Blog post 5

Topic: Changes to my study programme

Instructions:

Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (career).

Among others, think about:

  • The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)
  • Workload and length of studies
  • Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)
  • Use of technology
  • Teaching methods

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Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post

Word Count: 230 words

 


For years, language teachers found ways to make a naturally exciting topic into a deathly dull one. Language teaching for most of the 20th Century was heavily influenced by the ‘grammar-translation’ of the 19th Century, which involved learning a new word or grammatical structure, translating it into your native language and memorizing it.

Teaching was based on a strict syllabus of what educators considered to be important, whether it was relevant to students’ needs or not. This led many people to think they were bad at languages

Techniques gradually adapted to be more situational, so grammar and vocabulary would be taught in contexts in which you might realistically use it. But the emphasis was still very much on reading, repeating and memorizing.

The ideas that came with the communicative approach are still dominant in language teaching today, for example a focus on the needs of each group of students, as opposed to using a rigid syllabus based on grammar, and the popularity of information gap exercises.

Although great teaching comes first from a great teacher, technology is making a big difference in modern classrooms. A huge variety of tools and exercises are available to teachers.

Dave from British Study Centres identifies the smartphone as a potential tool for the classroom, as the current generation of learners are fluent users of the devices. Apps make the “hard” work of memorization into a game, and can be an excellent addition to traditional classroom study.

Comments

  1. I agree, technology is definitely very present, especially in the classroom, it is a good work tool.

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  2. I find it interesting how the ways of teaching and learning English have been changing, I hope they become more interesting every day

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  3. It is true that nowadays technology plays a very important role in learning, becoming a very necessary tool for both students and teachers.

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  4. I think the same, technology today is very fundamental to teach and learn, it is a great tool for everyone.

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  5. It is very interesting how language education has evolved.

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  6. I think you are right when you say that good teaching comes from a good teacher. Nowadays, it depends a lot on how the teachers teach us deliver the information for us to receive it well or badly.

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  7. Very interesting, technology has helped a lot to learn and teach.

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  8. The games are very useful, in my opinion, I used that to memorize some stuffs when I was in the school

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  9. Technology can be a very interesting medium to teach nowdays.

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  10. I agree that is important to recognize that technologies are now very useful tools, you can learn a lot if u give them the right use.

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