview
Many teacher training courses involve a pre-course interview. This is a chance for
an experienced trainer to meet the potential trainee and to allow both parties to
ascertain whether the course is a good fit. In the interview, the trainee teacher can ask
questions about the course, complete a language task or short piece of writing and,
if relevant, teach a demonstration lesson. For some examples of interview questions to
ask potential trainees, see page 172.

6. Provide a taste of the course

Unit 4

Once the interview is over, give the candidate a tour of the school, showing them where
input sessions and teaching practice take place. Where possible, and to give potential
candidates more of a feel for what ELT involves, have them observe part of a real lesson.
This is especially important for pre-service trainees, who may not have experienced a
language lesson for a long time, or who may have learnt languages in a very different
manner. If this is not possible, consider sharing videos of lessons with tasks to complete.

7. Ask them to sign a declaration

At the end of a successful interview, it is a good idea to give the trainee teacher
some key information about the course highlighting what is expected of them, and
to ask them to sign a declaration to show they have understood. The contents of this
declaration should reflect the contents of the course, and will include such items as 100%
attendance, the number of hours of self-study, the assessment and the amount of support
available. You will find an example declaration on page 173.

8. Pre-course communication
In the lead-up to a new course, trainees like to be kept informed about what they need
to do beforehand, when the course begins, what they should expect on the first day,
and so on. This communication could take place via email or online (see Tip 10 on page
25). During such communication, outline what they need to do to prepare, and what is
expected of them. Also, try to put them at ease.

24 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
9. Pre-course tasks
Pre-course tasks can help to prepare trainees for the course. On pre-service courses, these
may involve language awareness tasks or directed reading from core methodology books
in order to provide a grounding in the subject. On in-service courses, teachers may be
encouraged to reflect on their existing beliefs and practices, or to read more advanced
literature in the field.

10. Virtual learning environment orientation

Even on face-to-face courses, setting up a virtual learning environment (VLE) can be a
good way to manage tutor–trainee and trainee–trainee interaction. Popular platforms
include Moodle and Google Classroom. Pre-course trainees (and trainers) are able to
introduce themselves online before meeting face to face, and you can also post any
important pre-course information and documentation here. Later in the course, it could be
used as a repository for course materials and a medium for ongoing communication.

“TEFL tasters provide an

opportunity for possible trainees
to find out more about English

Unit 4
language teaching and different
courses without having to
commit. It also helps the course
provider to deal with FAQs and
concerns early and efficiently, as
well as a marketing tool for your
courses. Keep them general,
fun and avoid the 'hard sell'.”
Will Nash, Academic Director Teacher Training and
Development, ELTC, University of Sheffield, UK

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 25
 10 tips for planning courses

Planning a course can take some time, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, or if it
is new to you or your school. Although it is possible to adapt certain aspects of a course
depending on your context and participants, some courses, such as four-week intensive pre-
service courses, contain a number of fixed elements. Courses that are specially designed for
a particular group of teachers will probably need a little more thought. Here are some ideas
for making the planning process as smooth as possible.

1. Previous courses in your centre

If a course has been run at your school before, you could simply repeat the same model.
This is a particularly useful option if it is the first time you are working on a course and you
want to get to grips with the structure. You might decide that you want to tweak parts here
and there – for example, the time of sessions, or the input covered – but if it ain’t broke,
then why fix it?

2. What works and what doesn’t

Once you have run a course, it’s a good idea to reflect on which parts were effective
and which weren’t. This could involve considering anything from the logistical areas
of the course to the input delivered. You might find that some workshops weren’t
delivered early enough, or that you didn’t give your trainees enough time to complete an
assignment. If you gave your course participants on the previous course an end-of-course
Unit 5

questionnaire, use this to reflect on possible changes from your participants’ point of view.
For more on finishing courses and getting feedback, see Section 8.

3. Ideas from other schools

If you have worked on similar training courses in other schools, think about what worked,
and then incorporate these elements into your courses. However, remember that, although
the training course might be similar, the context might be very different, so some aspects
might not be transferable.

4. Dates and times

Consider whether the dates of the course are workable. For example, are there any clashes
with festivals or holidays that might prevent attendance? Have you planned enough time
to cover every topic you want to include? If the course is run at a language school, will
there be any clashes with other lessons that might affect the availability of classrooms?

5. Trainers
Think about who is going to teach on your course. Do you have the right number of staff
at your school? Are they suitably qualified or experienced to deliver the course you want?
Are they available to do so? If your answer to any of these questions is no, you might need
to hire externally.

6. The number of trainees

How many trainees are you expecting on the course? Knowing this will help you decide
on the number of trainers you need, the size of the classrooms and how you organise
teaching practice.

26 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
7. The aims of the course
When planning your course, don’t forget what the aims are. A practical course with a
teaching practice element for pre-service teachers will have very different aims to a
language development course for a group of teachers with a couple of years’ teaching
experience. Ask yourself whether your proposed timetable meets the course aims. If the
course is one that is externally validated by an examination board, there will be guidelines
on what to include; you must ensure that you cover the core areas for it to be valid.

8. The needs of the trainees

Probably the most important aspect of course design is to ensure that the course
addresses the needs of its participants. On some courses, the needs of the trainees
might be quite uniform; however, on others there could be a variety of needs. Consider
how you are going to find out what these needs are before you design the course. For
example, you could use a questionnaire, you could get participants to carry out some
pre-course tasks (i.e. tasks focusing on language to assess their language awareness),
or you could use the interview process to carry out a needs’ analysis. There is an example
needs analysis questionnaire for an in-service course on page 174. Unit 42 also contains
ideas for working with trainees with different needs.

9. Timetable fit

Unit 5
Most training courses are likely to include various different elements, such as
teaching practice, trainer input, assignments, lesson planning, and feedback.
When planning the course, consider how each part fits together: think of it like a jigsaw.
For example, on pre-service courses with teaching practice, it would be logical to
provide input on how to teach a grammar lesson before asking your trainees to try doing
this. Consider, also, how focused your trainees will be on the course. If you are offering
an intensive course with a practical element, it might not be a good idea to have input
all day and then teaching practice in the evening, as this may result in trainees thinking
about their upcoming lesson rather than focusing on your input. See page 175 for an
example of a part-time and an intensive course outline.

10. The availability of learners for teaching practice

If your course includes teaching practice, think about who the learners will be and whether
the students you need will be available to attend at the time you want. Learners who have
jobs, for example, might not be able to attend during the day. It is generally a good idea
to offer these lessons for free, or for a nominal amount. Offering free lessons could mean
that you initially get a lot of interest, but then attendance might drop off. Asking for a
small payment (perhaps even a refundable deposit based on a certain number of lessons
being attended) usually means that your learners are more likely to continue attending.
It’s a good idea to have a dedicated administration person available to organise learners
and free classes, as it can be a time-consuming task.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 27
 10 things to focus on at the
beginning of a course

At the beginning of every course, whatever its mode of delivery, there are several things
that you need to make trainees aware of. Some of these relate to academic content, such
as completing written work or deadlines for preparing lesson plans, while others relate to
housekeeping, and even to how to deal with emergency situations. Trainees may also have
expectations about the course and it is important to manage these from the outset by being
explicit about what the course entails, what level of support they will receive, and when
they will receive this. Making it clear what is expected of both trainers and trainees helps to
ensure the smooth running of the course.

1. Your availability
Many teacher trainers work on more than one course at a time. They might also be
teachers themselves, with several classes throughout the week. And even if a trainer is
only involved in one intensive teacher training course, they still need time to prepare input
sessions, look at lesson plans – and eat! Therefore, letting trainees know your availability
ensures that you are not disturbed in the middle of your lunch. This also applies to online
or distance courses in which some trainers might not want to work at the weekend or in
the evenings. If you tell trainees your office hours, they will be less likely to send you a
barrage of emails on your day off.

2. The amount of support available

Unit 6

Be clear with your trainee teachers about how much support you are prepared to give
them. This will depend on the type of course you are involved in, with pre-service trainees
usually needing more support than teachers on in-service courses. The stage of the course
might also determine how much support is available, with less support being available as
the course progresses. Remember to consider each trainee teacher on an individual basis:
some might need a lot more support than others.

3. Task completion and deadlines

Your trainees need to know the date by which they must have completed their work.
Setting clear deadlines ensures that your trainees can plan their time more effectively.
On some teacher training courses, there might be many tasks, such as lesson planning,
writing assignments, reading, and possibly completing homework. Try to ensure that
deadlines for several tasks do not all fall at the same time.

4. Aims of the course and assessment

Although many teacher training courses assess teachers by how well they perform in a
practical component of the course, not all do: some courses are more theoretical and
some focus on preparing candidates for some form of written examination. Make it clear
to trainees how they will be assessed on the course, and explain what elements count
towards their assessment and what criteria you will be using. Note that assessment is
not usually the only aim of an assessed course; there will also be an element of teacher
development. The main aim of courses that do not include any form of assessment is
for their participants to develop in terms of teaching or in terms of knowledge about
teaching techniques and concepts. Making the aims of the course explicit allows trainees
to consider their progress at the end of the course and hopefully – if formal assessment is
included – not become too obsessed with grades and marks.

28 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Details of the course timetable and attendance
Course participants should be informed of the structure and content of the course,
as well as where they need to be and when. In addition, many teacher training courses
require 100% attendance, especially in terms of input and teaching practice. As such,
trainee teachers need to know what they should do if they have any unavoidable planned
absences or if they are unable to attend due to illness. They also need to be made aware
that they are expected to make up any work they miss.

6. Getting to know the building

Start the course with a tour of the building. Knowing the location of the classrooms, the
toilets, the computer suites and, if there is one, the café, will help your trainees settle into
their course without having to worry about the practicalities.

7. What to do in an emergency
It is vital that course participants know what to do in case of an emergency such as a fire.
Having a clear evacuation plan in place is essential in any context. Inform your trainees
what they need to do in case of a medical emergency or an accident. In most cases, this
will simply involve informing them who the first aider is or, if one isn’t available, who they
should call. Obtain emergency contact details from each candidate and keep them on file
for the duration of the course.

Unit 6
8. Plagiarism
Plagiarism and other unfair means of completing work are a growing problem,
and trainees need to know that this will not be tolerated. Some centres, such as
universities, have access to software like Turnitin, which trainees have to run their written
work through before submitting it. It is also good practice to ask trainees to sign a
declaration form, such as the one on page 177, informing them of the consequences of
completing work by unfair means. For more on assignments and written tasks, see
Section 6.

9. How to use the technology

If course participants will be using some form of technology, set aside time for training
them in how to use it. Bringing trainees up to speed might be as simple as giving them
access to the school’s WiFi or informing them of their computer login details. If they will
be expected to use a smartboard, you might need to give the trainees a tutorial on how to
use the software.

10. Candidate agreement

Once all of the above has been completed, give the course participants a summary
of what the course consists of (perhaps in the form of a list of bullet points) for them
to sign. See page 178 for an example of a candidate agreement form. By doing this, you
have a written record that the candidates have understood what the course entails and
what is expected of them and their tutors.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 29
Section 2: Input sessions
In this section, the term ‘input session’ is used to refer to any training session that involves
working with other teachers. This type of session can come in various forms. It may be part of
a practical course, or it may constitute a series of bespoke workshops, perhaps focusing on a
particular theme or topic. It can also come in the form of a standalone teacher development
session or a day set aside for training in a busy language school.

Input sessions can serve a number of purposes. For practising teachers, they can provide a
space in which to discuss their current or relevant teaching practice and to share experiences
with their peers. For novice or inexperienced teachers, they can be an opportunity for learning
about how to teach – from both a practical and a theoretical point of view. They can also
be a place to practise teaching techniques or an occasion for new ideas or developments in
teaching to be introduced and discussed.

Input sessions are usually one of the first aspects of teacher training that a new trainer
experiences (see Unit 2 for routes into teacher training), either as part of a larger course or as
a standalone workshop. The aim of this section is to raise awareness of what an input session
might involve, and to suggest some practical ideas for materials and activities that can be used.

Unit 7 begins by describing the different aspects of an input session, suggesting what to
include in your workshops to ensure they are accessible to your trainees. Unit 8 considers how
to plan a successful session, while the following unit suggests some ideas for delivering the
sessions. Unit 10 then introduces some practical activities that you can use to break the ice and
get to know your trainees at the beginning of a course.

Unit 11 suggests some ways we can start each input session by offering some effective
warmers and lead-ins. This is followed by Unit 12, which considers sources of material we can
use in an input session to engage our trainees and promote learning. The next three units in
this section present a variety of ideas that can be used to teach skills, language and classroom
management.

In the final two units in this section, we look at activities and tasks for use outside the training
room: Unit 16 suggests activities that we can give our trainees to complete before an input
session, while Unit 17 introduces some post-input session activities to promote consolidation
and reflection.
 10 key aspects of an input session

This unit provides an overview of what happens in an input session. It introduces some
common features of an input session and suggests reasons why it is important to include
these different components in your sessions. Many of the ideas introduced in this unit will be
explored more fully in later units in this section.

1. Getting-to-know-you activities
In your first input session, just as in your first lesson with a new group of learners, it is
essential to get to know your trainees. This not only creates rapport, but it can also help
to manage expectations about the course and to model good practice. In later input
sessions, it is important to continue getting to know your trainees in order to further
develop relationships and to create a positive learning environment. For more on
getting to know your trainees, see Unit 10.

2. Warmers
At the beginning of an input session, include an activity that will engage the trainees’
interest and create a positive classroom atmosphere. As in language lessons, warmers
can be used to recycle previous learning, to check understanding, to ask about other
elements of the course or simply to get members of the group talking to each other.
For more information and some examples of effective warmers, see Unit 11.

3. Lead-ins
Unit 7

Like warmers, lead-ins are used at the beginning of an input session to engage trainees’
interest and to create a positive learning environment; however, unlike a warmer, the
content of a lead-in is related to the topic of the workshop. For example, if you are
planning to look at receptive skills in your workshop, the aim of your lead-in will be to
engage the trainees’ interest in receptive skills, usually in a fun and relatively easy way.
For more information and some examples of effective lead-in tasks, see Unit 11.

4. Presentation materials
Presentation materials, which help to put the topic of an input session into a meaningful
context, can take several forms. The trainer could have the trainees read a text (such as
one from a coursebook or other ELT publication), get them to observe an experienced
teacher, or give a demonstration or mini-lecture. Alternatively, materials can be supplied
by the participants; for example, trainees could talk about some ideas they have
researched. Whatever the source of the presentation materials, they should be used
to describe or demonstrate good practice or to create discussion and reflection. On
pre-service courses, presentation materials are sometimes seen as giving the trainees a
workable model that they may wish to use initially in their own teaching. On courses for
more experienced trainees, they are seen as a way to compare and contrast different
approaches and methodologies. For more on the types of material that could be used
in an input session, see Unit 12.

32 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Analysis
Once trainees have received some form of presentation material, they should analyse it,
discussing their reactions to it and how it could be implemented in their own teaching.
For example, after watching a video observation of a reading lesson, they could discuss
what they think the typical structure of a reading lesson is. Alternatively, after looking
at various coursebooks and how they present language, they could discuss which
coursebook would be more appropriate for their learners and why. This stage provides
an opportunity for trainees to respond to the input by answering questions, making
suggestions, offering ideas or alternatives and considering how the technique could be
used in their own teaching. For some example activities focusing on analysis, see Units
13, 14 and 15.

6. Practice: peer-teaching
Probably the most important part of an input session – especially for pre-service teachers
who may have never taught before – is the opportunity it gives trainees to practise what
they have just learnt. Use the time available for trainees to put into practice what they
have learnt by teaching each other. For example, if you have just been looking at how
to present grammar, ask them to practise presenting language themselves. Trainees
work together to plan the lesson and share ideas about what to include. They then teach
another group of trainees. During the lesson, the trainees who are being ‘taught’ could

Unit 7
also be given tasks to consider how they felt or how clear they thought the teacher’s
classroom management was. For a peer teaching task example, see Tip 3 on page 50.

7. Practice: micro-teaching
Another way to put teaching skills into practice during the input session is to include
micro-teaching. Micro-teaching is similar to peer-teaching, but it involves focusing on a
single aspect of teaching (such as giving instructions) rather than teaching a complete
activity or a whole lesson. It can give trainee teachers the opportunity to practise
teacher skills, such as correcting errors and eliciting or clarifying language, without being
assessed in a formal TP situation. It also gives trainees the opportunity to make mistakes
and get feedback from both their peers and their trainer. There are examples of micro-
teaching tasks in Units 13 to 15.

8. Reflection tasks
At the end of the input session, include some reflection tasks to encourage trainees
to think about what they have just experienced, what they could use in their own
teaching and what would they like to know more about. Reflection tasks are a good
way for trainees to process the content of the input session. For examples of post-input
reflection tasks, see Unit 17.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 33
 9. Consolidation tasks
Following an input session, it is important to give trainees consolidation tasks or
homework. The benefits are the same as those for learners in a language lesson, namely
the opportunity to deepen their knowledge by reviewing material at their own pace
and further developing autonomy – something we hope trainees will instil in their future
learners. For examples of consolidation tasks, see Unit 17.

10. Recycling learning

Unless you are delivering a one-off input session, consider how your workshops work
together and complement each other so they do not stand in isolation. Sessions
should constantly build on and recycle previous learning, and lay the foundations for
subsequent input. In addition to providing opportunities for important recapping and
reviewing, this provides continuity between the sessions and models good practice for
language teaching. A series of sessions on the same topic can also be used to build on
learning; for example, an early workshop might look at what lexis is, a further one might
consider how to teach it, and another one might look at ways of recycling vocabulary.
See Unit 8 for more on how input sessions should link with the rest of the course.

“The ideal input session marries

Unit 7

theory and practice by helping

trainees discover the what and
why and demonstrates the how.”
Emma Jones, Munich Volkshochschule, Germany

34 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 questions to ask yourself when
planning an input session

When you are planning an input session, consider how effective it is likely to be and whether
it will be suitable for the target audience. Taking time to plan your workshop carefully means
you will think about what your trainees’ needs are, how you can meet those needs, what
potential problems you might meet and how you can overcome them. Considering the
following 10 questions as you plan your workshop will help to ensure you session is relevant,
engaging and effective.

1. Are the aims of the input session appropriate?

As when planning a lesson, the first thing to do is to identify the aims of the session
and to consider how these fit in with the overall aims of the course. You will need to
take into account the course syllabus, the stage of the course and/or the needs of the
trainees. On some external courses, many of the input sessions a trainer is required to
deliver are dictated by an external provider. However, even on these types of courses
there is the opportunity to create sessions to meet the diverse needs of your trainees.
On non-accredited courses, there will be more opportunities to deliver bespoke
workshops which both meet your trainees’ specific needs and fit with the context in
which you are working. For more on planning courses, see Unit 5. For more on meeting
the needs of groups with varied needs, see Unit 42.

2. Do the tasks help to achieve the aims?

Unit 8
When planning your session, consider tasks and activities that will help meet the
session’s aims. Consider what the aims are and what your trainees need to know. For
example, if you are delivering an input session to pre-service teachers on how to teach
writing, you might include an example of a writing lesson, some writing tasks and
some micro-teaching to provide practice. An input session on discourse analysis would
probably include examples of different types of discourse with some ideas about how to
use these texts with learners. Try not to have too many activities – as most input sessions
last around 60 to 90 minutes, it can be easy to overload trainees with lots of information
and handouts, which may go over their heads, leaving them confused and overwhelmed.
For more on the key aspects of inputs sessions, see Unit 7.

3. Have you researched the area thoroughly?

Before an input session, ensure that you research the subject of the session thoroughly.
This is important when dealing with all levels of trainee, but perhaps even more so when
working with experienced teachers on an advanced teacher training course. When you
are working on courses aimed at newer teachers, you should still reacquaint yourself with
theories or ways of doing things if you have not recently practised them yourself. Finally,
before the course, complete any background reading the trainees themselves have
been expected to do – it can be embarrassing if you haven’t done so and you are asked
questions about a pre-input task. For more on pre-input tasks, see Unit 16.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 35
 4. Is there an appropriate balance of theory and practice?
Include activities that focus on both the theory of teaching and on practical activities.
The balance can differ depending on the type of course you are working on. For
example, although some background to ELT is important on pre-service courses, trainees
do not need to be overwhelmed with too many different methods and approaches to
language learning. On the other hand, for experienced teachers wishing to understand
the link between theory and practice, there should be a more of a focus on the principles
underpinning teaching methodology. Theoretical courses such as MAs will also involve
a thorough overview of the theory, perhaps with some limited focus on practice,
depending on whether the course has a practical element.

5. Are input sessions linked to the rest of the course?

If the input sessions you are delivering form part of a longer training course with
different components, remember to link your input to the rest of the course by including
references to these. For example, refer to (or, better still, elicit) how the current session
builds on previous learning and how it will prepare trainees for future course content.
If the trainees are required to do teaching practice, ask them to reflect on this; similarly,
if they have a specific lesson-type coming up, cover this in your input session before
they deliver that lesson. If your trainees have to complete assignments or self-study
tasks, these can be set up in a workshop.
Unit 8

6. Is the content accessible to the audience?

Depending on who you are teaching and the course they are following, you need to
decide how you are going to convey your knowledge to your trainees in an accessible,
meaningful and engaging way. As experienced classroom teachers will already have a lot
of knowledge about teaching, you can expect them to already be familiar with teaching
terminology and ideas, and to be able to draw on their existing experience. However,
some pre-service teachers could be overwhelmed by too much information and instead
need a few clear examples and models. Therefore, take time to think about how you can
make new concepts clear to them.

7. Does the input session exemplify good teaching?

As you plan, think about which teaching techniques you could use in your input session.
Although the content may not be specifically focused on a teaching technique, still
ensure that you demonstrate good models of teaching at all times. For example, in
an input session on learner needs, demonstrate clear instructions when you ask your
trainees to brainstorm different learner characteristics. Similarly, when eliciting answers
from trainees, model a variety of techniques for getting feedback. Even though the
‘audience’ in your input session is different from the one you have when you teach,
using the same techniques that you use with learners will give your trainees clear models
of good practice that they can emulate.

36 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Is there a list of points to highlight during feedback?
When you are giving an input session and are focused in the moment, it is easy to
forget to cover something. Before an input session, make a list of points you want to
cover during the session. Note that these points are not the same as aims. For example,
in a session for inexperienced teachers on reading, your aim might be to exemplify
the structure of a basic reading lesson and to give your trainees practice in teaching
one themselves. Your list of things that trainees need to know about might include,
for example, setting a gist reading task before a detailed reading task and giving and
checking instructions before handing out the text. You could include such reminders in
your trainer’s notes (see Tip 9 below) so as not to forget the most important elements of
the input session.

9. Could another trainer deliver it?

To ensure another trainer would be able to deliver your input session, consider including
teacher’s notes to accompany your material. These notes may include instructions about
how to deliver the session, including aspects of classroom management such as pairwork
or groupwork, as well as an answer key and approximate timings for each stage. This is
particularly useful if, for some reason, you are unable to deliver your session and another
trainer has to cover you.

Unit 8
10. Is there a takeaway?
It is a good idea to give your trainees something concrete to take away from your input
sessions, i.e. something they can instantly apply to their own teaching. No matter what
the focus or aim of your input session is, try to give the participants some practical ideas,
activities or suggestions that they can immediately put into practice. As trainees can be
under a lot of pressure, they may not actually remember much from your session, so a
takeaway might simply constitute a summary of the main points or a list of ‘dos and
don’ts’. For example, at the end of an input session on listening, ‘dos’ might include
‘do provide gist listening before detailed listening’ and ‘do ensure the audio equipment
is working’, while ‘don’ts’ might include ‘don’t play the recording before clarifying
your instructions’. An alternative to this is to write on the whiteboard at the end of
an input session, ‘What’s your takeaway?’ and then allow participants five minutes to
discuss which ideas from the session they would like to use straight away. For more on
encouraging trainees to reflect on the content of input sessions, see Unit 17.

“As an online teacher trainer,

I always need an answer to the
question: ‘What is my contingency
plan if the technology fails?’”
Jude Richardson, Oxford Education Consulting

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 37
 10 tips for delivering effective sessions

As well as ensuring that you plan your input session thoroughly (see Unit 8), it is also essential
that you deliver your workshops effectively. Many of the suggestions that you will read about
in this unit describe techniques that would constitute an example of a good language lesson.
They could also be used as advice to trainees when they are planning a lesson.

1. Model good practice

Give your trainees plenty of models of good teaching practice. This is especially
important when you are working with inexperienced teachers, who may have a different
understanding of what good practice means. It might even be the first time they have had
to do certain teacher tasks, such as setting up activities or checking understanding of new
concepts. These skills do not always come easily and, although trainees need as much
practice as possible, they also need consistent models of how to do it. Even experienced
teachers may have forgotten certain ways of doing things, so seeing you demonstrating
these techniques may remind them of different ways of teaching and managing learning.

2. Provide variety
Ensure that you include variety when delivering an input session. Vary the ways in which
you deliver information. Include a range of interaction patterns using groupwork and
pairwork, whole-class activities, getting trainees to work on their own, and so on. Provide
trainees with input, but also elicit ideas from them. Ensure, also, that you vary your pace:
Unit 9

having the same pace throughout may result in disengagement and boredom. With
revision activities, tasks can be quite pacey; however, when you are introducing new
concepts and difficult ideas, you may want to slow down a bit. In any case, ensure that you
move at the trainees’ pace, especially during reflection and discussion tasks. For more on
reflection tasks, see Unit 17.

3. Be flexible
Although you might feel that you have planned the perfect input session, be aware
of sticking too rigidly to your plan. Unexpected questions, tasks that take longer than
planned or discussions that dry up can also impact on your plan. As with any teaching
and learning situation, ultimately, you are there to teach your learners (i.e. your trainees)
and not your plan, so be prepared to be as flexible as necessary. Consider including some
flexi-stages, factoring in time and space for discussion and reflection. Finally, remember
to respond to your trainees’ needs as they appear. It is far better to react to essential and
important situations than to ignore them in an effort to teach to the plan.

4. Create a positive learning environment

Just as we want to ensure that our learners are involved in a lesson, we also want our
trainees to be engaged in our input sessions. While the use of lectures and other forms of
telling are sound tools to be used in input sessions, they are not the only ones. Skimping
on groupwork, elicitation and feedback could result in a lack of engagement. By involving
your trainees as much as possible, you will find that they are more likely to want to
continue being part of the course. Keep in mind their needs, listen to their answers,
respond to their questions and give your attention to everyone in the training room.
Finally, remember to use your trainees’ names.

38 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Make things explicit
Let your trainees know why you are doing things in a certain way and get them to think
about the rationale behind the tasks you give them to do. For example, why do we
monitor? You could tell your trainees the answer or, better still, elicit ideas from them
about what constitutes good practice. It can be very easy to assume that certain aspects
of teaching are common sense, but some inexperienced trainees may not be able to see
this. More experienced teachers may have forgotten, or even be unaware of, the rationale
behind many teaching practices. Part of your job as a trainer is to ensure that your trainees
gain an understanding of why, as teachers, we do certain things.

6. Allow time to reflect

Rushing through tasks can be overwhelming and confusing for trainees and, to a certain
extent, trainers themselves. By giving trainee teachers some breathing space, you are
allowing them time to think about what they have done and learnt, and how they can
apply this in their own classrooms. Giving your trainees space to exchange ideas will help
them to put into practice the contents of your session. See Unit 17 for more on this.

7. Give trainees lots of comprehensible input

When working with experienced teachers, you may find that a lot of the material you
are working with is quite academic and sometimes difficult to understand. If this is the

Unit 9
case, break the tasks down into more comprehensible ideas and activities. That way your
trainees are more likely to understand and retain the message. Pre-service trainees, who
may be overwhelmed with the number of new ideas coming their way, will also benefit
from such an approach. For more on different types of material that can be used in an
input session, see Unit 12.

8. Include things that you do

As well as exemplifying teacher qualities, skills and procedures that are generally
considered good practice, it is also a good idea to demonstrate less conventional
techniques that you have found to work for you. Ensure that, where possible, you justify
your activities and tasks, drawing on experience or research. In a similar vein, avoid
doing things that you wouldn’t naturally do in the classroom as this may come across as
contrived or unnatural.

9. Borrow ideas
Asking your colleagues to share their session plans with you is an excellent way to not
only save time planning and preparing a workshop that already exists, but also to see how
other trainers prepare. For example, they might approach a session from a different angle
or they might include different task types and activities. Instead of using their session
wholesale, you might decide to borrow just some of the tasks – it can sometimes be quite
difficult to deliver an input session prepared by someone else, especially if their style is
different from yours. Instead of using a fellow trainer’s plan, another option might be to
speak to them about their session to get ideas. If no other trainers are available in your
area, you could use networking websites or social media channels to exchange ideas.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 39
 10. Reflect
After you have delivered an input session, think about what went well and what didn’t.
If something went well, you might want to try the same activity next time – although be
aware that the next group of trainees might have different needs. If something didn’t go
well, think about why this was the case: was it because you didn’t prepare the session well,
or was it because it wasn’t appropriate for your trainees? It may simply be that the trainees
were tired or more focused on their upcoming teaching practice. As well as reflecting on
your own practices, it is a good idea to get feedback from your trainees: this could be in the
form of an informal chat with one or two of them after a workshop or through a more formal
questionnaire at the end of the course. For more on finishing courses, see Section 8.

“Once you’ve become a trainer,

it can be easy to slip into routines.
Keep questioning what you’re
doing and reflecting on the
training you’re giving to ensure
that you stay up to date with
Unit 9

developments in the field.”

Sandy Millin, IH Bydgoszcz, Poland

40 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ways to get to know your trainee teachers

At the beginning of a course, it is important that everyone gets to know each other. This
helps to build rapport, create a positive learning environment and ensure that everyone is
aware of the contents of the course. Here are 10 activities you can use to break the ice with
your trainee teachers.

1. Who, what, where, when

Begin by writing your name in the middle of the whiteboard. Then think of a person (who),
a thing (what), a place (where) and a date (when) that are important to you. Write these
in the corners of the whiteboard. Then ask the trainees to ask yes/no questions to try to
guess why the four words are important. Elicit ideas from the trainees as to the significance
of the four words until they are able to guess what the words relate to. The trainees then
write four words that are important to them on a piece of paper and mingle, asking and
answering yes/no questions until they guess the significance of each other’s answers.

Emily screwdriver

Unit 10
Lizzie

Paris 02-02-07

2. A course quiz
The trainees are given some questions about the course, such as the number of contact
hours, when and where teaching practice takes place and how to contact their trainers.
This information will have been made available either before the course, online, or at the
same time as the quiz. Trainees are put into groups and given a time limit within which to
answer as many of the questions as possible. A follow-up task would involve the trainees
working in groups to write any further questions they have about the course for their
trainer. This task works either in a face-to-face context or as an online questionnaire.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 41
 3. Interview the trainers
In this activity, groups of trainees interview their trainers. The trainees could be given pre-
prepared questions to ask, or they could make up their own. The questions should focus
on getting to know the trainers and/or the course, so questions focusing on the trainers’
backgrounds and the contents of the course would be useful.

Tutor’s Previous Current Advice for

name experience role the course

4. Trainee interviews
The trainees are given a series of questions relating to their motivations for taking
the course, what they hope to get from it, what they think the biggest challenges
will be and what they are looking forward to most. They then mingle, interviewing each
other about their hopes and concerns about the course. You could extend this activity by
asking the trainees to report back to their initial group on what they heard. A further
Unit 10

follow-up activity would involve the trainees writing their own questions for each other.
See page 179 for some example questions.

5. Things in common
This activity can work with all levels of trainee. The trainees mingle and try to find at least
one thing they have in common with every other trainee (and the trainer) in the room.
These similarities can be related to common languages, places of work, favourite films or
anything else. To make this task more challenging, trainees must find a different similarity
with each person in the room; that is, if they share their hometown with two other trainees,
they can only claim this as a similarity with one of them; with the other trainee they have to
find a different similarity. At the end of the mingle phase, trainees report what they have
found out to the whole class.

6. Peer teaching
In the initial meeting, trainee teachers teach each other something unrelated to ELT.
This could be a trick, a sport, a method of doing something – anything! The more practical
the better. The trainees prepare what they are going to teach beforehand and supply any
paraphernalia they may need. After they have taught their peers, elicit the similarities
between teaching an unrelated skill, such as juggling, and teaching English.

7. Brief biographies
This is a ‘getting to know you’ task that you can use on online courses. The online tutor
first writes a brief forum post about themselves and then invites trainees to post their own
mini-biographies. They read each other’s posts and then attempt to find three people they
have something in common with. They respond to the relevant posts saying what they
have in common.

42 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Find someone who ...
This classic English-teaching activity works well at the beginning of the course. It can
be used both for trainees to get to know each other and for you to get to know
them. It can also be used later in the course as a way of recycling key terminology and
concepts that have been introduced. Make a handout that includes statements such as
‘Find someone who has taught before’, ‘Find someone who knows what an auxiliary verb
is’ or ‘Find someone who is looking forward to teaching practice’. Trainees mingle, trying
to find a different person in the group for each statement. If information about the
candidates is available before the initial meeting, statements could also focus on relevant,
but not confidential, information about the trainees. See the example on page 180.

9. What can you remember?

If the course is blended, or if you have already set up a VLE (see Tip 10 on page 25), you
can use this activity to see how much trainees can remember about each other. Gather
together a (unique) fact about each trainee that they have previously provided online,
and then ask questions to see how much they can remember about each other; for
example: ‘Who has lived in Italy?’, ‘Who speaks four languages?’ or ‘Who has six sisters?’.
This can be conducted during an initial face-to-face meeting, carried out online via
video‑conferencing, or it can be posted on a discussion board, depending on the nature

Unit 10
of the course.

10. Small talk

Small talk is important at the beginning of any course in order to help the trainees to relax
and feel more comfortable in their new environment. You can chat to them about the
course, their reasons for taking it or their future plans, but it might also be a good idea to
talk about unrelated topics. The aim here is simply to break the ice, help everyone to relax
and dispel any nerves.

“I love using a ‘Find someone who …’

activity at the start of a course. You can
tailor the sentence heads to find out
about the trainees’ backgrounds in terms
of their professional experience and
interests beyond teaching, as well as their
expectations of the course. This makes
it suitable for both initial and in-service
training courses. It also offers a great model
of an activity that they can do in class and
helps them to find out about each other.”
Alastair Douglas, freelance trainer, Cambridge UK.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 43
 10 warmers and lead-ins for input sessions

In order to engage your trainees’ interest in the topic of the input session, it is a good idea
to include a simple yet fun activity at the beginning of the session, that is, a warmer or a
lead-in. The main difference between warmers and lead-in tasks is that warmers tend to focus
on recycling previous learning, whereas lead-ins tend to be related to the topic of the input
session. Sometimes it might not be possible to include both a warmer and a lead-in due to
lack of time. In such cases, focus on ensuring your lead-in engages your learners sufficiently.
Here are five warmers and five lead-ins that can be used at the beginning of an input session.

1. Tests and quizzes

Give trainees a simple test on the elements of the course they have looked at so far.
This could include language, teaching methodology, or classroom management, or it
could be about practical components of the course (such as assignment hand-in dates).
An alternative to this is for trainees to test each other on what they can remember about
the course content so far. This could be done in the form of quiz questions (e.g. ‘How do
you form the present perfect?’) or in the form of statements such as ‘Name four different
techniques for checking understanding of language’.

2. Backs to the board

One good way to revise or recap learning is to play the game, ‘Backs to the Board’. Put
trainees into teams of four to six. From each team, one trainee (i.e. the person whose turn it
Unit 11

is to be the ‘player’) comes and sits at the front of the classroom with their back to the board.
Write a key term (something already covered in the course) on the board. Each team has to
describe the term without actually using it. For example, if the term is ‘skimming’, the trainees
might say something like, ‘It’s a kind of reading where you read quickly to get the main
message’. The first player with their back against the board to shout out the correct answer
gains their team one point. The players then swap with another member of their team. The
game continues until everyone has had a go or until one team has ten correct answers.

3. Five things I have learnt so far

Getting trainees to discuss what they have learnt so far not only revises learning, but also
gives them a chance to consider what they have personally found important. An example
of this kind of discussion is to ask trainees to write down five things they have learnt on the
course so far, stating which ones they think are the most important and why. Here, trainees
should be encouraged to think about the whole of the course and not just input sessions.
For example, trainees should be encouraged to think about teaching practice, any written
work they have completed, their learners, their colleagues, their observations and any
other aspects of the course that have affected them so far.

4. Any questions?
In input sessions, we often leave time at the end for questions. However, another way to
make use of questions is for trainees to write down three questions they have about the
topic at the beginning of the input session. They then put their questions away until the
end. After the input, they read their questions again and check whether their questions
have been answered. If they haven’t, they can raise their hand and ask. It’s a useful way to
focus trainees’ attention from the outset and get them to think about what they already
know and what they don’t know. It also means that their needs are more likely to be met.

44 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Recycling terminology
Giving trainees key terms from the previous input session is a good way to recycle
knowledge of terminology. For example, after a session on phonology, you could see
what they have remembered by transcribing key phonological terms in phonemic script
on the board and asking trainees to first work out what they say and then to discuss
their understanding of each one. This allows you to recycle their understanding of both
phonemes and the concepts. Here are some examples you could use:
/ɪntəneɪʃn/ /saɪlənt letəz/ /kənektɪd spiːtʃ/ /wi:k fɔ:mz/ /sɪləblz/ /rɪðəm/ /tʃʌŋkɪŋ/
/fəʊniːmz/ /kəntra:stɪv stres/ /mɪnɪml peəz/

Answers: intonation, silent letters, connected speech, weak forms, syllables, rhythm,
chunking, phonemes, contrastive stress, minimal pairs.

6. Brainstorming and spidergrams

To gauge trainees’ existing knowledge of the topic of an input session, ask them to brainstorm
in groups what they already know about it and to put their ideas into a spidergram. They
then report back to the whole class. Summarise the main points on the board.

Unit 11
7. Collaborative spidergrams
As a variation to Tip 6, give each group a piece of paper on which they draw a spidergram
and fill it in with topic-related concepts, terms or ideas. After a couple of minutes, each
group passes their spidergram to another group. The trainees in that group read the ideas
and try to add more. This continues until each group has read and added more ideas to
each spidergram.
Pronunciation
Form (syllables,
(spelling, word class) word stress)

Meaning
(definition, realia, Collocation
mime)
Teaching
concept checking
questions vocabulary
synonyms

Context
Check
understanding
Practice! Examples
eliciting examples personalisation

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 45
 8. Agree or disagree?
This activity works well as a way to uncover trainees’ pre-existing ideas about a topic.
Give them a list of statements related to the topic of the input session and ask them to
decide whether they agree or disagree with each statement, giving their reasons. They
then compare and discuss their opinions with their peers. For example, in an input session
on error correction, the statements could be:
XX Learners want to have all their errors corrected.
XX Error correction should take place in every lesson.
XX All learner errors should be corrected.
XX Teachers should correct learner errors rather than asking the learner to self-correct.
XX Some learners are embarrassed when they are corrected.
XX Learners should be encouraged to correct each other.
XX Errors with form should be ignored if the message is clear.

9. Reflecting on the past

For experienced teachers, ask them to reflect on their previous teaching experience.
Unit 11

So, if your workshop focuses on teaching productive skills, ask them to discuss their
previous experiences of teaching speaking and writing. For new teachers, ask them to
consider their own experiences as learners. For example, at the beginning of a workshop
on teaching grammar, ask them to reflect on how they learnt grammar in any foreign or
second language they know. Then consider how these experiences (both positive and
negative) could be used to help them to teach grammar to their own learners.

10. Summarising and mini-lectures

This activity is suitable for more advanced training courses. Put trainees into pairs (A and
B). Trainee A must orally summarise for their partner, B, what they already know about the
topic of the input session. Trainee A should only speak for about one or two minutes. As
they give their mini-lecture they should, where possible, support their ideas with theory
and concepts from the literature or their own personal experience. Trainee B makes notes
of the key points of A’s mini-lecture. When A has finished, B presents A’s ideas to another
partner (i.e. another A). As the new A listens, they make a note of what B says. When B has
finished, ideas from both sets of notes should be compared. Take one or two main ideas
from each pair and write them on the board.

46 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 different types of material for
input sessions

This unit looks at the various materials you can use to create content for an input session.
Some of the activities allow trainees to observe what teachers do in the classroom. Others
give trainees the opportunity to practise teaching in a workshop context rather than with real
learners. A third type is concerned with raising trainee awareness. Note that these activity types
are not mutually exclusive; it is common to find all of them in teacher training programmes or
even within a single input session. Generally, though, practice activities are more common in
pre-service training, while awareness-raising is more suitable for experienced teachers. What
is appropriate will depend on where the course is taking place and who the participants are.
Factors such as institutional or course constraints, trainees’ expectations and the amount of
time that is available are likely to impact on the type of input material chosen.

1. Video recordings of real lessons

These are particularly useful when you are working with new teachers or introducing
experienced teachers to a new teaching context. Trainees watch excerpts or, in some
cases, whole lessons, to give them an indication of what to expect when teaching in that
context. The trainees could be given observation tasks (such as watching how the teacher
gives feedback) or discussion tasks (e.g. to say what they liked about the lesson). Lesson
observations can also be used to explore reflective tasks, for example focusing on what
the teacher didn’t do effectively and how the lesson could be improved. An extension task
for use with experienced teachers could involve teachers considering what feedback they

Unit 12
would give to the teacher and how they would go about doing this. If you are unable to find
a good example of a lesson, consider recording yours and your colleagues’ lessons to build
up a bank of easily accessible video material. You can also use your phone to record short
extracts of lessons (such as how to question learners effectively). Be sure to get permission
from everyone who will appear in the video first though.

2. Transcripts of lessons
Trainees look at transcripts of parts of lessons and analyse them. Transcript analysis can work
well when used in conjunction with videos of actual lessons. You can also use transcripts
to demonstrate different aspects of classroom management, such as turn-taking (i.e. the
interaction between a teacher and their learners) or error correction. Transcripts with parts
omitted can be given for experienced teachers to consider what they would say or do next.
With permission, both transcripts and recordings of the current course participants can be
used in input sessions. See Unit 17 for an example of using a transcript in an input session.

3. Lesson plans
Trainees’ own lesson plans can be a great source of input. On a course that involves teaching
practice, encourage trainees to exchange their lesson plans with each other before they
teach, then get them to make suggestions as to how they might improve or develop their
lessons. After the lesson, they once again exchange their plans and discuss what went
well, what went less well, and how they would teach the same lesson again in the future.
Practising teachers’ or trainers’ lesson plans can also be used as a source of input. For
example, you could give trainees a plan with parts missing or in the wrong order and ask
them to complete the plan. More experienced teachers can be tasked with evaluating plans
or suggesting alternative tasks and courses of action. Finally, model plans can be used –
especially with less experienced teachers – to help them plan their own lessons. For more on
exploiting lesson plans, see Units 13 and 14.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 47
 4. Readings
A text taken from a website, a journal or a book is given to trainees to read and discuss.
This text could be used to consolidate knowledge from an input session, or it could be
exploited – in the same vein as an EFL reading lesson – with a range of tasks and activities.
Indeed, reading about teaching by completing reading tasks is a great way to exploit a
text and/or a difficult or new idea in an active way. If you want to take more of a flipped
learning approach, provide your trainees with the text before the input session so you
can use the limited time available in your session to discuss it, clarifying any points and
considering the ideas mentioned. A text can also be used for a follow-up task after an
input session in order to consolidate learning (see Units 16 and 17).

5. Lectures
Giving your trainees a talk about an aspect of teaching can be a great source of input,
especially if it involves active learning tasks. As in the point about reading above, trainees
are not simply asked to listen to a lecture, but they must also complete tasks about its
content. Follow up these tasks with a discussion in which trainees give their own personal
response to the input. Lectures do not always have to be live: podcasts, videos, and pre-
recorded talks from conferences can also be used. As with reading tasks, a lecture can be
used as a source of input before, during or after a session. For more on tasks before an
Unit 12

input session as well as consolidation tasks, see Units 16 and 17.

6. ELT textbook materials

Teaching materials such as textbooks, coursebooks or samples of activity types can be
exploited to raise awareness of good and bad, appropriate and inappropriate tasks and
materials. Teaching materials can also be used to help trainees plan lessons. For example,
give each group of trainees a coursebook and ask them to choose appropriate material to
plan a lesson for a real or imaginary group of learners. Other activities include comparing
coursebooks or tasks, reviewing coursebooks and adapting published material. Tasks taken
from coursebooks can also be used to help exemplify a lesson or task type, especially with
pre-service trainees (see units 13 and 14).

7. Case studies
Case studies give information about learners, teachers or classes, and can be used
for a variety of tasks and activities. For example, information about real learners (such
as their background, language abilities and their likes and dislikes) can be used to assess
needs and prepare activities to meet these needs. Teachers’ case studies (e.g. information
about the teachers’ experience and qualifications) can be used to reflect on the role of the
teacher or what a particular teacher is currently doing and how this affects them.
Inexperienced teachers might want to learn more about teachers, and so reading about or
listening to interviews with practising teachers would meet this need. More experienced
teachers could offer support and advice to struggling colleagues, for example, by
answering the question, ‘What would you do in this situation?’ Case studies of whole
classes can be used to help plan a lesson, a series of lessons or even a whole course.
They can also be used to give teachers an indication of the composition of a particular or
‘typical’ class. See page 181 of the Appendix for some examples of case studies.

48 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Samples of learners’ work
Use real examples of learners’ work to give your trainees practice in identifying errors,
carrying out needs’ analyses and planning lessons. Start by providing a piece of writing
written by a learner. Trainees read this and look for any mistakes in the text. They then
create a lesson which helps address a common error that they have identified. For
example, the trainees might see a lot of mistakes with the use of articles, so they create
a lesson that practises the use of articles. As well as written texts, samples of learners
speaking or being interviewed are good sources of input. Where possible, try to get
samples of learners talking about how they learn or what they enjoy doing in the
classroom. This ensures that trainees can find or create materials that are interesting
for their learners. If teaching practice forms part of the course, obtain samples from the
learners that your trainees are actually going to teach. Samples also give inexperienced
teachers an indication of the learners’ level and ability.

9. Trainees supply the content

In this type of input session, the trainees provide the content. This is a good way to
revise previous learning in a training course. Before the session, ask them to write
down what concerns, problems or questions they have about a particular topic. For
example, you could ask them if they have any questions about classroom management, as

Unit 12
in the example on page 182 of the Appendix. If possible, use a web-based application like
Google Docs for trainees to write their questions: this ensures that everyone can see what
questions are being asked and also allows you time to consider what your answers might
be. In the input session, trainees work in groups to try to answer the questions. Ensure that
you are on hand to clarify any points and, at the end, provide a summary of the discussion.
This works well with both inexperienced and experienced trainees. Trainees do need to
have at least some knowledge and experience of teaching, though, for this activity to
work; otherwise they may not be able to supply much content.

10. Trainee-led input sessions

This approach gives trainees even more autonomy in choosing the topic of the workshop
and in planning the contents. In some ways, it is similar to a student-led tutorial at a
university. Trainees choose a topic, or, if you think this might leave things too open, you
could assign topics for them to research at home. They then present their findings to
the rest of the group in the next input session. Trainees can either work individually or
in groups to complete the task. Be aware that although the trainees are preparing the
content of the input session, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do or prepare
anything yourself. You should still ensure that your knowledge of the topic is thorough,
and that you have prepared some points for discussion. For more on planning input
sessions, see Unit 8.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 49
 10 activities for input sessions on teaching
the four skills

The activities described in this section can be used to demonstrate to trainees how to teach
the four skills: reading, writing, listening or speaking. Note that most of them could be
adapted so that they focus instead on language.

1. Ordering lesson stages

Give the trainees the jumbled stages of a skills lesson. Working in groups, they
arrange the stages into a logical order. To make this task more engaging, consider
giving the trainees the jumbled-up stages of a video-recorded lesson. Once they have put
the stages into order, they watch the video to check their answers. Trainees should be
encouraged to justify their answers – whether right or wrong – as there might be more
than one correct answer in some cases. Extensions to this task involve the trainees
matching the lesson stages to stage aims or to lesson procedures. See page 183 for an
example of arranging the stage aims of a listening lesson and page 184 for an example of
arranging the stages and stage aims of a speaking lesson.

2. Analysing a lesson
Give trainees the materials and activities from a lesson. Then ask them some
questions about the lesson, e.g. ‘What are the stages?’ or ‘How does the teacher
engage interest in the text?’ They then watch a video recording of the lesson and attempt
to answer the questions. See page 185 of the Appendix for some questions that could be
Unit 13

used when watching a reading lesson. An extension to this task is for trainees to create
their own questions before watching the lesson. An alternative to watching a recording of
a lesson is for the tutor to model a lesson with the trainees taking the role of the learners
(see Tip 7 below).

3. Peer-teaching coursebook materials

Trainees are given several coursebooks from which to choose a skills lesson.
Working in groups, they first choose material that could be used to teach a
particular skill. They then use the material they have chosen to prepare a lesson to teach
to another group. Finally, they actually teach the lesson to the other group of trainees.
A similar idea is to ask trainees to choose and prepare a lesson, but instead of teaching it,
they justify why they have chosen it. If time is short, choose the lesson material yourself.
If the trainees are relatively inexperienced, give them guiding questions to help them
prepare their lessons. See page 186 for some guiding questions that you can give to your
trainees to help them plan a speaking lesson.

4. Designing lessons from example texts

This is similar to the previous task, but is it aimed at more experienced teachers.
Instead of giving them a lesson to teach, give them a text or a transcript of a
recording and ask them to use it to create a lesson, designing their own tasks and
activities. This lesson could again be peer-taught, or trainees could design a lesson to use
with their own learners. An extension task involves trainees supplying their own material,
and justifying their choices with regard to their chosen group of learners. See page 188 for
examples of material that can be used for a writing and a reading lesson.

50 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Identifying aims
Provide your trainees with a lesson plan with the aims missing. They are tasked with writing
the lesson aims. This could also be done by asking trainees to watch a video-recorded
lesson and identify the lesson aims. To add more of a challenge, ask trainees to identify
both the main aims and secondary aims. A different take on this is to give trainees the
procedure of a plan with the stage aims missing (see Tip 1 above). Reading through the
procedure, trainees write in the lesson’s stage aims.

6. The good the bad and the so-so

Give trainees a series of tasks or activities. They must decide if the activities are effective
for a group of learners they know, giving reasons for their choices. If they decide that the
tasks are lacking in any way, they should think of ways of improving them. This works well
if trainees consider how they can use the activities with their own learners in teaching
practice. If trainees are not doing teaching practice as part of their course, ask them to
consider a class they teach and whether the tasks would be suitable for their learners.

7. Modelling a skills lesson

Demonstrate a typical skills lesson, with trainees taking on the role of the learners.
This is an effective way to show the stages of a lesson and for trainees to experience

Unit 13
what it is like to be a learner. In order to make this more effective, ensure that the trainees
are given a lesson plan and a chance to analyse the tasks that they have just done. There
are some example questions to help with analysing a model listening lesson on page 189.
This activity works well with inexperienced teachers, who might be struggling to
understand the staging and procedures of a skills lesson.

8. Loop input
An extension to the activity above (Tip 7) is to use a loop input* approach. This is similar
to a demonstration; however, here, your trainees experience the process of the activity
and consider the concept of the activity at the same time. For example, your trainees
experience an input session on reading by reading a text about how to teach reading,
and then answering the usual kinds of questions teachers use with reading texts (that is,
they answer gist reading and detailed reading questions, and then discuss their opinions
about the text).

*Woodward T (1988) Loop Input. Pilgrims.

9. Focus on subskills
Give trainees a list of different skills tasks, such as listening to a lecture or a song,
and ask them to decide what subskill they would use to do the task. You can use the
example reading tasks on page 190 or create your own for focusing on different skills.
This is an important activity for inexperienced teachers, who may struggle to differentiate
between different subskills.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 51
 10. Recapping
Once trainees are comfortable with the typical staging of different types of skills
lessons, it can be useful to recap some typical features of the pre- and post-stages
as well as what makes a successful ‘during’ task. You can either focus on each of the
different skills individually or look at receptive and productive skills together. You could
even include all four skills in one session depending on the ability or experience level of
your trainees and the type or stage of the course. This can be conducted as a jigsaw
activity, whereby students initially work in groups, with each group focusing on a different
skill. They then regroup to share their ideas with different trainees. See page 191 of the
Appendix for an example handout you can use for recapping productive skills lessons.

“After giving a presentation

on an area of teaching, I divide
the trainees into groups of 3 to
4. They are given markers and
some pieces of paper. Their task
is to put a summary of the main
Unit 13

points into a mini poster. Then

each group presents their mini
posters to the other groups.
Finally all the trainee teachers
work together and create one big
poster containing 10 key tips.”
Magdalena Dygała, teacher trainer, Poland

52 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 activities for input sessions on teaching
language

This unit describes activities that can be used to develop knowledge about language systems
(i.e. grammar, lexis, pronunciation and discourse) as well as activities that can be used to
exemplify different ways of teaching language. Just as the activities in the previous unit can
be adapted to focus on teaching systems, most of these activities can also be adapted to
focus on skills or classroom management techniques.

1. Ranking activities
Trainees are given a set of exercises or tasks and asked to rank them. The criteria for
ranking the exercises could focus on how useful they are, how likely they are to
meet their learners’ needs or how communicative they are. An extension task involves the
trainees deciding on their own criteria. See page 194 for an example activity in which
trainees are asked to rank grammar tasks according to whether they provide more
controlled or freer practice of language.

2. Grass skirts
This activity can be used to focus on common learner problems with grammar, lexis or
pronunciation. It also introduces trainees to a fun activity they can use with their own
learners. Prepare a worksheet with 8–10 sentences containing common mistakes.
Alternatively, use Example A, provided on page 197 of the Appendix. Make enough copies
to allow one worksheet per pair or group, preferably on different-coloured pieces of paper.

Unit 14
Cut the sentences into strips, stopping a few centimetres before the edge so that they look
like grass skirts. Stick them on the classroom wall with the uncut edge at the top. One
trainee from each pair or group runs up to their ‘grass skirt’ and takes the first strip. They
take the sentence back to their team and work together to correct the mistake. When they
have done it, they show it to you to check. If the correction is right, they can go and take the
second sentence; if there is still a mistake, they must return to their team and try again to
correct it. This continues until all the sentences have been corrected. The first team to finish
is the winner. Once the activity is over, trainees must analyse each of the mistakes, discussing
whether their learners have ever made such mistakes and suggesting possible reasons for
their occurrence. This helps to prepare them for planning and teaching language-focused
lessons and anticipating problems and solutions. It can also work to revise key concepts and
terminology with trainees needing to supply the correct term, as in Example B on page 198.
As a follow-up, trainees can be asked to supply examples of the terms.

3. Auction
This is a fun way to check trainees’ understanding of key language-related
terminology. Ask them to work in small groups. Give each group a set of sentences,
such as those on page 199, and an amount of money. You could use money from a game
such as Monopoly if you wish. Trainees read the instructions and then decide which
sentences they are going to bid on. Auction the sentences to the trainees. Once the
auction is over, confirm which sentences are correct. The trainees add up their money.
The winner could either be the group with the most correct sentences, or the group with
the most remaining money. During feedback, ask trainees to correct the mistakes.
A different form of this activity is to have the trainees bet on each sentence. They decide
if the sentence is correct and choose how much they want to bet. If they are correct, they
double their money, if not, they lose it all.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 53
 4. Analyse different ways of teaching grammar
Trainees watch short extracts from various recorded lessons demonstrating different
methods of clarifying language, and discuss the pros and cons of each method.
If you are unable to access video-recorded lessons, consider demonstrating the different
approaches yourself, using the trainees as learners (see Unit 12). There is a photocopiable
worksheet you can use on page 200 of the Appendix.

5. Research
Put trainees into groups and ask them to research different approaches to grammar
teaching: for example, teach–test–teach, task-based learning, presentation–practice–
production or guided discovery. They bring their findings to the input session and present
what they have found. An extension to this is to ask trainees to research an approach and
to prepare a lesson exemplifying it. This kind of activity works better with experienced
teachers, who have some understanding and experience of teaching grammar.

6. Analysing language
Give trainees a language analysis sheet with some information missing. They first
work on their own to complete it, and then check their answers in pairs or groups.
This is a good activity for teachers who are unfamiliar with analysing language for teaching
Unit 14

purposes. You will find an example of a language analysis sheet on page 201. There is also
a blank sheet for you to create your own.

7. Technique practice
Give trainee teachers a language structure or some items of lexis and ask them to prepare
a lesson to present it to a group of learners. Trainees analyse the language, plan how to
present it and create tasks to meet their aims. They could also complete a lesson plan.
Trainees can either peer-teach their target language or teach it to a class of learners,
if available. You can increase the challenge level by asking trainees to prepare different
ways of clarifying language, such as by using timelines and clines. If they need additional
support, consider giving them a range of coursebooks to help them prepare their lessons.

8. Noticing pronunciation problems

Trainees listen to several language learners (from different backgrounds) speaking about
themselves. As they listen, they focus on the pronunciation problems each speaker has.
Working in groups, they consider how they would correct these errors during a lesson.
Where possible, trainees are given a series of coursebooks with pronunciation tasks to
help them identify possible follow-up tasks that could be used with each learner. This
kind of task works well with all levels of trainee. Experienced teachers can draw on their
experience of teaching pronunciation, while inexperienced teachers can use this task to
familiarise themselves with a range of accents and potential pronunciation problems –
and to consider possible solutions.

54 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
9. Jumbled text
This task focuses on coherence and cohesion. Find a suitable text for your trainees
and cut it up, either at sentence or paragraph level. Trainees work together to
rearrange the text. Once they have completed the task, they give reasons for how and why
they rearranged it. Ask the trainees to focus on discourse markers, cohesive devices and
vocabulary. There is a sample task sequence on page 204 that you can use with them.

10. Introduction to phonemes

This activity, which can be photocopied from page 206, helps teachers who have
little knowledge of phonemes to develop their understanding of what they are.
First, ignoring the example words in phonemic script, trainees count the number of sounds
shown in the list, taking note of how many vowels and how many consonants there are.
They compare this with the number of letters in the English alphabet. Finally, trainees
attempt to read the transcribed example word under each phoneme.

“I tell my trainee teachers that

in the communicative language
classroom, when choosing what

Unit 14
language would be appropriate
to teach, go for what's possible.
Choose your context first and
invite a colleague to have a
conversation in that context.
See what language naturally
comes up and teach that.”
Eleni Symeonidou, British Council, Hong Kong

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 55
 10 activities for teaching classroom
management

This unit describes various activities that trainers can use to exemplify classroom
management techniques and facilitate trainees’ practice in this area. Note that the term
‘classroom management’ is used to refer not only to managing learners, but also to teacher
qualities such as creating rapport and using questioning techniques effectively.

1. Agree or disagree?
This activity can be a used as a way of gauging participants’ views at the beginning
of a course. Provide them with a list of statements about different areas of classroom
management (such as those on page 209) and ask them to decide individually whether
they agree or disagree with them and why. They then compare and discuss their opinions
with a partner. This can be followed by feedback with the whole group, allowing you to
draw out any interesting ideas and feed in any further salient points.

2. Giving advice
In this activity, trainee teachers are given a variety of scenarios that all include a
potential problem, such as time management problems or learners not
understanding instructions. You will find some examples on page 210. Working in groups,
trainees suggest ways in which to solve the problems. A follow-up task might involve
trainees discussing how the situation could have been avoided in the first place.
Unit 15

3. Observations
Video recordings of lessons can be used for a variety of different classroom
management tasks. For inexperienced teachers, a first task is to observe a teacher
modelling good practice, to notice this and then to discuss what they thought was
effective about it. They then consider how they can use this good practice in their own
teaching. As can be seen from the example observation task on page 211, this type of task
can be used to demonstrate many aspects of classroom management. More experienced
teachers could observe part of a lesson and, when the recording is paused, say what they
think will happen next. They then watch the rest of the lesson and compare their ideas.
An extension of this task involves trainees suggesting what they would do in that situation
or suggesting alternatives. Live observations of peers or experienced teachers can also be
used to focus on classroom management techniques. For more on observations, see
Section 4.

4. Correct the mistakes

Trainees watch an example of poor classroom management. This could be
demonstrated by the trainer or watched during a video observation; alternatively,
they could study it by way of a transcript of an extract from a lesson (see the examples on
page 212). After watching the video or reading the transcript, trainees decide whether it
was effective or not and why. They then work in groups to suggest ways to improve it.
They summarise their ideas in the form of a list of ‘top tips’ or ‘dos and don’ts’. Finally,
trainees create some guidelines for carrying out the technique effectively. This activity can
be used to focus on many different aspects of classroom management, but it works
particularly well with instructions, eliciting, concept checking and teacher talk.

56 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Role plays
In this twist on a common EFL activity, trainee teachers are given a teaching role
(such as writing on the board or grouping learners) to act out. Begin by putting the
trainees into groups of four or five. Using either the ready-to-use role cards on page 216
or some of your own, put a set of cards on the table in the middle of each group. The
trainees take turns to draw a role card and act out the situation they have been given,
with the other members of the group taking on the role of the learners. An extension to
this task – especially if you have a large group – is for most of the trainees to do the task,
playing the roles of teachers and students, while the rest go around the room and observe
their peers (i.e. they practise monitoring). As these trainees monitor, they can offer
suggestions and support to those in the teacher role.

6. Demonstration
In this activity, the trainer demonstrates different classroom management
techniques using the trainees as learners. For example, the cards on page 217 can
be used to exemplify different error correction techniques. Invite trainees to take one of
the cards and to read out the utterance containing a typical learner error. You then correct
the mistakes. This can be done in any way you feel comfortable, but try to include a range
of techniques, such as finger correction, gesture, and reformulation. A follow-up task

Unit 15
involves the trainees considering the advantages and disadvantages of each technique.
This activity also works well as a way of demonstrating questioning techniques that can be
used for eliciting and checking understanding.

7. Practice
A follow-up to the task above is for the trainees to put into practice the various
techniques they have just seen demonstrated. For example, after experiencing a
range of correction or questioning techniques, they then practise them in pairs or small
groups, with one taking on the role of the teacher and the other(s) the learner(s). You can
use the cards on page 218 for this or you can create your own. This kind of peer-teaching
task can be used to practise other classroom management techniques, such as setting up
tasks, giving instructions and getting feedback.

8. Taboo
This version of the classic word-guessing game is a good way to practise elicitation
techniques. It is a good way to finish an input session as a way of revising
terminology used in the session. It can be played in groups or as a whole class. The aim of
the game is for a trainee to elicit a word from the other members of their group without
using that word or words associated with it. If you are doing it in groups, put the trainees
into groups of four to six. You can use either the ready-to-use cards on page 219 or you
can make your own. Place the cards face down on the table. The first trainee turns over a
card and attempts to elicit the word on it from their group without using the underlined
word at the top or the other words written under it. If you set it up as a whole-class activity,
trainees can be put into two or more teams with one trainee from each team coming to
the front of the class. The chosen trainees try to elicit the word from their team. The team
that correctly guesses the word within a given time limit gets a point. The team with the
most points at the end is the winner.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 57
 9. Teaching practice preparation and reflection
If teaching practice forms part of the course, or if trainees are already practising
teachers, opportunities to plan and reflect on how they manage their own classes
can be invaluable. Discussion questions, such as those in the examples provided on page
220, can be used to focus on any aspect of classroom management, and can be a way for
trainees to make suggestions to each other. On courses for advanced trainees, ask them
to consider any theories or research that support the suggestions they make.

10. Poster presentations

One way to revise a topic is to have trainees work in groups and to assign each group
a different topic. They then prepare a poster that summarises key terms, concepts,
techniques and good practice in that specific area. After spending some time preparing
their poster, they take turns to present their posters to the other trainees. As trainees
listen, they can either prepare questions to ask after the presentation has finished or carry
out a task such as assessing how thorough or effective the presentation is. If an online
platform is used, photos could be taken of the posters and shared for the trainees to refer
back to at a later date.
Unit 15

58 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 tasks for before and after an input session

It is a good idea to give your trainees tasks to do as preparation for the next input session
(or even as a round up to the input session). For example, you might ask them to read
an article or watch a video. This frees up time during the session and allows this prior
knowledge to be built upon with trainees discussing or putting into practice what they have
read or done. Alternatively, they can work as reflective tasks helping the trainees consolidate
what’s been covered (especially useful on part-time courses). For instance, after an input
session on a topic like error correction, you could ask trainees to carry out a mini-classroom
research activity in which they record the type of errors that their students make in lessons.

Here are ten examples of such tasks; in all cases, you should ensure that they clearly relate forward
or back to the input session. It is frustrating for trainees to be asked to prepare something or to
carry out a follow-up task, only for it not to be referred to in the input session itself.

1. Readings
Ask trainees to read a specific text from a book, an article or a journal connected to the
topic of the input session. Where possible, set some questions (either comprehension or
reflection) to accompany these readings. For example:

Read pages 56–58 of [methodology book] about delivering speaking lessons. Which
three methods are described? Which one do you prefer and why? Be prepared to justify

Unit 16
your answer in our input session tomorrow.

2. Personal research
Ask trainees do their own research into the topic of the input session. In order to make this
kind of task easier, supplying guiding questions ensures that your trainees know what they
should be looking for. For example, before a session on reading skills, you could ask them
to research three different reading subskills. Ask them to state the purpose of each subskill
and to identify a task that could help develop each one.

3. Webinars or mini-lectures
One variation to having trainees read a text is to provide trainees with a link to an
appropriate video on the topic of the input session. This is sometimes referred to as
a ‘flipped approach’, in which trainees watch the video in advance of the session and
– as with readings – they have to complete tasks which you set them. For example, if
the trainees were watching a webinar recording of a lecture, you could assign specific
questions or take notes on certain key points.

4. A recording of you giving a talk

As an alternative to asking trainees to watch a video of someone else (as in the previous
tip), you could make a video recording of yourself talking about the topic of the
forthcoming input session. It doesn’t require special technology (i.e. you can simply use
the webcam on a laptop) and you could structure your talk as a short lecture. In your talk,
say what you feel are important points and ideas about the topic. The trainees watch your
video and make notes on what you say.

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 5. Reflection
More experienced trainees reflect on their own experience of the topic of the input
session. They either make some notes or discuss their ideas in groups or pairs (face to face
or via an online platform). Here are some reflection questions that you can give to trainees
to prepare them for a session on teaching phonology.
XX As a language learner, which aspects of pronunciation are most important for you to
be aware of when learning a second or foreign language?
XX As a language teacher, which aspects of pronunciation do you tend to focus on in the
classroom with your learners? How and why do you do this? Are there any aspects of
pronunciation that you tend to avoid? If so, why?

6. Observations
Trainees watch some recorded lessons and work through some observation tasks in
preparation for the forthcoming input session. If possible, trainees could be asked to
observe live teaching. For some example observation tasks, see Units 27 and 30

7. Terminology
Trainees are given a set of terms relating to the topic of the input session, which they have
Unit 16

to research and define. This type of task works well as a jigsaw activity whereby different
trainees are assigned different terms, which they then peer-teach in the session. A further
idea is to give trainees both the terms and an activity to complete; for example, they could
be asked to find terms related to classroom management in a crossword or wordsearch,
as in the example below.

Y O G Q F F K L B M P O L

F U R E U N M G C B O G D

S L O T K L D R U E I F K

C K U Y K K H J P L W F Y

R A P P O R T D K I E W J

S X I D P F Y R T C D N H

N I N S T R U C T I O N S

P I G L V G W E H T T Y G

O Y S M B N A S L I V R N

D D C H K L R E W N C F G

B A G G R A D I N G S Q O

60 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
 Answer key:

Y O G Q F F K L B M P O L

F U R E U N M G C B O G D

S L O T K L D R U E I F K

C K U Y K K H J P L W F Y

R A P P O R T D K I E W J

S X I D P F Y R T C D N H

N I N S T R U C T I O N S

P I G L V G W E H T T Y G

O Y S M B N A S L I V R N

D D C H K L R E W N C F G

Unit 16
B A G G R A D I N G S Q O

8. Task design
Trainees design a task that exemplifies an approach to teaching or a particular teaching
technique. This can be completed individually, in pairs or in groups. During the session,
trainees share their task designs with each other and evaluate them.

9. Lesson plan analysis

Provide some lesson plans. Trainees look through these and consider good practice and
areas for improvement. They also think about how they would improve the plan. For more
on exploiting lesson plans, see Unit 13. Although the ideas in Unit 13 are suggestions
for in-class activities, they can be used as flipped input to allow more time for practice or
discussion during the session.

10. Action research

If you are working with practising teachers, a worthwhile pre-session task is to get them to
carry out a small piece of classroom-based research with their own learners. For example,
in advance of a session on error correction, you could ask teachers to record their learners’
responses to different error correction techniques during a lesson. Alternatively, before a
session on course design, you could ask your teachers to carry out a needs’ analysis and
diagnostic test on one of their classes. In all cases, teachers should be prepared to share
their findings in the subsequent session.

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 10 tasks for reflection and consolidation

It is important that trainees should be given the opportunity to reflect on and consolidate the
contents of an input session. Ensuring there is some sort of follow-up to each session helps
trainees to further develop their understanding and see the link between input and their own
teaching practice.

The first three ideas in this unit are examples of reflection tasks that do not have to take
a long time and can be done during the last five minutes of an input session. Tip 4 is an
example of a more in-depth reflection task. The remaining suggestions are tasks or activities
that can be done post-session to consolidate trainee learning. As with all homework tasks,
it must be followed up, either in a subsequent input session or via an online forum.

1. Top three
Trainees consider the three most important or relevant aspects of the input session for
them, considering their own context and circumstances. They then share their ideas with
other trainees, justifying their choices.

2. Action points
Trainees come up with some clear action points outlining how and when they will use any
new ideas introduced in the session in the future. For example:
Unit 17

My action po ints:
in
d disco very approach
• I will take a guide da y.
son on Tues
my next gram mar les
a
ll have a go at using
• In the lesson, I wi
difference between
timeline to clarify the
e past perfect.
the past simple an d th
e
nts for feedback on th
• I will ask my stu de my
of the lesson (as
approach at the en d
day).
trainer did with us to

3. Trainer approach
An alternative reflection task involves getting trainees to reflect on the approach to the
input session taken by the trainer rather than the contents. They should consider what
the approach, procedures and techniques employed say about the trainer’s beliefs about
learning and teaching, and whether they could include any aspects of their trainer’s
practice in their own context. As an extension of this, trainees reproduce a basic version
of the lesson plan they think their trainer was following in the input session. See Tip 9 for
more on producing lesson plans as a form of follow-up.

62 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
4. Written reflection
Trainees reflect on the contents of the session by producing a written account of what they
have learnt, perhaps as part of a learning journal. See also Unit 37.

5. Further research
Trainees research certain aspects of the input session further. For example, following a
session on historical ELT approaches, trainees then go away and research more current
approaches. When you let them decide what areas they want to focus on, this task
becomes more relevant to each participant.

6. Follow-up tasks
Give trainees follow-up tasks – perhaps focusing on terminology or concepts – to complete.
These could be gapfills, multiple-choice tasks or matching exercises, all of which are used with
learners. Here is an example of a task that can be used to consolidate a session on lesson aims.

Match each definition with the correct type of aim:

1. what the teacher wants to improve during the lesson
2. the most important thing for the learners to achieve during the lesson
3. the purpose of each activity in the lesson plan

Unit 17
4. the secondary focus of the lesson

a) main aim
b) subsidiary aim
c) personal aim
d) stage aim

7. Further reading
Providing trainees with some selected further reading related to the topic of the input
session helps to consolidate their learning.

8. Quizzes
Set some quiz questions based on the contents of the session for trainees to complete.
This can either be paper-based or online. Alternatively, get trainees to create their own
quizzes for their peers.

9. Lesson planning
A very practical consolidation task is for trainees to plan a lesson to teach to their peers
using techniques and ideas from the input session. This can be delivered or explained at
the beginning of the following session or via an online forum.

10. Theory into practice

When possible, trainees should be encouraged to implement some of the input in their
next lesson. They then share the experience with other course participants, either in the
next face-to-face session or via an online platform.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 63
Section 3: Teaching practice
and lesson planning
Although not all teacher training activities include hands-on teaching practice (TP), many
courses make it a fundamental part of the programme. TP can be organised in different ways,
ranging from short micro-teaching and peer-teaching slots in an input session (see Unit 7)
to full-length lessons teaching groups of volunteer students. It could even involve a teacher
teaching their own usual class as part of an advanced qualification. Whatever form TP takes,
the opportunity to experience guided classroom teaching can be an invaluable experience.

This section begins by considering the benefits of TP. It then moves on to consider typical
concerns both trainees and trainers have about this part of the course, along with suggestions
for overcoming these. Unit 21 contains some tips to share with your trainees in advance of TP.
Units 22–24 offer advice and suggestions for supporting trainees when they are planning their
TP lessons.

TP is usually observed and, in many cases (such as on courses that lead to a qualification), it
is assessed. However, in some situations TP might include lessons where there is no observer.
The advice and suggestions in this section aim to help you to establish which form of teaching
practice (assessed, unassessed, observed or unobserved) is most suited to your context.
 10 benefits of teaching practice

Teaching practice (TP), the practical component on a teacher training course, has many
benefits. On pre-service courses, trainees may get to teach for the first time; and on
in‑service courses, experienced teachers get the opportunity to take their teaching to the
next level. Here are ten reasons why teaching practice can be a positive and rewarding
experience for your course participants whatever their experience.

1. Theory into practice

Teachers with all levels of experience will benefit from putting theory into practice.
Inexperienced teachers may have received a lot of input about how to teach, but it is often
only when they actually try teaching a reading or a grammar lesson, for example, that what
they have learnt becomes more concrete. The same is true on courses aimed at teachers
with some previous teaching experience. Such courses may involve a lot of background
reading and research into different methods and approaches, but unless there is the
opportunity to put these new ideas into practice, they remain theoretical.

2. Practical techniques into practice

Linked to the point above, teaching practice provides the opportunity to put practical
procedures, techniques or activities encountered during the course into practice. A trainee
teacher may observe their trainer setting up a jigsaw reading activity, drilling sentence
stress or asking concept-checking questions, but until the trainee actually tries these things
Unit 18

out in the classroom, they remain ideals or something to aspire to.

3. Real-life experience
Teachers teach; this is what we do. Giving trainees the opportunity to teach, whether
assessed or unassessed, allows them to experience what they will have to do in the future,
and bridges the gap between the course and real life. This is particularly important for
pre‑service teachers, who may never have stood up in front of language learners before.

4. A safe environment
On many courses, the practical part of the course may be formally assessed and contribute
towards the final grade on that course. In other cases, it may be included purely for
developmental reasons. Whatever the aim of the teaching practice, it should be carried
out in a supportive environment in which trainees feel comfortable and confident to
practise what they have learnt with some guided support. Even when teaching practice is
assessed, the trainee receives support in planning and delivering their lesson with further
suggestions after they have taught.

5. Practice makes perfect

For more experienced teachers, observed teaching practice allows them to reconsider
what they do in the classroom, try out new ideas and improve and develop their teaching
style. They may feel they are stuck in a rut and have been teaching in the same way for
years; in such cases, guided teaching practice may help them to question their underlying
beliefs and possibly lead to a change in their practice. New teachers can use TP to practise
newly acquired teaching skills and hone their classroom management skills. There is
usually a noticeable improvement in their lesson execution by the end of the course.

66 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
6. Make mistakes now
It is far better to make mistakes in a safe, supportive environment with suggestions as
to how to improve in further lessons than to make them with little or no support once
employed in a professional capacity. With supportive guidance from their trainer, trainees
should be encouraged to realise that mistakes are a good thing that enable them to
progress and develop as teachers.

7. Learn from experience

Self-reflection is an integral part of any teacher training course that includes a practical
component, and is essential for the development of any teacher. It is only through practical
teaching experience that trainee teachers get the opportunity to consider what they did
well, what they didn’t do so well, what they could have done differently and how they can
improve in future lessons. For more on reflection, see Unit 31.

8. Feedback
If teaching practice is observed – either for assessment or developmental purposes – tutor
or peer feedback can be a highly motivating part of the process. Including a practical
element allows a trainee to receive suggestions, ideas and praise on what they have done,
which can lead to development in their practice. Ideas for handling the feedback process

Unit 18
can be found in Section 5.

9. Real learners
One of the most important aspects of including a practical component in a teacher
training course is that, in many cases, the trainee teachers get to teach real learners. It also
provides the opportunity to get feedback from the learners themselves, which is a vital
aspect of developing as a teacher. Although the trainee may receive copious amounts of
feedback from a trainer and their peers, receiving feedback from learners gives them a
different perspective on what works and what doesn’t. Ideas for ways to get feedback from
learners can be found in Unit 48.

10. Job prospects

Finally, there is a longer-term benefit. Consider two newly qualified teachers: one with
some practical teaching experience and one who has studied teaching in depth but
has never stepped into a classroom. Who would have a better opportunity of getting
their first teaching job? Having some actual experience of teaching is likely to be much
more attractive to an employer, who wants to feel confident that a new teacher is able to
execute a lesson and manage a class.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 67
 10 ways to overcome typical trainee fears
about teaching practice

As discussed in Unit 18, there are many benefits to including a practical component in
a teacher training course. However, this is also the part that can cause the most anxiety
for both new and experienced teachers and it can be a nerve-racking experience. Even
on courses where teaching practice is unassessed, or perhaps unobserved, some course
participants still have concerns about doing it. This unit highlights some common fears
trainees may have and considers how to address them.

1. What if the students ask me a question I can’t answer?

This is a common concern expressed by new teachers, especially regarding grammar or
pronunciation. First, the chances of this happening can be minimised by ensuring that your
trainees thoroughly research the language area they are going to teach, remembering to
anticipate potential problems the learners may have with the target language and how
to overcome them. Doing this will help trainees feel more confident when delivering the
lesson. However, they may still be asked tricky questions during execution and you should
remind them that there are sometimes instances when even very experienced teachers
are faced with questions they cannot immediately answer. Tell your trainees that there’s
nothing wrong with taking some time to find out. They should definitely not just make
up the answer in an effort to reply to the learner. Instead, they should tell the learner that
they will attempt to find out the answer at the end of the lesson and get back to them
next time. Trainees should be reminded that throughout their careers there will always be
Unit 19

language points that they will need to check themselves.

2. What happens if I make a mistake?

Remind trainees that, in the same way that mistakes are a natural part of learning a
language, they are also part of the process of learning to teach, and are essential to making
progress as a teacher. The most important thing here is not whether the trainee makes a
mistake, but whether they can reflect on it and consider what they would do in the future
to avoid the same thing happening again. You may also want to remind them to put into
perspective what they are doing. Although the effects of teaching and learning are incredibly
profound and long-lasting, a trainee teacher who forgets to clarify their instructions is, in
reality, not going to have that much of an effect on their learners’ lifelong goals.

3. Do I need to know the learners’ language?

This very much depends on the training context in which you find yourself. Clearly,
knowing the learners’ language has many advantages and can be a useful teaching tool.
However, in many instances your trainees may not know the learners’ first language (L1)
or they may be faced with a class of learners with many different L1s. In these cases, you
should reassure them that knowing the learners’ L1 is not necessary. What is necessary
is being able to grade their own language in order to manage the class successfully and
clarify language. Remind trainees that language grading is an essential part of being
a successful teacher. Another solution is to include a short taster lesson in an unknown
foreign language in which the trainees become learners again, taught by a competent
speaker in the chosen language. This is a good way for trainees – especially if they are
monolingual or used to teaching their learners using a shared language – to experience
a successful language lesson aimed at complete beginners in which only the target
language is used.

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4. How can I get to know the group?
Trainees’ anxiety can stem from working with a group of unfamiliar people. As in any
context, not knowing other people can be stressful; however, when we combine this
with formal assessment, it can be incredibly nerve-racking. A solution to this is to give the
trainees an opportunity to meet their TP learners before they formally teach them. This
could involve getting the trainees to observe a class and/or informally interview their
learners. An extension of this task involves using the information gleaned from the
interviews for any learner-related assignments (see Unit 37). Another idea, on courses that
lead to a qualification, is to include an unassessed and unobserved lesson in which the
trainees use this opportunity to break the ice with their learners by teaching them in a
non-threatening environment (see Unit 30). You can find an example of questions to ask
learners and some guidelines for unassessed TP on page 221 of the Appendix.

5. What help will I get with planning my lesson?

Having never taught, it is understandable that pre-service trainees want support in this
aspect of TP. Remind them what support you offer, how this will help them in delivering
their lessons and how this support may change over the period of the course. If you are
working with in-service teachers, the same is true: manage expectations from the outset
in terms of how many drafts of a plan or background essay you will look at, how much

Unit 19
feedback they can expect to receive, and when. For more on offering support with lesson
planning, see Units 22 to 24.

6. Is collaboration important?
On training courses where trainees work in groups to deliver lessons or parts of lessons,
it is important that they work together to plan their lessons. In everyday life, teachers often
share classes and so have to ensure that they work together to prepare effective lessons
in which each teacher knows exactly what they are going to cover. In a training situation in
which trainees are expected to work together, it is important to clarify this at the beginning
of the course. Often, trainees do work together to plan their lesson; however, on the
occasions when a member of the group is not pulling their weight, ensure you reiterate the
expectations. Make it clear that if one trainee does not contribute sufficiently, this will have
a negative impact not only on the TP group, but also on the learners.

7. What happens if my teaching flaws are exposed?

Teachers with a lot of experience may have been teaching in a certain way for many
years. They may not have been observed for some time nor undertaken much – if any –
professional development. Such a teacher may feel particularly anxious about observed
teaching practice, worrying that any weaknesses or bad habits will be revealed. In such
cases, it is important to emphasise the supportive, developmental nature of teaching
practice and to encourage the teacher to view it as a positive opportunity to examine their
current practice and explore alternatives.

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 8. What if I don’t have enough time to teach everything I’ve planned?
This is another common fear as trainees may think that a failure to cover everything they
have planned to teach will result in their being assessed negatively. Trainees need to
consider what the main aims of the lesson are. If, for example, they have been asked to
teach a reading lesson, their lesson should include some reading practice, while follow-up
speaking activities are perhaps not as important. If a trainee is unable to finish everything
they have planned, discuss the reasons for this in feedback. It might be they have planned
too much or kept a very slow pace. Alternatively, it might be due to their responding to
their learners’ needs – a good reason for not slavishly following their plan. See Units 22 to
24 for more ideas on supporting trainees with lesson planning.

9. What if I run out of things to teach?

Suggest to trainees that they prepare a number of extra activities in case they run out of
material. These can be in the form of extension tasks that support the main aim of their
lesson. Encourage them to include flexi-stages in their plan, which can be used or omitted
during execution, as required. Run through the lesson plan with the trainees, considering
how long tasks will take and identifying areas where they may need to slow down to
exemplify a point. Get trainees to rehearse and time themselves completing the tasks
and then to multiply this time by two. This will give them a better idea of how to allocate
Unit 19

appropriate timings in their plan. If the lesson does run short, discuss the reasons for this
in feedback.

10. What happens if the technology doesn’t work?

In the vast majority of cases, this is a fear that is unfounded. However, it is good practice
to ask trainees to turn up to teaching practice in good time to ensure that everything is
working. It is also a good idea for you to be on hand before the lesson starts to solve any
technical problems. If you are available before teaching practice, you can deal with any
logistical problems, ensuring that trainees can focus on the practical aspects of teaching.
Occasionally, the technology may stop working during the lesson. In such cases, you may
judge it prudent to quietly intervene to resolve the problem. Alternatively, you may decide
to let the trainee solve the problem themselves. In this case, remind the trainee before the
lesson to have a plan B ready.

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10 ways to overcome typical trainer concerns
with teaching practice

Just as trainees have concerns about teaching practice (TP), so, too, do trainers. This unit
deals with some of the most common questions trainers ask before teaching practice, and
proposes some answers.

1. What should I do if the trainee has a breakdown in the middle of

the lesson?
This is not a common occurrence, but it does happen occasionally. It is usually due to
nerves getting the better of the trainee, perhaps combined with an underlying, possibly
personal and undisclosed reason. Before TP, ensure that the trainee is as fully prepared as
possible. Check that they have planned and printed their materials, and that they know
where they have to be and when. Next, spend some time running through the lesson
with them. If you feel that a trainee is very nervous before a lesson, try to reassure them,
offering support and advice. If, however, they are still unable to control their nerves during
the lesson, resulting in their – in the worst case – leaving the classroom, go out yourself
and make sure they are OK. Consider giving the learners a straightforward communicative
task to complete while you speak to the trainee. If appropriate, you could take over
teaching the lesson while a peer checks on the trainee, or vice versa.

2. What happens if I don’t get any learners?

The number of learners can significantly affect your trainees’ teaching practice. On

Unit 20
some externally accredited courses, a very low number of learners can cause the lesson
to be postponed as it is seen as not being valid for assessment. Either way, getting an
unexpectedly low number of learners can be disconcerting, especially for pre-service
teachers, who may not have the experience to adapt their lesson at short notice. To avoid
this problem, ensure that you have recruited enough learners to attend your courses
(see Unit 5). If you still don’t get enough learners, you could either postpone the lesson
or, if there is another class of the same or of a similar level taking place at the same time,
combine the classes. With more experienced teachers, you could ask them to go ahead
and teach the small class, as this is a common situation in some teaching contexts, and
something that teachers need to be able to deal with.

3. What if the trainee doesn’t turn up?

Due to a variety of reasons such as missing a bus, or a last-minute decision to drop out of
the course, or just because they didn’t know where TP was taking place, a trainee may not
attend. Depending on whether you are working with a TP group or with a single trainee,
your response might be different. With a group, you could just allow the remaining
trainees to start their lessons as normal, taking a little longer to set up and possibly their
allocated time, unassessed. However, if one part of the lesson depends on the absent
trainee’s lesson (for example, because it provides the necessary context), then you may
have to teach that part of the lesson yourself. This solution may actually be a positive
one for you if, since working as a teacher trainer, you don’t have the opportunity to teach
learners much. With single trainees, you may decide to cancel the lesson. Be aware,
though, that if the learners are volunteers who have taken time to attend, not receiving
a lesson may result in fewer or none turning up next time. It is good practice to have a
school policy about what to do following the no-show of a trainee teacher.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 71
 4. What if the trainee refuses to teach?
As in Tip 3, this may result in a class being cancelled or somebody stepping in to cover
the lesson. First, speak to the trainee and find out why they do not want to teach. It could
be due to nerves, not feeling prepared, or some other reason. It is a good idea to try to
persuade the trainee to teach the lesson, especially if they want to continue on the course.
Not teaching the lesson will result in having to re-organise the class and the trainee being
in the same situation again in a couple of days’ time. When planning a course, consider
having slots available for trainees to make up lessons if need be. However, you should
make it clear that only trainees who have a genuine reason for missing a lesson are able to
do so at a later date; that is, they can’t just pick and choose when they want to teach.

5. What should I do if the trainee doesn’t send a plan?

Ensure that you set clear guidelines and expectations at the beginning of the course, or even
before it begins (see Unit 6). This is especially important if the trainees are on an assessed
course that requires lesson plans. If trainees are expected to send you a plan in advance,
they need to be aware of when and how they should submit it. However, on occasion,
due to stress or other difficulties, a trainee may forget to give you their plan. Trainees
therefore need to be aware of what will happen if they fail to produce their plan. Will the
observation be cancelled? Will they lose marks? Will they get another chance to write the
Unit 20

plan retrospectively after the lesson? Once you have agreed on the course of action with the
trainee, it should be followed. It is good practice to allow trainees without a plan to teach
the lesson and supply the plan following the lesson. However, do ensure that they are only
given one chance to do this; subsequent transgressions could be penalised.

6. What happens if trainees don’t get on well together?

On some courses, trainees are required to work together to plan and deliver their lessons.
They may also have to contribute to a post-lesson discussion and possibly other TP-related
tasks. This means that they will need to communicate with each other to create a positive
working environment, where ideas and suggestions are shared and mutual support is
given. If trainees don’t get on well together, or if one of them doesn’t pull their weight,
this can result in an unfriendly and negative atmosphere. When first assigning trainees to
groups, consider who you think will work well together. Use the initial ‘getting to know
you’ activities outlined in Unit 10 as a way to gauge possible future relationships. If, during
the course, these relationships break down, you could consider moving someone. If this is
not possible, address each trainee in the group individually to find out what the problems
are. Remind them that in many teaching situations they will have to work with people from
different backgrounds, and so working together is important. You should also speak to any
trainees who are not contributing and find out if there is a problem. They might have a
legitimate reason that you are unaware of.

72 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
7. What if a trainee doesn’t want to be there?
Some teachers who have been teaching for a long time may resent participating in a
teacher training course because they think they know everything about teaching and
cannot possibly learn anything else. If you find yourself working with a teacher who has
been forced to attend by their school in order to continue their professional development
or to get a higher-level qualification, consider how you can build their motivation. Try to
elicit what they can learn from the course. Emphasise the fact that their own ideas and
knowledge are invaluable and will be a rich source of inspiration for others on the course.

8. What if the teacher refuses to teach the type of lesson suggested?

You may find yourself in the situation where a trainee is reluctant to teach a particular
lesson type. In some cases, this may be acceptable if trainees are allowed to make their
own choices about what they want to teach. However, it is different if a trainee simply
refuses to teach a type of lesson (e.g. grammar) that has been assigned to them. Your
first task is to try to get to the bottom of why they are refusing to teach this type of
lesson. It is often because they don’t feel confident about doing so. You will need to give
such trainees a lot of support not only in planning their lesson but also in building their
confidence to ensure the lesson is successful.

9. What if I’m asked something I don’t know?

Unit 20
Just as this can be a worry for teachers facing a group of learners, it can also cause
concern for teacher trainers dealing with trainees. For novice teacher trainers, or for
trainers who only have experience of training on pre-service courses, working with in-
service teachers for the first time can be particularly daunting. Trainers may worry that
lesson planning or the post-lesson discussion with an experienced teacher will raise issues
that they are unprepared for or ill-equipped to deal with. Remember that you have years
of teaching experience under your belt and it is unlikely that there will be many questions
you can’t answer. However, if something unexpected does come up, the advice from the
previous unit stands: tell the trainee that you will find out and get back to them.

10. What if I can’t decide on a grade?

On courses where TP is assessed, this can be one of the biggest concerns for teacher
trainers, particularly in borderline cases. Ensure that you are familiar with the assessment
criteria or grade descriptors, and have these to hand during the observation. Remember,
too, to complete any necessary standardisation tasks. If you find yourself unsure as to
whether a lesson meets the required standard or not, or whether it is of a high enough
standard to warrant a particular grade, it is a good idea to discuss the relative merits and
weaknesses of the lesson with a colleague after the lesson. Simply running through a lesson
with a colleague usually allows you to clarify for yourself what the grade actually should be.
It helps to put things into perspective and, more often than not, will reassure you that your
judgement is correct. It is also worth remembering that most graded lessons are assessed
within the context of a series of lessons, so even if you assign, for example, a C grade for
one lesson, if the trainee is really a B candidate, this will balance out over a series of lessons.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 73
 10 tips to share with trainees before their
teaching practice

To help trainees get the most out of their teaching practice (TP), it is a good idea to share
some tips with them – perhaps as part of an input session or in a group discussion before
they teach. Besides the logistical information that trainees need to know, more practical
tips should go some way to helping them feel less nervous and actually look forward to this
important part of their course.

1. Get to know your learners

A very simple way for teachers on a training course to get more out of their TP is to build a
good rapport with their learners. This will make for a more enjoyable teaching experience
as levels of mutual respect and trust develop. As experienced teachers we know this,
but it is especially important for pre-service teachers, who may never have worked with
learners before. Help them to see that getting to know their learners will result in a much
richer and more enjoyable TP. Encourage them to talk naturally to their learners before the
lesson and to wish them a good day or night after the lesson. On the other hand, remind
them that it might not be a good idea for trainees to become too friendly with any of their
learners during a course.

2. Teach the learners, not the plan

This is especially important for new teachers, who, as well as being quite nervous about
standing up in front of a class of learners for the first time, have probably spent a lot of
Unit 21

time writing their plan. Inexperienced teachers tend to see their plan as a crutch to help
them through the lesson; the temptation, therefore, can be for them to stick slavishly to
it, working mechanically through the stages, rather than responding to the learners. Point
out to your trainees that if they actually listen and respond to their learners, the learners
are more likely to learn something. This will also result in more learner and teacher
satisfaction, as both feel they have accomplished something.

3. Don’t try to jump through hoops

On formally assessed courses, teachers are required to demonstrate a range of teaching
skills in order to meet certain criteria. This can sometimes result in ‘display teaching’ in
order to get a tick in several boxes. Remind teachers that they should focus on teaching
their learners something rather than on trying to demonstrate a range of teacher qualities.
For example, instead of asking several complex concept-checking questions to clarify
the meaning of ‘elephant’ (in an effort to please their observer), they could perhaps show
their learners a picture of the animal and respond to any pronunciation problems. If a
final assessment is to be made on course participants, there is nothing to be gained from
worrying about the grade during the course; in fact, this is likely to have a detrimental
effect. On accredited courses, if there is any chance that the teacher may not be successful
on the course, they will be told well in advance so that preventative measures can be
taken. Therefore, insofar as is possible, course participants must be encouraged to put the
grade out of their mind.

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4. Enjoy it
Trainees have a lot of work to do, they are under pressure, and they often feel quite
nervous about teaching. However, do encourage them to just try and enjoy teaching
practice. This advice might initially fall on deaf ears, but you should remind teachers
why they are taking the course, what their long-term goals are, and what they can learn.
Encourage trainees to see the bigger picture and to make the most of the experience.
Although TP can be demanding, nerve-racking and stressful, it won’t last forever and,
hopefully, the benefits will outweigh the downsides.

5. Treat teaching as a learning opportunity

TP is an invaluable learning opportunity for both novice and practising teachers. Teachers,
especially new ones, have the opportunity to try things they may have never done before,
such as monitoring, eliciting or clarifying language to learners. In fact, some new teachers
may have little experience of actually standing up in front of a group of people. By
actually trying out techniques in ‘real life’, trainees will learn what works and what doesn’t.
Teachers with experience will also have the opportunity to learn from the experience of
putting new ideas or techniques they have never used (or not used recently) into action.

6. Work as a team

Unit 21
If trainees are required to work in TP groups, they should be supportive of, and respectful
towards, their peers. It is important that they work together, during both the planning and
the execution of their lessons, in order to provide their learners with a coherent learning
experience. Remind them that it is a collaborative learning experience and that every
member of the group is jointly responsible for the success of each TP slot.

7. Engage with peer observation

If TP involves peer observation (see Unit 30 for its benefits), trainees need to really engage
with the process of observing their peers. It is therefore necessary to ensure, before
TP takes place, that you confirm some ground rules with your trainees. Here are some
examples of ground rules you could lay down:
XX Be supportive of the teacher teaching the lesson.
XX Arrive in the classroom in good time before the start of the lesson.
XX Don’t make unnecessary noise while observing.
XX Don’t interrupt the lesson.
XX Ensure you know what tasks your tutor has asked you to complete as you observe.
XX Don’t use your mobile phone.
XX Don’t leave the room during TP unless absolutely necessary.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 75
 8. Remember the importance of time-management skills
Being successful on any course, but particularly one including a practical teaching
component, requires effective time-management skills, commitment and organisation on
the part of the trainee. Whether TP takes place during an intensive block, every day, once
a week or only on a handful of occasions during a course, it will be very important for
trainee teachers to organise their time accordingly. On all courses, there will be deadlines
to meet, and preparing for TP must fit in around other commitments, be these course- or
work-related or personal.

9. Take responsibility for your own learning

Although tutors and peers are there to support the trainee teacher in the development
of their teaching skills, ultimately, each individual has to take responsibility for their
own learning. If TP raises any issues that trainees are unsure or unclear about, or if they
have further questions, it is their responsibility to raise these, thereby enabling further
clarification and discussion.

10. Be open and responsive to suggestions

As teaching practice is often challenging for both inexperienced and experienced
teachers, they should expect to receive a lot of suggestions and ideas about their lesson
Unit 21

planning. If a teacher is not used to this, they might not be very open to what they hear.
In such cases, it is worth a gentle reminder that even though they might not agree with
everything you say, your feedback on their lesson plan is there to help them develop as
teachers. If they spend some time thinking about what you say, they may find that some
of your suggestions will strike a chord with them. They should also be encouraged to
share their own ideas and – if they are working in TP groups – share their experiences and
knowledge with the others. Although they may not agree with everything you suggest,
they may find that they discover more effective ways of teaching, by experimenting with
different ideas, techniques or approaches.

“Tell the trainees to leave space

for the students. Leave space for
learning so the lesson isn’t just
about completing the TP points.”
Fiona Mauchline, trainer and author, Oxford, UK

76 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ways to approach planning before teaching
practice

On most training programmes that involve a practical component, it is likely that your
trainees will have to produce formal lesson plans. If TP is assessed, it is also likely that the
plan will be assessed too. This means that you will need to consider how best to support
your trainees with planning their lessons. This unit considers some practical ways in which
you can manage the planning process and support your trainees.

1. Provide a lesson plan template

This can be helpful, especially on initial courses, where trainees are new to
planning, or on accredited courses, where lesson plans are formally assessed and
must contain certain elements. Explicitly linking each section of the lesson plan pro
forma to the assessment criteria ensures that nothing is forgotten. Providing examples of
model lesson plans using a template can also be useful in raising awareness of good
practice. You will find a photocopiable lesson plan template on page 222.

2. Suggest what to teach

The decision on whether to provide guidance on what to teach is likely to depend
on the course you are working on and who you are working with. On some
training courses – especially with pre-service or novice teachers – the trainees are given
a set of teaching practice points. These points give the trainees some indication of what
they are teaching and range from being quite vague (e.g. ‘You are teaching a lesson on

Unit 22
reading’) to being very prescriptive (e.g. indicating the coursebook, the page number,
the exercises and some advice on how to teach the lesson). Trainees working in groups
also need to be aware of what their peers are teaching so that they don’t teach the same
thing, and to ensure some continuity in their teaching. On courses where teachers are
working with their own learners or are very experienced, they are usually responsible for
choosing what to teach, although they should – if teaching several lessons – aim to cover
a range of skills and language lessons. Examples of different ways of providing TP points
can be found on page 224.

3. Discuss a trainee’s lesson plan before the lesson

If you are intending to look at a draft lesson plan, establish clear deadlines for this,
preferably at least a day before the lesson. On part-time or online courses, the feedback
can be sent via email, or, mainly on intensive courses, you might have a face-to-face
meeting, for example during a supervised lesson-planning slot. This gives you a chance
to discuss the lesson with the trainee, offer advice and encouragement, and make
any necessary changes well in advance of the lesson being taught, thereby reducing
stress. Making amendments to a plan on the day of the lesson is not recommended, as
introducing last-minute changes may have a detrimental effect on the trainee’s confidence.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 77
 4. Look at drafts
The number of drafts you will give feedback on needs to be established at the beginning
of the course (see Unit 6). If you do not have clear guidelines from the outset, you may
find yourself in a position whereby various versions of the plan are being sent back and
forth with a multitude of questions from trainees. If you intend to look at only one draft,
make this clear, and encourage your trainees to send you as full and complete a version as
they can. An alternative is to allocate a certain amount of time to looking at each trainee’s
drafts, e.g. 30 minutes per candidate. Another option is to allow trainees to ask a certain
number of questions, say, three, about their planned lesson/materials. Find an approach
that works for you and ensure that there is consistency across the various trainers working
on the course.

5. Provide written feedback on a plan

There are various different ways to approach giving written feedback on a draft plan.
Some trainers like to provide in-text comments, while others prefer to summarise their
feedback in an email. Another option is to use Google Docs, inviting trainees to respond
to your suggestions, thus making the process more collaborative. Whatever your preferred
approach, try to ensure some consistency between trainers working on a course. While it
is not necessary to take exactly the same approach, you should make sure that all trainers
Unit 22

provide roughly the same amount of support to make it fair to all trainees.

6. Receive the final lesson plan

It is good practice to look at the final version of a lesson plan in sufficient detail before
the lesson. This gives you time to assess it (if the course requires that) and perhaps give it
a grade. Whether the plan is formally assessed or not, looking at the plan in some detail
before the lesson gives you an opportunity to focus on key areas; perhaps action points
the trainee teacher has identified or areas you feel you want to focus on. You can also
look at the staging of the lesson, how well the trainee has clarified language points as
well as whether they have produced engaging materials. Even experienced trainers find it
difficult to assess a plan and observe a lesson effectively at the same time and this is likely
to be even more challenging for novice trainers. Therefore, you should insist on trainees
giving you their final lesson plan in good time before the lesson. This will give you time
to go through it carefully in advance of the lesson, ensuring you are well prepared for the
ensuing observation.

7. Think about the lesson from the learners’ point of view

By shifting the focus from teaching to learning, you can encourage your trainees to think
about how their planned lesson can help their students and facilitate real learning. Raise
awareness of how they can vary the interaction patterns, include a variety of activity types,
make the lessons student-centred and respond to their learners’ emerging needs. Ensure
also that they consider the need for differentiation.

78 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Make lesson planning developmental
Ensure you help your trainees to develop as teachers by making the planning process
developmental rather than evaluative, for example by drawing attention to any areas to
work on from previous lessons. Encourage them to reflect on and evaluate their plans
post-lesson, and address any areas of weakness in future planning. A word of warning
though: although the trainee may want to focus on every aspect of planning, it might be
better to focus on a narrower set of action points, say, just two or three.

9. Consider the stage of the course

If the course is externally accredited, it may be that the assessment is continuous and
integrated, and trainees are expected to achieve certain criteria in different assessment
components at various stages of the course. If this is the case, you need to be aware
of what is expected of your trainees at these various stages. For example, in terms of
planning, the overall lesson shape and identification of a main aim might be the focus
during the early lessons, whereas, as the course progresses, you will also be looking for
other elements, such as a detailed procedure, realistic anticipated problems and solutions,
and valid assumptions. On bespoke or purely developmental courses, on the other hand,
there may not be any shift in what you want your candidates to include in their plan from
the first lesson to the last.

Unit 22
10. Encourage independence
If independence is considered important in terms of the overall grading of the course,
or individual lessons within it, you may be doing your trainees a disservice if you offer
them too much support. In the longer term, after they have finished the course, it is
likely that your trainees will have to operate independently in their teaching posts, so it is
important that they have the confidence and skills to do so. Some trainees may be needy
and want spoon-feeding during the course; you need to get the balance right between
being supportive and allowing them to gain in independence. On some accredited
courses, it may be that tutor support is expected to ease off as the course progresses and
that trainees are expected to become more independent. If this is the case, make sure
your approach reflects this.

“I advise teachers to empathise:

Everything they do and say,
everything they ask their
students to do and say, they
should try to imagine how
the students perceive it.”
Alan Marsh, teacher trainer and author,
Bristol and Malta

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 79
 10 concerns trainees have with lesson
planning

Lesson planning can be a challenge for candidates on teacher training courses, especially
if they are expected to produce a formal lesson plan, a task that they may have little or no
(recent) experience of. The process may become time-consuming and frustrating, and lead
to a variety of questions and concerns. Below are ten of the most common problems trainees
have with lesson planning, along with suggestions for dealing with them.

1. What is the point of a lesson plan?

This is a common question for both inexperienced and experienced teachers to ask.
Inexperienced teachers, who may have never written a plan before, may need some
assurance as to why a plan is necessary. Tell these trainees that a plan provides a sense of
direction and helps teachers to navigate their way through a lesson. It also instils a sense
of confidence in the learners that the teacher has thought about the lesson; a lack of any
form of a plan might look irresponsible. For experienced teachers, you will need some
more concrete responses. Remind them that a lesson plan helps to ensure a balance of
practice, skills work and input in a lesson. It can help them to analyse in more depth what
they do instinctively; that is, it’s an opportunity for them to take stock. It is also a way for
them to consider any bad habits they have developed, such as talking too much, giving
vague feedback or going over time. Writing a plan gives them the opportunity to consider
how they can address these issues, and to explore other, possibly better, practices.
Unit 23

2. How do I identify and write aims?

This is one of the most common difficulties encountered in lesson planning, even for
experienced teachers. Encourage them to start by identifying what they want their
learners to have achieved or to be able to do better by the end of the lesson. For
example, they may want them to understand a language point or to develop a particular
skill. This encourages them to see the lesson from the learners’ perspective and to frame
their aims as learner outcomes. They should be as specific as possible. For example, for a
language lesson, they should include examples of the target language, what type of
practice the students will get and the context. In a skills lesson, they should mention the
subskills to be developed, the genre and the context. Aims need to be appropriate to
the lesson type and the learning context. They should also be realistic, achievable and
measurable within the constraints of the lesson length. Trainees often need help with the
wording of aims and with distinguishing aims from activities. A task such as the one on
page 227 of the Appendix can help with this, as can providing a useful list of phrases for
formulating aims. For example:

By the end of the lesson, learners will be better able to …

By the end of the lesson, learners will have been introduced to … / will have developed /
improved/reviewed …
To develop learners’ ability to …
To better enable learners to …
To raise awareness of …

80 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
3. What order should the stages go in?
For new teachers, lesson sequencing can be problematic, and it is not uncommon
for trainees to put random activities together with no logical progression.
Highlighting the importance of identifying the main aim(s) of the lesson can help trainees
to identify more clearly what they want their learners to achieve by the end of the lesson.
They should then work back from this. Their activities should be logically sequenced with
each one building on the previous one and progressing towards achievement of the aim or
aims. Identifying stage aims (which describe the rationale behind each stage) also ensures
that there is a clear purpose for each of the planned activities and that each of these
contributes towards the main aim of the lesson. Using a lesson plan pro forma and
providing model plans can help with this (see Tip 1 on page 77).

4. How much material should I include?

Teachers with all levels of experience often over-pack their lessons, particularly when they
are being observed. The mantra ‘less is more’ can be useful here and you should encourage
the teachers you are working with to include time and space in their plans for exploiting
their materials and responding to the emerging needs of their learners. For inexperienced
teachers, materials-light lessons can be daunting, so encourage them to include ‘flexi-
stages’, which they can keep in if the learners get through the materials quickly or omit if time

Unit 23
is short. Finally, encourage trainees to prepare for a slightly shorter lesson than the one they
are actually going to teach. For example, if they are required to deliver a 60-minute lesson,
they should plan for 50 minutes. This will naturally reduce the likelihood of overloading their
learners with too many activities and will create more space for facilitating extended learning
opportunities. For more on this, see the questions in tips 6, 9 and 10 below.

5. How much detail is needed in the procedure?

Remind your trainees that the procedure should be sufficiently detailed to allow an
observer to get a clear overview of the lesson in advance. Another rule of thumb is
that another teacher should be able to pick up the plan and teach from it. The plan should
include both learner and teacher activity, and make the procedure easy for another teacher
to refer to while they are teaching. This might involve using colour coding, bullet points,
underlining, boxes or some other system. You will find an example of completed lesson
procedure for a 45-minute reading lesson on page 228.

6. How do I allocate appropriate timings?

This is another aspect of planning that both new and experienced teachers struggle with.
First, get your trainees to try doing the tasks they have devised themselves. Let’s say a
reading text takes a trainee one minute to complete; they should then double this to get
a reasonable idea of how long it is likely to take a learner. They also need to consider how
long it will take them to set it up (i.e. give instructions, organise the learners, check they
know what they’re doing), which might take a minute. They also need to bear in mind the
feedback stage (where learners peer-check their answers before sharing with the rest of
the class), which may take up to three minutes. Therefore, for a reading text that a trainee
can complete in one minute, they may allocate six minutes in their plan. Finally, allow
trainees time to rehearse the lesson in advance, as doing this can also help them get to
grips with allocating realistic timings (see Unit 19).

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 81
 7. How do I analyse language?
Many trainee teachers, particularly L1 English speakers, are apprehensive about
analysing and teaching language. This is why preparation is key. Once trainees have
identified what the target language is, encourage them to research the meaning, form,
pronunciation and appropriacy of it in the context in which it will be taught in the lesson.
In addition, they should devise strategies for checking learners’ understanding of meaning,
such as asking concept-checking questions, drawing timelines, eliciting examples or
synonyms and providing visuals. Trainees also need to anticipate any problems their
learners are likely to have, and they should have concrete strategies in place for dealing
with these. Providing a pro forma language analysis sheet (with some examples of how to
complete it) will help to ensure nothing is missed. You will find an example on page 229.
Recommend some useful sources for helping trainees to analyse language and, if they are
using a coursebook, refer them to the language reference section at the back of the book
to help them to see how to pitch it so that it is accessible to the level of the learners.

8. Why do I need to anticipate problems and solutions?

Anticipating potential difficulties and thinking about how to overcome them is a crucial
part of the planning process, and taking time to consider this can really help teachers
to be more effective in the classroom. However, both experienced and inexperienced
Unit 23

teachers find this area of planning tricky. Encourage your trainees to consider a range of
different problems that might arise during the delivery of the lesson. These might include:
language analysis, skills and subskills, classroom management, tasks, their learners and the
learning context and materials/resources/equipment. Impress on your trainees that while
anticipating problems and solutions can seem like a lot of work, it is invaluable in terms of
really helping them to visualise the lesson and to see it from the students’ point of view.

9. Do I have to stick to the plan?

For trainee teachers whose teaching is being observed, there can be a real conflict
between the need to listen and respond to their learners and the need to be successful
in achieving their planned lesson outcomes. Therefore, encourage trainees to respond
to questions and emerging learner needs where appropriate, but to be aware of the
needs of the entire group as well as those of individuals. For example, if the whole class is
having trouble with a grammar structure, they should respond to this, but if one student
is struggling to pronounce a couple of words, they would be doing their other learners
a disservice if they spent very long on this. Individual issues can be dealt with during the
monitoring phase. This is especially important on assessed teacher training courses, where
not meeting lesson aims could result in a fail.

10. How do I deal with mixed abilities?

This is a very real situation, which teachers need to be equipped to deal with.
Trainees on teacher training courses will benefit from being made aware of some
reasonably easy-to-implement strategies for differentiating within their lessons. This will
help them to feel more confident in meeting the needs of individual learners. You can give
your trainees a copy of the list of ideas on page 233.

82 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ideas to provide support with planning

Lesson planning is the part of a teacher training course that takes up the most time for
trainees. On intensive courses with teaching practice taking place most days, trainees will be
working very long hours, often into the night, planning their lessons. Even for teachers with a
lot of teaching experience, writing a lesson plan is a time-consuming endeavour. It is the part
of a course that trainees – whether inexperienced or not – need the most support with. Here
are ten tips for supporting trainees through the process of planning their lessons and getting
the most out of the planning stage.

1. Be realistic
Be realistic about what you expect from your trainees. On an entry-level course, you may
decide not to ask for a full plan for the first couple of lessons, but rather just an idea of
the overall aims of the lesson and the different stages. Even if a complete plan is required,
don’t expect too much during the early stages of the course as trainees get to grips with
the process of planning a lesson and producing a plan. Teachers with previous teaching
experience will undoubtedly have had to produce lesson plans before, but they may not
have done so for some time and may be out of practice, so bear this in mind.

2. Don’t plan your trainees’ lessons for them

Although you may feel as if you are doing your trainees a favour by telling them exactly
what to do, ultimately, this approach is counterproductive. They are more likely to

Unit 24
develop their skills in planning effective lessons through guided practice as opposed
to spoon feeding. Moreover, beyond the course, they will need to go on to operate
independently, so this is something they need to get into the habit of doing within a
supportive environment.

3. Provide models
Model lesson plans can be invaluable in helping trainees understand how to plan different
lesson types effectively. Many input activities (see Section 2) lend themselves to analysing
model lesson plans. Ensure trainees are given copies of these to take away and refer back
to when planning their own lessons. This can really help to cement their understanding of
lesson staging, what they need to include in their plan, and how to formulate aims.

4. Encourage trainees to work together

On many teacher training courses, collaboration is a key part of the planning process. If this
is the case on your course, make sure you emphasise the importance of this and encourage
your trainees to work well together. For example, you might suggest that they set up online
groups or, if feasible, meet up to plan their lesson co-operatively. This should be done
outside of the course contact hours. Remind them that the ability to work well with other
teachers will be important in their working life, and so it is a good habit to get into.

5. Unsupervised lesson planning

In addition to supervised lesson-planning slots, it can also be useful to include
unsupervised lesson planning time in your course timetable. These are specific times
allocated to trainees working together to plan their lessons. As teaching practice forms
such an integral part of many teacher training courses and is often the part trainees spend
most time thinking about, this may be an effective use of core course hours.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 83
 6. Include supervised lesson-planning slots, forums or Q&A sessions
On face-to-face courses, include supervised lesson-planning slots during which the
trainees have the opportunity to work not only with their peers, but also with the
tutor, to plan their lessons. If possible, trainees should already have some ideas about their
lessons to bring to the session so that they can talk through their ideas and get
constructive feedback. This can also be a good opportunity for reflection on the role of
planning, using guided questions such as those on page 234. On online or blended
courses, open a forum where trainees can post any questions they have for their peers or
for the tutor about planning. Regular Q&A sessions can also be useful – either online or
face-to-face.

7. Use crib sheets

A lesson plan should be a working document, i.e. something that a teacher should
be able to pick up and teach from. Sometimes, on formally assessed teacher training
courses, candidates are required to produce very detailed lesson plans, which may not
be particularly user-friendly. Therefore, in addition to the formal plan, teachers can be
encouraged to also have a skeleton plan or ‘crib sheet’, which they can refer to more
easily to guide them during the execution of the lesson. The use of colour, boxes and
underlining can also be useful in making the plan easy to refer to during the lesson.
Unit 24

Instructions can be written on sticky notes for ease of reference and board plans can be
designed for various stages of the lesson.
Here is an example of a crib sheet:

S s (- > gi ve th em qu estions on slides 1 & 2)

 ngage
1 E
)
st re ad in g ta sk (S s identify where text from
2 Intro gi
B: peer checking!)
3 Detailed reading (N
opinions about text
4 Speaking – get their

8. Give trainees time to talk through their plan

Towards the end of a pre-service course, or with more experienced teachers, simply
listening while they talk through their plan with you can be effective. This helps the teacher
to get the stages of the lesson clear in their own mind and gives you the opportunity
to ask questions or to prompt the teacher to consider certain stages more carefully. For
example, you might encourage the teacher to think about how they are going to conduct
a feedback stage or elicit from them the rationale behind one of the activities.

84 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
9. Allow for rehearsal time
The benefits of practice cannot be underestimated when it comes to delivering lessons.
Time permitting, teachers should be encouraged to rehearse their lessons, perhaps
with a friend or family member, their peers or a tutor. This can be particularly useful for
establishing where they are going to stand, practising writing on the board, ensuring
instructions are clear or clarifying language points. Running through key stages of the
lesson in advance and, if possible, getting feedback helps the teacher to be more
prepared for the lesson. This can, in turn, help them to be more confident in the actual
delivery. If no one is available to watch the rehearsal, the teacher could video- or audio-
record it.

10. Provide a list of dos and don’ts

Provide trainees with a checklist, such as the one on page 235 of the Appendix, of
things to remember when planning their lessons. This helps to ensure they don’t
forget anything and that they avoid any common pitfalls.

Unit 24

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 85
Section 4: Lesson
observation
This section focuses on the process of observing teaching practice (TP). The term ‘observer’ is
used to refer to the person watching the lesson and making notes as it unfolds; this may be a
teacher trainer or a peer of the trainee. The role of the observer might be to assess a teacher’s
practice or to provide developmental feedback and suggestions, or both. The term ‘observee’
refers to the teacher delivering the lesson to a group of learners.

The first unit in this section considers practical questions to ask before the actual observation
takes place. The next three units look at ways of making lesson observations successful.
Unit 26 gives tips on how to set the observation up beforehand and how to make it run
smoothly, both during and after the session. Unit 27 suggests a variety of tasks and provides
the various types of forms you can complete while observing. Unit 28 offers some alternative
approaches to lesson observation that you can use for adding variety and further interest to
the observation process.

The last two units in this section will be of interest to trainers who include demonstration
classes on their courses or those who are considering the inclusion of peer observation. Unit
29 looks at how to approach setting up demonstration lessons where the tables are turned and
the trainee observes an experienced teacher or the teacher trainer. The unit gives advice on
making the process more engaging and effective. Finally, Unit 30 lists some of the benefits of
encouraging peer observation on a teacher training course where trainees observe each other
as part of the course programme.
 10 practical considerations for observations

As well as thinking about the academic side of observing, it is also important to consider the
logistical side of setting up and carrying out lesson observations. The points below describe
some of the more practical considerations that need to be thought about before a successful
observation can be carried out.

1. Will the room be big enough?

This needs to be considered while you are planning the course, that is, before teaching
practice takes place. Due to health and safety concerns, schools have an upper limit on the
number of people that a room can accommodate. As learners on teacher training courses
are often volunteers, it is sometimes difficult to calculate how many will actually attend.
If too many turn up, you may have to turn them away politely and leave a sign on the
door telling latecomers that the class is full. To avoid this type of disappointment, discuss
classroom sizes and student numbers with someone – for example, an administrator – in
advance. For more information on planning courses, see Unit 5.

2. Where should I sit?

Most trainers sit at the back of the classroom. This reduces their presence in the eyes
of the learners, meaning that the teacher is rightly seen as the one in charge. Sitting at
the back also means that you can see the whole classroom and observe the teacher’s
classroom management and boardwork. However, sitting at the back can sometimes lead
Unit 25

to the teacher becoming nervous and anxious as they see you writing (or typing – see Tip
10) furiously following their every action. Sitting at the back also means that you might not
be able to see or hear what the learners are doing. For these reasons, some trainers like
to sit at the front of the classroom; this allows them to observe what the learners are doing
and how they are reacting to the lesson. The main problem with this is that the learners
may focus too much on you, thinking that you are the ‘real’ teacher. A final option is to sit
somewhere to the side, which can go some way to solving both the problems mentioned
in Tip 1 above.

3. What should I do if a room has been double-booked?

Booking rooms is an administrative procedure that needs to be dealt with before the
course starts. Ensure that a responsible and well-organised person is in charge of this
aspect of the course so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen. If, despite your best efforts,
it does, you may have to either find another classroom or cancel the class. Alternatively,
the other teacher might agree to rearranging their class. For more information on planning
courses, see Unit 5.

4. What happens if no one can find the room?

Do not assume that everyone is familiar with the layout of your school or where every
single classroom is; this might even apply to some of the trainers as well as the trainees.
It might well also be true for the students who are attending the lesson for teaching
practice. Provide everyone with a map or details on how to find the room well before
the session.

88 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. What happens if I can’t find the documents I need?
Before the course starts, ensure you have all the necessary administrative documents
(e.g. registers, feedback forms, observation sheets) you will need. If the course documents
are available as soft copies (say in a shared folder online), make sure you have access to
them. On some courses (see Tip 10), you will be expected to type up your TP feedback
either onto an online document or onto a Word document. If this is the case, ensure that
you have made paper copies of such documents. This is important because if, due to a
technological issue or a power cut, you are unable to access these things, you will still be
able to handwrite them during TP and then type them into the correct format when you
are able to.

6. What happens if trainees can’t find the documents they need?

On both accredited courses and other in-house training programmes, trainees may
be asked to complete a post-lesson evaluation or a peer observation task (see Units
27, 30 and 31). If this is the case, ensure that they have access to these before the
session. Having digital access to them doesn’t necessarily ensure that they will bring
the documents they need, so, if possible, print out all the documents they need before
the session. These can be given to the trainees as a pack or on a lesson-by-lesson basis.
Alternatively, you could have copies of each document in a folder in the TP classroom for

Unit 25
trainees to take as and when they require.

7. What happens if no learners turn up?

There may be times when either a very small number of learners or, in extreme cases,
no learners, turn up. Indeed, some accredited courses require a minimum number of
learners to be present for the lesson to be considered valid. One solution might be to
find out if any other TP classes of a similar level are taking place at the same time and
borrow learners from there. If you are carrying out TP with a group of trainees (i.e. some
trainee teachers are observing while their peer teaches), you could ask these ‘observers’
to volunteer to act as learners. Sometimes, trainers postpone the start of the class until
sufficient numbers of learners turn up; however, this does a disservice to those learners
who have turned up on time and also gives the idea – especially to new teachers – that
starting late is acceptable.

8. How will the trainees know what to do?

This question is not concerned with knowing how to teach, but more about the etiquette
of TP and observation. There are certain rules of TP which sometimes trainers assume
their trainees will automatically know. These may include, for example, arriving early
and being prepared, completing some form of reflection task post-lesson and, if peer
observation is involved, being quiet and respectful whilst observing. Make sure, then,
that your trainees know what is expected of them in terms of etiquette. Depending on
the course type, you could send them these rules beforehand, you could give them a
short induction to TP or, in some cases, consider dedicating an input session to setting
up and managing expectations for TP. However you approach this, your trainees need to
know what is expected of them from a professional point of view.

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 9. What will the trainees expect of me?
In the same way that trainees need to know what is expected of them during TP, they also
need to know what to expect of you. They need to know where you will sit, whether you
will intervene to offer support if necessary, how long you will give them to complete any
post-lesson reflection tasks, and whether you will conduct feedback straight away or later
on. Giving trainees an indication of how TP is organised and conducted will go some way
to relaxing them. Even on quite advanced training courses the teachers might be used
to observation being carried out in a certain way. Also, ensure trainees know about your
particular style or manner of observation: for example, some trainers like to walk around
during TP to get an idea of how the learners are coping with tasks, while other trainers stay
in their seat. Make trainees aware of your own approach; they might get a shock during
the session and feel they have done something wrong if you do something they weren’t
expecting. For more information about observing successfully, see Unit 26.

10. Will you type your feedback or write it by hand?

There are several things to consider when answering this question. The first one depends
on the expectations of the course and the school you are working at. Some schools expect
feedback to be typed, whereas others leave it up to the individual trainer. Try to consider
whether your handwriting is legible: handwriting that is difficult to read may result in the
Unit 25

trainee not bothering to refer to it. You also need to consider whether you are able to type
and observe the lesson at the same time. If you can’t already do it, you might like to learn
to touch-type. Be aware that during quiet periods of the lesson (e.g. during a reading
activity), typing can be distracting to some teachers and learners. Both handwriting and
typing bring their benefits, and sometimes the choice is due to personal preference
or circumstance. If you are expected to type but are unable to do this effectively while
watching a lesson, consider handwriting and then typing up your comments afterwards.

"Lesson observers have

enormous responsibility. Your
decisions can affect a teacher's
motivation, confidence and
ongoing development choices."
Jeanette Barsdell, Freelance trainer, writer and
presenter, UK

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10 ideas for observing successfully

We want to ensure that the observations we carry out really reflect what is going on in the
trainee’s practice lesson. Tips 1–3 relate to what trainers need to do before the observation
to ensure it runs in as smooth and hassle-free a way as possible. Tips 4 to 10 suggest ideas
for creating a successful observation once the lesson has begun. By carefully planning how
we approach our observations, and ensuring all concerned are aware of what the process will
entail, we can create a positive experience for everyone.

1. Agree on a focus beforehand

Before an observation, it is a good idea to discuss with the trainee what you are
planning to focus on. The focus you choose may be determined by several factors.
The first is the trainee themselves and what they want you to observe. On some lesson
plans, trainees complete a ‘personal aims’ section, which outlines the areas in which the
teacher wishes to develop. For an example of one, see the lesson plan pro forma on page
222 in the Appendix. Another focus might relate to previous lesson feedback, i.e. areas for
development that were identified in previous lessons. For more on giving feedback, see
Units 32 and 33. A final determiner could be the stage of the course: for example, at the
beginning of an entry-level course the observer is more likely to focus on teacher presence
than on error correction techniques. On such courses, determining what to focus on at
each stage of the course will be decided by the course or exam board, while on others
the focus will be decided by either the observer or school.

Unit 26
2. Clarify the purpose and any criteria
Before the observation, ensure that you and your trainee know why they are being
observed. If the observation is part of an assessed course, ensure that the trainee knows
exactly what the criteria for the observation are, i.e. how they will be assessed. Trainees
also need to know how the observation counts towards their passing the course; for
example, if they fail the lesson can they still pass the course? Even when the observation
is evaluative in nature, you should also focus on teacher development. When courses are
not accredited and where observation is more developmental in nature, again, ensure
your observees know this. Whether mainly evaluative or developmental, ensure, where
possible, that you tailor the observation to the context in which the trainees are working.

3. Look at your trainee’s plan and materials beforehand

It is a good idea to get a copy of the trainee’s final lesson plan and a copy of the materials
they plan to use before they start teaching. This means you can spend some time looking
through what they are planning to do in advance. You could annotate the plan and the
materials, adding comments and suggestions to guide your own observation and to
provide ideas for discussion in feedback. On formal courses where teaching is assessed,
you can assess the lesson plan and materials in good time and without being distracted:
it can be difficult to look at a plan and materials in detail and observe at the same time.
Finally, ensure that you have the materials and the plan in front of you as you observe.
For more on this, see Unit 22.

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 4. Create a positive and comfortable learning environment
This applies before, during and after the lesson. You want to show your teacher trainer that
you are interested in what they are doing and how they are approaching their lesson. By
relaxing and enjoying the observation you can do your best to help everyone benefit from
the experience and reduce anxiety levels. This is easy to accomplish: display positive body
and emotional language, listen to what your trainee has to say and pay attention during
their lesson.

5. Focus on the learners

It is all too easy during an observation to focus solely on what the teacher is doing, that
is, on how they address and manage the class and how clearly and effectively they clarify
language. By doing this, though, it is possible to miss how the learners are responding
to the teacher. For example, the teacher’s instructions may seem clear, they might have
checked that the learners understand them and perhaps given an example, but how are
the learners reacting to these instructions? By focusing only on the teacher, we are simply
ticking boxes, without actually taking into account the learning process.

6. Move around
Wherever you decide to sit while observing (see Unit 25), you may not always be able
Unit 26

to hear or even see what the learners are doing. This is especially true during pairwork
and groupwork tasks. Unobtrusively walking around the room is a good way to monitor
learner behaviour to see how they are responding to tasks. It also allows you to get more
of an idea of the lesson from the learners’ point of view (see Tip 5 above). Be careful if
you do this, though: do not do it during activities when the teacher is addressing the
whole class, as it could distract the learners. Finally, when monitoring, don’t get involved
in the learners’ work, or in answering their questions as this could undermine the teacher’s
authority. Also ensure that the teacher knows that you will do this: not informing them
before the observation can result in the teacher believing you are moving around because
they have done something wrong.

7. Don’t intervene in the lesson

This is a contentious issue as some trainers believe that intervening in lessons can be
beneficial. However, there are a number of reasons why it is not a good idea. Firstly, it
undermines the teacher’s confidence. If they are an inexperienced teacher on a pre-service
qualification, interfering in their lesson can, on the whole, do more harm than good, as
it humiliates them. Secondly, in the eyes of the learners it demonstrates who is the ‘real’
teacher and could result in the learners losing confidence in the trainee teacher’s ability to
teach them. If a trainee does do something incorrectly, make a note of it and then bring it
up in feedback. With prompting, most teachers will be able to identify what went wrong.
Trainee teachers should be responsible for their classroom, and should be given 100%
control of it. Obviously, if a trainee is overcome with nerves and leaves the room, then it
will be necessary to take over momentarily. For more information about trainer concerns,
see Unit 20.

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8. Try not react overtly
While observing, try not to make facial expressions, such as frowning when the trainee
teacher does something wrong. Doing this can seriously undermine their confidence.
They may also feel they need to rectify whatever it was immediately, which can lead to
further problems and even confusion. Where possible, try not to catch the trainee’s eye,
remain straight-faced and, most importantly, silent: don’t start chatting with learners
or, if they are there, other trainees. The exception to this is when a trainee has been
struggling or lacks confidence. Sometimes it is a good idea to briefly indicate – perhaps
by way of a thumbs-up or a smile – that they have done something correctly. While it
could be argued that this constitutes interfering in the lesson (see Tip 7 on page 92),
it is sometimes worth judiciously breaking the ‘rules’ in order to give the trainee the
confidence boost they need.

9. Watch more than write

Although you want to record as much as you can from the lesson you are observing, paying
too much attention to writing rather than focusing on the lesson can result in your missing
elements of what is going on. A lot goes on during a lesson, so spending more time looking
at a screen or paper rather than observing the actual lesson is not usually a good idea.

10. Ensure the learners know the purpose of the observation

Unit 26
It is very important that the learners in the classroom know why you are sitting at the back
making notes. On some accredited pre-service courses, learners are usually volunteers,
who know that their teacher is a trainee learning to become a teacher. However, in the
case of in-service teachers who are teaching their own learners or, in some cases, another
teacher’s learners, it is important that they know who you are and what you are doing in
their classroom. Introducing yourself and your purpose to the learners is a simple common
courtesy which will prevent disruption once the lesson has begun. A word of warning:
remember that you are a guest. Do not undermine the teacher by speaking too much to
their learners, for example, about the course or when the next class is. Leave this to the
teacher to do. This also applies to taking the register and any other administrative work
that may be required.

“The challenge with any type of classroom

observation – especially when it’s being done
differently from normal – is that both the
teacher and students can become nervous and
apprehensive. The trick is to create a positive culture
of observation in your school where classroom
observations are regarded as commonplace
events in which teaching provides a springboard
to further dialogue – not to judgement.”
John Hughes, trainer and author, UK

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 10 observation tasks

In this unit you will find some observation tasks that you can use when observing straight
away. These tasks can be used by anyone observing the lesson: a teacher trainer observing
for evaluative or developmental reasons; a trainee observing a peer; or an inexperienced
teacher observing a more experienced teacher. Each tip provides an extract from a much
larger feedback form or offers guidance on how to take notes during the observation.

1. Lesson stages
The observer notes down each main stage of the lesson with good points and suggestions
for improvement. It’s also important to note down what happened in the lesson in the
‘Evidence’ column so that you can support your comments with examples.

Stage Good points Suggestions Evidence

2. I liked ... I wondered ...

Unit 27

This observation task simply requires the observer to complete two sentences:
XX I liked … because ….
XX I wondered about … because….

After the observation, it’s a good way to begin feedback because the observer states what
they liked about the lesson and then raises a question or talking point by stating what they
wondered about the lesson; for example, maybe they wondered if the teacher could have
done something differently.

3. Checking understanding
The observer notes down at least two examples of instances where the teacher checks
understanding of something, and comments on the success of each one.

What (grammar structure,

vocabulary, concept, instruction)

How

Comment

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4. Pass the paper
One observer has a blank piece of paper. As they observe, they write down an example
of something they think is effective about the lesson, and state why. They then pass the
paper to another trainee to add their comments, and so on.

5. Strengths and action points

The observer answers the three questions below with three examples per question.

What did the learners gain from the lesson? (Provide examples.)
1.
2.
3.

What did the teacher do well? (Provide examples.)

1.
2.
3.

What objectives would you set the teacher for next time based on this lesson?

Unit 27
1.
2.
3.

6. Interaction patterns
The observer notes down all interaction patterns, such as when the teacher talks to all the
students, when the students work in pairs, in groups, and so on. They also make a note
of the percentage of time spent (or it could be actual time in minutes) and make general
comments about it, for example, It was a little short. It could have been a bit longer., etc.

Name of teacher: Date:

Interaction Percentage
General comments on the lesson
pattern of time spent
T ➔ Ss %
S S %
Ss Ss %
Ss ➔ T %
S %
Other %

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 7. Error correction
The observer notes down errors throughout the lesson and the different ways the teacher
corrects their learners, then assesses the impact of the error correction techniques.

Type of error and example

Correction

Possible reason for error

Does the teacher correct the error?

Why (not)?

Error correction technique used

Unit 27

(if any)

Other comments (e.g. learner

response, impact on communication)

8. Use of L1
Draw a graph showing the amount of L1 used during the observed lesson (0% = all the
learners are speaking English; 100% = all the learners are speaking their L1).

100%

0%
Beginning of the lesson End of the lesson

Afterwards, consider these questions:

XX What do you think are the reasons for the different amounts of L1 used during the
various stages of the lesson?
XX Was the use of L1 appropriate/useful? Why/Why not?

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9. Teaching language
This observation form focuses on analysing how the teacher teaches the target structure,
for example, a particular grammar point.

Target language

Example sentence(s)

How is the language

contextualised? Is this
appropriate for these
students?
Is the language clarified
in sufficient depth?
How? (meaning, form,

Unit 27
pronunciation, appropriacy)
Are there suitable
controlled practice
opportunities? What is the
context?
Do the students get to use
the target language in a
meaningful, communicative
way? Why/Why not?

What consolidation/follow-
up would be useful for
these students? Why?

10. Instructions
Write down examples of the teacher’s instructions. Then evaluate using the following
questions: Do the students know what they are supposed to do? Why/why not? How could
the instructions be improved?

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 10 alternative approaches to observing

Over time, it’s easy to fall into routines in the way you approach observation, so, from time to
time, consider trying something different. This unit offers some alternative ways to approach
lesson observations. Depending on the context in which you find yourself, you may want to
try some of these approaches.

1. Ghost observation
This is an effective way to complete an observation when neither the observer nor the
teacher is able to find a mutually acceptable time to carry out a conventional observation.
It is also a useful method if, for whatever reason, it is not a good idea to have an observer
in the classroom. The observer and the teacher meet before the lesson to discuss what the
teacher hopes to teach, running through the aims, stages and material to be used. The
teacher should also provide a lesson plan. The teacher then teaches the lesson without the
observer being present. Some time following the lesson, the teacher and observer meet
again to discuss how the lesson went. Although the observer didn’t actually observe the
lesson, a pre- and post-lesson discussion should provide plenty of opportunity to reflect
on successes and areas for improvement. Both pre- and post-lesson discussion can be
either structured (including guiding questions) or quite open. For more information about
support with lesson planning, see Units 22 and 24. For information about post-lesson oral
feedback, see Unit 33.
Unit 28

2. Unannounced observations
If you are working with teachers who already have their own classes, observing
unannounced can give you a more thorough and realistic impression of how they teach
on a day-to-day basis. Observations do not have to be completely unannounced, that is,
you could advise teachers that you will observe one of their lessons over a particular time
period (e.g. a week). A chair should be left in the corner of the room every lesson so that
the observer can drop in at any point. Such observations could just last a short time, say,
15 minutes, in order to provide a snapshot of the teaching and learning that is going on,
or they could last for a longer period of time.

3. A series of observations
A series of observations, rather than a one-off, might have a more significant impact on a
teacher’s long-term development. These could be carried out by a teacher trainer, a more
experienced teacher, a mentor or a peer. Targets could be set after the first observation
and then used as the focus for follow-up observations.

4. Audio recordings
Here, the teacher audio-records (e.g. on their mobile phone) part of a lesson, a whole
lesson or even a series of lessons. After the lesson, the recording is played back and the
teacher focuses on specific areas. For example, they could transcribe their instructions or
a language presentation in order to focus on teacher talk and language grading. Or they
could count how many times they elicit language from students rather than tell them the
answer in order to focus on student-centredness. As a follow-up, once the teacher has
reflected on the lesson themselves, they could then share the recording (or part of it) with
a colleague, who can then give them feedback.

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5. Video recordings
Video observations can be exploited in a number of ways during a teacher training
course. First, teachers can record their own lessons and use the recordings for self-
observation. This allows them to capture teaching events that they may not notice
when ‘in the moment’. It also enables them to develop greater self-awareness through
evidence-based feedback and self-reflection. Unlike traditional observations, making
use of video recordings means there is no need to rely on memory. Secondly, video can
be used for tutor- or peer-observation, or for teachers to observe more experienced
teachers. These observations can be either broadcast ‘live’ via a video link or delayed
for use at a later date. Not having an observer physically present in the room can make
the observation less nerve-racking for the teacher and ensures the focus remains on
the learners rather than an observer sitting at the back of the room. If the observation
is primarily intended to aid the development of the observers, rather than to evaluate
or develop the teacher, it can be useful for the observers to discuss the lesson as
a group and perhaps carry out tasks related to the content, such as identifying the
lesson aims or analysing the different interaction patterns (see Units 27 and 30 for
examples of observation tasks). Discussions may be more productive if a facilitator or
more experienced teacher leads the discussion. All of these ways of exploiting video
encourage greater reflection and autonomy.

Unit 28
6. Team teaching
Team teaching, when two or more teachers combine to deliver a lesson together, can be
an effective way for teachers to observe their colleagues and give and receive feedback
in a non-threatening way. This can be organised formally or informally, perhaps by the
school, a training supervisor or mentor, or by the teachers themselves. Such an approach
encourages collaboration and collaborative learning, and should include planning time
and a post-lesson discussion. Ground rules should be established beforehand, and it may
be useful to decide on a specific focus for feedback and reflection.

7. Design observation tools

You may want to ask your trainees to design their own observation instruments, for
example questionnaires, tasks or data analysis. This gives trainees a sense of ownership
in the observation process and has many benefits. They can be used to focus on areas
for personal improvement or to observe areas of interest or areas trainee teachers would
like to know more about. This type of observation could also form the basis of a piece of
action research (see Unit 37) or other research project. Although this sometimes works
better with experienced teachers who may have some idea about what they want to focus
on in an observation, you may also find that new teachers are able to design their own
observation tasks.

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 8. Online platforms
Many teacher trainers use online tools such as WhatsApp, Slack or Flock as a medium
of peer observation. The immediate interaction afforded by such online tools allows the
observers (including the trainer) to communicate in real time about what is happening
in the lesson, thus, arguably, making the peer observation process more engaging. The
trainer is also able to raise awareness of teaching and learning as it unfolds in front of
them through prompting and task-setting, as can be seen in the following exchange:

Trainer: Do all the learners understand what to do?

Trainee 1: I don’t think so. The instructions weren’t very clear.
Trainer: So what could the teacher have done differently?
Trainee 2: Given the instructions before the handouts?
Trainee 3: Given an example?
Trainer: Good.
Trainee 1: I think it would also be useful to quickly monitor to check everyone is on task
before starting to prepare the handouts for the next activity.
Trainer: Nice ideas.

Another advantage of using such platforms is that they allow files to be uploaded and
Unit 28

shared so that all trainees have access to, and can comment on, each other’s lesson
plans and materials. This means the observers can follow what is going on and the tutor
can ask questions about the plan and how it relates to the lesson, for example, ‘How
long has this stage taken? How long should it have taken? Why do you think this is?’ or
‘What is the stage aim here? Has it been achieved? What is the evidence?’. This can help
to raise awareness of planning as well as teaching. If observers have such apps on their
mobile phones, there is also the option of their taking photos or videos of the lesson in
progress, which can also be uploaded to the platform and shared with the group. This
may be useful for focusing on things such as boardwork, teacher position or, if video is
used, language clarification or monitoring.
Exploiting online tools in this way requires a good Wi-Fi connection, the availability of
technology (computers or mobile phones), and for the teachers and trainers to have a
certain degree of technical ability. It may not be possible or practical in your context to
experiment with this approach to peer observation, nor may it be something that new or
inexperienced teacher trainers feel comfortable with taking on.

9. Compare and contrast

This idea works best for peer observation. The teacher being observed provides the
observer with lesson materials and a basic description of the learner group and lesson
aims. The observer then decides how they would teach the lesson and notes down a basic
lesson plan, which they do not share with the teacher. Next, the observer watches the
lesson and compares the actual lesson with their imagined one. After the lesson, the two
teachers meet to discuss similarities and differences and to reflect on the implications of
their different choices. A variation on this is for two teachers observed separately teaching
the ‘same’ lesson (e.g. using the same coursebook material or aiming to achieve the same
lesson objectives). Afterwards, the two lessons are compared and contrasted.

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10. Buddy system
All of the ideas described above can be implemented via a buddy system. This involves
pairing up two teachers and encouraging them to observe each other throughout the year
as part of their ongoing professional development. The two teachers may be taking part
in the same training course, working in the same school or department or even working in
different contexts. A buddy system is similar to a mentoring arrangement (see Unit 45) but
in this case, one teacher does not necessarily have to be more experienced than the other.

“I sometimes observe with what

I call a ‘heat map’ of the class
and the interactions that take
place. I’ll sketch out the floor
plan and then put a little arrow
for interactions I see (teacher
to student, student to student,

Unit 28
student to teacher). As the
arrows pile up you notice if some
interaction is favoured over others,
or if there are ‘dead spots’ in
the class where nobody speaks.
Other, more artistic, trainers
sometimes use different colour
pens when drawing their arrows!”
Lindsay Clandfield, author and trainer, Spain

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 10 ways to create an effective demonstration
lesson

A core component of many teacher training programmes is observation of experienced

teachers. While this may involve live observation of practising teachers teaching ‘real’
classes or watching recorded lessons of experienced ELT professionals, many schools set
up observation classes – or demonstration lessons – to be taught by course tutors or other
experienced teachers specifically for this purpose. In this unit, we consider some ways in
which an experienced teacher being observed by trainees can be a positive and worthwhile
experience for everyone involved. If you don’t teach demonstration lessons yourself, but
other experienced teachers at your school do, these tips could also be shared with them.

1. Pre-observation nerves
The word ‘observation’ often triggers anxiety in even the most experienced teacher. It is
perfectly natural, then, to feel nervous at the thought of delivering a demonstration lesson.
In fact, a certain amount of anxiety can be a good thing as it shows you care and want to
do a good job. Remember that, although the observed teacher might be feeling nervous,
trainee teachers will regard them as the expert and will be looking forward to the lesson.

2. Provide observation tasks

To ensure the observers remain focused, the teacher delivering the lesson should
provide them with clear tasks to complete as they observe. At the beginning of
the course, these are likely to focus on such aspects of the lesson as seeing how the
Unit 29

teacher gets to know the learners, noticing the structure or staging of the lesson, or
taking note of how activities are set up. As the course progresses, later observations may
focus on how to approach teaching a different level of student or on more advanced
teaching skills and techniques, such as error correction or the handling of feedback.
See page 236 of the Appendix for a list of observation tasks that can be done while
watching an experienced teacher.

3. Have a clear structure

A logically staged lesson is important for any observation. The lesson should follow a
clear sequence with a simple, logical structure that the observing trainees can put into
practice in their own lessons. Don’t try to cover too much and consider including a balance
of skills and language work. If anything, under plan and don’t be tempted to try to cover
too much.

4. Model procedures and techniques introduced in input

Observing an experienced teacher putting into practice procedures and techniques that
the trainees have been introduced to in input can help to cement their learning and
provide a strong link between theory and practice. For example, following an input session
on teaching listening skills, trainees can consolidate their understanding by observing
appropriate procedures for this lesson type. The same can be said with regard to
techniques such as eliciting, giving clear instructions and allowing time for peer-checking.
Avoid demonstrating methodologies or concepts that have not yet been introduced. For
example, if trainees have only been introduced to a PPP paradigm for teaching grammar,
demonstrating a guided discovery lesson is likely to lead to confusion; this should be
saved until they have been introduced to the concept of more inductive approaches.

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5. Be realistic
An inexperienced teacher observing a very experienced teacher doing something
they feel is way out of their reach might come away feeling daunted and demotivated.
Therefore, make sure that the content of the demo lesson is tailored to the current level
of the trainees and the stage of the course. Ensure that the techniques and procedures
modelled are relatable and practical, while avoiding techniques which are too advanced.

6. Focus on the learners

Always ensure that the main focus of a demonstration lesson is the learners. This means
engaging with them, interacting naturally and appropriately with them and responding to
their emerging needs. In other words, the teacher should not be preoccupied with trying
to provide an all-singing, all-dancing ‘perfect’ demo lesson at the expense of learners’
emerging needs.

7. Involve the trainees

The demonstration lesson is a great opportunity for trainee teachers to get to know
the learners and start to get a feel for their level and what they are capable of. After all,
being told that the group is at a ‘pre-intermediate’ level may not be very helpful to the
inexperienced teacher. The opportunity to get to know the learners will be particularly

Unit 29
important if the students being taught in the demonstration lesson are the same learners
that the trainees will go on to teach. With prior agreement, as well as observing, it may
also be a good idea to get the trainees involved in the lesson in some way or to provide
the opportunity for them to interact with the learners. This could mean the trainees
participating in a classroom activity, such as a ‘Find someone who …’ or interviewing the
class after the lesson. There is a list of possible interview questions on page 221.

8. Provide a lesson plan

It’s helpful for the trainees to have a copy of the teacher’s lesson plan. This provides a
useful model which trainees can refer back to when planning their own lessons. If the
teacher deviates from the plan, it’s a good opportunity to discuss the need for flexibility.

9. Post-lesson discussion
Ideally, allocate time afterwards to discuss the lesson and for trainees to ask questions.
This will give them a chance to better understand what they have observed.

10. A learning opportunity

For trainers who haven’t taught English language learners for a while, the demo lesson
provides a chance to simply enjoy being back in the classroom again. Moreover, being
observed can and should be viewed as a positive opportunity for even experienced
trainers to reflect on their practice, discuss and share ideas with their trainees post-lesson
and, hopefully, to continue to develop professionally.

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 10 benefits of peer observation

Another form of lesson observation is peer observation, when teachers observe each other.
New teachers have the opportunity to observe each other on a course, and practising
teachers can observe their peers in a real-life setting. It is an excellent way to share ideas,
pick up new techniques and see how other teachers do things. If your teacher training course
includes teaching practice and enough trainees to allow this, it is definitely worth having the
trainees observe each other.

1. Reflecting on peers’ lessons

Peer observation can be an important part of the reflective cycle (see Unit 31 for more
information about reflection and reflective cycles). Reflecting on peers’ lessons – as well
as their own – can help trainees to develop as reflective practitioners and can open up a
useful dialogue between course participants.

2. Development of feedback skills

With practice, trainees tend to get better at providing and receiving sensitive, balanced
peer feedback. This might include making constructive suggestions on their peers’
teaching, suggesting strategies for improving in weaker areas and responding positively
to comments and criticisms made by peers on their own teaching. These skills are likely to
prove invaluable later in their teaching careers when they will almost certainly be required
to engage in some sort of observation, either as observees or observers.
Unit 30

3. Seeing good habits

Observing peers is an excellent way to develop trainees’ understanding of what
constitutes good practice and why. Seeing different teaching techniques and activities
being executed successfully by another teacher – and observing a positive reaction from
learners – can motivate trainees to want to try out such techniques themselves.

4. Seeing bad habits

Conversely, peer observation can also raise awareness of what not to do. Observing when
things don’t work and, crucially, analysing why, can lead to development for both for the
observee and the observer.

5. Observing the learners

Peer observation provides a good opportunity for course participants to observe
the learner group and get to know them better. This can provide insight into class
dynamics and the make-up of the group, their interests and learning preferences as well as
individual strengths and weaknesses. All of this information will be useful when it comes to
planning further lessons and may also be necessary in order to complete written
assignments. For more on written assignments, see Unit 37. For an example observation
form, see page 237 of the Appendix.

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6. Focusing on their own areas for improvement
In order for observers to learn from the experience, encourage the observing
trainees to focus on how the observation can help them to improve their own
teaching. By thinking about their own action points (for example, giving clear instructions),
they can see how their colleague manages this area of teaching (e.g. by using imperatives)
and then incorporate these techniques into their own teaching to aid their development.
For an example observation task you could use for this purpose, see page 238.

7. Getting a realistic model

For pre-service teachers, peer observation may be perceived as more meaningful and
tangible than observing experienced teachers who, at this stage, may have teaching skills
and knowledge far beyond anything the trainee can imagine. Indeed, this could be seen
as demotivating for novice teachers. Instead, observing colleagues who are at a similar
level and stage in their teaching journey gives pre-service trainees a more realistic model
to follow.

8. Having plenty to discuss after the lesson

Peer observations can be used to structure the post-lesson discussion, and can be a
useful way to bring all observers into the discussion. If trainees know they are going

Unit 30
to be asked to draw on their observations in group feedback after the lesson, they are
more likely to engage with the process and make meaningful notes. See page 239 for a
peer observation task sheet that observers can complete during the lesson. Alternatively,
they could use some of the ideas in Unit 27.

9. A necessary component of some courses

Peer observation may be a necessary element of some courses, either because it forms
part of the assessment or because it is one of the learning outcomes. In such cases,
trainees may be required to draw on their observations in order to inform their own
practice, to participate in peer feedback or to reflect on the experience in writing, for an
assignment or in the form of a reflective journal (see Unit 37 for more on written tasks).

10. Providing another pair of eyes

When delivering a lesson, it can be difficult to take in objectively what is happening
around you. As a result, it can be all too easy for teachers (inexperienced or otherwise) to
fail to notice key strengths and weaknesses in their own practice. Another pair of eyes can
often provide insight and give a different perspective. As long as there is a degree of trust,
an observer can notice things that the teacher may fail to, simply because they are caught
up in the moment.

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Section 5: The
feedback stage
The previous section suggested some ways in which we can make lesson observations as
effective as possible for everyone concerned. This section focuses on what usually comes after
an observation, namely the processes of reflection and feedback.

Unit 31 begins by suggesting practical ways in which you can encourage your (trainee) teachers
to reflect on their teaching practice. Reflection can be a difficult task for both trainers and
trainees to complete, so this unit first suggests some ways to encourage reflection and then
looks at how we can approach carrying it out.

The next two units provide tips for giving first written, and then oral, feedback. Both ways of
giving feedback are important as they can focus on different aspects, so it is a good idea –
where possible – to include both.

Unit 34 considers different approaches and techniques for giving feedback. When thinking
about how to give feedback, take into account your own context and situation as well as what
would work for you.

The final unit in this section suggests some activities that can help make your feedback more
varied and effective.
 10 ways to encourage post-observation
reflection

On many teacher training courses, a trainee gets feedback from the trainer straight after they
have done their teaching practice. However, it can be beneficial to allow at least some time
between the end of the observed lesson and the feedback stage for the trainee to reflect
on their lesson and consider what went well and what they could improve upon. Reflection
can be a difficult skill for both inexperienced and more experienced teachers, so it’s worth
providing your trainees with the necessary tools to reflect on their lessons. Here are ten ideas
for encouraging greater reflection following an observed lesson.

1. Provide training in how to reflect

Just as we would not expect pre-service trainees to teach without any input, we should not
expect them to be able to reflect on their teaching if they have not been equipped with a
basic toolkit on what reflective practice is. Therefore, it is important to provide some sort
of training in how to reflect. This could take the form of an input session, directed reading,
completion of a reflection journal or following good practice demonstrated by you.

2. Lead by example
As with any aspect of teacher training, you should always model good practice. Reflect on
your own practice when delivering an input session or a demonstration lesson, showing
your trainee teachers how ongoing reflective practice contributes to your own continuing
professional development.
Unit 31

3. Provide language of reflection

When providing input on reflective practice, introduce some useful language,
making it clear that successful reflection, i.e. that which is likely to lead to real
development, needs to be evidence-based. Providing trainees with example phrases and
sentence starters will help to make this clear. A list of prompts that can be used to
encourage evidence-based reflection is available to copy on page 240.

4. Be realistic
Be realistic in terms of the depth of reflection you expect. A determining factor may be the
level of reflection required by the course assessment criteria. Another might be the amount
of time trainees have available to produce their written reflection. Other considerations
might be whether you are working with pre- or in-service teachers; the trainees’ level of
experience in the area of reflective practice; and the stage of the course you are at.

5. Use reflection tasks

One way to encourage focused, realistic reflection is to provide your trainees with
specific tasks to complete. See pages 241-244 for four different self-reflection tasks
that you can use with trainees.

6. Relate reflection to the stage of the course

Any reflection task that you ask your trainee teachers to work on should be tied to the
stage of the course they are at. For example, if they have recently had an input session on
concept checking, ask them to reflect on how effective their concept-checking questions
were. Or after their final TP lesson, ask them to reflect on the improvements they have
made over the course. This scaffolds the reflective process and prevents overwhelm (as it
is common for trainees to believe that they have to reflect on everything in the lesson).

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7. Vary it
Just as with feedback (see Unit 34), reflection can be either hot or cold, i.e. it can be done
immediately after teaching (hot) or at a later date (cold). Including a mixture of both may
be motivating and lead teachers to engage more with the process. As with other aspects
of teacher training, variety is key. If you always expect your trainees to reflect in the same
way, for example by always giving them the same self-reflection task immediately after
they have finished teaching, it is likely to become monotonous and may simply become
a box-ticking exercise with no real thought going into it. Try to add sufficient variety, for
example by experimenting with different tasks, both hot and cold, or by asking for written
reflections pre- and sometimes post- feedback. In this way, the process remains fresh and
trainees are motivated to engage with it.

8. Introduce a reflective cycle

It’s helpful to show trainees a reflective cycle, such as the one below (Rolfe et al, 2001)
because it introduces them to the process of reflection in a relatively accessible way.
The first ‘What?’ stage requires a definition of what happened and helps the teacher to
identify the issue they intend to analyse or focus on in order to aid their development.
The ‘So what?’ stage requires the teacher to analyse what the identified experience
or situation means. Here they may need to refer to relevant literature or talk to their

Unit 31
colleagues. The final ‘Now what?’ stage involves the teacher coming up with an action
plan outlining specific steps they will take to improve their practice and learn from
the experience.

What?

Now So
what? what?

Rolfe G, Freshwater D & Jasper M (2001). Critical Reflection in Nursing and the Helping
Professions: A user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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 9. On-the-spot reflection
To help to combat the common misconception that reflection takes too much time, or,
indeed, the reality of very little time being available in many training contexts, teachers
should be encouraged to reflect on things as they occur in the classroom. Such reflection-
in-action can be effective as it allows the teacher to react to situations as they arise.
However, this may be more manageable for teachers with some existing experience as
opposed to entry-level teachers.

10. Record teaching practice

One of the difficulties with self-reflection is that often it can be quite difficult for teachers
to remember what happened in a lesson once they have finished teaching. This can be
overcome by video- or audio- recording TP and using the recording as a tool for self-
reflection. For more on using video to observe lessons, see Unit 28.

“If we can make observations as

stress-free as possible, the results
will be far more positive. This will
lead to a greater willingness from
Unit 31

teachers to embrace different

types of observation and to be
more open to reflective practice.”
Fiona Dunlop, Principal of Wimbledon School of
English, London

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10 considerations for written feedback

Written feedback is given to a teacher after they have taught an observed lesson. It usually
comprises a set of notes outlining what happened in the lesson, what went well and what
areas the teacher can improve in. Completing written feedback can be challenging for an
observer, but it is an essential record of an observed teacher’s lesson, which they can refer
to as an aid in their own development. Here are ten things to think about in relation to
written feedback.

1. Complete paperwork immediately

It is good practice to complete your notes during the lesson, but if you don’t have time
to do so, complete them immediately afterwards. This ensures that you don’t forget
anything. It also reduces your workload: completing or even writing up all your notes after
the lesson will add a lot of time to your busy schedule. Learning to touch type is also an
underestimated teacher trainer skill (see Unit 25 for more information on this). If you are
regularly running out of time to complete your notes during the lesson, you may also need
to ask yourself whether you are producing too much written feedback (see Tip 3 below).

2. Use a clear feedback form

Using a standard pro forma for every observation ensures professionalism and
continuity across all the trainers who may be working on the course. This is
especially true if the course is externally validated. On courses that are more

Unit 32
developmental, it is possible to use a range of observation forms. It is good practice for
centres to retain a copy of the completed feedback form for their records as well as giving
a copy to the candidate for their future reference. On some courses, candidates are
required to keep some sort of portfolio – either paper-based or online – of their work, and
the tutor’s written feedback is likely to form part of this. The copy retained by the centre
can be in digital format or hard copy. There is a feedback form template on page 245.

3. Don’t overdo it
Writing every tiny detail down can be counterproductive, both for the observer and the
teacher. Being too focused on writing can result in the observer spending too much time
looking down at their keyboard or paper and missing important aspects of the lesson that
is in progress. Moreover, it may mean that the written feedback is not completed during
the lesson (see Tip 1), resulting in extra work afterwards. From the trainee’s point of view,
being presented with reams of written feedback after the lesson can be overwhelming,
and may result in their feeling demotivated or not even bothering to read it all.

4. Ensure feedback is developmental

Even when the primary aim of the observation is assessment, your written feedback should
still aim to be developmental rather than evaluative. Situate your comments in context and
offer practical suggestions or alternatives that will help the teacher to develop. As well as
constructive advice, remember also to include genuine positive reinforcement and praise,
particularly when clear progress and improvements have been made.

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 5. Use a running commentary approach
This can be a good way to ensure your commentary on the lesson is neutral.
To complete a running commentary, the observer makes a note of what is
happening in a lesson, usually stage by stage or at given points in time. This allows the
observer to record what happened and when, giving both observer and teacher a record
of the lesson to discuss after the lesson. You will find an example of a form for this purpose
on page 246. If you choose to use a running commentary approach, remain objective and
simply record the facts. An advantage of simply recording the facts, as opposed to
subjective interpretations, is that neutral, factual comments, as opposed to subjective
interpretations, cannot be argued with and are non-judgemental. This can lay the
foundations for a more productive and collaborative post-lesson discussion. Some trainers,
however, prefer to note down both good points and suggestions for improvement.
An example of a form that can be used for this type of running commentary can be found
on page 247.

6. Provide a summary of the lesson

Make sure you include an overall, holistic comment on the lesson. This should summarise
the lesson and highlight both strengths and areas to work on. Don’t feel you have to
highlight every area for development as this can be demotivating and make the teacher
Unit 32

feel as if they are not making any progress. As a rule of thumb, stick to three or four
concrete action points. This makes development more achievable.

7. Refer to the assessment criteria

If the lesson (and/or plan) is being assessed according to externally enforced or internally
applied criteria, it is useful to relate your written comments to them explicitly. This makes
it clear to trainees which criteria they are achieving successfully and which they need to
continue to work on. You can do this either in the form of comments, e.g. ‘Keep working
on the clarity of your instructions’ (criterion X) or by using tick boxes to show the extent to
which criteria have been met, for instance.

Clarity of instructions: Achieved  Partially achieved  Not achieved 

8. Make grades explicit

If the lesson and/or the plan are assessed, make sure you clearly state the grade or grades
in the written feedback. Depending on the course, this may be recorded as a percentage,
as ‘Distinction’, ‘Merit’, ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’, as A, B, C, etc., as ‘Above standard’, ‘To standard’
or ‘Below standard’, or as something else. In the case of assessed courses which are
evaluated, it is important that the candidate’s achievement in any individual lesson is
recorded explicitly in writing as a verified means of tracking their progress.

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9. Give feedback at the appropriate time
It is common to discuss the lesson orally and then give the trainee your written feedback
at the end of the post-lesson discussion. This ensures that the trainee is able to focus
on what you have to say and respond, while also giving other trainees – if present – the
opportunity to contribute. However, there are situations in which it may be appropriate to
reverse this. For example, if the lesson went well with very few or no problems, you could
give your written feedback first, allow the trainee time to read and digest it, and then meet
for the oral discussion, during which time you could simply deal with any specific questions
the trainee may have. Conversely, if the lesson was quite weak and the trainee needs a lot
of support, it may also be appropriate to hand out the written feedback first. Again, by
giving the trainee time and space to read through your written comments first, you can
direct the focus of the spoken feedback to addressing how the teacher can improve rather
than spending time getting them to work out what went wrong.

10. Ensure feedback is signed by both parties

In order to avoid any possible confusion or complaints further down the line, it is a good
idea for both candidates and tutors to sign off written feedback once the teacher has
read through it. This clearly indicates that the tutor’s comments have been read and
acknowledged by the course participant.

Unit 32
"We always keep up a running
online chat [through a preselected
online forum] while observing
feedback, which is a big help when
it comes to writing feedback.
We not only know what we were
thinking in the moment, but how
the other tutors reacted as well."
Nikue Gardner, International Training Institute,
Istanbul

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 10 things to remember when giving oral
feedback

For many novice teacher trainers, managing verbal feedback can be the most challenging
part of the role. The post-lesson discussion needs to be handled with tact and sensitivity and
requires excellent people skills. Here are ten things to remember when giving oral feedback.

1. Be aware of the aims

Just as observations have different purposes that will influence your approach to written
feedback, so, too, is it important to be aware of the aims of verbal feedback. Even when
the primary aim of the observation is evaluation (for example, to assess the lesson as a
pass or a fail), it is still important to make your feedback developmental. When handled
sensitively, the post-lesson discussion is a real learning opportunity for trainee teachers.
Ultimately, your aim is to make your trainees more self-aware.

2. Speak plainly and honestly

While you need to be sensitive in your approach to verbal feedback, it is important that
you speak clearly and honestly. Use plain, unambiguous language that is accessible and
transparent to the teacher. Rather like grading your language with language learners, this
will depend on the level of experience and knowledge the teacher has at any particular
stage of the course.

3. Focus on specific areas

Unit 33

As with written feedback, it can be overwhelming for the trainee teacher if you focus on too
many areas and provide too much detail. Instead, consider choosing three or four key areas
to highlight during the discussion. Provide clear action points with practical advice to aid
future development. Try to include a balance of positives and areas to work on. The focus of
your verbal feedback may be determined by observation tasks or reflection tasks that your
trainees have completed (see Units 25, 27, 30 and 31) or your written notes. If you are giving
group feedback (see Unit 34), it can work well to begin with general points relating to the
whole group before moving on to directed individual feedback for each trainee who taught.

4. Involve everyone in group feedback

In a group feedback situation (see Unit 34), involve all the trainees, not just the person
whose lesson you are discussing. Providing observation tasks (see Units 27 and 30) helps
to bring in the observers and can be used to structure the feedback discussion. Indeed,
on some accredited courses, participating in and responding to feedback is part of the
assessment criteria, and so all trainees must be encouraged to evaluate not just their own
but also their colleagues’ lessons, both critically and constructively.

5. Ask ‘Why?’
It’s important to give the teacher the opportunity to explain the rationale behind decisions
made in the lesson. An example of this might be their deviation from the planned staging
or their having asked the students to work alone rather than in pairs. These may, in fact,
have been conscious decisions by the trainee and done with good reason. So, during
feedback, ask ‘Why?’ and allow the teacher to justify the lesson execution. On some
courses, teachers may be evaluated on their ability to adapt and explicitly justify any
unplanned changes made to the lesson plan during the delivery of the lesson.

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6. Demonstrate alternatives
Rather than just talking theoretically about what trainees could or should have done, it can
be more meaningful to demonstrate alternatives during the post-lesson discussion. So,
for example, if, during their observed lesson, a trainee has asked the class, ‘What does X
mean?’, you could model a more effective technique by eliciting examples or synonyms from
the group and using realia or mime to check understanding. In this way, the trainees can see
for themselves the benefits of such techniques.

7. Encourage questions
Remember to provide plenty of opportunities for questions. These may be questions about
points raised in the feedback discussion or about your written feedback, for example.
By being approachable and creating an environment based on mutual respect and
collaboration, you can ensure that the post-lesson discussion becomes a space for trainees
to consolidate their understanding and raise their awareness of best practice.

8. Try not to obsess over grades

Even where TP forms part of the overall course assessment, the post-lesson discussion is
best viewed as a space for reflection, development and a sharing of best practice. Although
the overall grade should be made explicit in the written feedback (see Unit 32), you should

Unit 33
focus on making spoken feedback formative rather than summative, and encourage trainees
to see the bigger picture, as opposed to obsessing over the grading of the lesson.

9. Listen as well as speak

The post-lesson discussion should be an opportunity for the observed teacher to express
themselves, to ask questions and to reflect on what happened in the lesson and why. Be
wary of too much unnecessary trainer talking time; instead, encourage useful trainee talking
time. Elicit and prompt if necessary, and don’t be afraid to feed in salient points as and when
required. Remember, though, to always listen and respond to your trainees’ contributions.
Learning is likely to be much more meaningful and memorable if the trainee teachers are
actively involved in the process.

10. Vary it
Just as we would encourage trainees to incorporate variety into their lessons, it is also a
good idea to include a reasonable amount of variety in your feedback, so as to make it
more engaging and memorable. Over time, trainers will develop their own style. This results
from a combination of the way in which they were trained, the contexts they have worked
in, the influence of trainers they have worked with, their own teaching style and, of course,
experience. However, it is important that a trainer can adapt their style depending on the
needs and preferences of the trainees they are working with. This may depend on your
trainee’s personality type, previous experience or cultural background, the training context
(e.g. in-service or pre-service, an accredited course or a bespoke one) and the stage of the
course. Regarding the last point, note that feedback is likely to be more directive at the
beginning of a course than at the end. The next two units will look at different ways to add
variety to spoken feedback.

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 10 different feedback approaches

There are various approaches you can take to giving feedback to your trainees. The approach
you take very much depends on the type of course you are working on, who your trainees
are, and the stage of the course. Other factors determining the approach you take relate to
whether the course is intensive in nature, whether the observation is a one-off and whether
you are working with a group of teachers or with an individual. Your own tutor style may also
be a factor to take into consideration.

1. Group
On many entry-level courses, it is common for feedback to be conducted with a group
of four to six trainees. This can be particularly beneficial in the early stages of a course,
when you will probably find that all the trainees need support, guidance and advice in
similar areas. However, as these kinds of courses progress, you may want to vary this.

2. One to one
One-to-one feedback can be a good alternative to group feedback in a number of
situations. It is appropriate, for example, if you are working with weaker trainees who
require more individual support, or if a lesson has been below the required standard. On
diploma-level courses, individual feedback may be preferable because of the variety in
the teachers’ levels of experience, knowledge and skill in the classroom. A final benefit is
that one-to-one feedback can be tailored to the particular needs of the teacher.
Unit 34

3. Hot
Feedback can be ‘hot’, that is, given immediately following the lesson. This is particularly
common on intensive courses, where time is of the essence. Even if you give feedback
hot, make sure you allow the trainees some time – perhaps just 15 minutes – to reflect
on the lesson they have just taught (see Unit 31). This also gives you time, if necessary,
to finish writing up your notes and print off your written feedback.

4. Cold
Feedback may be ‘cold’, that is, carried out later, perhaps on another day. This kind
of feedback may be more feasible on part-time courses where there are ferwer time
pressures than on intensive courses. It is also more common on in-service courses,
where teachers may be expected to produce their own detailed written reflection and
evaluation of the lesson before they receive feedback from their trainer.

5. Directive
This approach to feedback essentially involves the trainer telling the trainee what they
should have done in the lesson. You may find that some trainees expect feedback to be
handled in this way, seeing you as the expert in the craft of teaching, with your role being to
educate the apprentice. This attitude may be influenced by previous learning experiences,
cultural backgrounds, age, expectations of the course, and so on. This model may be more
appropriate in certain cultural contexts or at the start of a course. For example:

Trainee: I don’t think my instructions for the controlled practice task were clear.
Trainer: T
 hink about what Harry did in the demonstration lesson we watched last week.
First he gave his instructions, then he demonstrated what to do. Then he asked
simple questions to check understanding.

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6. Alternative
This approach is more trainee-centred than the directive approach, but it is still well
scaffolded. It entails the trainer eliciting different options from the trainee teacher in
terms of what they could have done differently in their lesson. However, if the option the
trainer is looking for isn’t put forward, the trainer steps in and suggests a more suitable
alternative.

Trainee: I don’t think my instructions for the controlled practice task were clear.
Trainer: Yes, some of your learners didn’t understand everything. How could you make
them clearer?
Trainee: I guess speak slower.
Trainer: Yes, a good idea. What about giving a demonstration of the task? Perhaps
complete the first question as an example with the whole class.

7. Collaborative
As the name suggests, this approach involves the trainer and trainee(s) working together
to come up with different ways in which a situation that occurred in the observed lesson
could have been handled. Although the trainer may suggest various options, the process
of unpicking the lesson and suggesting different ways of doing things is very much a

Unit 34
collaborative one.

Trainee: I don’t think my instructions for the controlled practice task were clear.
Trainer: Why do you think that?
Trainee: Some of the learners didn’t seem to understand me.
Trainer: So how could you make them clearer?
Trainee: I guess speak slower.
Trainer: Yes, that would help them to understand what they need to do. You could also
demonstrate the first task.
Trainee: Do I need to do both of these?
Trainer: It rather depends on the situation. Which method do you think would have
worked better in this situation?
Trainee: Possibly demonstrating. They can see the task in action then. And then copy it.
Trainer: Yes, good point. What about when you set the freer practice up?

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 8. Non-directive
In this approach, the trainee is encouraged to work out for themselves what they could
have done differently in the lesson with no input from the trainer. This is possibly most
appropriate towards the end of a pre-service course, with particularly strong trainees, with
teachers who already have some previous teaching experience or with practising teachers.

Trainee: I don’t think my instructions for the controlled practice task were clear.
Trainer: Y
 es, you’re right. There are different ways of clarifying instructions. Can you think
of any?
Trainer: I could speak slower.
Trainer: Yes, good idea. What else?
Trainee: O
 h, I remember that video last week. I could demonstrate the task. There’s also
the use of questions. Which would have been better?
Trainer: I think both would have worked. What do you think would have been better?
Trainee: Demonstrating. Then the learners would know what to do.

9. Trainee-led
A different way to approach group feedback is to ask one of the trainees to lead the
Unit 34

feedback discussion rather than the trainer. This is an effective way to increase autonomy
and for trainees to take control of their own development. This approach works best
during the latter stages of a pre-service course or with in-service teachers who have
relevant experience to draw on. You can either be present during the feedback or leave
the room. Providing or eliciting a summary of the main points at the end of the discussion
helps to ensure the feedback remains on track and focused.

10. A combination
There are merits and drawbacks to each of the nine different approaches described above.
Your decision as to which approach to take is likely to be influenced by your training
context and, possibly, any institutional constraints. If possible, you may want to consider
varying your style on different occasions. For example, you may adapt your approach in
relation to the lesson, the teacher and the stage of the course.

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10 different feedback activities

In addition to the various approaches to feedback outlined in the previous unit, it is also
a good idea to use different activity types and techniques to add variety to your feedback
sessions. The ideas below can all be used in group feedback situations and some could also
be adapted for use in one-to-one feedback. These suggestions can all be used to accompany
any of the other approaches to feedback discussed in Unit 34.

1. Sticky notes
Everyone (including the trainer) writes down one question they would like to ask the
teacher on a sticky note, such as the example below. Once all the questions are ready,
pass the notes to the relevant teacher and give them some time to read the questions and
think about their responses. They then share the questions and their answers with the rest
of the group.

Why di d yo u ask the

oups
students to work in gr
ey
an d not pairs when th
e
were preparing for th
roleplay?

Unit 35
This can be done while the teacher is teaching or afterwards, before the feedback session.

2. Speed dating
Get the trainees to form two lines. Ideally, you should have the trainees who gave
a lesson on one side and those who didn’t on the other. The observers have two
minutes to summarise their feedback on the lesson – including strengths and areas
for development – before moving on and doing the same with the next teacher.
If everyone taught, they can take turns to give their feedback. At the end, ask each
teacher to share the best piece of feedback they received. A different approach, which
doesn’t involve trainees moving around, is simply to pair each teacher that has taught
with someone who hasn’t. This works best with larger groups. The observers then give
individual feedback to the teacher, highlighting both strengths and suggestions for
improvement. At the end, the trainer can add any extra important feedback that may
have been missed.

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 3. Gallery feedback
Before the feedback begins, prepare a variety of statements about the observed
lessons and display them around the classroom. These might summarise points
relating to all the lessons, or they might be specific to individual lessons. Examples of
general statements include:

XX The lessons were logically staged.

XX There was a positive classroom atmosphere.
XX Teacher language was appropriately graded.
XX Students were sometimes unsure of the tasks.
XX Opportunities for student-to-teacher feedback were missed.
XX Boardwork was unmethodical.

Trainees then walk around the classroom in pairs and discuss whether they agree or
disagree with each statement and why. The ‘why’ part is crucial, as trainees should be
able to provide supporting evidence from the lessons. The trainer monitors and makes
a note of key points to highlight at the end.
Unit 35

Examples of statements relating to specific lessons could be:

XX The target language was clarified well.
XX Some good drilling took place.
XX Improved use of names.
XX Supportive monitoring.
XX The lesson overran by five minutes.
XX The students didn’t have chance to discuss/compare their answers together before
whole-group feedback.

In this version, trainees can discuss which teacher they think each statement refers to
and, again, why. For the statements that highlight weaknesses in the lessons, trainees
suggest with their partner, and then share with the whole group, how this could have
been improved.

4. Job interview roleplay

This involves the teacher taking on the role of the interviewee and the role of the
interviewer being taken by either an observer or the tutor. Tell them to imagine that the
lesson formed part of the application process for a new teaching job. The ‘interviewer’
questions the ‘interviewee’ about the observed lesson, asking them to justify what
they did in the lesson and encouraging them to think about any possible alternatives.
If the feedback is being conducted as a group, the questions could be opened up to
other observers later. At the end, they could vote on whether the teacher has been
convincing enough to get the job.

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5. Write on the board
Making use of the board during feedback can provide a focal point and involve all the
observers. Write the names of the teachers at the top of the board and then ask the
observers to come to the board and write good points about the lesson as well as any
areas for improvement. During the ensuing discussion, the positives can be praised and
the action points can be addressed, with suggestions for improving in these areas being
fed in, as outlined in this example:

Tristan Matilda Olivia

✓ Boardwork ✓ Use of names ✓ Peer-checking
✓ Clarification ✓ Monitoring ✓ Instructions
of MFP
? TTT ? Timing
? CCQs ? Drilling ? Gist reading
? Error correction

Unit 35
An alternative version is to have one column for positives and another for suggestions.
As can be seen from the example below, you should encourage trainees to provide
specific examples of the good points and concrete suggestions as to how the weaker
areas could have been improved.

+ –
Staging: logical progression Instructions: model the task to
towards achievement of aims. make it clearer.
Classroom atmosphere: rapport, Monitoring: be unobtrusive
use of names, praise, humour, etc. during speaking fluency.
Variety of activity types and Language focus: check
interaction patterns: Ss engaged, understanding of TL (e.g. CCQs,
involved and on task throughout. synonyms, eliciting examples)
and remind Ss to use it in a
Lots of STT, e.g. via eliciting, productive task.
peer-checking, personalised
discussions. Error correction: include delayed
error correction slot after
Different feedback techniques: speaking task.
Ss nominating each other, Ss at
the board, answer key. Language grading: be consistent.

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 6. Discussion questions
Before the post-lesson discussion, prepare some discussion questions on slips of paper.
These should deal with points arising from the observations. For example, ‘Was there an
improvement in instructions?’ or ‘Was target language clarified systematically?’ or ‘Were
there sufficient practice opportunities?’. During feedback, put the questions in a pile
face-down in the middle of the table and invite trainees to take turns to take a question,
read it aloud and then discuss it together. Be prepared to feed in any salient points as
and when needed.

7. Steal, steal, steal!

This involves the observers deciding what they would like to ‘steal’ from each of the
teachers they observe. This can be anything – from the teacher’s calm calm manner,
to their ability to set up tasks clearly, to their knowledge of the third conditional.

8. Posters
The name of the teacher is written a circle in the middle of a large piece of paper and the
observers write positive adjectives around it to describe the lesson. This can be a nice
keepsake for the teacher and can help to boost confidence, especially during the early
stages of a course.
Unit 35

engaging creative

relevant student-centred

Anna

meaningful contextualised
interesting productive

9. Chronological order
Sometimes it can be effective to go through each lesson in chronological order, allowing
the teacher the opportunity to give their opinion on how each stage went as you go
along. This works particularly well in a one-to-one situation. If other trainees are present,
it can still work, as long as you give the other trainees the opportunity to contribute by
commenting on each stage as it occurred. In a group situation, it is advisable to impose
a strict time limit to prevent it becoming tedious for others to listen to every stage of
someone else’s lesson being dissected.

10. Three adjectives

Ask each teacher to think of three adjectives to describe how they feel after teaching the
lesson. When they are ready, ask them to share their choices with the rest of the group,
justifying them by providing evidence from the lesson. You can then feed in your own
feedback, and invite other observers to do the same along the way.

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Section 6: Assignments
and written tasks
As well having a practical element, many teacher training courses include written tasks or
assignments. These could be assessed assignments, such as those found in most accredited
courses, or they may be ones that help trainee teachers consolidate their learning or
demonstrate their ability to link theory with practice.

The first unit in this section considers what is important when setting written tasks. It poses
some questions that a trainer needs to consider when thinking about setting tasks.

Unit 37 suggests 10 different types of written task that could be incorporated into a teacher
training course. These range from tasks that novice teachers should be able to complete to
more complex tasks aimed at experienced teachers.

Unit 38 looks at ways in which we can help our trainee teachers to complete the tasks they
have been set. Offering support and guidance can ensure that teachers do not lose motivation
when completing tasks due their being too difficult or not clearly understood.

In the final unit in this section, some different ways to mark or assess written work are
suggested. The tips here aim to give trainee teachers the most objective and supportive
feedback possible. It is worth bearing in mind that in some cases it might not even be
necessary to mark written work, especially if it is not assessed.
 10 questions to consider when setting tasks

All written components of a teacher training course need to be fit for purpose. We need to
ensure, for example, that any tasks set can be achieved, will meet the objectives or learning
outcomes of the programme and will not be demotivating for the course participants. Here
are ten questions to ask yourself when setting or designing written assignments.

1. Does the task have any external requirements?

Teacher training courses that are validated by an external provider generally require
trainees to complete written assignments successfully. Assignments might be supplied
by the provider, with centres being obliged to use them, or the provider might give
individual training centres the freedom to produce their own tasks. The learning outcomes
for such assignments are likely to be fixed, though. If this is the case, be careful that your
assignment brief and guidelines match the assessment criteria or requirements set by the
external provider; otherwise, the assignments might not be accepted as valid.

2. Does the task align with core components of the course?

Think about the contents of the teacher training course and design corresponding written
tasks. For example, a training course involving a practical component could involve the
trainees writing a reflective log about their experience of teaching. A course involving peer
observation might call for a description of good practice that the trainee has observed.
Unit 36

3. Does the task reflect what a teacher might have to do in real life?
When thinking about an assignment, consider whether the task reflects in any way what
teachers actually do. While writing an essay is not usually part of a busy teacher’s day-to-
day duties, creating a needs analysis for a group of students or analysing language are
both relevant and valid tasks.

4. Is there a link between theory and practice?

On some courses, especially those in which the candidates are already practising teachers,
it might be necessary for course participants to research certain aspects of teaching in
some detail. If this is the case, include written assignments that allow teachers to put
their findings into writing. This type of task is highly motivating and helps to consolidate
learning. For example, teachers could be asked to provide a rationale for a planned
lesson, justifying each of the planned stages with reference to their background reading
and the learners’ needs, demonstrating their ability to link theory with classroom practice.
This could then be followed up with delivery of the planned lesson.

5. Is the task achievable with the trainees’ level of knowledge?

In the same way that we would not expect an A1 learner to be able to complete a written
task for a C1 learner, we would not ask new teachers to complete tasks designed for
experienced teachers. Newer teachers lack both hands-on experience and theoretical
knowledge about language and teaching. As such, asking them to reflect on situations
they may not have encountered or requiring them to write about detailed aspects of
language might not be achievable.

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6. Will there be enough time to complete the task?
Given the intensive nature of many teacher training courses, time available for written
assignments might be limited, with teaching practice, planning and workshops taking
precedence. Consider what you are asking your trainee teachers to do and how long
they will have to complete the tasks. Also, consider whether they have to do any external
research such as reading books, interviewing learners or finding information on the
internet. All these tasks take time: ensure that this is included when setting deadlines.

7. Is the word count realistic?

A good way to check this is to complete the task yourself and see how many words you
write. Can you complete the task you have set within the word limit? If you have struggled
to do this, then consider increasing it.

8. Is the rubric clear?

Ensure that the trainees know exactly what they need to do and how to do it. Problems
with rubrics might become evident as the trainees attempt the task not knowing exactly
what to do, or they might appear after the task has been finished and you attempt to mark
it. As you read through the rubric, consider whether the trainee teacher completing the
task will understand it. Another option is to set the written task in a workshop and give the

Unit 36
trainees the opportunity to ask any questions.

9. Will the completed task be easy to mark?

Time on training courses is often limited for both the trainee teachers and those providing
the training, and a large cohort of trainees on the course is likely to mean a lot of marking.
Think about how you will mark written work and try to ensure that you approach this in the
simplest, most time-effective way. Will you write a commentary, provide a summary or just
use a tick box indicating whether criteria have been achieved? See Unit 39 for more tips
on marking written work.

10. Should you provide a model?

A model can provide useful guidance for course participants and can help them to feel
more confident in terms of what is expected of them and how to approach the task. It can
also help to raise awareness of how the completed task should be structured and what it
should include. If you do decide to use a model, remember to warn your trainees that they
cannot simply copy it as this will constitute plagiarism. For more on plagiarism, see Unit
39. If you think your trainees would find it difficult to think of an equally good or better
answer once they have seen a model, you could consider providing them with an example
answer to a similar task instead.

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 10 suggestions for written tasks

A written task does not always have to mean writing an essay; it might involve something
more practical. Examples of such tasks include: interviews or surveys with the learners in
which trainees complete a pro forma about the learners’ learning preferences; analysing
language using notes and headings; completing model or real lesson plans; or observing a
lesson and making notes. These and other ideas for written work are discussed below.

1. Language analysis
A common task for pre-service trainees is to analyse some grammar and vocabulary
structures in terms of meaning, form, pronunciation and, possibly, appropriacy. They may
also be asked to anticipate potential difficulties that the structure might cause learners and
suggest how these could be overcome. As teachers, we are expected to have a thorough
knowledge of the language we are teaching, so this kind of task has a direct carry-over to
teaching practice. See the Appendix, pages 231–232 for a sample language analysis sheet.

2. Needs analysis
Another very practical task involves trainees analysing the needs of a learner or group of
learners. To make it more authentic, it is a good idea for the trainees to use real learners
rather than fictional ones. The trainees gather information about their chosen learner(s) via
interview, observation, written samples and/or a needs analysis questionnaire in order to
build up a profile. This profile will include information about needs, learning preferences,
Unit 37

strengths, weaknesses and motivations for learning. Trainees then either choose
some remedial activities to help them improve their learner(s) language skills, make
recommendations for future language development or, in the case of a single learner,
plan (and possibly deliver) a one-to-one lesson.

3. Lesson or material design

In this kind of task, a trainee designs a piece of teaching material, or a whole lesson
sequence, for a real or imaginary group of learners. To complete the task, the trainee
needs to consider what the needs and interests of the group are in order to design
something that is motivating and useful. The trainee could be told to plan a certain kind of
lesson, exploit a particular type of material, or be asked to decide for themselves. This task
may involve the trainee being asked only to plan – and justify – but not actually to teach
the lesson. Alternatively, they could implement the planned material with a class and then
evaluate its use in the classroom. Again, this has a practical carry-over.

4. Reflection on teaching
Course participants are asked to think about their teaching and to reflect on their strengths
and areas they would like to improve in. Trainees draw on both their own experience of
teaching and on good practice observed in other lessons. Alternatively, this could take the
form of a reflective journal, built up over the period of the course, in which trainees record
their thoughts and feelings regarding every lesson they teach. Another variation on this is
for teachers to produce a written reflection and evaluation after every lesson they teach.
Here, they identify key strengths and weaknesses in the planning and execution of the
lesson, and explain how they would consolidate and follow on from the learning achieved
in the lesson. For more on post lesson reflection, see Unit 31.

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5. Lesson plan and commentary
There are various tasks – with varying degrees of challenge – involving lesson planning.
At the most basic level, trainees are asked to plan a lesson by writing a lesson plan for
a fictional (or, better still, real) group of learners. This task highlights the importance of
thorough planning and helps teachers work on their planning skills. An extension of this
is to ask trainees to complete a plan for a lesson they will actually teach. After they have
taught the lesson, they comment on what went well, what didn’t and what they can do in
the future to develop their teaching. Although this is a kind of reflection task, it enables
trainees to focus specifically on their plan, paying attention to the stages of the lesson.
At more advanced levels, in addition to planning a lesson, teachers are asked to produce
a lesson commentary in which they provide a rationale for their plan with reference to
learner characteristics and needs, supported by reference to background reading and
research. For more on planning lessons, see Unit 24.

6. Observation tasks
In order to focus on areas of teaching that they find problematic, trainees can observe
other teachers and focus on best practice. Tasks described in Units 27 and 30 can be
used to focus the observation; alternatively, trainees can design their own observation
instruments. Experienced teachers can use this kind of task to help develop their

Unit 37
own observation skills, especially if they want to move into a career involving lesson
observation. An observation journal can be kept with reflective comments on the
observations completed.

7. Design a series of lessons for a group

A practical written task for experienced teachers involves designing a scheme of work or
a series of lessons for a group of learners. Again, the teachers would have to assess their
learners’ needs before designing the scheme of work. This kind of assignment works with
any level of trainee: less experienced ones design, say, a week’s worth of lessons, while
experienced teachers design a longer series of lessons. Lessons could be based on a
coursebook or, to increase the challenge level, adapted or designed by trainees.

8. Design a course
A more advanced version of the task described in Tip 7 involves in-service teachers
designing a whole course. The course type can be determined by their teaching context
and the needs of a particular group of learners. Designing a course requires teachers to
demonstrate their understanding of key principles of (1) needs analysis and diagnostic
testing, (2) course and syllabus design and (3) the roles of assessment and course
evaluation. Such a task would need to be supported with reference to relevant literature.
This is a particularly worthwhile assignment for both the teacher and the institution if
teachers are in a position to be able to implement their course in a real teaching context.

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 9. Action research
This is a process by which teachers investigate teaching and learning in order to improve
their own and their students’ learning. There are four stages: plan, act, observe and
reflect. During the planning stage trainees identify a problem area in their own teaching
that they would like to investigate. They should think about what might be causing the
problem, how they could solve it and how they will gather and analyse evidence to decide
whether their proposed solution will be successful or not (e.g. video- or audio-recordings,
questionnaires, student or teacher journals, observations, interviews, student work or
teaching documentation). During the subsequent stages they implement the solution and
gather evidence, which they analyse in order to evaluate the success of their solution.
In the final stage, the evidence is analysed and, if the problem has not been solved,
further action is suggested. This is quite an advanced written task, which challenges more
experienced teachers.

10. Language-learning log

On some pre-service training courses, trainees may get the opportunity to put themselves
in the shoes of a language learner by experiencing a foreign language lesson or, in some
cases, a series of lessons. A written task arising from this experience could be to ask the
trainee to chronicle their experience of the unknown language lesson or course from
Unit 37

a beginner’s point of view. Their reflective comments could include an analysis of the
teaching methodology, procedures and techniques and classroom management skills that
affected their learning either positively or negatively. This enables the trainee to really
empathise with their own learners.

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10 ideas to help trainees complete
written tasks

Just as it’s important to think about what we want our written tasks to focus on, it’s also a
good idea to ensure that our trainees know exactly how to complete these tasks. Here are 10
tips to help your trainee teachers complete written work to the best of their ability.

1. Make tasks available from the outset

Be transparent about what written work will need to be completed over the duration
of the course. Give trainees access to task rubrics and guidelines – either in the form of
hard copies or in a digital format – from the beginning of the course. This gives them the
opportunity to familiarise themselves with the tasks or even to make a start on them before
they are formally set, if they wish. Make it clear whether you are happy for your trainees to
begin written tasks before they have been set, though: starting them before receiving the
relevant input may result in unnecessary problems.

2. Dedicate certain sessions to setting up written tasks

When tasks are formally set, consider doing this in a face-to-face input session, workshop
or synchronous video conferencing session, depending on the nature of the course. This
gives you the chance to ensure that everyone understands the requirements and may
include modelling the tasks, giving examples and answering any questions.

3. Make the marking criteria explicit

Unit 38
Ensure that trainees know exactly how they can pass an assignment or produce a good
written task. Share the marking criteria with them and, if necessary, explain what each
aspect of it means. This could be made into an active task by asking them to match
criteria headings to descriptions. Alternatively, trainees could predict how they think an
assignment will be marked either by first being given the criteria headings or simply by
guesswork, before checking their predictions against the actual criteria.

4. Provide a checklist
If you give your trainee teachers a list of the main items they need to include in their
written work, they can use this once they have finished writing to make sure they
haven’t missed anything. If appropriate, this checklist should be tied to the criteria. You’ll
find an example of such a checklist on page 248 of the Appendix.

5. Consider providing model answers

An example answer helps your trainees to see exactly what they need to do. Instead of
this simply being a passive reading task, a model answer can be made into an interesting
activity. For example, give trainees a number of model answers ranging from excellent
to poor and ask them to rank them giving reasons for their choices. They could use any
marking criteria you have to help them. Alternatively, give trainees a model answer and
a number of questions that encourage them to focus on the structure and content. For
example: ‘What is the purpose of the first paragraph?’; ‘How have headings been used?’;
‘What essential information is included in the final section?’.

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 6. Provide time for working on written tasks
Incorporate time for trainees to work on their assignments – either individually or
collaboratively – during course contact hours. On intensive face-to-face courses, consider
using input sessions for trainees to write up their assignments. This can alleviate some of
the demands on trainees’ time outside course hours (which is often taken up with planning
and preparing for teaching practice). Alternatively, workshops in which trainees can pool
their ideas for written work can work well. These could be carried out either in person on
face-to-face courses or via video chat or discussion boards on online or blended courses.

7. Be on hand to answer any questions

Once a task has been set, trainees may need to contact you to ask questions about it,
so give them some indication of your availability. Consider when you will be available
to answer questions about written work and how much support you want to give them.
On an online or blended course, you could set up a forum in which trainees can post any
questions they might have about individual assignments.

8. Allow a draft version

This gives your trainee teachers the opportunity to complete the task and get some
formative feedback before they have to hand in the final version. Be careful, though: on
Unit 38

some externally assessed courses, this might not be allowed. Remember that this extra
drafting stage will increase your workload.

9. Raise awareness of any essential reading or necessary resources

On pre-service courses, trainees probably have very little knowledge of EFL resources and
reading material. Point them in the direction of useful resources to help them complete
the task. These may take the form of relevant library books or perhaps even a bank of
useful articles provided by you. Experienced teachers will have some existing knowledge
of ELT materials, but may still need some support in finding suitable resources to support
them in producing their written work. Recommended reading lists, links to useful online
sources or video banks and a central repository of articles, organised by topic, can really
help here.

10. Stage written tasks

If you require trainees to produce a number of written assignments during your course,
think carefully about the order in which these are set. Get trainees to complete any easier
tasks first before moving on to more challenging tasks later in the course.

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10 ways to mark written tasks

Once a written assignment has been completed, it is necessary to give some kind of
feedback on it. On some courses, written assignments might be summative and carry some
weight in terms of passing the course; on others, written work might be purely formative – to
give the trainee some indication of their own progress and to allow them to consider and
practise different aspects of teaching. The way you mark it will depend on the importance of
the assignment. Here are ten ideas.

1. Give clear, constructive and balanced feedback

Whether the written task is assessed or not, it is important that, as trainers, we provide
some sort of feedback on the task. This ensures that trainees are able to develop and
improve, while also gaining recognition for their hard work. Feedback should be clear,
should include a mixture of positive comments and advice on how to improve, and should
be related to the aims of the task. Even where assignments are assessed, you should make
your feedback developmental. Let the trainee know how they can develop not only on the
course but also post-course. Including positive comments as well as developmental ones
both motivates and inspires trainees to work harder and can be particularly useful if you
have a trainee who is struggling in other areas of the course. It should also be practical:
trainee teachers need to be able to use the feedback in their future teaching rather than
see it as something to file once read.

Unit 39
2. Standardise between markers
This is especially important if the assignment counts towards passing a course. Although
there is bound to be an element of subjectivity when marking any form of written work,
we want to ensure that, as much as possible, markers are being as objective as they can
and are marking to the same standards. If you are working on an externally assessed
course, you will have to undertake a standardisation review on a regular basis. However,
it is always a good idea for trainers working at a school to standardise their grading once
or twice a year, especially if a new member of staff joins the team. On non-accredited
courses this same recommendation applies, as a professional courtesy to those we train.

3. Double-mark some assignments

Just as standardising amongst trainers ensures some objectivity in terms of marking, it is
also a good idea to double-mark assignments. Indeed, on some accredited courses,
about 25% of written assignments have to be double-marked. This ensures that trainers
are applying the same standards to the assignments they mark. It also means that where
a candidate is very strong or needs more support, trainers are able to work together to
fairly assess their efforts. Where assignments do not carry credit, it’s still worth considering
double-marking some of them to ensure your trainers are working to the same standard
and giving their trainees the best possible chance.

4. Include comments in the margin

An effective way to make it clear exactly which part of the assignment you are commenting
on is to highlight the relevant piece of text and insert a comment in the margin. This
makes it explicit to the writer which elements of their writing are good and which elements
might need rewriting. If your trainees have submitted their work in digital form, type your
comments into the electronic file rather than writing them by hand. Typing ensures that
your comments are legible.

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 5. Use a checklist
Just as it’s a good idea to give trainees a checklist to use when they are writing their
assignments (see Unit 38), it’s also useful for you to use one to help you mark the
assignments. Make a checklist of the criteria you are using to assess the assignment and,
as you read through it, tick off the elements the trainee has achieved. If they have not met
a particular criterion, make this clear to them and give them some indication of how they
can improve in this area. See page 248 for an example of a checklist.

6. Use plagiarism detection software

Unfortunately, in today’s world the availability of model essays on the internet is increasing
all the time, which can sometimes mean that stressed trainees with little time could be
tempted to find an easier way of completing an assignment. Before trainees hand in
their work (and this is especially important if the assignment carries some weight), either
ask them to run it through some form of plagiarism software, such as Turnitin, or do this
yourself once you receive the work. Ensure at the beginning of the course that trainees
know you will be doing this and that plagiarism will not be tolerated (see Unit 6).

7. Ask trainees to peer-mark

In some cases, you could ask trainees to peer-mark their work. This works really well
Unit 39

for experienced teachers, as they have enough experience and knowledge to evaluate
another teacher’s work critically and to offer advice and support. This can also be
especially good for draft assignments, where trainees use a checklist to ensure their
partner has included everything in their assignment. If you have access to it, you could
consider using a file-sharing site such as Google Docs. This allows you to collaborate and
make comments (see Tip 6 above) on a single document with everything being synced
almost immediately. You only need one version of a document, which you do not need
to email or download. A word of warning: make it clear that a trainee marking a draft
can’t copy their partner’s work. You may find that trainees don’t want to share their work,
especially when they are working on a similar task. A way to overcome this is to pair or
group trainees who are working on different written assignments.

8. Ask trainees to self-mark

Where assignments are not part of the trainees’ final grade, allow trainees to mark their
own work. They first need a checklist (see Tip 5 above) to ensure that they know what
they are looking for. This kind of self-assessment is very useful for experienced and
inexperienced teachers alike, and can be self-liberating as trainees can focus on the areas
of their assignments they are interested in or which they find difficult.

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9. Take a process-writing approach
As your trainees are working on their writing, help them with the planning stage, look
at drafts and ask them to peer-mark. They should then use the ideas they get from their
drafts to help them produce the final assignment. You could even include workshops on
how to complete the assignment, as discussed in the previous unit. Once again, if you
have access to it, Google Docs (see Tip 7 above) is a good tool to use when taking this
approach. On some assessed courses, there is an element of the process approach,
as trainees whose first submission has not met the requirements are able to resubmit their
assignment using their tutor’s feedback.

10. Don’t actually mark them all

On courses where the written tasks are more developmental than assessment-focused,
you might consider not formally marking them at all. This does not mean that you should
not give some form of feedback on work that has been completed. Instead, consider
giving more holistic feedback, perhaps aimed at the whole cohort of trainees, rather than
individually marking tasks and assigning a mark.

“When marking trainees’ written

work, especially of experienced

Unit 39
teachers, I try to avoid being
prescriptive (unless the assessment
criteria require it). Instead,
my comments are intended
to promote reflection, extend
knowledge, and offer alternative
options for consideration.”
Ben Naismith, trainer and researcher, University of
Pittsburgh, USA

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 133
Section 7: Different types
of training contexts
During your teacher training career, you may find yourself working with many different types
of teachers. Although some of the skills required may be transferable across different training
contexts, it can be a challenge (even for experienced trainers) to adapt to working in different
situations from those in which you already have experience.

This section looks at a range of teacher development programmes. Unit 40 offers tips for
working with new and inexperienced teachers, while the following unit looks at ideas for
working with experienced, practising teachers. In Unit 42 you will find some ideas for working
with teachers with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience. Unit 43 makes some
suggestions for training on online or blended courses. Unit 44 considers how you can prepare
teachers for paper-based exams, while the final unit in this section looks at mentoring.

If you already have some experience working in any of these contexts, compare the ideas
here with your own experience. If, on the other hand, you are about to work in one of these
situations for the first time, use the tips and suggestions to help you prepare.
 10 tips for working with pre-service teachers

Undertaking a course leading to an initial teaching qualification can be challenging for novice
teachers. Here are ten things to remember when working with pre-service teachers.

1. Little or no experience of ELT

Entry-level teaching qualifications (such as CELTA or CertTESOL) are intended for
candidates with little or no previous English language teaching experience. Keep this in
mind and don’t expect too much from your trainees. Empathise with them by recalling
how you first felt as a new teacher.

2. Some experience of teaching

Nowadays, increasingly varied cohorts of trainees are embarking on practical pre-service
courses. With this in mind, it is possible that you may have candidates on a pre-service
course who do have some teaching experience, though perhaps in different contexts
(e.g. mainstream education or further education). Encourage them to draw on and share
this experience, but remind them that they may have to be prepared to ‘unlearn’ certain
behaviours and be open to new ideas and methodologies when beginning to teach in a
different context.

3. Existing knowledge of learning and teaching

Regardless of whether your trainees have previous experience of teaching or not,
Unit 40

every single person in your training room will bring with them personal experience
of spending thousands of hours watching and evaluating teachers since primary school.
These implicit teaching models observed during a future teacher’s own lifelong education
shape their conceptions of teaching and learning. Such deep-rooted, internalised
preconceptions may be difficult to change. Addressing this may help your trainees to
recognise where their pre-existing beliefs come from and how these impact on their
practice. See page 179 for a photocopiable questionnaire you can give to your trainees
at the beginning of a course.

4. Clear guidance
Wallace’s* ‘Craft Model of teacher education’ (1991) views the teacher educator as a
‘master’ and the trainee as an ‘apprentice’, who learns by imitating the techniques and
following the advice and instructions of the expert. Although it has limitations, this analogy
of teaching as a craft that can be learnt still appears to be particularly pertinent when
working with pre-service teachers. Clear guidance from the ‘master’ is often expected and
wanted, particularly during the early stages of a course, when trainees often have little
experience of their own to draw on. Of course, this alone is not enough, and most entry-
level courses now also encourage trainee teachers to construct their own understanding
of language teaching by integrating knowledge gained from input with practical teaching
experience and reflection. As the course progresses, the teacher trainer’s role shifts so that
they become a facilitator of reflective thinking. Their role is to guide and support trainees
through the process of drawing on their own experience of teaching in order to reflect on
the effects that their own practice has on learning.

*Wallace M J (1991). Training Foreign Language Teachers: A reflective approach. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.

136 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Not overwhelming trainees
With so much new information to take in and put into practice, teacher training courses
can be daunting and overwhelming for entry-level teachers. Try to avoid information
overload; instead, focus on more manageable, bite-sized chunks that your trainees can
digest. This applies to both input and feedback. For more on planning input sessions, see
Unit 8. For some ways to structure teaching practice feedback, see Units 32 and 33.

6. Empathy
Remember how you felt when you were just starting out and everything was new to you.
Put yourself in your trainees’ shoes and remember what it felt like to not know the things
you now take for granted.

7. Realistic expectations
Be realistic about how much you can expect your trainees to know about teaching (and be
able to put into practice) by the end of the course. Most pre-service teaching courses and
qualifications constitute a basic toolkit that your trainees can take with them and apply in
the real world of teaching.

8. Real learning will take place on the job

Unit 40
Passing a pre-service teacher training course is often likened to getting your driving
licence. Just as a driver only really learns to drive once they are let loose on the roads;
newly-qualified teachers only really learn to teach through actual classroom experience.

9. Job hunting advice

Towards the end of a pre-service course, your trainees are likely to start thinking
about applying for their first teaching posts. This is an exciting time, but it can also
be a minefield for new teachers who don’t know the industry well. It’s a good idea to give
newly qualified teachers-to-be advice on job hunting: where to look for adverts, how to
identify suitable jobs, what to look for and, crucially, what to avoid (e.g. 30+ contact
hours). It may also be useful to focus on how to write a good CV and how to prepare for
an interview for an ELT job (for example, thinking about typical questions interviewers
might ask). All of this can be delivered as an input session, in tutorials or even informally.
Your trainees will appreciate it. See page 250 for a ready-to-use session on job hunting.

10. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities

As well as needing advice on job hunting, trainees need guidance on how to
continue their professional development post-course. The end of their initial training
course is only the beginning of their ongoing learning and development as a teacher, so
make sure you point them in the right direction. You can use the activity on page 254 for
help with this.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 137
 10 tips for working with in-service teachers

Working with practising teachers brings its own set of challenges and rewards. Here are ten
things to remember when working with in-service teachers.

1. Draw on their experience

Although practising teachers’ experience may vary in terms of amount and type (see
Tip 3), everyone will bring experiential knowledge that can be drawn on and exploited
during the course. In an input session on teaching listening, for example, teachers could
think about and share common problems that their learners have with listening. Or in a
session on teaching grammar, they could talk about grammar structures that they find
challenging to teach.

2. Relate to their contexts

Where possible, input on in-service courses should be tailored to the individual contexts
the teachers are working in. If the cohort you are working with is not homogeneous,
you may need to introduce more generic concepts. However, as a follow-up to this core
input, teachers could be asked to consider how the topic covered would be applicable to
their own teaching context. Ideally, you want teachers to be able to take away ideas and
concepts that can be applied in their own teaching contexts.

3. Celebrate diversity
Unit 41

Teachers on in-service courses bring with them a variety of different types of experience.
It is likely that, within any one cohort, you will have teachers who have worked with
learners from different cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds with very different
levels of proficiency, needs and reasons for learning. They may also have taught different
types of courses, for example, exam preparation, one-to-one or business English, and in
different learning contexts such as state schools or in-company. All of these rich differences
should be explored, drawn on and celebrated within the training room. For example,
teachers who have worked with Chinese learners can share common pronunciation
difficulties that these learners have, or teachers who have experience of teaching online
can share the main differences between this and face-to-face teaching.

4. Include opportunities for teachers to learn from each other

Practising teachers bring with them a wealth of knowledge and ideas that they have
built up over the years. A teacher training course provides a fantastic opportunity for
experienced teachers to share what they have learnt and picked up over the years with
others and, equally, to learn new tips and tricks from other professionals. For example,
you could encourage teachers to share their favourite warmers or activities for practising
the second conditional. In addition to learning from the tutor, in-service courses create the
opportunity for like-minded professionals to share best practice and learn from each other.

138 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Encourage meaningful reflective practice
Teachers who have built up several years of teaching experience will already have
developed a deeper understanding of teaching and learning, which will enable them
to engage more easily in critical reflection. This, alongside input on the theoretical
underpinnings of the reflection and action process, will enable you to encourage more
meaningful reflective practice. See Unit 31 for ways to encourage reflection.

6. Explore existing beliefs and practices

At the beginning of any in-service course, it is a good idea to explicitly explore
teachers’ existing beliefs and practices. This encourages them to question what they
currently do and why, and provides a starting point for the development process. It can be
done individually via a questionnaire or carried out as an in-class pair or group discussion
where teachers share their views with each other. See page 255 for a ready-made beliefs
and attitudes questionnaire.

7. Reflect on changes in beliefs and practices

As the course progresses, it is a good idea to explicitly revisit teachers’ beliefs and
practices that were identified at the beginning of the course in order to explore the
process of change. If you administered a questionnaire at the beginning of the course

Unit 41
(such as the one mentioned in Tip 6), consider asking teachers to complete it again mid-
course and then again at the end of the course. This allows the impact of the course on
their development to be explicitly evaluated. If the course involves a practical component,
an extension of this is to explore any congruence or divergence between teachers’ stated
beliefs and their actual classroom behaviour.

8. Ensure the training is sustainable

The impact of the training programme should last beyond the course itself, i.e. it should
be sustainable. A sustainable teacher training or development project needs to include
appropriate pre-, in- and post-course activity. Pre-course activities may include information
gathering, needs analysis, diagnostics, online input or preparatory tasks. Where possible,
the training event itself should be participant-initiated and aligned to needs; it should
also include input on CPD (continuous professional development) strategies so that the
participants can continue to develop themselves post-course. Afterwards, there should be
follow-up tasks, and development communities should be encouraged. One way to do this
is to set up an online group in which teachers can share what they have put into practice
post-course and reflect together. Another way is to agree on some form of follow-up
webinar or meeting, possibly six months to a year later, in which both teachers and trainers
consider the ways in which the training has influenced them.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 139
 9. Action points
At the end of any input session with practising teachers, encourage them to come
up with some concrete action points detailing how they will apply what has been
covered to their own context. The type of questions that can be a useful starting point are:
What will you do? When? With whom? Why? There is a photocopiable handout you could
use on page 256. This ensures there is a clear link between the training event and the
teachers’ own learning, and that there is ongoing reflection, contextualisation and
follow-up. These action points can then be revisited some months after the course to
consider the effectiveness of the training.

10. Learn from the trainees

Working with in-service teachers is a great way for you to extend your teaching repertoire
and your knowledge of teaching in different contexts. For example, you may hear about
a really interesting activity for practising the present perfect that you hadn’t considered
before or a new website for checking the level of difficulty of a text. You may learn more
about what it is like to work with students from another part of the world or with learners
of an age group that you haven’t experienced before. Use this as an opportunity to
continue your own professional development.
Unit 41

“The most effective outcomes

I have seen (when working with
developing teachers) have come
about when the training focus
has been initiated by the teachers
themselves. Anyone can walk
into a working setting and tell
people what they need, but
results are most likely to arise
by teachers defining their own
development points to work on.”
Tom Garside, Language Point Teacher Education,
UK/worldwide

140 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ideas for working with varied cohorts

Training involves working with teachers with a range of backgrounds, experience, knowledge
and beliefs about teaching. Even on accredited courses in which all the participants are
focusing on the same goal, you will still find a range of differences. While these differences
may be found on both pre- and in-service courses, you may find that the differences on
entry-level courses are more apparent. For example, you might be expecting your trainees
to have very little experience, but then find that some of them actually do have some, while
others have none. Think about the context you are going to be working in and consider what
differences you are likely to find there. If you are asked to deliver training in a context with
which you are not familiar, try to learn about it via fact-finding and needs analyses before the
training course begins. The ideas in this unit can be applied to an accredited course aimed at
gaining a qualification as well as to a bespoke course for a group of experienced teachers.

1. Fact-finding
Before you carry out a training session with a school or group of teachers, it is
essential to find out as much as you can about the school, the teachers and the
context in which they work. This also means finding out about the learners they teach.
By getting this information, you will be in a much better position to plan your course.
You will find a form that you can use in preparation for delivering a training course in
a school on pages 257–258. You can adapt it to suit your own context and send it to the
school beforehand.

Unit 42
2. School needs analysis
As well as finding out about the teachers’ perceived needs (see Unit 5), you should also
find out what the school believes the teachers need. These two perspectives might not
always tally, so an element of sensitivity will be needed. Trying to meet the teachers’ needs
is important, but, where possible, also try to meet the school’s needs, especially if they
require their teachers to use a certain method or meet certain targets.

3. Offer choices
One way of addressing the identified needs and wants of your cohort is to offer choices.
If you include non-compulsory elective sessions in addition to core components of the
course, trainees can choose to attend those which are most relevant to them. For example,
in the final week of an intensive pre-service course, you could offer a variety of sessions on
teaching different types of classes. These could include teaching exam classes, one-to-one
teaching, teaching online, teaching business English, EAP or young learners. Trainees can
choose to attend as many or as few of these as they wish, depending on which ones are
most relevant to them.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 141
 4. Parallel sessions
Another way of ensuring that the needs of everyone on the course are met is to provide
parallel input sessions which, again, are informed by the trainees’ answers to needs
analysis questionnaires (see Unit 5). In many instances (especially on accredited courses),
it will be necessary to include core input sessions that everyone should attend, but you
can then create additional sessions for specific groups of trainees. For example, it might
become apparent that some trainees need support with language analysis while others
are more in need of classroom management skills. In such cases, separate input sessions
that address these needs can be offered simultaneously and trainees attend the one that
they most need. This will only work, of course, if enough trainers are available to deliver
the concurrent sessions.

5. Differentiate
If it is not practical in your context to offer parallel sessions (see above), another option
is to differentiate within the same input session. Just as teachers should cater for mixed
abilities within any single lesson, so, too, should trainers consider how their sessions or
materials can be adapted to suit individual needs within the group. For example, you
could include different tasks with varying degrees of difficulty, extension tasks for fast
finishers or adaptations that make tasks more accessible for less experienced members
Unit 42

of the group. You could even differentiate in terms of topics. For example, half of the
trainees could do a language analysis task and the other half could do a task focusing
on skills development. As a follow-up, you could regroup them and get them to present
their ideas to each other.

6. Use trainees’ strengths

Different trainees will bring with them a variety of strengths which can (and should) be
exploited in the training room. For example, some people, particularly experienced
language learners, will have more awareness of language and may be more sensitive to
the needs of learners due to their own backgrounds. Other trainees may have little in
common with the learners, but may bring with them refined classroom management skills
due to previous experience of teaching in a different context. Such situations provide a
perfect opportunity for trainees to learn from each other.

7. Ensure all trainees are treated the same

Where you find yourself working with varied cohorts, it is important to ensure that all
participants are treated equally and have the opportunity to attain all the course outcomes.
Make sure no one feels they are missing out or, even worse, being discriminated against.
Talking frankly to the group about your rationale at the beginning of the course can help to
manage expectations.

142 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
8. Adapt as the course evolves
On many courses, the timetable is designed in advance of the course, perhaps based
on a predetermined syllabus (for example on an accredited course) or in order to meet
the overall aims of the programme. However, it can be useful to allow some scope for
flexibility, enabling you to make adaptations to your proposed plan once the course is in
progress in response to your trainees’ emerging needs. These needs can be ascertained
in various ways: during observations, after reviewing trainees’ written tasks or in feedback
sessions. By being flexible in the structure of the course, you will find that trainees feel
more valued.

9. Reduce the number of traditional input sessions

On many training courses, trainees spend a large proportion of their time in input sessions
and workshops. Depending on the needs and experience of the trainees, it can be a good
idea to reduce the number of face-to-face, trainer-led input sessions and replace them
with components more aligned to the trainees’ needs and the main focus of the course.
For example, if the training course involves teaching practice, more traditional input
sessions could be replaced with tutor-led lesson-planning slots. Alternatively, if the trainees
are experienced teachers, the input sessions could be more open, with opportunities to
reflect and share ideas. However, be aware that having very few input sessions – especially

Unit 42
in the case of inexperienced teachers – could result in trainees approaching teaching
practice with little or no guidance.

10. Include pre- and post-course tasks

Include differentiated pre- and post-course tasks, which trainees complete in their own
time. This allows your course participants to focus on their own specific needs and to get
the most out of their learning. See Units 16 and 17 for more on pre- and post-course tasks.

"With more experienced trainees,

openly discuss their objectives
and reasons for taking the course.
This allows both sides to set
individual goals and manage
expectations from day one."
Karin Krummenacher, teacher trainer, Switzerland

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 143
 10 considerations for online and blended
teacher training

Increasingly, courses are taking an online or blended approach to teacher training. The term
‘online’ is generally used to mean that the whole course is delivered online, while ‘blended’
refers to a course that combines online and face-to-face elements. On blended courses, the
input is typically delivered online and this is complemented with face-to-face teaching practice.
Some short courses and MAs run by universities worldwide are carried out entirely online. Here
are some points to consider for trainers who are considering moving into this area.

1. Blended or online
Consider who the course participants are and their needs. Teachers with a lot of
experience and knowledge can greatly benefit from purely online courses, which give
them an opportunity to discuss and share their ideas. These kinds of courses, often run by
universities as MAs, don’t tend to include any face-to-face elements, as they are mainly
based around theory and developing course participants’ knowledge and ideas. On the
other hand, practical courses for experienced teachers usually include a face-to-face
element, overseen by a local tutor, to allow course participants to put into practice the
theoretical elements of the course. Courses for pre-service teachers should always include
a teaching practice element. Indeed, this is a requirement on accredited online courses.
Apart from taster courses, courses for pre-service teachers that do not include a practical
aspect are not recommended.
Unit 43

2. Training
You might be a very experienced face-to-face teacher educator who has recently moved,
or is thinking of moving, into online teacher training. While many face-to-face teaching
skills can be transferred to an online environment, this is not always the case. It usually
takes some time to get used to training online, and this can be frustrating for new online
trainers. One way to get more practice in in this area is to take on some online teaching
to complement your online training, or even take a course to help you orientate yourself
to this different method of delivery. If you want to be a trainer on accredited courses, you
may be required to undertake a specific online trainer-training course first.

3. Technology
Both you and your online trainees will need access to certain equipment, hardware
and software in order to be able to work on an online course. At a basic level, this will
constitute a PC or laptop, a headset with a microphone (this produces better sound
quality than a built-in microphone) and a good internet connection. Provide your potential
trainees with a checklist of all the technical requirements for the course and ensure they
can meet these before they start so as to avoid wasting valuable course time dealing with
technical issues. Where possible, you might also want to schedule a trouble-shooting
session, preferably before the course starts, to ensure everyone is able to access and use
the platform you have chosen.

4. Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

Some external courses use a platform chosen by the provider, which you have little
opportunity to change. However, if you are running your own course, you might want
to experiment with video-conferencing software, for example, Skype, Moodle, Google
Hangouts or Zoom, to find out which one is most suitable for you.

144 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
5. Technical skills
It is vital that your technical skills are up to scratch and that you are comfortable navigating
your way around the online platform used on the course (see Tip 5 below). Once you are
working as an online trainer, ensure that your course participants also have basic online
skills before the course starts. This should be established at interview before they are
offered a place. If not, they (and, by extension, you) are likely to encounter a number of
difficulties as the course progresses.

6. Time management
Make sure your trainees know how much time they will need to dedicate to the course
over the weeks or months it will run. If you are explicit about the time demands from the
outset (erring on the side of caution), you will avoid any nasty shocks further down the line
and allow trainees to manage their time effectively. Setting clear deadlines for coursework
can also help with this. Time management works both ways, and it is equally important for
tutors to provide timely feedback. Completing units, posting on forums and submitting
assignments into the VLE can feel impersonal and create a sense of anxiety for some.
Therefore, responding promptly can help to alleviate some of this tension and make your
trainees feel supported.

7. Collaboration

Unit 43
If collaborative work is required, course participants need to be made aware of how – if
at all – it contributes towards their success on the course. It can be useful to have a policy
in place outlining what they should do if one of their team doesn’t pull their weight or, in
some cases, doesn’t contribute anything. If trainees are situated in different time zones
(as is possible due to the nature of this mode of delivery), take this into consideration
when assigning groups. You can make an online course a rewarding interactive experience
for your course participants if you utilise the available technology. For example, you can
encourage them to use social media channels or set up virtual discussion groups. Creating
a collaborative environment can motivate trainees to engage with the course material and
with each other. Finally, collaborative tasks require trainees to log into the VLE frequently,
which can help to keep them on track.

8. Synchronicity
Will the course be delivered asynchronously, i.e. at unspecified times, or will there be
some synchronous sessions, when the trainees and the tutor are required to be online
at the same time? If synchronous sessions are included (perhaps via a virtual classroom
once a week), the dates and times for these sessions need to be made clear from the
outset. Once again, remember to take into consideration any differences in time zones
when doing this. Creating opportunities for your trainees to interact online as they
would in a face-to-face classroom can further help to build a collaborative atmosphere.
Synchronous video-chatting can allow trainees to interact in real time, but if this is
not possible there are tools (e.g. VoiceThread) that allow asynchronous ways for your
trainees to have ownership of their contributions when responding to each other in
groupwork tasks or discussion posts.

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 9. Orientation
Trainees need sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the VLE at the start of the
course. During the first week or two, include an initial orientation module during which
there is an opportunity to explore the online environment and the tools available. During
this period, the tasks should be fairly easy, allowing them to sort out any technical issues
before the more challenging parts of the course begin. As well as getting to know the
online environment in which they will be working, trainees also need time to get to know
their fellow participants – just as in a face-to-face training (or teaching) situation. Ice
breakers and getting-to-know-you activities can work to both build rapport among the
course participants and the tutor and to provide practice navigating the online platform.
When working in an online environment, it is critical to engage your students often and
early, and this begins with online socialising. See Tips 2, 5, 7 and 9 in Unit 10 for more on
icebreakers that work well in the context of an online or blended course.

10. Transferable skills

Although there are a number of differences between face-to-face and online teacher
training, remember that some of your classroom-based skills can also be employed online.
Examples of transferable skills are: being learner-centred, varying the interaction patterns,
responding to your trainees’ needs, and including task variety. In addition to including a
Unit 43

variety of input sources and activity types, you should also vary the media your learners
encounter. For example, you could include documents, audio, video, slides, websites,
discussion boards, live chats, emails, voice-recorded comments, and so on. For more on
the types of material you can use in an input session, see Unit 12.

"It's important for the online

trainee to cultivate a sense of
'presence'. Simply reading your
trainees' posts and replying
to them now and again is not
enough. You need to reply,
encourage, praise and generally be
'seen' during the online courses,
both in writing – and if possible
– in regular videoconferencing
sessions with your trainees."
Nicky Hockly, The Consultants-E, UK

146 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ways to teach an exam preparation
training course

Some accredited teaching qualifications require teachers to take an exam that tests their
understanding of English language teaching and learning. Examinations also form part of
both undergraduate and some postgraduate teaching qualifications worldwide. Here are
some tips for trainers who are involved in delivering a course designed to prepare teachers
for a specific exam.

1. Timely administration
Check the course provider’s entry procedures carefully and make sure that your candidates
are registered for the exam in good time. It is common for candidates to need to be
entered by an authorised centre at least six weeks before a test session, and late entries
may be subject to a late fee. Candidates are unlikely to be able to register less than four
weeks before an exam.

2. Structure and content

Be explicit about what will be tested and how. How many different papers will there
be? How will each one be structured? How many questions will there be? How long
will candidates have? What areas of knowledge will be tested in each part? Ensuring
candidates know what to expect will help them to be more prepared for the exam.

3. The marking scheme

Unit 44
Make sure test-takers know how their papers will be assessed, how many marks are
available for each paper or section and what is required to obtain each grade.

4. Exam strategies
Introduce key exam techniques, such as underlining key words in questions, planning
responses and checking answers at the end. By understanding how to approach the exam,
candidates should increase their chances of getting a better score. Remember, though,
that you will be doing trainees a disservice by focusing only on exam strategies at the
expense of the knowledge and skills they will be tested on. See Tips 7 and 8 on page 148
for more on this.

5. Exam practice
Familiarise candidates with the different task types and get them used to reading and
analysing task rubrics carefully. Doing this also allows them to practise taking the exam
under timed conditions (see Tip 6 below). Sample tasks and past papers provided by the
examination board can be useful here. Many provide free online sample tests to help
candidates prepare for taking the actual exam.

6. Mock exams
A mock exam taken towards the end of the preparation course will show candidates what
a full test paper looks like and will provide practice in completing the exam under timed
exam conditions. Encourage them to plan their time carefully and decide in which order
they feel most comfortable answering the questions. Some people prefer to start with
easier questions to get them warmed up; others prefer to prioritise those for which the
most marks are available. Marking and providing feedback on the exam (either individually
or as a group) will enable candidates to focus on any remaining areas of weakness.

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 7. Developing the teacher
The tips above all focus on the exam itself, but it’s important that the course also focuses
on developing the teacher’s knowledge of teaching and learning English. Depending on
the course syllabus, this may include increasing awareness of theoretical perspectives,
different approaches and methodologies, lesson planning, use of materials and resources,
managing the learning process and assessing learners. Be aware when doing this, though,
as some candidates may challenge this approach by asking, ‘But is this in the exam?’. It is
therefore essential to make explicit the link between each activity and the exam, even
when the activity is not seen as obvious exam practice.

8. The practical aspects of teaching

Ensure that you contribute to the teachers’ professional development during an exam
preparation course by including plenty of hands-on practice of key techniques. For
example, you might include micro-teaching vocabulary, practice in applying different error
correction strategies or planning how to set up a complicated activity effectively and then
demonstrating it to the rest of the group. This helps to contextualise the content and
ensures that it remains relevant and transferable to real teaching situations rather than just
being a means to an end, i.e. passing an exam.

9. Engaging and varied lessons

Unit 44

If course participants are engaged and motivated by the lessons, the content is more likely
to be memorable and they are more likely to be successful in the exam. Just as in other
teaching and training contexts, sessions should be interesting, interactive and relevant,
and include a variety of activity types. As with any training session, good practice should
be modelled (see Unit 9) and a variety of activity types, such as a jigsaw reading, a mingle,
a mini-lecture, a ranking activity or a running dictation, should be incorporated (see Unit
12). Technology should also be exploited; for example, each participant could research a
different approach to language teaching within the history of ELT and then present their
findings to their peers, perhaps using a slide-sharing app or by making a vlog.

10. Recycling
Ongoing revision is essential on this type of course, and there are several ways in which
this can be done. Popular activities for practising or recycling vocabulary can work well.
A slightly different take on defining words or concepts to each other is to write down
recently introduced terminology on slips of paper and, in groups, participants take turns
to explain the meaning of a word or phrase to the other members of the group without
showing it to them. This also works the other way round: you provide the definitions and
participants have to guess what the term is. There are also free online apps or websites
(e.g. Quizlet) that can be used to recycle previous learning. For more on recycling, see
Unit 17.

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10 ideas for mentoring

Mentoring is a key area in professional development, both within ELT teacher training
and other fields. Within teacher training, this approach involves two individuals working
together to support each other in the process of professional development. In contrast to
more traditional supervision roles, where there might be an unequal relationship – perhaps
between a boss and an employee, the mentor–mentee relationship takes place between two
trusted colleagues and is purely supportive with no evaluation or judgement. Although the
mentor might have more experience than the mentee, their role is to offer guidance without
evaluating or assessing the mentee. Here are ten ideas for teachers or trainers involved in
this type of teacher development.

1. Free selection
One way for a mentor–mentee relationship to be established is for individuals to select
each other. In such cases, both parties clearly want to work together, trust and respect
each other, and this can be a sound basis for a successful working relationship. This usually
happens either when a new or inexperienced teacher approaches a more experienced
colleague for help and support, or when the more experienced teacher offers to help a
new colleague.

2. Assignment of mentor to mentee

In other cases, the mentoring relationship may be assigned. For example, during an

Unit 45
induction period, a new starter at a school may be allocated a more experienced mentor
to ease the transition into their new role or institution. This allows the newcomer to
capitalise on the expertise of the ‘old-hand’.

3. No judgement
A key feature of mentoring is the absence of any sort of criticism. The mentee should feel
free to discuss any areas of professional development with their mentor without fear of
being judged. This is especially important for new and inexperienced teachers, who may
feel insecure about their lack of experience.

4. No evaluative power
Unlike many teacher training roles, a mentor has no evaluative power. This means that, for
example, they can observe a mentee teaching and provide objective, formative feedback
but they cannot make an evaluation. Taking away the evaluation that is usually involved in
observation scenarios can be very helpful in terms of teacher development.

5. Openness
The mentor needs to be open to their mentee and prepared to work with them without
any particular agenda in mind. The relationship is likely to evolve over time, and the
mentor needs to accept this and respond to the emerging needs of their mentee.

6. Empathy
Another key quality of a mentor is empathy. A successful mentor should be able to put
themselves in the shoes of the mentee rather than only seeing things from their own
perspective. If you find yourself in the role of mentor, try to remember how you felt when
you first started teaching or when you started a new job.

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 7. Trust
It goes without saying that trust is essential in the mentoring relationship. Any discussions
that take place between the two parties need to stay in the mentoring space, allowing the
mentee to learn from mistakes and then move on. This is key to achieving openness (see
Tip 5 on page 149) between the two parties.

8. A two-way process
Mentoring shouldn’t be seen as a one-way process, but rather as a reciprocal supportive
process from which both parties can benefit. The mentor should see it as an opportunity
to learn more about their own teaching as well as developing the novice teacher or
newcomer. It is often the case that experienced teachers have either forgotten about
aspects of their profession or simply repeat the same activities over and over again:
working with a less experienced teacher can help them reassess and rejuvenate certain
aspects of their role.

9. Experimenting
Both individuals involved in the mentoring relationship should be prepared to try out
new things. This could include team teaching, experimenting with different approaches
or resources, or video- (or audio-) recording their teaching. As mentioned in Tip 8, the
Unit 45

mentor might be used to repeating the same activities and tasks. Working with a mentee
can introduce them to new ideas or ways of doing things.

10. Planning
In a mentoring relationship, rather than focusing on situations as they arise, it is a good
idea for both parties to enter the relationship with some idea about how they want to
proceed. They should begin by addressing the following questions: in what areas does the
mentee feel they need support? How can the mentor best help them reach these goals?

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Section 8: Ending a course
and further development
This final section provides suggestions, information and resources to help you end your training
courses effectively and continue to develop professionally as a teacher trainer.

While most of your courses will go smoothly, Unit 46 considers some difficult situations
you may have to deal with, offering some tips for dealing with these in a professional yet
personable manner. Many of these tips focus on the often-overlooked aspect of the pastoral
care that a teacher trainer must provide; this unit stresses the importance of people skills.

The next two units in this section look at what you need to consider when finishing a course.
It suggests practical ways for getting feedback, not only from the course participants but also
from other trainers, from any language learners who might be involved, and from yourself.

In Unit 49, the focus is on self-reflection; that is, considering how well your course has gone,
how you can improve future courses, and how you can you continue to support your trainees
once the course is over.

The final unit encourages you to reflect on your professional development to date before
introducing some ways in which you might like to continue to evolve as a teacher trainer in the
future, ranging from writing your own materials, articles or blogs to carrying out research or
completing a programme of further study.
 10 ‘What if …?’ questions

The vast majority of teacher training courses go smoothly with few issues; however, problems
do sometimes occur. This section outlines some of the difficulties and dilemmas you may face
in your teacher training career and considers how to solve them. Dealing with the scenarios
or critical incidents described below requires excellent people skills; this is a key attribute of
any successful teacher trainer.

1. What if you receive a complaint from a trainee about their grade?

It is a good idea to have a complaints procedure in place that is shared with all
trainees at the beginning of each course. See page 259 for an example. This
should outline the centre’s policy when dealing with such situations. Complaints about
grades are usually received in writing after the course has finished. Firstly, make sure you
understand why the trainee thinks they should have been given a higher grade. Then
look at the evidence (e.g. lesson planning, observations, assignments, and tutor
comments on these) to support the grade given. Put your findings in writing, giving a
clear indication as to why the trainee was given the grade. If the trainee is still not happy
with your explanation, this may need to be escalated in line with the school’s complaints
procedure. If the course is externally moderated, you must follow the external
complaints procedure, which may mean referring the complaint to another body to make
the final decision.
Unit 46

2. What if a trainee feels you have unfairly discriminated against them?

This can be a sensitive issue and needs to be dealt with as follows: first, find out
exactly what the trainee is accusing you of. If a face-to-face discussion is difficult or
not possible, get more information about the accusation in writing. Once you have
understood the trainee’s accusation, consider what evidence you have to disprove this,
such as statements from other trainers and trainees, and possibly assessment of grades.
Assessment can usually be a trigger for charges of discrimination, as trainees stressed
and upset by their grades do sometimes blame their tutors. It is also a good idea to let
the situation cool down for a day or two, as the accusation might be due to stress. Once
you have understood the situation and have evidence and testimonials to support your
position, consider meeting the trainee. As in all situations like this, take an impartial
observer along with you. This person’s presence can do a lot to ensure tempers are kept
in check; the third person could also make a note of what is said as an objective record
of the meeting. If, during the meeting, you are unable to resolve the situation, consider
passing the trainee’s comments to a more senior member of the school, or, if the school
has one, following the school’s complaints procedure (see the sample complaints
procedure in the Appendix, page 259). If the course is externally assessed, follow the
procedure as set out by the external body.

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3. What if an objectionable ex-trainee who may not be suited to
teaching asks you to be a referee?
It is good practice to tell trainees at the end of a course whether you will be available to
write them a reference (see Unit 47). Obviously, you have to apply this to everyone in a
cohort to avoid any unfairness or discrimination. However, if you have agreed to write
references and feel that you are unable to supply a positive one for a particular trainee,
it is best, when writing the reference, to be honest about the trainee’s character. You
should also be objective about their abilities as a teacher, but also make it clear that this
trainee might not have the necessary team-building or cooperation skills to be part of a
successful school. In the worst-case scenario, call the language school and speak to the
director expressing your concerns.

4. What if a trainee does not complete their work?

This can be a frustrating situation, especially if the course emphasises collaborative
learning, such as completing pre-input session tasks or planning and delivering lessons
together. First, speak to the trainee who doesn’t appear to be doing the work. In this
way, you may find out that they have valid reasons for not contributing. They might have
personal reasons, or they might not actually understand what to do. In some cases, failure
to complete the work could be a result of poor time management. You may be able to

Unit 46
resolve the problem quite easily by offering extra support, reassuring the trainee, and
helping them manage their time. If the problem is out of your control, for example if it
relates to a personal issue, consider giving the trainee extra time to complete tasks. In
many cases, this sort of situation can be avoided by managing expectations from the
outset. See Unit 6 for more on managing expectations.

5. What if a trainee does not attend or frequently leaves early?

If you have a trainee who has poor attendance, it will be necessary to get to the bottom
of why this is happening. Once you are equipped with the facts, you will be in a better
position to deal with the situation. If the issue is being caused by poor time management
or a personal problem, follow the advice given in Tip 4 above. However, you may learn
that the trainee is disengaged and reluctant to attend for a variety of other reasons. For
example, the input may not be pitched at the right level for them, the course may not
be what they were expecting or there may be a clash of personalities within the group.
Whatever the reason, speaking to the trainee concerned in a timely fashion can allow
you to address the issue before it spirals out of control. If the input is too challenging or,
indeed, not challenging enough, you can include some differentiation within your sessions
(see Unit 42); if the course is not meeting the trainee’s needs, talking this through may
allow you to manage expectations or make adjustments to the content (again, see Unit
42); if trainees are unable or unwilling to work together to the extent that this is affecting
attendance, you may need to consider how you manage your groupings.

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 6. What if you are training your colleagues?
At some point in your career, you may find yourself in a position in which you have to
provide teacher training or development for your colleagues. This may be because you are
the manager of the school, a senior teacher or the head of teacher development. In these
cases, you are likely to be working with less senior colleagues and your responsibility for
their professional development is part of your role. At all times, aim to be supportive and
treat your colleagues with respect. In some cases, more experienced teacher trainers or
mentors may be asked to work with colleagues who are, in other work situations, equal to
them (e.g. in terms of grade) or sometimes more senior. In such situations, the unexpected
power shift may result in an uncomfortable situation or even resistance, particularly if the
training is obligatory. Such situations need to be handled with tact and sensitivity. You
should start by making your role clear and reassuring the trainee that any conversations
or discussions that take place within the confines of the trainer–trainee relationship will
remain confidential. It may also be necessary to adjust the training itself so that sessions
are based around equality and sharing with you as the facilitator. Showing empathy
towards those you are working with and managing expectations from the start are both
crucial in this situation.

7. What if you find that a trainee isn’t up to it?

Unit 46

If it becomes apparent that a trainee is struggling to the extent that they are very unlikely
to ultimately be successful, it is in the best interests of everyone to tell them. Depending
on the severity of the situation, you may begin by outlining exactly what the trainee will
need to do in order to improve enough to meet the required standard by the end of the
course. Where possible, this should be put in writing as well as discussed verbally so that
the trainee has a written record to refer back to. If it is too late for any further remedial
action, the kindest option is to encourage the trainee to withdraw, perhaps with the option
of trying again at a later date when they are more prepared for the demands of the course
(see Tip 9).

8. What if a trainee complains about their tutor?

Depending on the nature, severity and validity of the complaint, this may need to
be handled in the same way as described in Tips 2 and 3. However, this situation is
particularly common when a trainee goes from working with one TP tutor on the course,
whose style and approach they have got used to, to working with a different tutor who
may have a slightly different style and approach. Often this changeover is accompanied
by a change in the level/group of learners being taught at the midway point in the
course. All of these factors can contribute to increased stress levels and lead to trainees
lashing out and blaming their new tutor if things do not go smoothly. Once again, this
situation can be managed by raising awareness of different tutor styles at the beginning
of the course and prior to the changeover, and also by encouraging trainees to view this
as a positive thing, i.e. that they will get a different perspective on their teaching. If the
course is evaluative, trainees should be assured that, while individual tutors may differ
slightly, they are all standardised and will be assessing according to the same criteria.
Before they begin working with their TP groups, it is a good idea for tutors to sit down
with their trainees and be explicit with them about their approach (see Unit 25 for some
practical considerations of observing).

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9. What if a trainee quits the course?
Ideally there should be a policy in place at your centre outlining the implications for
both parties if a trainee withdraws from the course. There may be different outcomes
depending on whether this is a choice (e.g. because the trainee isn’t enjoying the course
or isn’t keeping up with the workload) or whether there is no option (e.g. due to medical
reasons or a family emergency). The school’s position on whether full or partial refunds will
be offered or whether the withdrawn candidate can transfer to a later course, for example,
should be clearly expressed in writing. If the course is externally accredited, there may be
an option for the trainee to defer to a later course, providing certain conditions are met
and permission is sought from the awarding body. You should also think carefully about
how you handle informing the rest of the group about the withdrawal, as someone leaving
a course can often have a knock-on effect on TP and other aspects of the course as well as
group dynamics and morale.

10. What if the trainees want one thing but you think they need
something else?
As with language teaching, the occasion might arise where, for example, the trainees
have expressed a need to work on language awareness when in fact you – the trainer
– recognise that they need to work on managing a class. In such a situation, it may

Unit 46
become necessary to adapt the planned content of the training programme in order
to respond to the emerging needs of the group (see Unit 42). If you decide to do
this, ensure that you provide your trainees with a sound rationale for your decision
and emphasise (with support from your experience, examples, or the literature), what
you feel the benefits of the change will be, both in terms of their practice and their
professional development. If there is a big mismatch between perceived needs (or
wants) and actual needs, you may still decide to include a little of what the group wants
in order to balance things out and keep them motivated.

“Usually, I write down what is

difficult about a trainee’s behaviour
and then I use it as a task: I give
the note to the trainee and
ask them to consider how they
would respond if this was the
behaviour of one of their learners.
I then have a one-to-one chat
with them discussing the issue.
Empathy works wonders.”
Angelos Bollas, Teacher Trainer, Dublin, Ireland.

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 10 practical considerations for
finishing a course

This unit focuses on bringing a course to a close. It outlines some of the practical aspects of
training courses that need to be completed towards the end or after the course has finished.

1. Complete marking
If your course includes a written component, complete any marking in good time before
the end of the course. This becomes even more necessary if the written work forms part of
your trainee teachers’ final assessment. Ensure that when you set written work, you give your
trainees deadlines that allow for the work to be both handed in and then effectively marked
without undue stress to either trainee or trainer. Trainers should avoid setting deadlines for
the penultimate day of a course, as they will not have enough time to mark any work handed
in and return it to teachers before the course ends.

2. Prepare certificates
Give participants on a course some form of written acknowledgement of their attendance
and, where necessary, their grade. On some externally assessed courses, trainees may
receive a formal certificate from the external body some months after the course has
finished. If this is the case, provide a certificate with your school’s logo (and perhaps a
signature from the school’s head) as soon as the course has finished. This ensures course
participants have something to show for their hard work straight away. A word of warning:
it is a good idea – especially if they include some form of grading on them – to send out
Unit 47

certificates after the course has officially finished, rather than handing them out on the last
day of the course. This avoids any embarrassment on the part of trainees who haven’t done
as well as they had hoped.

3. Update trainee portfolios

On courses in which candidates are evaluated, they usually keep some form of portfolio.
This portfolio is a record of the trainee’s performance and usually includes a record of their
teaching and any written work they have had to complete along with any grades. If your
course is part of an award (such as a teaching certificate or university course), ensure that
trainees’ portfolios are up to date with a clear indication of what they did, what grades they
received and what supporting evidence (such as lesson material and written feedback) has
been provided. Failure to do this could result in problems for the trainee, who could fail the
course, and for the centre and/or trainer, who may not be asked to run the course again.

4. Collect resources
If the trainee teachers have borrowed resources (such as books or CDs) from your school,
make sure you get these back. Not doing so can become very expensive.

5. Complete registers
Registers showing both trainee participation and learner attendance should be kept up
to date. If your course is externally validated, or if attendance records of trainees and/or
learners are essential for visa purposes, then it is paramount that your registers are fully and
correctly completed.

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6. Tidy classrooms
If your school offers a number of courses (not just teacher training ones), it is a good idea to
ensure that any classroom or shared space you have used for your course has been cleaned
and tidied up. It is not good form to leave a classroom in a mess for the next teacher
to discover first thing the next morning. Doing so can result in unnecessary conflict or
resentment from non-teacher trainers towards trainers and trainees.

7. References
Often, teachers take training courses to improve their job prospects. If this is the case,
ensure that your trainees know whether you will act as a referee for them or not. In some
schools, it is the head of teacher training or the school principal who writes references,
while in other schools this might be left to individual trainers who have worked closely with a
group of trainees. If you are able and willing to write a reference for your trainees, tell them
what you are able to write about. For example, if you have been working with trainees on
a course with adult learners, you may not be in a position to write a reference about their
ability to work with young learners or children. Some schools automatically give each of
their successful trainee teachers a reference letter outlining their performance on the course
instead of, or as well as, a certificate. These letters could either be tailored to the trainees’
individual performance on the course or they could be generic.

Unit 47
8. Set up an alumni group
Consider setting up some form of alumni group at the end of a course. The best way to do
this is through social media. You could set up individual groups for each training course,
groups for each type of course (e.g. one for pre-service teachers and one for in-service
teachers) or one in which all successful participants from all your courses are registered.
This allows you to keep in touch with your trainees by posting job ads, interesting articles
and material relevant to teaching, or to advertise further courses that your school may offer.
It also allows trainees to keep in touch with each other as they post status updates showing
where their teaching qualification has taken them.

9. Organise a social event

Organising a social event can be a good way to say goodbye to the trainee teachers on a
course. This event could take many forms – from a night out at a restaurant to a coffee and
cake evening – depending on the culture and background of both trainers and trainees.
If you do organise such an event, ensure it is done before grades and certificates are given
out, as doing so allows everyone to celebrate equally.

10. Post-course consultation

After your course has finished, set up some form of optional drop-in session for graduates
to discuss the course and their grades. This is important if a graduate has a complaint about
the course, and gives them a chance to discuss their concerns with you face to face. It is
also a good way to get further feedback. You could ask graduates to provide testimonials
or to be interviewed by future candidates (see Unit 48). Post-course consultations can also
form part of a blended learning course (see Unit 43 for more on running online or blended
courses), allowing you to set post-course tasks that follow up on the contents of the course.
See Unit 41 for more on the importance of post-course follow-up.

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 10 tips for getting feedback on a course

This unit focuses on getting feedback on your teacher training course. In the interests of
improving future courses, it can be really useful to gather as much feedback from as many
different sources as possible both during and at the end of a course. Respondents should be
encouraged to comment on elements of the course they thought were effective, as well as
areas for improvement.

1. Formally
The best way to get feedback is to gather it from trainees formally, for example
via an end-of-course questionnaire or feedback form. See an example of such a
form on page 260. Trainees should be encouraged to comment on all aspects of the
course, and you could give them either specific questions or headings to guide their
responses. Encourage them to include any additional comments they may have, as well.
It is a good idea to gather feedback anonymously as this might mean trainees are more
open with their responses.

2. Informally
The process of gathering feedback from course participants doesn’t necessarily have to
be a formal one. In fact, you may well find that trainees will give you the most honest
feedback informally over a celebratory drink at the end of a course. An informal chat and
an opportunity for trainees to voice their opinions in a relaxed environment can often be
Unit 48

a really useful way to get feedback. However, be aware that what someone tells you face
to face in a relaxed atmosphere after the course is over is not necessarily what they will
record on a formal feedback form.

3. Anonymously
If you decide to distribute a feedback form at the end of a face-to-face course, give
trainees some time alone to complete it. (They are less likely to be honest if you are
peering over their shoulder while they are filling it in.) Leave the room for 15–20 minutes
to give them time and space to reflect and comment. The promise of anonymity can also
be a good way to yield more useful data: you may like to leave an envelope for trainees
to put their completed forms in once they have finished. If the feedback is completed by
hand, there is a chance that you will be able to recognise people’s handwriting. This may
make them less forthcoming, so consider getting them to type their responses.

4. Online
As well as ensuring anonymity, an online feedback form may be the best option if you
are short of time on the last day of the course, or if the course itself has been online
or blended. There are plenty of free online tools for creating simple surveys such as
SurveyMonkey or Google Forms. This can be done asynchronously by sharing the link –
although this does run the risk of some individuals not completing it – or synchronously
via an online platform with everyone completing the form at the same time. Often,
once the course has finished, trainees may struggle to find time to complete a detailed
questionnaire (unless they have a complaint). It is therefore better to schedule a time
during the course for completing feedback forms.

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5. Via a pyramid discussion
At the end of a course, you may choose to engage your trainees in some sort of
communicative activity as a means of getting them to reflect on the course and
provide feedback. Provide a list of key areas of the course, for example input, lesson
planning, teaching practice, observation, self-reflection, feedback and written
assignments, and ask trainees to rank them individually according to which they feel had
the biggest impact on their progress during the course. They should also think about
reasons for their choices and be prepared to justify their answers with supporting
evidence. Then, working in pairs, they compare their list with a partner, sharing their
reasons and being prepared to convince their partner to see their point of view. The aim
is to use their powers of persuasion to reach a consensus. This can then be extended to
working in groups and, finally, aiming to reach an agreement on the order as a whole
group. Such an activity can provide a useful insight into trainees’ perceptions of the
programme and also serve as an opportunity for them to review their learning and reflect
on progress made. There is an example of a pyramid discussion feedback activity on
page 261.

6. Course graduates feed back to prospective course participants

Once the course has finished, ask recent graduates to provide testimonials (either written

Unit 48
or spoken), which could be used to advertise your courses in the future, either online or
in print. Recent graduates could also be asked to meet prospective course participants
and take part in a question-and-answer session. Alternatively, they could write an email to
prospective candidates about the course. For more on asking recent graduates to provide
testimonials, see Unit 4.

7. From learners
If the course has involved teaching practice, why not get feedback from the
language learners who took part in the TP classes? What did they think of the
lessons? What did they gain from them? What did they enjoy? What could have been
handled better? This can be done via any of the methods suggested above or in class.
For some example question cards you could give learners to reflect on either individual
lessons or a series of TP classes, see page 262.

8. From other tutors

If you have worked as part of a team with other tutors, don’t forget to get their
feedback post-course too. They can be asked to comment on some or all of the
course areas covered in this book, for example, input sessions and teaching practice,
as well as areas such as candidate selection, administration and timetabling.

9. Through external moderation

Some accredited courses may be externally moderated, in which case input (with the
rationale explained) and suggestions from an approved assessor or inspector can prove
an invaluable source of feedback.

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 10. Through self-reflection
Reflecting on your own practice can help you to evaluate both your effectiveness as a
trainer and the training course as a whole. As with most reflective tasks, it is a good idea
to complete this during the course or soon after it finishes; otherwise there can be a
tendency to forget things. Once you have reflected on the course, the most important
thing is to consider what improvements you could make and then to implement these.
You could consider questions such as:
XX What went well?
XX What didn’t go so well?
XX What could I improve on for the next course?
XX Which aspects of the course met my expectations?
XX Which aspects didn’t meet my expectations?
XX What could I do differently to meet my expectations more thoroughly?

See Unit 49 for more ideas on reflecting on a course.

Unit 48

“There is no failure, only growth.

If you want to grow, you need
feedback. Strive for continuous
growth and improvement, rather
than unachievable perfection.”
Orlando Delgado Mata, Cambridge CELTA & Delta
Assessor, IH Mexico Group, Mexico City

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10 questions to ask yourself
at the end of a course

As with teaching, reflection is essential for development (see Unit 31 for more on this).
Becoming a better trainer requires increased awareness of your practice and being open to
the possibility of change. Here are some questions to ask yourself post-course as part of the
reflective process.

1. What went well? Why?

Although it can be tempting to reflect only on the less-than-perfect aspects of the course,
ensure you focus on the positives, too. Consider the successful parts and, crucially, what
made them successful. Make sure you incorporate these elements again in future courses.

2. What didn’t go well? Why?

Critically evaluate the less successful parts of the programme. Use these reflections to help
you to make improvements in the future.

3. What could I have done differently?

Rather than just focusing on the positive or negative aspects, it can be useful to consider
simply what you could have done differently. This will make the process of learning and
development even more effective for everyone involved.

4. What did the course participants gain?

Unit 49
In addition to considering the effectiveness of the course from your own perspective,
ensure that you also reflect on the impact it had on the course participants. Feedback can
be gathered either formally or informally. See Unit 48 for more ideas on getting feedback
from trainees.

5. What did the language learners gain from TP?

If TP was included in the course, as well as considering the impact of the training on
the course participants, remember to also consider reflecting on what the language
learners gained. This could be ascertained either by asking them, by distributing a
questionnaire, or simply by observing the classes. See Unit 48 for more ways of getting
feedback from learners.

6. How can I respond to feedback?

Feedback is only purposeful and worthwhile if there is some response to it. Ensure that
you follow up on feedback gained from different sources, and use this to inform your
future practice.

7. How can I improve the next course?

In addition to developing your own skills as a trainer, ensure that you use your reflections
and any data gathered during this process to make improvements to future training
courses you offer. Be open to change but, equally, don’t change things just for the sake
of it.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 161
 8. How can I continue to support my trainees in the future?
The end of a course or development programme doesn’t have to be the end of your
involvement with the teachers you have been working with. Any ongoing professional
support needs to be manageable and realistic within the constraints of your other
commitments, so will need to be considered carefully. Things to think about include: how
and when any follow-up will take place (see Units 41, 42 and 47), whether you are going to
set up or manage any continued interaction between the group, whether you will continue
to be available to answer any questions, and whether you are able to provide references
(see Unit 47).

9. How am I developing professionally?

Every time you engage in any sort of teacher training activity, you get an opportunity
to continue your professional journey. As you reflect on this journey, consider how you
have developed and how you can continue to build on this in the future. See Unit 50 for
more ideas.

10. Do I want to do this again?

If the answer to this question is ‘yes’, go back to Section 2!
Unit 49

“I always ask myself three

questions: Did that course really
take into account not only the
course aims but the participants’
needs and prior knowledge? What
were the three changes I could
have made to make the course
fresher and more engaging? Did
I include enough recent practical
examples from my own teaching
to back up my training?”
Robert McLarty, trainer, author and editor,
New Zealand

162 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 ways to develop as a teacher trainer

Just as teachers try new things – such as moving into training – once you have been training
for a while, you might want to branch out into other areas where you can develop your skills
and, in some cases, try something new.

1. Online trainer
If you are not already working as an online trainer and would like to move into this area,
first try teaching online to see if you are comfortable delivering lessons this way. If you
decide this type of training is for you, read Unit 43.

2. Research
If you are interested in investigating teacher education further, consider conducting
research on aspects of your training. There are numerous different potential areas that
could be investigated. Once you have conducted your research, consider publishing it to
share your findings with others in the field.

3. Writing articles and blogs

If you are interested in writing about your teacher training experiences, it is worth noting
that many teacher trainer journals publish articles on best practice, or act as a forum for
sharing ideas and information on practical aspects of teacher training, as well as publishing
research. You may also want to consider writing a blog about your experiences as a

Unit 50
teacher trainer.

4. Materials writer
At present there is a distinct lack of practical materials for teacher trainers. Unlike teachers,
who have access to a wealth of coursebooks, resource books and easily adaptable lesson
ideas to help plan lessons, teacher trainers have far fewer resources to draw on, especially
when it comes to practical and instantly accessible materials.

5. Presenting
Some large organisations, such as IATEFL and TESOL, encourage teacher trainers to
present to their diverse members. Indeed, most countries have active organisations which
provide support not only for teachers but for trainers too. Presenting at events hosted by
such organisations is a great opportunity to meet other teacher trainers and educators to
discuss ideas and share experiences and best practice.

6. Webinars
As well as giving face-to-face presentations at conferences, you will find that there are
plenty of opportunities to present your training ideas online. Most of the large publishing
houses, along with the organisations mentioned above, organise regular webinars. When
presenting a webinar, ensure that you know how to use the platform and that you are
comfortable working online.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 163
 7. Director/senior trainer/manager
If you have recently become a teacher trainer, you may still be under the guidance of a
more experienced teacher trainer. With more experience, you might consider becoming
a more senior teacher trainer with a range of new responsibilities. For those wanting
to move into management with the additional challenge of managing teacher trainers,
opportunities are available. However, management jobs specifically for teacher trainers
can be hard to find. Consider approaching the larger teaching organisations first.

8. Train the trainer

With a lot of teacher training experience, you could consider becoming a trainer of new,
and in some cases, experienced teacher trainers. This allows you to share your experience
while also exchanging tips and training ideas.

9. Freelance
When you first start out as a teacher trainer, you might be attached to a language school,
which means you will do most of your work there. However, one way to branch out to
experience different courses, contexts and ways of doing things is to become a freelance
teacher trainer. Although you may not have the job security that goes with working with
one language school, you will certainly gain plenty of varied experience.
Unit 50

10. Take a further qualification

Another way to develop as a teacher trainer is to gain a formal qualification such as a
master’s degree or a PhD. There are plenty of postgraduate qualifications that are suitable
for teacher trainers. Some of these degrees can be completed online and some involve
a practical element. Taking such a course will not only enable you to experience being a
recipient of training again, but also allow you to further develop your understanding of
pedagogy. You never know: following the completion of such a course, you might end up
teaching on one.

164 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
10 more useful teacher training resources

There are lots of useful resources to help you plan input sessions and get you thinking about
different aspects of teacher training. The resources below, although not exhaustive, include
practical ideas, tips and photocopiable resources. There are many theoretical books available
for teacher trainers and educators; however, the books below all have practical applications.

1. The CELTA Course (2007) by Scott Thornbury and Peter Watkins

(Cambridge University Press)
This is an excellent resource for planning input sessions for pre-service teacher training
courses. It covers all the essential contents of input sessions for CELTA, but could also
be adapted for use on the TrinityCert or similar courses. There are sections on CELTA
assignments, observed lessons and post-course development. There are two books: a
trainees’ book, which includes all the input exercises, and a trainer’s book, which has the
answers and further explanations.

2. ELT Lesson Observation and Feedback Handbook (2018) by

Jeanette Barsdell (Jeanette Barsdell)
This is a great resource for the observation and feedback side of being a teacher trainer.
It suggests ways of helping teachers plan their lessons and tells you what to look for

Resources
when assessing a lesson plan. Further practical advice covers observation and spoken
feedback. The book also includes useful phrases and expressions trainers could use
in their own written feedback for both the plan and the lesson. This is an invaluable
resource for anyone who observes teachers, and could be used in a variety of training
and educational contexts.

3. ELT Playbook Teacher Training (2019) by Sandy Millin (Sandy Millin

Publishing)
Aimed particularly at those who are new to teacher training, this resource contains 30
different tasks designed to help trainers reflect on their practice. It focuses on areas
such as transitioning from teacher to trainer, planning and delivering training sessions,
observing and giving feedback.

4. The Lazy Teacher Trainer’s Handbook (2017) by Magnus Coney

(2017) (the round)
This resource is for trainers looking for inspiration for materials-light workshops. Organised
into five chapters with different overarching themes (Sharing and collaboration, Feedback
and reflection, Lesson planning, Materials creation and planning, and Reflecting on CPD),
the handbook contains practical ideas for standalone sessions that can be used in a
variety of different contexts, both pre- and in-service. Inspired by Dogme ELT, it focuses
on communication, reflection and responding to emerging needs. Each activity includes
a description of any preparation that might be required, what sort of teachers it may suit,
step-by-step procedures and possible variations.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 165
 5. A Practical Introduction to Teaching Training in ELT (2015) by John
Hughes (Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd)
This is an invaluable resource to support those making the transition from teacher
to trainer. It covers routes into teacher training, input sessions, lesson planning,
and observation and feedback. There is also a useful section on managing training
courses. There are opportunities for reflection throughout, plenty of practical ideas and
photocopiable pages. A must-read for new teacher trainers.

6. Tasks for Teacher Education (1998) by Rosie Tanner and Catherine

Green (Longman)
This classic resource consists of a coursebook and trainer’s book. Taking a reflective
approach, the coursebook includes numerous activities, photocopiable materials and
micro-teaching tasks for use in input sessions, and covers areas such as teaching skills and
language, dealing with error, classroom mangement and lesson planning. The trainer’s
book gives the answers and a commentary on using the tasks. This resource is suitable for
both pre- and in-service training, and could be used in most contexts.

7. Teacher Training Essentials (2010) by Craig Thaine (Cambridge)

Resources

This photocopiable resource book includes a variety of tasks and exercises for use in input
sessions. The workshops are grouped around three themes: classroom methodology,
developing language awareness and background to teaching. The material is suitable for
pre-service courses as well as more advanced courses for experienced teachers.

8. Teaching English as a Foreign Language For Dummies (2012) by

Michelle Maxom (For Dummies)
Although aimed at (trainee) teachers, the content of this book lends itself to being used
in teacher training workshops, particularly with pre-service teachers (although it could also
be adapted for use with more experienced teachers, perhaps in refresher sessions). The
book covers areas such as planning and delivering skills and systems lessons, developing
teaching techniques, teaching in different contexts (e.g. one-to-one, young learners,
business English, exam classes) and mixed levels/ages, as well as advice on job hunting
and career progression.

9. Teaching Practice (1995) by Roger Gower, Diane Phillips and Steve

Walters (Macmillan Education)
This excellent resource is packed with information for planning input sessions, observations
and assignments. Despite being aimed mainly at teachers, this manual includes a lot of
easily accessible ideas and advice for trainers working on pre-service courses.

10. Ways of Working with Teachers (2004) by Tessa Woodward (Tessa

Woodward Publications)
This classic resource has a wealth of advice for teacher training and education. There are
activities, ideas and tips here for use with a range of teachers in a range of contexts.

166 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
Appendix
The training material in this Appendix can also be found online at
https://www.myetpedia.com/appendix-materials/ as downloadable resources.

These downloadable training resources can be viewed as pdfs online where you can use the
search, bookmark, zoom and clip tools. You can also save to your computer or laptop to be
used exactly as they are, or adapted and developed to suit your own context, or you can print
them directly from the website for use straightaway.
 Unit 4.4: Pre-interview tasks

The following three pages show examples of pre-course tasks you could give to potential
trainees depending on the course they are applying for. The first task below is a webquest
for trainees to find out more about the course and school. The tasks on the following pages
can be used to find out potential trainees’ language awareness, their experience and their
knowledge of teaching. You may find that depending on the course your trainees are
applying for (i.e. pre-service or in-service) some questions will be redundant as the trainees
may not have the relevant knowledge or experience to answer them.

Webquest about your teacher training course

Look at the school’s website. Try to find the answers to the following questions from the
website. You will be expected to discuss your answers at interview.

1. How are you assessed on your teacher training course?

2. When do you teach? How many lessons do you teach? What do you teach?
Unit 4.4

3. What support is available to you?

4. When is the school open?

5. What facilities are available in the school?

6. Find some more important information and write the details here:

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168 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Language awareness
Task 1: Look at the structure in bold and answer the questions.
This time last week I was lying on the beach.
XX What does the highlighted part mean?
XX How could you clarify this to a group of B1 learners?
XX How is it formed?
XX How is it pronounced in normal speech?
XX What problems might learners have with this structure? How would you
overcome them?

Task 2: Look at the sentence and state the word class of each word.
Teaching is a profession that I have always been interested in.

Task 3: Transcribe these words using phonemic script.

XX acquisition XX methodology

Unit 4.4
XX cue card XX paraphrase
XX facial expression XX suffix
XX interlanguage XX version

Task 4: What is a gerund and how is it used?

Task 5: Give a context in which you would use the following structure. State what it means:
If I were you, I would leave your job.

Experience
Task 1: Briefly describe your teaching experience.

Task 2: Describe a recent lesson you taught, evaluating it in terms of achievement of aims and
areas to improve.

Teaching knowledge
Task 1: Explain the following terms: monitoring, eliciting, CCQs.

Task 2: Describe how you would teach a reading lesson on the topic of holidays.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 169
 Answer key
Task 1: I was lying means that the action was in progress at a particular time in the past. This is
the past continous.
This could be clarified by telling a personal anecdote about a recent holiday and use of a
timeline.
The form is subject + was/were + -ing
/ˈaɪ wəz ˈlaɪɪŋ/ - ‘was’ is the weak form
Problem with meaning: Students might not understand that the action was in progress in the
past; Solution: Clarify using a timeline.
Problem with form: Students might omit the verb ‘to be’; Solution: highlight the structure on
the board and provide controlled practice.
Problem with pronunciation: Students might pronounce the strong form of ‘was’, i.e. /wɒz/;
Solution: Model and drill chorally and individually.

Task 2: Teaching (noun - gerund) is (verb) a (indefinite article) profession (noun) that (relative
pronoun) I (personal pronoun) have (auxiliary verb) always (adverb of frequency) been (verb -
Unit 4.4

past participle) interested (adjective) in (preposition).

Task 3:
XX /ækwɪzɪʃən/ XX /meθədɒlədʒi/
XX /kjuː kɑːd/ XX /pærəfreɪz/
XX /feɪʃəl ɪkspreʃən/ XX /sʌfɪks/
XX /ɪntəlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ XX /vɜːʃən/

Task 4: A gerund is a verb in its -ing form which functions as a noun. It can be used as the
subject or the object of a sentence. For example: ‘I like swimming’ or ‘Swimming is good for
your health’.

Task 5: This structure could be used when giving advice to a friend. It is something the speaker
thinks is a good idea.

Experience

Task 1: Answers will vary depending on the kind of course the trainee teacher is applying
for. For example, a candidate applying for a pre-service qualification may have no teaching
experience, whereas one applying for an in-service course may have a wealth of experience.

Task 2: Again answers will vary here. A good answer though should include strengths,
weaknesses and possible ways to improve in future lessons.

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170 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Teaching knowledge

Task 1: monitoring = the teacher watches or listens to learners while they are working on
their own or in pairs/groups to make sure they are on task and to provide help and support
as needed.
eliciting = a technique in which the teacher asks questions or prompts students to provide
language or other information rather than giving it to them.
CCQs = concept-checking questions, i.e. questions asked by the teacher to check that learners
have understood the meaning of a new structure or item of vocabulary.

Task 2: Answers will vary here. It is important for the interviewee to include some or all of the
following:
The use of a context; engaging and level-appropriate material; pre-teaching any blocking
vocabulary (that is, vocabulary needed to complete the reading tasks); progressively more
difficult reading tasks; a possible follow-up productive skills task; a possible follow-up
language task.

Unit 4.4

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 171
 Unit 4.5: Questions to ask candidates at interview

XXWhy do you want to take this course?

XXWhat do you know about the contents of this course?

XXWhat do you think the course involves?

XXWhat do you think a typical day on the course looks like?

XXWhat relevant experience do you have?

XXAre you able to commit to the amount of study required?

Unit 4.5

XXWhat do you hope to get from completing the course?

XXHow do you think you will develop as a teacher?

XXWhat would you like to do following completion of the course?

XXDo you know anyone who has taken a similar course?

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172 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 4.7: A declaration form

Below is an example of a declaration form, which can be given to a trainee following a

successful interview.

Please read through the following statements carefully and sign to say that you agree.

uu I agree to attend 100% of the course.

uu I understand that, as well as attending the face-to-face parts of the course, I should
expect to complete ten hours a week of self-study.

uu I understand that I will have to collaborate with other trainees on the course.

uu If I am unable to attend part of the course, I agree to contact the school immediately.

uu I understand that enrolling on the course is not a guarantee of passing it.

uu I understand that I will have to participate in observation of my peers and experienced

Unit 4.7
teachers.

uu I understand that I will receive two hours of individual support from my course tutor on a
weekly basis.

uu I acknowledge that to pass the course I will have to plan and teach two 40-minute lessons
and write two reflection essays.

Name (print): ______________________________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________

You may photocopy this page.

Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 173
 Unit 5.8: Needs analysis questionnaire
for an in-service course

Here is an example of the type of questionnaire that can be given to trainees before a course
starts in order to facilitate planning it.

Needs analysis questionnaire

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

School/institution: __________________________________________________________________

Job title: __________________________________________________________________________

uu Describe your main duties/responsibilities.

English language teaching experience and qualifications

uu How long have you been teaching English?

uu Where and in what contexts have you worked (e.g. young learners, business English, EAP,
exam preparation, etc.)?
Unit 5.8

uu What relevant qualifications do you have?

uu What relevant publications do you regularly read (e.g. ELT journals, magazines, blogs, etc.)?

Teaching skills and knowledge

Which of these areas of your teaching do you think you need to improve?
Number each one from 1 to 3 (1 = very important, 2 = important, 3 = not important).

Selecting and exploiting

Teaching skills lessons Planning lessons
different materials
Teaching systems Knowledge of methods Maximising student-
lessons and approaches centredness
Analysing and clarifying Reflecting on my
Classroom management
language/skills practice

uu What are your strengths as an English language teacher?

uu Which area of classroom practice would you most like to improve?

The course
uu What do you expect from the course? What do you hope to gain?
uu Do you have any questions about the course?

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174 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 5.9: Examples of course outlines

Here are two examples of course outlines. The first is a complete outline for a part-time course
delivered for three hours per week over 15 weeks; the second is for Week 2 of a full-time,
intensive, month-long course.

A complete 45-hour course for in-service teachers delivered part-time over 15 weeks

• Introductions/Course overview • Lesson planning review

• Teaching lexis • Reflective practice 2
Week 1

Week 9
• Teaching reading • Classroom management review
• The learning and teaching • Supervised lesson planning for
environment unassessed teaching practice

• Introduction to lesson planning • Meet the learners: needs analysis

Week 10
Week 2

• Teaching listening • Unassessed teaching practice

• Grading language and giving (getting to know the learners)
instructions • Reflection and feedback
Week 11

• Teaching grammar • Assessed teaching practice

Week 3

Unit 5.9
• Reflective practice 1 • Reflection and feedback
• Teacher talk and eliciting • Supervised lesson planning
Week 12

• Teaching speaking • Assessed teaching practice

Week 4

• Teaching pronunciation • Reflection and feedback

• Grouping students and interaction • Supervised lesson planning

• Teaching writing
Week 13

• Assessed teaching practice

Week 5

• Materials and resources

• Reflection and feedback
• Monitoring and responding to
• Supervised lesson planning
learners
Week 14

• Lesson planning workshop • Assessed teaching practice

Week 6

• Teaching receptive skills review • Reflection and feedback

• Providing feedback • Supervised lesson planning

• Continuing professional
Week 15

• Lesson planning workshop

Week 7

development
• Teaching productive skills review
• End-of-course administration
• Error and correction
• Course feedback

• Teaching systems review

Week 8

• Materials and resources 2

• Concept checking and recapping
learning

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 175
 Week 2 of a four-week full-time intensive course for pre-service teachers

Week 2

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9.00–10.30 Input Input Input Input Input

10.30–11.00 Break Break Break Break Break

11.00–12.00 Input Input Input Input Input

Supervised Supervised Supervised Supervised Supervised

teaching teaching teaching teaching teaching
12.00–13.00
practice practice practice practice practice
preparation preparation preparation preparation preparation

13.00–14.00 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

Teaching Teaching Teaching Teaching Teaching

14.00–16.00
Unit 5.9

practice practice practice practice practice

Feedback Feedback Feedback Feedback Feedback

on teaching on teaching on teaching on teaching on teaching
practice and practice and practice and practice and practice and
16.00–17.00
teaching teaching teaching teaching teaching
practice practice practice practice practice
preparation preparation preparation preparation preparation

Teaching Teaching Teaching Teaching Teaching

practice practice practice practice practice
17.00–17.30
preparation/ preparation/ preparation/ preparation/ preparation/
self-study self-study self-study self-study self-study

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176 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 6.8: Plagiarism declaration

Here is an example of a form that can be given to trainees

before they hand in written work.

I confirm that this assignment is my own work and that I have:

uu been made aware of what constitutes plagiarism and unfair means and, if relevant,
have read the school’s policy on this;

uu clearly referenced, both in-text and in a bibliography, all sources used;

uu used appropriate referencing conventions to acknowledge both direct

(including page numbers) and indirect quotes;

uu not copied from anyone else’s work (either published or unpublished);

uu not allowed, and will not allow, anyone else to copy my work;

Unit 6.8
uu not previously submitted this assignment for assessment either at this institution
or elsewhere;

uu not asked or paid another party to complete my work for me.

Signed: ____________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________

You may photocopy this page.

Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 177
 Unit 6.10: Candidate agreement form

Here is an example of a form that can be given to trainees before

they start a course.

General
uu I have read and signed the at-interview declaration.
uu I am aware of the assessment requirements of the course.
uu I agree to attend the whole course. If I am absent due to illness or emergency, I will
contact the lead tutor as soon as possible and agree to make up the work missed.
uu I will act in a professional and responsible manner and respect the school’s regulations.
uu I have been shown around the building and am aware of the facilities available for me to
use during the course.
uu I know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Teaching practice (TP)

uu I will teach ___ hours of assessed TP.
uu I am aware that TP consists not just of lesson delivery, but also of planning and reflection.
Unit 6.10

uu I am aware that TP is both developmental and evaluative.

uu I am aware that TP is only one part of how the course is graded overall.

Assignments
uu I will submit ___ written assignments by the deadlines set.
uu Assignments will be my own work and will follow the rubric/guidance set.
uu I am aware that assignments are only one part of how the course is graded overall.

Tutor support
uu I understand that tutors will agree expectations, levels of support and deadlines with
candidates at the beginning of the course.
uu I understand that tutors may have different approaches to input and feedback while still
maintaining the same standard.
uu I understand that tutors will act professionally, responsibly and respectfully towards course
participants and each other.

Signed: ____________________________________________ Date: ______________________

Print name: ____________________________________________

Emergency contact details

Name: ________________________________ Phone number: _____________________________

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178 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 10.4: Trainee interviews

Here are some example questions that trainees could use

to interview each other.

Walk around the classroom and ask and answer the following questions with as
many different people as possible. Be prepared to share your answers with the
whole class.

1. Why are you taking this course?

2. What do you think the course will involve?

3. What do you hope to gain from the course?

Unit 10.4
4. What are you least looking forward to? Why?

5. What are you most looking forward to? Why?

6. Do you have any previous teaching experience?

7. What do you think one obstacle might be for you? How do you plan to overcome it?

8. What are your (tentative) post-course plans?

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 179
 Unit 10.8: Find someone who …

Use this task to find out some information about your fellow trainees. Where possible, try to
find out more about your classmates. For example, if someone replies that they have taught
EFL before, find out where.

Find someone who ... Name

has taught EFL before.

can think of three advantages of working

with other people.

works best in the mornings.

Unit 10.8

prefers working alone to working in groups.

would like to specialise in teaching children.

has taken a teacher training course in a

different subject.

is aware of the different levels of language

learner.

speaks three or more languages.

likes listening to music while they work.

is doing the course so they can work in

another country.

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180 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 12.7: Case studies

The following are examples of case studies which could be used in your input sessions.

A learner
Zuzanna is 23 years old and comes from Slovakia. Her first language is Slovak, but she also
speaks German to an advanced level. Although she has been learning English since she
was ten years old, she has not made much progress and is currently at a pre-intermediate
level. She feels that her lack of progress is due to her preferring her German teachers. She
is not currently actively studying English. Zuzanna likes speaking and listening, but does not
enjoy reading or writing very much. She often goes to the cinema with her friends and is
really interested in American TV series. She is currently in the final year of an undergraduate
degree in economics. After graduation, she wants to work in an international company.
Zuzanna wants advice on how she can improve her English to help her to get a good job.
What advice will you give Zuzanna?

A teacher

Unit 12.7
Abdullah has been teaching English for almost ten years. He has worked in several countries
including Spain, Hungary, Oman and Mexico. He has mainly taught young learners (children
between the ages of 6 and 11) and teenagers, as well as some general English classes. He
has an initial teaching qualification. He hasn’t attended any formal training or development
courses, and feels he isn’t making any progress with his teaching. He asks you for advice.
What advice will you give Abdullah?

A class
Pre-intermediate 2b is a class of 12 learners: six are from Italy, three from Poland, two from
China and one from Saudi Arabia. The class are aged between 21 and 55, with half being
female and half male. They are interested in a variety of topics, including sport, food, films
and travel. They have classes twice a week on Monday and Wednesday mornings (9:15 –
11:45). The learners like a variety of tasks but on the whole prefer working in groups. Most
learners need English for future employment opportunities; however, three learners attend
classes because they feel it is important to know English. The class tends to enjoy reading
and listening tasks, but only one learner enjoys writing. They all really enjoy speaking, yet
this appears to be their weakest skill. All the learners are keen to develop their vocabulary,
but only three learners are interested in grammar. All of the learners are fairly fluent in
their spoken English, but none are very accurate. There are also some problems with
pronunciation depending on their first language. You have been asked to teach two lessons
next week with this class. What will you do with them?

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 181
 Unit 12.9: Trainees supply the content

The following form is sent to trainees before a revision input session on classroom management.

Use the table below to write any questions you have about classroom management. We’ll try
to address these during our next input session on classroom management. Please try not to
ask more than two questions!

Name Questions

1. What is a good way to set up a reading task?

Nick
2. Why do we monitor?
Unit 12.9

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182 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 13.1: Ordering lesson stages

A listening lesson
Put the following stage aims into a logical order for a listening lesson. Be prepared to
justify your choices.

To engage learners’ interest by activating schemata around the topic of the lesson.

To engage further interest in the topic of the listening by eliciting general knowledge and
student experience.

Unit 13.1
To pre-teach any blocking vocabulary before listening to the recording for the first time.

To provide practice in gist listening.

To provide practice in listening for detail.

To develop speaking for fluency and to allow the learners to make a personal response.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 183
 A speaking lesson
Activity 1
Put the lesson elements into a logical order to create the procedure for a speaking lesson.
Be prepared to justify your choices.

Lead-in Speaking task

Pre-teaching vocabulary Error correction

Preparation for speaking task Feedback

Highlighting useful language

Activity 2:
Unit 13.1

Now match the procedure to the relevant stage aim. Again, be prepared to justify your answers.

To generate engagement and interest in the topic.

To clarify any lexis necessary to do the task or to introduce lexis related to the topic. This
stage might also involve activating schemata, i.e. eliciting what the learners already know
about the topic.

To help the learners do the task themselves, e.g. they listen to someone else doing the
speaking task that the learners will then go on to do themselves.

To point out any language that could be helpful for doing the task. This is not target
language, so try not to focus on it too explicitly; otherwise, learners may feel they have to
use this language in the task, and this might interfere with fluency.

To give learners the opportunity to do the task and to develop their fluency speaking skills.

To focus in on any generic errors noted in learners’ language use.

To conclude the task and provide some general feedback on their performance of the
task, e.g. positive reinforcement.

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184 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 13.2: Analysing a lesson

Watch the lesson and then answer the questions below in groups.

1. What are the stages of the lesson?

2. What is/are the pre-reading task(s)?

3. What is/are the reading task(s)?

4. What is/are the post-reading task(s)?

5. What reading subskills are developed?

Unit 13.2
6. Which words would you select to pre-teach before reading the text?

7. Can you think of any other tasks you could use with this text
(i.e. pre- or post-reading tasks)?

8. What level is the reading text aimed at?

9. Would this lesson meet your learners’ needs?

Give reasons.

10. Would you need to adapt it to meet your learners’ needs?

If so, say what you would need to do and how you would do it.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 185
 Unit 13.3: Peer-teaching coursebook materials

Planning a speaking lesson

Look at the coursebook you have been given. Find a suitable speaking lesson sequence
that would interest and engage your peers.
Working in groups, use the materials you have chosen to plan a speaking lesson to teach
to another group.
Use the following questions and prompts to help you plan the lesson.

Main aim:

Subsidiary aim:

Pre-speaking 1
How will you get your peers interested in the speaking topic?
What language will you present? How will you present it?
Unit 13.3

Stage aim:

Pre-speaking 2
How much planning time will you give your peers?
Will you provide a model speaking task for them to emulate (such as recording of someone
doing the task)?

Stage aim:

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186 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Speaking task
What task will you give your peers to complete?
What subskill(s) of speaking will your peers practise?

Unit 13.3
Stage aim:

Post-speaking
What feedback will you provide to your peers?
Will you include any peer-to-peer feedback?

Stage aim:

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 187
 Unit 13.4: Designing lessons from example
texts or tasks

1. Planning a writing lesson

Plan a writing lesson in which your learners write an email to a friend. You can
decide what the stages of the lesson are, what the aims are and why the learners
are writing to their friend.

2. Planning a reading and writing lesson

Use the materials below to produce a reading and writing lesson for a group of
upper-intermediate students wishing to enter university.

With rising populations in many countries, demand for water is increasing

globally. One way to tackle this problem and conserve water supplies is
Unit 13.4

through the process of desalination, in which salt water from the sea is
converted into fresh, drinkable water. Despite several drawbacks, it will be
argued that, presently, desalination is the only viable option to ensure that
water supplies remain adequate throughout the world. This essay will begin
by describing the desalination process in more detail, and will then move
on to discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the process before
drawing conclusions and making some recommendations.

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188 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 13.7: Modelling a skills lesson

Think about the lesson you have just experienced and

answer the questions below.
1. What level of language learner was the lesson aimed at?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

2. How was the lesson structured?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

3. What were the pre-listening stages?

Unit 13.7
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

4. What were the during-listening stages?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

5. What were the post-listening stages?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Do you have any questions for your trainer about the lesson?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 189
 Unit 13.9: Focus on subskills

Reading subskills
Look at the following reading tasks and decide which reading subskill each task focuses on.
Complete the box. Some tasks might focus on more than one subskill.

Be prepared to justify your answers.

Reading task Subskill

Scanning Skimming Detail

1. Finding a phone number in a telephone directory.

2. L ooking for the score of a football match in a

newspaper.

3. Reading the blurb on the back cover of a novel to

decide if you want to read it.
Unit 13.9

4. Checking a text message to see what time you are

meeting a friend.

5. Reading an academic paper to extract information

about an experiment.

6. Reading a novel for pleasure.

7. Reading the subtitles to a foreign language film.

8. Reading a ‘breaking news’ story in an online

newspaper.

9. Completing some true/false questions by reading a

text in a coursebook.

10. Deciding whether an online review for a new

restaurant is favourable.

Extension: Now choose one of the tasks above and design a reading lesson for your learners.

Answers
1 scanning; 2 scanning; 3 skimming/detail; 4 scanning; 5 scanning/detail; 6 detail;
7 detail; 8 skimming/scanning/detail; 9 scanning/detail; 10 skimming.

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190 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 13.10: Recapping

Productive skills lessons

a) In your group, brainstorm what you think should ideally be included
in the pre- and post-stages of a speaking or writing lesson.

A speaking lesson A writing lesson

Pre-

Unit 13.10
Learners complete a speaking activity Learners complete a writing activity
Post-

b) N
 ow recap some of the features of a successful speaking
or writing activity.
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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 191
 Suggested answers:

a) In your group, brainstorm what you think should ideally be included in the pre- and
post-stages of a speaking or writing lesson.

A speaking lesson A writing lesson

uu Introduce key vocabulary and grammar uu Provide learners with a model of the
(focus on key aspects of pronunciation, type of text they will write.
e.g. stress, intonation; drilling). uu Allow time for learners to analyse the
uu Provide learners with information on model (focus on useful vocabulary/
their role during the speaking activity. grammar/phrases, organisation/
uu Give learners the chance to prepare/ structure, content, etc.).
collect ideas for their speaking. uu Introduce key vocabulary and
Pre-

uu Tell learners the expected objective/ grammar.

outcome of the speaking activity. uu Give learners the chance to prepare/
uu Set a time limit. collect ideas for their writing.
Unit 13.10

uu Set a time limit and word limit, plus

other expectations (e.g. audience,
style, etc.).

Learners complete a speaking activity Learners complete a writing activity

uu Provide general content-based uu Provide general content-based

feedback. feedback.
uu Provide general language-focused uu Provide general language-focused
feedback (e.g. elements of grammar, feedback (e.g. elements of grammar,
vocabulary, style, etc. which learners vocabulary, style, etc. which learners
have used well or common problems). have used well or common problems).
uu Learner repeat the activity or a similar uu Include peer feedback/evaluation
Post-

one (with different partners). (focused on a particular area).

uu Collect information which may feed uu Take the piece of writing in for marking
into future lessons (e.g. work on (comment on different areas of writing
pronunciation/grammar /vocabulary/ – e.g. content, grammar, spelling,
functions). punctuation, style, etc.).
uu Students re-draft and re-submit their
work.

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192 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
b) Now recap some of the features of a successful speaking or writing activity.

Although these features may not be present in every speaking or writing activity, many of them
will be present in good speaking or writing lessons.

A successful speaking activity A successful writing lesson

uu learners talk a lot uu realistic

uu even participation uu purposeful
uu realistic uu clear outcome
uu motivating uu target audience
uu information gap uu engaging, appropriate topic
uu engaging, appropriate topic uu motivating
uu fun uu can be done with learners’ current
uu can be done with learners’ current level level of language
of language uu achievable

Unit 13.10
uu clear purpose/outcome uu meaningful
uu personalised
uu non-offensive
uu assigned roles
uu safe, supportive environment
uu appropriate pairings/groupings
uu meaningful

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 193
 Unit 14.1: Ranking activities

A
Look at the following tasks taken from a student coursebook.
Rank them according to the extent to which they control learners’
use of language, that is, from more controlled to freer practice.

1. C
 omplete the sentence by using the correct form of the word in brackets.

They said the film was really __________ (bore).

2. Y
 ou order something online, but are unhappy with both the product and the service you
receive. Write a letter of complaint.

3. R
 ewrite the sentence so that it has the same meaning as the original.

I lived in China for ten years, but I didn’t learn much Chinese.

Despite________________________________________________
Unit 14.1

4. Work in pairs. Tell your partner about your weekend.

5. Fill in each gap with a suitable word.

I had 1_________ really busy day yesterday. From morning 2_________ evening, I didn’t
stop once. It all started 3_________ I missed my train 4_________ the morning. This meant I
5________ trying to catch up on everything all day. I did sleep well 6_________ night, though.

6. Choose the best option (i–iv) to complete the sentence.

He showed that he liked her dress by paying her a __________.

i. complement
ii. favour
iii. compliment
iv. fee

B
How could you make the more controlled activities freer?

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194 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Answers to tasks
A
1. boring
2. Answers will vary.
3. Possible answers are: Despite living in China for ten years, I didn’t learn much Chinese; or
Despite having lived in China for ten years, I didn’t learn much Chinese.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Possible answers are 1 a; 2 to/until; 3 because; 4 in; 5 was; 6 last
6. iii
Suggested ranking: 1/6, 5, 3, 2, 4.

Explanation:
XX Controlled: 1 and 6 have only one answer.
XX Most of the answers in Task 5 have only one option, but for number 2, two options are
possible.
XX The answer to 3 also is very controlled but more than one answer is possible.

Unit 14.1
XX Freer: Both 2 and 4 are freer activities. However, the answer to 2 would follow the
typical structure of a letter of complaint. The answer to 4 would use past tenses, but
the content would vary widely.

1. Remove the hint (i.e. ‘bore’); for example:

Complete the sentence with a suitable word.
They said the film was really _________.
Now any suitable adjective (funny, exciting, thrilling, etc) would fit.

3. Remove the hint (i.e. ‘Despite’); for example:

Paraphrase the sentence below using any language you want so it has the same meaning as
the original.
I lived in China for ten years, but I didn’t learn much Chinese.

Answers could include:

Although I lived in China for ten years, I didn’t learn much Chinese; or I lived in China for ten
years; however, I didn’t learn much Chinese; or I lived in China for ten years, yet I didn’t learn a
substantial amount of Chinese.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 195
 5. In the original, the missing words are all function words. In the version below they are
now content words, which in some cases gives more choice; for example:
Fill in each gap with a suitable word.
I had a really 1_________ day yesterday. From morning to evening, I didn’t 2__________
once. It all 3__________ because I missed my 4__________ in the morning. This meant I was
5__________ to catch up on everything all day. I did sleep 6__________ last night, though.

Possible answers are: 1. busy/horrific/terrible/hectic; 2. stop/rest/pause/breathe; 3. started/

began/commenced 4. train/bus/tram; 5. trying/attempting/working; 6. well/soundly/deeply

6. Remove the multiple-choice answers options and cut the phrase from ‘paying’ onwards:
Complete the sentence in a suitable way.
He showed that he liked her dress by ….
Unit 14.1

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196 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 14.2: Grass skirts

A: Common learner errors

1. It’s raining forcefully.

2. I have been to Spain last year.

3. I love to swim in the sea when I go to the /bɪʧ/.

4. I must to call my parents later.

TOP
5. Can you borrow me some money?

6. A
 : What does this word mean?

Unit 14.2
B: I don’t know. Why don’t you look up it in the dictionary?

7. Throw your rubbish in the /pɪn/.

8. It’s depend the situation ...

Answers
1. It’s raining heavily.
2. I went to Spain last year / I have been to Spain.
3. I love to swim in the sea when I go to the /biːʧ/
4. I must call my parents later.
5. Can you lend me some money?
6. A: What does this word mean?
B: I don’t know. Why don’t you look it up in the dictionary?
7. Throw your rubbish in the /bɪn/.
8. It depends on the situation.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 197
 B: Terminology review

1. A word with the same or similar meaning to another word.

2. Two words that are different from each other by only one sound.

3. A
 word that sounds the same as another word, but has a different meaning
or spelling.

4. A noun that refers to a group of people or things.

TOP
5. T
 he level of formality of the language used in a particular situation.
Unit 14.2

6. A
 word used to connect words, clauses, phrases or sentences.

7. The emphasis that you put on a syllable in a word.

8. Words that are regularly used together.

Answers
1. synonym
2. minimal pairs
3. homophone
4. collective noun
5. register
6. conjunction
7. word stress
8. collocations

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198 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 14.3: Auction

Look at the sentences. Which ones do you think are correct? You have $1000 to spend.
Try to buy only the correct sentences.

1. The present perfect is used to talk about an activity in progress at the moment.
2. W
 e use the past continuous to describe a past activity in progress at a specific time in
the past.
3. English has three tenses.
4. There are three conditionals.
5. Uncountable nouns can use the indefinite article.
6. Adverbs can be used to modify adjectives.
7. When a word has three syllables, the first syllable always carries the main stress.
8. One of the reasons for using passive constructions is to emphasise the agent of an action.
9. The number of phonemes in a word is the same as the number of syllables.
10. The present simple is often used to talk about regular habits.

Unit 14.3
Answers:
1. The present perfect is used to talk about an activity in progress at the moment.
(Wrong: it is used to talk about: (a) a past activity with a present result; (b) an indefinite
past activity; and (c) an unfinished past activity.)
2. We use the past continuous to describe a past activity in progress at a specific time in
the past. (Correct)
3. English has three tenses. (Wrong: English has only two: the present and the past)
4. There are three conditionals. (Trick question: this is both correct and incorrect.
The three conditionals are the first, the second and the third; however, some linguists
include the zero conditional (making four); others don’t. The mixed conditional is not
a separate conditional.)
5. Uncountable nouns can use the indefinite article. (Wrong: they use the definite or
no article)
6. Adverbs can be used to modify adjectives. (Correct)
7. When a word has three syllables, the first one always carries the main stress.
(Wrong: stress is usually on the first syllable, but not always.)
8. One of the reasons for using passive constructions is to emphasise the agent of an
action. (Wrong, the agent is not always mentioned, and when it is, this is done using
the preposition ‘by’.)
9. The number of phonemes in a word is the same as the number of syllables.
(Wrong: consider the word phoneme: it has five phonemes and two syllables.)
10. The present simple is often used to talk about regular habits. (Correct)

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 199
 Unit 14.4: Analyse teaching grammar methods

Watch three extracts from different types of grammar lessons. As you watch, complete the
table below.

Presentation method 1 2 3

What is the target

language?
Unit 14.4

How is the language

contextualised?

How is the language

clarified?

How is the language

practised?

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200 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 14.6: Analysing language

Look at the five grammatical structures below. Complete the missing information.

Pronunciation
Problems and
Grammatical (transcribe
Form Meaning solutions
structure only the target
language)

1 Subject + To talk about a 2

present tense of routine or habit.
the verb, e.g. I
live in Paris.

Past simple 3 4 /aɪ ˈwent/

Unit 14.6
Going to future 5 To express 6
intention.

7 Subject + 8 /jə ʃʊd ˈdrɪŋk/

should + base
form, e.g. You
should drink
plenty of water.

Second If + subject + 9 10
conditional past simple +
subject + would
+ base form,
e.g. If I had a
million dollars,
I’d leave my job.

Now come up with some possible problems learners might have with each structure and
decide how you would overcome them.
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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 201
 Answers
1. Present simple
2. /aɪ ˈlɪv /
3. Subject + past tense of the verb, e.g. I went to the cinema last night.
4. To talk about a completed past action.
5. Subject + be + going to + base form, e.g. She’s going to walk home tonight.
6. /ʃiːz ˈgəʊɪŋ tə wɔːk/
7. Modal verb should
8. To make a recommendation / give advice.
9. To express an unreal or hypothetical situation in the present.
10. / ɪf aɪ hæd … aɪd liːv mə ˈʤɒb/

Problems and solutions (suggested):

Unit 14.6

Structure Problem Solution

Present Learners may forget to add -s Write s on the white board. Whenever a
simple to the third person form of the learner forgets to add s to the verb, simply
verb: e.g. He live in Paris. point to the board.

Past simple Learners may add -ed to Refer learners to an irregular verb table
irregular forms of the verb: e.g. and encourage self-correction.
I goed to the cinema last night.

Going to Learners may pronounce 'to' Highlight the weak form when clarifying
future as a strong form, i.e. /tu:/ pronunciation and model and drill.

Modal verb Learners may mispronounce Highlight the silent letter by crossing it out
should should, e.g. /ʃʊld/ on the board.

Second Learners may think this Use the context of winning a lot of money
conditional structure is used to talk about to make the time frame clear. Ask checking
past events: e.g. ‘If I had a questions, e.g. Do I have a million dollars
million dollars last year, I’d now?’ (No)
leave my job. Did I have a million dollars in the past? (No)
Is it likely I will have a million dollars in the
future? (No)
Is it a real or imaginary situation? (Imaginary).

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202 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Use this form to make your own analysis sheet.
Problems and
solutions
(transcribe only the
target language)
Pronunciation

Unit 14.6
Meaning
Form
Grammatical
structure

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 203
 Unit 14.9: Jumbled text

Task 1
Look at the sentences below. Put them in order to create a coherent paragraph.

To sum up, being too dependent on technology is a real concern nowadays and
something needs to be done about it.

This may lead to serious psychological and physical problems, such as poor eyesight
and the inability to think independently.

In developed countries, people use some form of technology every day and claim that
they cannot live without it.

There is also increasing concern about the number of young people who are
overweight, and this may be linked to the overuse of technology.

______________________________________________________
Unit 14.9

Compare your answers with the model.

In developed countries, people use some form of technology every day and claim that they
cannot live without it. This may lead to serious psychological and physical problems, such as
poor eyesight and the inability to think independently. There is also increasing concern about
the number of young people who are overweight, and this may be linked to the overuse of
technology. To sum up, being too dependent on technology is a real concern nowadays and
something needs to be done about it.

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204 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Task 2
Working in groups, decide what helped you to recreate the text.

Consider:
XX any lexical cohesion, such as repetition of words
XX the use of linking words or conjunctions
XX the use of pronouns
XX anything else.

Task 3
Now choose another paragraph. Consider how the text holds together.

Task 4
Using the paragraph you chose in Task 3, create a task for your learners focusing on how the
text holds together.

Unit 14.9
Answers: Task 2
XX repetition of ‘technology’; physical problems, poor eyesight, over-weight; serious,
inability, concern, overuse, dependent, concern.
XX lead to, such as, also, to sum up.
XX they, it, this, this, it

In developed countries, people use some form of technology every day and claim that
they (people who use technology) cannot live without it (technology). This (refers to using
technology every day) may lead to serious psychological and physical problems, such as
(examples of problems) poor eyesight and the inability to think independently. There is also
(additional problems) increasing concern about the number of young people who (young
people) are overweight and this (young people being overweight) may be linked to the
overuse of technology (repetition of lexis and use of the definite article to refer to something
already mentioned). To sum up (discourse marker used to summarise), being too dependent
on technology (repetition) is a real concern nowadays (repetition of key terms) and something
needs to be done about it (too dependent on technology).

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 205
 Unit 14.10: Introduction to phonemes

Task 1
Look at the phonemic symbols for transcribing the sounds of English. Answer the questions.
XX How many different sounds are there in English?
XX How many vowel sounds are there?
XX How many consonants?
XX How many letters are there in the English alphabet?
XX What do you notice?

Vowels

iː ɪ ʊ uː
/sliːp/ /slɪp/ /bʊk/ /buːt/

e ə ɜː ɔː
/ten/ /aːftə/ /bɜːd/ /bɔːd/
Unit 14.10

æ ∧ ɑː ɒ
/kæt/ /k∧p/ /kɑː/ /hɒt/

Diphthongs

ɪə eɪ
/bɪə/ /seɪ/

ʊə ɔɪ əʊ
/fjʊə/ /bɔɪ/ /nəʊ/

eə aɪ aʊ
/beə/ /haɪ/ /kaʊ/

Consonants

p b t d ʧ ʤ k g
/pæn/ /bæn/ /tæn/ /deɪ/ /ʧæt/ /ʤ∧ʤ/ /kiː/ /get/

f v θ ð s z ∫ ʒ
/fæn/ /væn/ /θɪn/ /ðæn/ /sɪp/ /zɪp/ /∫ɪp/ /vɪʒən/

m n ŋ h l r w j
/maɪt/ /naɪt/ /θɪŋ/ /haɪt/ /laɪt/ /raɪt/ /waɪt/ /jes/

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206 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Task 2
Look at the phonemes in the boxes in Task 1. Say the words transcribed under each phoneme.
For example, under the symbol /iː/, you will see the example /sliːp/. Try saying the word it
represents. (The answer is ‘sleep’.)

The answers are in these boxes below, but they aren’t in order. Use them to help you to match
the words with their phonemic transcriptions.

Vowels/Diphthongs

bear ten slip car fewer

book cat boot bird hot

say sleep cow high know

cup after beer bored boy

Unit 14.10
Consonants

night vision light white thing write

judge yes key day van sip

zip than might height get tan

ship thin chat ban fan pan

Answers: Task 1
XX How many different sounds are there in English? 44
XX How many vowel sounds are there? 20
XX How many consonants are there? 24
XX How many letters are there in the English alphabet? 26
XX What do you notice? There are more sounds than letters in the alphabet: some letters
represent more than one sound; and some letters, when combined with others,
represent sounds not present in the alphabet (e.g. ‘s’ + ‘h’ = /∫/)

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 207
 Answers: Task 2

Vowels

iː ɪ ʊ uː
/sliːp/ = sleep /slɪp/ = slip /bʊk/ = book /buːt/ = boot

e ə ɜː ɔː
/ten/ = ten /aːftə/ = after /bɜːd/ = bird /bɔːd/ = bored

æ ∧ ɑː ɒ
/kæt/ = cat /k∧p/ = cup /kɑː/ = car /hɒt/ = hot

Diphthongs

ɪə eɪ
/bɪə/ = beer /seɪ/ = say
Unit 14.10

ʊə ɔɪ əʊ
/fjʊə/ = fewer /bɔɪ/ = boy /nəʊ/ = know

eə aɪ aʊ
/beə/ = bear /haɪ/ = high /kaʊ/ = cow

Consonants

p b t d ʧ ʤ k g
/pæn/ /bæn/ /tæn/ /deɪ/ /ʧæt/ /ʤ∧ʤ/ /kiː/ /get/
= pan = ban = tan = day = chat = judge = key = get
f v θ ð s z ∫ ʒ
/fæn/ /væn/ /θɪn/ /ðæn/ /sɪp/ /zɪp/ /∫ɪp/ /vɪʒən/
= fan van = thin than = sip = zip = ship = vision
m n ŋ h l r w j
/maɪt/ /naɪt/ /θɪŋ/ /haɪt/ /laɪt/ /raɪt/ /waɪt/ /jes/
= migh = night = thing = hight = light = right = white = yes

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208 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 15.1: Agree or disagree?

Read these statements about classroom management and decide whether you agree or
disagree with them and why. Then compare and discuss your ideas with a partner.

1. Classroom organisation is not important.

2. There are more advantages than disadvantages to pairwork and groupwork.

3. It is not important to use learners’ names.

4. Gestures should be avoided in the classroom.

5. Handouts should be distributed before giving instructions so that students can see
what to do.

Unit 15.1
6. When setting up a task, you should always ask ‘Do you understand?’ to check learners
know what to do.

7. The teacher can take some time out to get on with admin or marking while the
learners are busy working.

8. You should use correct grammar and natural rhythm and intonation when speaking
to learners.

9. Boardwork should be planned in advance.

10. It is best to stand in the middle of the classroom when conducting whole-group
feedback.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 209
 Unit 15.2: Giving advice

One of your colleagues voices the following concerns after teaching a lesson. What do you
advise? Discuss your ideas in groups.

The students didn’t seem to understand

what I wanted them to do.

I had planned a pairwork activity, but

I had an odd number, so I joined in with
one of the students. Was this right?
Unit 15.2

I wasn’t sure what to do while the students

were doing the task so I just stood there.

I had to rush the students through the

last few activities so that I could get
through everything in my plan.

The same student kept shouting

out the answers without giving
the other students a chance.

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Unit 15.3: Observations

Video observation task: focus on classroom management

Watch the video clip and make notes to answer the questions.

1. How does the teacher create rapport with the learners?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

2. What does the teacher do to make the instructions clear to the learners?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Unit 15.3
3. When and how does the teacher monitor? What is the purpose of the monitoring?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

4. How does the teacher deal with the learners’ feedback (answers and ideas) to the tasks?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

5. What different interaction patterns are included?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Are there any examples of error correction? When and how?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 211
 Unit 15.4: Correct the mistakes

Instructions
Look at the instructions below given by a teacher to a group of intermediate-level students.
Then answer the questions.

OK, so erm ... what I’d like you to do now is err ... have a go at this next exercise. So you need
to look at the sentences at the bottom of the piece of paper I’m handing out. You’ll need to
work with someone on your table or even in a three or erm ... actually you can work on your
own, if you prefer. Oh, hang on, no, don’t start yet. I don’t think you know what to do yet, do
you? Just listen to me for a sec and I’ll explain the activity so that you understand what I want
you to do. So, anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, well, basically you can decide how you
want to work and I want you to look at the sentences and try to work out what you think about
them. There are loads so it might be a bit tricky so err ... I reckon you could just choose the
ones that take your fancy – as many as you like, but probably not too many ’cos it might get a
bit boring going through all of them. And so erm ... when you’ve finished, I want you to talk to
someone else and see what you think about the sentences and err ... yeah, after that, if we’ve
got time, you can talk to someone different and see whether they think the same as you and
your first partner, OK? Oh, actually, we probably won’t have enough for that bit ’cos the last
task took a lot longer than I thought it would – I think it’s ’cos you really got into it – so erm ...
Unit 15.4

yeah, we probably won’t have time for that bit, but it’s not the end of the world. Anyway, let’s
see how we get on. So, yeah, I think we should start now. Does everyone understand?

1. What makes the instructions difficult for the students to follow?

2. How could the instructions be improved?

3. Rewrite the instructions to make them clearer for the students.

4. Now make a list of tips for giving instructions.

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Suggested answers
1. The instructions are unclear, imprecise, indirect, indecisive and unstaged. There is a
lot of unnecessary teacher talk, running commentary and colloquial language. The
materials are distributed while the instruction is being given, which may be distracting.
2. Students need to know exactly what they should do, how they should do it, who they
should work with and how long they have. The instructions need to be clear and direct
and make use of imperatives. Visual support would be useful. Superfluous teacher talk
needs to be eliminated and language needs to be graded to the level of the learners.
Instructions should be staged and delivered before handouts are distributed.
3. Read these six sentences [show sentences on handout or board] and decide by
yourself whether you agree or disagree with them and why. [Distribute handout.
Students do the task.] Now compare your ideas with a partner [gesture to show who
should work with whom]. You have five minutes.
4. Top tips for giving instructions:

Do Don’t

Unit 15.4
uu plan your instructions in advance. uu patronise your students by talking
uu get everyone’s attention before you unnaturally slowly or loudly.
give instructions (e.g. stand front and uu give out handouts before your instructions.
centre and maintain eye contact). If you do, you will lose the students’
uu only say what you have to say. attention.

uu use appropriately graded language. uu say, ‘Do you understand?’. If you say this,
most people will say ‘yes’, even if they
uu use polite and direct language.
don’t.
uu stage the instructions (i.e. only give
uu ask lower-level students, ‘So, what do you
instructions for what they have to do at
have to do?’ They haven’t got the language
that time, not later).
to articulate this and are likely to get
uu give an example, do the first question confused.
together or demonstrate the task.
uu request that the students do something.
uu set a time limit. Instead, you should politely tell them to do
uu make it clear whether you want your it. For example, don’t say, ‘Would you like to
students to work individually, in pairs or stand up?’; instead, say, ‘Stand up, please’.
in groups.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 213
 Unit 15.4: Correct the mistakes (continued)

Teacher talk
A.

Look at the examples of teacher talk delivered to a pre-intermediate group of students.

Identify the problem areas. Then try to simplify the language, reducing the teacher talk to an
appropriate amount.

1. 'Would you like to read this text, please?'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. 'In a moment, I’m going to ask you to work out the answers to six questions. You can do it
by yourself or with the person next to you or in a group if you prefer. When you’ve finished, I’ll
reorganise you so that you can peer-check your answers and then we’ll do feedback together
as a whole class.'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Unit 15.4

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. 'I’m handing out the questions …'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. 'I’d like you to go through and justify your answers with a colleague.'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. 'Would anyone like to volunteer to say what they think the answer to this question might be?'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6. 'Wow! You’re on fire today, Javier!'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

B. Now make a list of dos and don’ts for teacher talk.

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Answers
A
1. Read this text, please.
2. Answer the six questions by yourself. [Students answer the questions] Now compare
your answers [plus gesture]. [Students peer-check]
3. Not necessary.
4. Check your answers with your partner [plus gesture]. Give reasons.
5. Manuel, what’s the answer to number one?
6. Well done, Javier!

Do Don’t

Unit 15.4
uu use gestures, pictures and other visual uu speak ungrammatically.
support to make what you are saying uu pronounce each word unnaturally slowly
easier to understand. or shout.
uu speak naturally (rhythm and intonation, uu unnecessarily echo your students (i.e. repeat
speed). everything they say).
uu avoid vocabulary that is above the level uu provide a running commentary.
of your students.
uu avoid complex grammar structures.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 215
 Unit 15.5

216
Elicit the word ‘cousin’ and then Use gesture to signify that the
Put the learners into pairs.
check understanding. learner’s answer is not quite right. Classroom management role cards

Indicate that you are talking about

Get the learners’ attention. Monitor a speaking fluency activity.
Unit 15.5: Role plays

the past.

Regroup the learners into groups of Deliver some delayed error

Conduct whole-group feedback.
three. correction.

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ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
Stop a vocal learner from Write on the board without turning
Put the learners into two teams.
dominating. your back on your learners.

Appendix
Unit 15.6: Demonstration

Utterances for demonstrating error correction techniques.

1 I live Sheffield.

2 do not live in Manchester.

3 He plays well football.

4 She like shopping.

5 My father is a PHO tog raph er.

6 I went in Poland.

Unit 15.6
7 I meeting John at nine o’clock.

8 I’m watching TV every day.

9 Can I lend some money from you?

10 I have lived here since four years.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 217
 Unit 15.7: Practice

Error correction cards

I have lived in Spain four years ago. If it will rain, I will get wet.

On my opinion … He /li:vz/ in Riyadh.

Are you agree? I went in Mexico last year.

He asked if you did like seafood. Can you borrow me some money?
Unit 15.7

I /sɪnk/ you are right. I’m liking that song.

I enjoy to swim. I always make my homework.

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218 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 15.8: Taboo

Elicitation practice cards

scanning
skimming aim procedure
read
read achieve plan
specific detail
general objective do
information
gist reason lesson
skimming
scanning lesson activities

drilling monitoring elicitation feedback

pronunciation students student stage
choral check check lesson
individual help ask answers
repeat walk questioning students

Unit 15.8
PPP (Present
- Production - tense modal adverb
Practice) past verb verb
grammar present auxiliary describe
target language future should how
controlled perfect lexical part of speech
free
TTT (Teacher
interaction Talk Time) error visual aids
pair work STT (Student mistake pictures
group work Talk Time) correct whiteboard
alone reduce wrong video
students input techniques slides
elicit

productive skills task type student-centred needs analysis

speaking true/false teacher-led students
writing gap-fill together want
produce ranking pairwork goals
receptive discussion groupwork plan

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 219
 Unit 15.9: Teaching practice preparation
and reflection

Preparation for teaching

Before each lesson, consider these questions:
XX How will you create rapport with your learners?
XX How will you organise the seating arrangements? Will the layout stay the same
throughout the lesson?
XX Will you vary the interaction patterns? How? When?
XX How will you ensure your instructions are clear and concise? Plan these in advance.
XX How will you ensure your teacher talk is accessible to the learners?
XX How will you ensure there is a reasonable balance between teacher-led activities and
student-centred activities?
XX When and how will you monitor the learners? How will you use the information you
have gathered?
XX Will you use the board? (Plan this in advance.)
XX How will you conduct feedback? Will you vary the techniques?
Unit 15.9

XX How will you ensure you maintain an appropriate learning pace? Will you include any
differentiation?

Reflection on teaching
After each lesson, consider the following questions:
XX How did your management of the class impact on the learning and teaching that
took place?
XX What aspects of classroom management were successful in the lesson? Provide
supporting evidence.
XX What aspects of classroom management could have been improved in the lesson?
What strategies do you have for improving in these areas in your next lesson?

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220 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 19.4: How can I get to know the group?

(1) Interview the learners (typical questions)

1. How long have you been learning English?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why are you learning English?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. What areas of your English are you most confident with?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. What areas of your English do you feel you need to work on?
__________________________________________________________________________________

Unit 19.4
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
5. What kind of activities do you like doing in class?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
6. What are your interests?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

(2) Guidelines for unassessed TP

Working in your TP group, teach a 90-minute lesson based on the materials you have been
given. In your lesson you should:
uu do an activity to break the ice/get to know your learners
uu engage your learners in the topic of the lesson
uu pre-teach some vocabulary clarifying the meaning, form and pronunciation
uu provide an initial reading or listening task
uu provide a second reading or listening task
uu include a productive skills follow-up task or some language work
uu provide some delayed error correction.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 221
 Unit 22.1: Example lesson plan pro forma

Teacher’s name Lesson number Lesson type

Tutor’s name Date Level

Group profile

Personal aims

Main aims
Unit 22.1

Subsidiary aims

Lesson fit

Assumptions

Materials and resources

Anticipated problems and solutions

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222 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
 Timing
Interaction

Unit 22.1
Procedure
Stage aim
Stage

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 223
 Unit 22.2a: Example of TP points from the first half
of an entry-level course

Trainee A
XX Present some new items of vocabulary based on Exercises 1–4 on page 11.
XX Provide speaking fluency practice on the same topic.

You will need to liaise with the other trainees teaching today.
In your lesson, you should:
XX engage learners’ interest in the topic
XX present your chosen items of vocabulary, clarifying the meaning, written form and
pronunciation
XX provide a short controlled practice activity for learners to practise using these new
vocabulary items
XX provide a speaking fluency task where learners have the opportunity to use the new
vocabulary.

You may follow the speaking with an error correction activity, if time allows.

Trainee B
Unit 22.2a

Plan and deliver a reading lesson based on Exercise 5 on page 12.

You will need to liaise with the other trainees teaching today.
In your lesson, you should:
XX engage learners’ interest in the topic of the text
XX present any vocabulary that learners might need to know in order to read the text
effectively
XX provide learners with an initial reading practice task based on the text
XX provide learners with a second reading practice task based on the text.

You may want to include a short follow-up speaking activity, if time allows.

Trainee C
Present and provide practice of grammar (present perfect and past simple) based on
Exercises 6–9 on pages 12–13 and refer to the language bank on pages 128–129.

You will need to liaise with the other trainees teaching today.
In your lesson you should:
XX introduce the target language in a context so that learners can understand it
XX clarify the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language
XX provide at least one (or two, if time allows) controlled practice activities to give
learners a chance to use the target language.

You may want to include a freer practice activity, if time allows.

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224 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 22.2b: Example of TP points from the second
half of an entry-level course

Trainee A
Plan and deliver a receptive skills lesson. You can base your lesson on, or get ideas from,
the material in Unit 7. Alternatively, you can design your own or use a different source.

You must liaise with the other trainees teaching today.

Trainee B
Plan and deliver a functions lesson. You can base your lesson on, or get ideas from,
the material in Unit 7. Alternatively, you can design your own or use a different source.

You must liaise with the other trainees teaching today.

Trainee C
Plan and deliver a writing lesson. You can base your lesson on, or get ideas from, the

Unit 22.2b
material in Unit 7. Alternatively, you can design your own or use a different source.

You must liaise with the other trainees teaching today.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 225
 Unit 22.2c: Example of TP guidelines from an
experienced teachers’ course

Teach one 40-minute skills lesson (reading, writing, speaking or listening) and one 40-minute
systems lesson (grammar, vocabulary, phonology or discourse). You can select or design your
own materials or use one of the coursebooks available in the teachers’ library.

Although you will not be team-teaching as such, it may be useful to regard each TP session as
one whole lesson. It will be more rewarding for your learners if the teaching slots fit together
into one coherent learning experience for the group. For this to take place, you will need to
liaise closely with the other teachers teaching on the same day, and work together during the
planning stage. Consider linking your lessons thematically and make sure there is suitable
variety in terms of skills, language aims and activity types. You should decide together the
order in which you will teach.

Remember: you must attend every week – even when you are not teaching – so that you can
observe your peers and give them feedback. You will be given peer observation tasks to complete.
Unit 22.2c

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Unit 23.2: Aims vs activities

1. Which of the following are aims and which are activities?

a. To read a newspaper article about the impact of global warming.
b. To teach the present perfect for experience.
c. By the end of the lesson, learners will have completed a gap-fill using the past simple.
d. By the end of the lesson, learners will be better able to contribute to a group discussion.
e. To present and practise using [verb + noun] collocations.
f. To do a restaurant roleplay.
g. By the end of the lesson, learners will have understood the meaning of six items of
vocabulary related to the weather (storm, hurricane, gale, shower, hail and fog) and
practised using them in both controlled and freer ways.
h. To exchange personal information with a partner and then give feedback to the class.
i. To develop listening for gist and detail.
j. By the end of the lesson, learners will have finished page 30 of the coursebook.

2. Now look at the lesson aims and decide:

Unit 23.2
XX Which ones are clearly expressed? Why?
XX Which ones could be expressed more clearly? How?

Answer key
1.
Aims: b, d, e, g, i
Activities: a, c, f, h, j

2. They could all be expressed more clearly:

b. To introduce learners to the meaning, form and pronunciation of the present perfect
for experience (e.g. I’ve been to Thailand) in the context of travelling.
d. By the end of the lesson, learners will be better able to contribute to a group
discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of higher education.
e. To raise awareness of the form of six [verb + noun] collocations used to talk about free
time activities (watch TV, go swimming, play football, read a book, listen to music and
meet friends).
g. By the end of the lesson, learners will have better understood the meaning of six
items of vocabulary related to the weather (storm, hurricane, gale, shower, hail and
fog) and practised using them productively in both controlled written practice and
spoken freer practice.
i. To develop listening for gist and detail in the context of a radio news report.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 227
 Unit 23.5

228
Stage Stage aim Procedure Interaction Timing

Lead-in To brainstorm learners’ Students brainstorm as many things as they can about Students  5 minutes
ideas and knowledge Sheffield in two minutes. Students
about Sheffield and
Student share their ideas with the whole class; the teacher Students 
engage them in the
records their ideas on the board. Teacher
topic of the lesson.

Skim To familiarise the Students have two minutes to read the text (cut up into four Students  10 minutes
reading learners with the paragraphs) and rearrange these into order. The teacher Students (15 minutes
structure of the text and monitors. total)
Students 
its general contents.
Students give reasons for their choices in their groups. Students
The teacher monitors.
Students 
The teacher checks students’ answers and then displays the Teacher
original text.
Vocabulary To introduce learners to The teacher hands out a list of words and definitions. Student  10 minutes
key vocabulary items in Student (25 minutes
Students match each word to the correct definition. If they find
context. total)
the task difficult, they can find the words in the text using the Students 
context to help them. Teacher
for a 45-minute reading lesson.

The teacher receives feedback, concept checks any difficult

words and drills pronunciation.

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Reading for To allow the learners to Students re-read the text and make notes about the main facts. Student 15 minutes

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
detail develop their ‘reading (40 minutes
Without looking at their notes, students try to reconstruct as Student 
for detail’ subskill. To total)
much information about the text as possible. Student
also develop speaking
skills. The teacher receives feedback and corrects any errors. Students 
Teacher
Speaking To personalise the task Students compare the information they have just read about Students  5 minutes
by giving students the Sheffield with their own hometowns. The teacher monitors and Students (5 minutes
opportunity to respond makes a note of errors and good language use. total)
Unit 23.5: An example of a completed procedure

Students 
to the text.
During feedback, the teachers draws attention to any Teacher

Appendix
common language problems.
Unit 23.7: Language analysis sheet blank

Target language

Context

Example sentences

Unit 23.7
Meaning

Strategies for checking understanding of meaning

Anticipated problems with meaning Solutions

Form

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 229
 Anticipated problems with form Solutions

Pronunciation

Anticipated problems with pronunciation Solutions

Unit 23.7

Appropriacy

Anticipated problems with appropriacy Solutions

References

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230 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 23.7: Language analysis sheet (example)

Target language
used to

Context
Learners describe their personal past habits and states. The language will be presented in a short
dialogue in which the teacher talks about her past habits and states.

Example sentences
I used to travel to work every day by bus, but now I travel by car.
I used to live in London, but now I live in Sheffield.

Meaning
This structure is used to describe repeated habits and states that happened in the past, and which do
not happen now. We can replace ‘used to’ with the past simple. ‘Used to’ is not used to describe events
happening only once.

Unit 23.7
Strategies for checking understanding of meaning
A timeline will be used to indicate when the actions happened:
I used to live in London I live in Sheffield
2011 2014 Today
Concept-checking questions will also be used. For states:
Do I live in London now? (No)
Where do I live now? (In Sheffield)
Did I live in London between 2011 and 2014? (Yes)
Concept-checking questions for habits:
How do I travel to work now? (By car)
How did I travel to work in the past? (By bus)
Did I travel to work by bus repeatedly or just once? (Repeatedly)

Anticipated problems with meaning Solutions

1) The students may think the structure can be 1) I will ask learners to listen to my description
used to talk about single events: e.g. ‘I used to of my past habits and states. I will ask them to
move house last weekend’ identify examples of past habits (e..g. ‘I used to
travel to work by bus’). I will use the questions
2) The students may think the structure can be
above to check habits. I will ask them which tense
used to talk about present habits: e.g. ‘Today I
we use to talk about single actions/events.
used to drink coffee’.
2) I will show the learners’ the timeline and ask
them the questions (above) to clarify that we
use ‘used to’ to talk about the past only.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 231
 Form
positive: subject + used to + infinitive: e.g. I used to live in London.
negative: subject + didn’t use to + infinitive: e.g. I didn’t use to live in Madrid.
question: did + subject + use to + infinitive: e.g. Did you use to live in Madrid?

Anticipated problems with form Solutions

The students may add the ‘d’ to negative and I will write the example forms of ‘used to’ (see
question structures: ‘I didn’t used to’ above) on the whiteboard. I will elicit the form
of the negative (e.g. subject + ‘didn’t use to’ +
infinitive) from the learners. I will highlight the
‘d’ in the positive form and clarify that there is no
‘d’ in the negative or question form.

Pronunciation
In a neutral sentence the following syllables are stressed:
I used to travel to work. /aɪ ˈju:s tə ˈtrævl tə ˈwɜːk/
There is linking between ‘used’ and ‘to’: e.g. /ˈju:stə/

Anticipated problems with pronunciation Solutions

1) Learners may pronounce the ‘d’ in used to: e.g.,
Unit 23.7

1) I will model the correct pronunciation and

/ˈju:sd tə/. ask learners to repeat by using choral and
individual drilling. I will then ask them if
2) Learners may try to stress ‘to’ and use the
they can hear a /d/ sound.
strong form: e.g. /ˈju:s ˈtu:/
2) A
 gain I will model the correct pronunciation
and ask the learners to repeat.

Appropriacy
This is a neutral structure which can be used in any situation.

Anticipated problems with appropriacy Solutions

N/A N/A

References
Lebeau, I. and Rees, G (2008) Language Leader Pre-intermediate. Longman: 142

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232 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 23.10: Tips for dealing with mixed abilities

For early finishers:

XX Suggest a short extra task to complete until the others have finished. For example,
if they finish a reading task quickly, they check their answers. Point out any that they
have got wrong and ask them to think again about those ones. Alternatively, they
return to the text and underline any unknown vocabulary, which they can then check in
a dictionary either in the class or at home.
XX Provide an extension of the original task. For example, if the student finishes a
vocabulary matching task early, they can start thinking about word class and/or word
stress of the target items.
XX If more than one student finishes early, they chat in English while the others finish.
If they have just read a text, they discuss anything that they found surprising.
XX Ask them to compare their answers together. If you have planned to include a peer-
checking stage later (which is advisable), make sure you remember to change the
pairs for this.

For learners requiring more support:

XX Provide extra support tasks. For example, with a reading task, give learners key words

Unit 23.10
and extra help to encourage them to complete the tasks. Use the monitoring phase to
offer support to struggling students.

General tips:
XX Give learners a time limit when you are setting up an activity: if they know how much
time they have available to complete a task, they are less likely to rush it. As the end
of the allotted time approaches, give time checks, for example, ‘Two more minutes!’
XX Think about how you organise pairwork and groupwork so that you don’t always put
stronger learners together. For accuracy-based tasks, pair stronger students with
weaker students. For fluency-based tasks, it usually works better to pair students of a
similar ability, as putting stronger and weaker learners together can lead to frustration
on both sides.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 233
 Unit 24.6: Guiding questions on the role of planning

XX What sections of the lesson plan template have you found most challenging to
complete? Why?

XX What have you learned about planning from your experience so far on the course?
Unit 24.6

XX What advice do you have for your peers about planning?

XX How do you intend to develop your planning in the remaining part of the course?

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Unit 24.10: The dos and don’ts of lesson planning

Do Don’t

uu make sure you have identified clear, measurable and uu leave writing the plan until
achievable aims, and that these are worded from the the last minute
students’ perspective uu have too many tasks or
uu include clear and logical stages which build on each other materials
and contribute towards achieving the main aim(s) uu describe in too much detail
uu think carefully about the rationale behind each of your everything that will happen
planned activities uu be too focused on what the
uu think about your lesson from the students’ point of view teacher will do; instead,
uu include both learner and teacher activity in the focus on what the students
procedure and make sure this is sufficiently detailed will achieve

uu include classroom management information, e.g. uu use shorthand that may not
interaction patterns, seating arrangements, how be understood by others
monitoring and feedback will be carried out
uu analyse target language thoroughly and plan how to

Unit 24.10
clarify and check understanding of it
uu anticipate realistic problems with the target language/
skills, tasks, materials, equipment and classroom
management and plan how to overcome these
uu be realistic about what can be covered and include
flexi-stages and extension tasks
uu be flexible with anticipated timings
uu reference the original source of any materials
uu ensure your plan is neat, organised and easy to follow

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 235
 Unit 29.2: Provide observation tasks

Here are some observation tasks that trainees could complete when observing an experienced
teacher. You may decide to use as many or as few as you wish, depending on the focus of the
observation. The tasks are ranked from ones for inexperienced observers to more specific tasks
for experienced trainees.

Tasks to complete while observing an experienced teacher

uu List the different stages of the lesson.

uu How does the teacher give instructions to set up tasks?

uu Try to remember all the students’ names.

uu Choose a couple of learners. What strengths and weaknesses do they have? (Think about
skills, grammar, lexis and pronunciation.)
Unit 29.2

uu What could you take from this lesson and use in your own lessons?

uu What are the teacher’s main and subsidiary lesson objectives?

uu How does the teacher grade their language? Write down some examples.

uu Are the learners’ needs met? Provide evidence for this.

uu Is there evidence of skills and language development? Give some examples.

uu Are resources used appropriately? Explain why you think this is.

uu How is whole-class feedback managed? How are different feedback techniques employed?

uu How does the lesson build on previous learning and fit in with the wider aims of the course?

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Unit 30.5: Observing the learners

The aim of this observation task is for you to get to know the learners better, both in terms
of their language ability and their personality. As you observe, make some notes in the table
about the learners.

Areas to Interaction
Name Nationality Strengths improve in class

Unit 30.5

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 237
 Unit 30.6: Focusing on their own areas for
improvement

Looking back at your action points from your teaching practice feedback and tutorials, choose
at least three aspects of classroom teaching which you still need to work on.

As you watch the lesson, complete the table below, making notes on how the teacher deals
with this aspect of teaching and what you could incorporate into your own teaching.

What could you incorporate into

Aspect of How does the teacher deal with
your own teaching to help you
teaching this in the lesson?
improve your practice?
Unit 30.6

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Unit 30.8: Having plenty to discuss after the lesson

Peer observation task

As you observe your peers, make some notes about the following areas:

Name of teacher: Name of observer:

Achievement of aims

Teacher’s rapport with the learners

Unit 30.8
Staging of instructions

Feedback on tasks

Pace and timing

Monitoring

Other

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 239
 Unit 31.3: Provide language of reflection

Prompts for reflection

I should/could have … (demonstrating understanding of good practice)
I should have allowed time for students to compare/discuss their answers together before
whole-group feedback. This would have involved everyone, provided some incidental speaking
practice, allowed for some peer-teaching and -learning and increased confidence going into
open-class feedback.

Student-centred observations with evidence

Students were all using the target language communicatively in the free practice activity.
As I monitored, I heard personalised examples, although they weren’t always accurate. Because
I didn’t want to interrupt fluency, I dealt with common mistakes in the delayed error correction
stage at the end.

Concrete ways to improve a specific aspect of teaching

I forgot to nominate individual learners to answer during whole-class feedback, so the most
dominant student kept shouting out the answers and the quieter ones didn’t get chance to
contribute. In my next lesson I will remember to nominate and will do this before asking the
question. I will use my monitoring to observe who has the right answers and then use this to
Unit 31.3

inform my feedback.

I would change … to make …

I would change my grammar presentation stage to make it more student-centred and less
teacher-led. Instead of me lecturing them and telling them everything, I would try to actively
involve them by eliciting more and then encouraging them to work out the rules for themselves
from the marker sentences. This would make the language more meaningful and memorable
for the learners.

This was a positive experience for me because ...

This was a positive experience for me because it was the first time I’d successfully implemented
a variety of different strategies for checking understanding of meaning of the target vocabulary
items. I used concept checking questions, realia, synonyms and elicited examples. Using
different techniques really helped to keep the learners engaged, and they seemed to get the
new words.

I learnt from … because …

I learnt from this lesson because I realised how important it is to anticipate possible problems
and think about how to overcome them during the planning stage. I hadn’t considered that
the students would find the ordering task so difficult and that it would take so long, so I didn’t
know how to deal with this during the lesson. Next time I will make sure I have concrete
strategies in place for dealing with unexpected events like this.

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Unit 31.5: Use reflection tasks

Self-reflection task 1

Self-reflection questions
Name

Lesson number

After teaching your lesson, consider the following questions.

1. W
 hat did you like about your lesson today? Give two or three examples. Try to relate
these to previous lessons where possible.

2. What didn’t go so well today? Try to give some specific examples.

Unit 31.5
3. T
 hinking about Question 2 above, what do you think you could have done differently?
Try to give specific examples.

4. T
 hinking about the next time you teach, how do you think you can improve in the
areas you mentioned in Questions 1–3? Try to consider theory and examples of good
practice you have observed.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 241
 Unit 31.5: Use reflection tasks

Self-reflection task 2

Self-reflection questions
Name

Lesson number

After teaching your lesson, consider the following questions.

1. Think about the input sessions you attended this week. What aspects of those input
sessions did you demonstrate or practise in this lesson?

2. Think about the input sessions you attended this week. What aspects of those input
Unit 31.5

sessions do you think you didn’t utilise effectively in this lesson?

3. Thinking about Question 2 above, what do you think you could have done differently?
Try to give specific examples from the input sessions you attended or any reading that
you have done.

4. Thinking about the next time you teach, how do you think you can improve in the areas
you mention above? Try to consider any theory and examples of good practice you
have observed.

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Unit 31.5: Use reflection tasks

Self-reflection task 3

Self-reflection questions
Name

Lesson number

Teacher talk

After teaching your lesson, consider the following questions.

1. Think about the lesson from the point of view of your learners. Do you think your
instructions were effective? Give reasons for your answer.

Unit 31.5
2. Do you think you staged your feedback effectively? Give reasons for your answer.

3. Think about your teacher talk in general. Which aspects of it were effective and which less
so? Give reasons for your answers.

4. How can you improve in the areas you mention above? Try to link your suggestions to
the input session on teacher talk as well as to your wider reading.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 243
 Unit 31.5: Use reflection tasks

Self-reflection task 4

Self-reflection questions
Name

Lesson number

Lesson progression

After teaching your lesson, consider the following questions.

1. Think about your action points from previous lessons. Do you think you addressed any of
them? Say why or why not, and how.
Unit 31.5

2. How did this lesson improve on previous teaching practice?

3. Which areas of improvement do you feel this lesson did not address? Give reasons for
your answer.

4. How do you plan to continue developing in your next lessons? Give concrete examples.

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Unit 32.2: Use a clear feedback form

Feedback form template

Teacher’s name Lesson number Level

Observer’s name Date Number of learners

Personal aims

Main aims

Subsidiary aims

Unit 32.2
Overall comment on the plan

Strengths

Areas to work on

Overall comment on the lesson

Strengths

Areas to work on

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 245
 Unit 32.5: Use a running commentary approach

Running commentary: Example 1

Comment
Unit 32.5
Interaction
Activity
Stage / Time

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Unit 32.5: Use a running commentary approach

Running commentary: Example 2

Stage / Time Good points Suggestions

Unit 32.5

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 247
 Units 38.4: and 39.5: Assignment checklist

Once your trainees have finished their assignments, give them the relevant checklist to ensure
they have included everything they need to. The first checklist (‘All assignments’) can be used
with any assignment, whereas the other checklists refer to specific types of assignment (e.g.
the ‘Language analysis assignments’ checklist should only be given to trainees who have
completed an assignment analysing language).

Ask your trainees to put a tick next to each question after they have completed it:

All assignments
Question Completed?

Have you proofread your assignment carefully correcting any language errors?

Have you used correct terminology when referring to skills or systems?

Have you answered the question?

Units 38.4 and 39.5

Have you provided references for any sources you have used?

Have you included relevant evidence (quotes, research findings,

observations) in your assignment?

Have you included relevant support documents (lesson material, plans,

course outlines) with your assignment?

Is your assignment logically and clearly organised?

Language analysis assignments

Question Completed?

Have you researched the language thoroughly?

Have you analysed the language sufficiently for teaching purposes?

Needs analysis assignments

Question Completed?

Have you described your chosen learner/learners/class in sufficient depth?

Is your description of your chosen learner/learners/class balanced (i.e. does

it describe what they can and cannot currently do)?

Do your chosen remedial work tasks link to your chosen learners’ identified
areas of improvement?

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Course, lesson or material design assignments
Question Completed?
Have you identified the specific needs of your learners?
Are your tasks suitable for your chosen learners?
Do your tasks exemplify the skill or system you have chosen?
Is your course logically sequenced to meet your learners’ needs and to
provide a real learning experience?

Reflection assignments
Question Completed?
Have you linked your reflection to practice (including clear examples from

Units 38.4 and 39.5

your teaching)?
Have you identified both strengths and weaknesses in your practice?
Have you stated how you hope to develop as a teacher?

Observation assignments
Question Completed?
Have you fully completed the observation tasks?
Have you linked observation to theory?
Have you considered how your observation can inform your own practice?

Action research assignments

Question Completed?
Have you considered the source of the problem you identified?
Have you clearly linked your solution to the problem you identified?
Is your evidence sufficient to justify the success or failure of your action?
Have you analysed your evidence in sufficient depth?

Language learning log assignments

Question Completed?

Have you reflected on your experience and outlined both positives and
negatives?

Have you reflected on your experience from a range of different

perspectives (e.g. teaching methodology, procedures, etc.)?

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 249
 Unit 40.9: Job hunting advice

Job hunting input session

A. Job hunting

Which of the following will most influence you in looking for a teaching job? Discuss in groups.
XX Earning lots of money
XX Staying near family and friends
XX Travelling
XX Learning about a new culture and a new language
XX Working in a school with a good reputation
XX Gaining any kind of teaching experience
XX Furthering your career

B. Job adverts
1. Where can you look for an English language teaching job? Discuss with a partner.
Unit 40.9

2. What specifics should you look for? What should you avoid?

What to look for in a job advert What to avoid in a job advert

C. Useful websites
Useful websites for finding ELT jobs:

Tefl.com International House

The British Council Bell Language Schools
EL Gazette i-to-i
My ESL Jobs Dave’s ESL Cafe
ESL Employment Cactus TEFL

Go to one of the websites and look at at least two jobs that are advertised.
1. Do they look like good jobs? Why / Why not?
2. Would you consider applying for either job? Why / Why not?

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D. Your TEFL CV

Discuss the following questions in small groups:

1. What do you think you need to include in your CV when applying for a teaching job?
2. What do you not need to include?

E. Interviews

Discuss these questions in your groups:

1. What type of questions do you think you might be asked at interview?
2. What sort of answers would you give?

F. What to ask about in a job interview

In your group, consider what you would ask at interview. Use these ideas to help you.
XX Working/teaching hours

Unit 40.9
XX Academic support
XX Resources/equipment
XX Accommodation
XX Class type/levels taught
XX Transport (flights, local travel)
XX Visa/work permit
XX Training/professional development

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 251
 Trainer’s notes
A. 1: Trainees rank the criteria according to their own preferences. They should justify their
choices. After discussing in groups, each group presents their top three to the whole class.
You could include a class survey to find out which is the most popular reason.

This task could be carried out as a pyramid discussion: see Unit 48 for an explanation of what
they are.

B. 1: Trainees work in pairs to complete this task and then feed back to the whole group.

Answer will depend on the context you are working in, but might include:

Local schools’ websites; international schools and organisations’ websites; newspapers (in print
and online); specialised recruitment websites; social media.

B. 2: Trainees complete this on their own and then share their answers with a partner before
sharing with the whole class.
Answers might include:
Unit 40.9

What to look for in a job advert What to avoid in a job advert

uu reasonable working and teaching hours uu a lack of information
uu academic support on the job (i.e. on a day-to-day basis) uu jobs that only want a certain
type of teacher (e.g. native
uu availability of resources and equipment speakers)
uu accommodation – whether provided, where it is, uu jobs that do not ask for any
whether it is shared or individual qualifications
uu the level and type of learners taught (young learners,
exam classes, etc.)
uu transportation (flights and local travel passes)
uu visas and work permits (who arranges these)
uu provision of training and professional development
uu holiday entitlement

C: Trainees research at least two of the websites mentioned. (All of these can be found quite
easily using a search engine.) They make notes about each website either working individually
or with a partner. After looking at the websites, they discuss their answers with a partner.
Answers will vary.
D: Trainees discuss the two questions in small groups before feeding back to the whole class.
Make a note of their answers on the board.

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Answers might include:

What to include What to not include

uu name and contact details uu personal information such as your marital
uu personal statement status, number of children, religion, etc.
uu qualifications uu lies
uu experience uu unnecessary information
uu irrelevant information
uu professional skills
uu language mistakes
Note: all of these should relate to the job you
are applying for.

E: Trainees discuss their answers in groups. They make a note of their answers to share with the
whole group.
Answer will vary. A quick internet search will reveal a list of common questions and answers
asked at interviews. At a TEFL/TESOL job interview, these questions might be about language
awareness, teaching experience, classroom management knowledge and skills, as well as
interests and expectations. The applicant might also be asked to demonstrate a whole lesson

Unit 40.9
or part of one. Unit 4 includes more information about interviewing trainees for a course, most
of which will be relevant to applying for a job.

F: For this final task, the trainees should work in new groups. They share their ideas with the
whole class. Then if you have time, ask trainees to role play the interviews with half the group
acting the role of a teacher looking for a job and the other half the role of a school director.
Then get them to swap roles and repeat.

Answers might include:

XX What are my working hours? Are these the same as my teaching hours? Will I be paid
for lesson preparation, marking and administration?
XX Will I receive any day-to-day support? Will a more senior or established member of
staff be available to help me if I need it?
XX What resources are available? Does the school have a teachers’ library? Are computers
available for staff to use? What kind of boards are available in the classrooms?
XX Is accommodation provided? Will I have to share or will I have my own place? Is the
accommodation near the school?
XX What level of learners will I be teaching? Will I be teaching young learners, business or
exam classes?
XX Is a flight from my home town to X included? Is travel from my accommodation to the
school included?
XX Will you help me get a visa or work permit? How long does this process take? Can I do
it from my home?
XX What training is provided? Does the school encourage professional development?
What does this involve?
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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 253
 Unit 40.10: CPD opportunities

Continuing professional development handout

A. Ways to develop post-course

What do you think CPD might involve in ELT? Discuss this question with a partner.

B. Options
Look at these options for CPD, both formal and informal. Which would you like to do
immediately after the course? Are there any that you would like to do later in your career?

1. Face-to-face conferences and workshops 

2. Joining online communities 
3. Talking informally about teaching with people at work 
4. Reading about language teaching 
5. Doing research on your own classes (i.E. Doing action research) 
Unit 40.10

6. Running a workshop at a conference 

7. Giving an in-school teacher development session 
8. Writing a diary about your teaching 
9. Joining a professional organisation such as iatefl or tesol 
10. Peer observation 

C. Research
Research an area of CPD you are interested in. Be prepared to share your findings.

Trainer’s notes
A: Trainees discuss their ideas in pairs. Although answers to the initial question will vary, some
suggested answers are provided in Task B. Get some initial feedback and write these ideas on
the board. Trainee answers can then be compared with the list in Task B.

B: Trainees do this on their own and their compare their answers with other members of the
class as a mingle activity (i.e. they move around the classroom sharing their answers with as
many different trainees as possible). Get feedback from some of the trainees by asking them to
tell you some of the most interesting ideas they heard. Answer here will vary.

C: Encourage trainees to work on their own or with a partner who has similar interests. A simple
search using a search engine should provide a wealth of information here.

Trainees share their findings, first in small groups and then with the whole class. Answers will vary.

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Unit 41.6: Explore existing beliefs and practices

Teacher beliefs and attitudes questionnaire

A. Decide whether you agree, disagree or are not sure about the statements below.
Be prepared to share your ideas.

Agree Disagree Not sure

1. Language should always be presented in context.

2. Teachers should present language rules for students

to then apply.

3. Learners should be encouraged to work out

language rules for themselves.

4. Learners should be actively involved in the learning

process.

Unit 41.6
5. Learners should set their own goals and evaluate
their own progress.

6. Mistakes are an important part of the language

learning process.

7. There is no place for L1 in the L2 classroom.

8. Pairwork and groupwork are essential for effective

learning.

9. Coursebooks should be the primary source of

material in the language classroom.

10. Technical aids enhance the learning process.

B. Note down three of your most firmly held beliefs about learning and teaching based on your
previous experience. Justify your answers.

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 255
 Unit 41.9: Action points
Further support
Follow up /
Why?
With whom?
Unit 41.9
When?
Action to take
Point

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Unit 42.1: Fact-finding

Please take some time to complete this form. Doing so will help us to plan the proposed
teacher education course.

School
Name of institution

Location: country and locality

Type of school

Courses
Brief description of courses offered, including contents, aims and outcomes

Unit 42.1
Who designs/creates the courses?

Core texts/materials

Teachers (general information)

Number of teachers

Typical qualifications

Typical level of teachers’ English

Number of working hours (contact + planning)

Type of professional development available to teachers

Typical number of years working in current role

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Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 257
 Learners
Typical number of learners per class

Typical learner profile

Number of contact hours per week and per semester/term

Number of homework/self-study hours per week and per semester/term

Typical entrance-level ability

Final expected level

Unit 42.1

Aims of learners post-course

Resources
Typical classroom (layout, size and resources available)

Materials and resources available to teachers

Technology available to teachers

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Unit 46.1: An internal complaints procedure

We very much hope that you will be satisfied with your course, the school, the facilities
and your tutors. Please tell us immediately if you have any sort of problem so that we
can do our best to deal with it promptly.

However, if you have a complaint, please follow the procedures outlined below:

1. Speak to your (personal/TP) tutor. They will listen to you and try to find a solution.

2. If you are still not satisfied, speak to the lead/main tutor who will try to resolve
the issue.

3. If you are still not satisfied, your complaint will be escalated to the school director,
who will ask you to put your complaint in writing.

4. You will receive a written reply from the school director within one week, and you
may be asked to attend a meeting to discuss the matter further.

Unit 46.1
5. If you are satisfied that the matter has been resolved, the complaint will be closed.

6. If you are still not satisfied, and if applicable, your complaint will be referred to the
appropriate external body and their complaints procedure followed.

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 Unit 48.1: Getting formal feedback

Trainee feedback form

Teacher training course feedback form
Any feedback you can give us will help to improve future teacher training courses. Feel free
to include negative as well as positive comments. If you have any additional comments,
please add them at the end.

Course name/number

Before the course

Please comment on the pre-course administration, tasks and communication.

Input sessions
Please comment on the content and delivery of the workshops you attended.
Unit 48.1

Teaching practice
Please comment on your experience of teaching practice, including the logistics, learners
and materials.

Tutor support
Please comment on the level and depth of support you received from your tutor.

Anything else?
Use this section to make any additional comments.

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Unit 48.5: A pyramid discussion

Pyramid discussion feedback activity

1. T
 hink about the different aspects of the course listed below. Which do you think had the
biggest impact on your development? Order them from 1 to 10 (1 = most impact; 10 = least
impact). Decide on your answers by yourself and think about reasons for your choices.
XX Input
XX Unsupervised lesson planning
XX Supervised lesson planning
XX Teaching practice
XX Observation of experienced teachers
XX Peer observation
XX Self-reflection
XX Tutor feedback
XX Peer feedback
XX Written work

Unit 48.5
2. N
 ow compare your order with a partner. Remember to justify your decisions and provide
supporting evidence where possible. Together, you need to reach an agreement on the
order of importance. You may have to convince your partner.

3. N
 ow work in groups and compare your order again. Be prepared to explain your ideas and
be persuasive. Reach a consensus as a group.

4. Finally, as a whole group, try to agree on the three most useful areas of the course.

You may photocopy this page.

Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 261
 Unit 48.7: Feedback from learners

5. How did you

1. What did you like
participate in the
about the lesson(s)?
lesson(s)?

2. What did you learn? 6. What confused you?

3. W
 hat questions do you 7. What would you like to
still have? find out more about?
Unit 48.7

8. T
 ry to sum up your
4. W
 hat did you find
experience in a few
difficult?
words.

You may photocopy this page.

262 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020. Appendix
Unit 48.8: Tutor feedback form

Thank you for working on our recent course. In an effort to improve the course – and to retain
the successful features – we would appreciate it if you could complete the following feedback
form. It is anonymous, but do feel free to include your name if you wish.

Course name/number Your name (Please feel free to leave this part blank.)

Candidate selection
Consider the candidates on the course, including any difficulties you or they encountered,
their abilities, suitability for the course, etc.

Input sessions
Consider the number of sessions, their contents, timetabling and anything else you deem
important. (Feel free to comment on any sessions, even if you did not deliver them yourself.)

Unit 48.8
Teaching practice
Consider the logistics, content and learners. Please add any other comments you feel are
important.

Written work
Consider the contents of the written tasks, how they were set up and any problems you may
have encountered.

Administration
Please comment on the administrative element of the course.

Anything else?

You may photocopy this page.

Appendix ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 263
 Write your own 10 tips

1.

2.
Units38.4and39.5

3.

4.

5.

264 ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020.
Write your own 10 tips

6.

7.

Units38.4and39.5
8.

9.

10.

ETpedia: Teacher Training © Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd and its licensors 2020 265
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