CELTA Assignment 1: Focus on the Learner Length: 750-1000 words

Aim
To investigate the learning context and assess the needs of a group of learners, and to act on this data by
finding appropriate language support material which correlates to their needs.
Part 1: Background
Find out from the rest of your TP group the information everyone collected on Day 1 (and
subseuently! about the students, and using this information write a summary of the group"
their level, ages, interests, reasons for learning #nglish, learner styles,
preferred activity types, previous learning experiences.
$omment briefly on the group%s communicative ability (ma&ing themselves clear, dealing with
not understanding, fluency, appropriacy! and ability to do s&ills tas&s successfully.
(300 words approx.)
Part 2: Strengths and Weaknesses
'bserve the students carefully during TP and note down specific examples of their strengths and
wea&nesses in the following areas"
(ist one specific example of successful language use and one error you have found in each of the
following areas" grammar , vocabulary and pronunciation. )ou can refer to either spo&en
language or written language (but specify which!. For the pronunciation point, use phonemic
symbols where necessary to indicate how the student pronounced a sound and how it should be
pronounced.
Example:
*rammar
+uccessful language use" ,-hile . was waiting, he called./ (no need to analyse for successful use!
#rror"
What the student said !rote":
What is !rong#
Why did the student make the
mistake#
,0e have been to Paris/.
-rong form of the auxiliary, should be ,has/.
The student &nows the third person form, but
made a slip while spea&ing. +ince only the third
person is not formed with ,have/, the student has
over1applied the rule.
(250 words approx.)
Part $: %elping the &earner"
From the problems outlined in Part 2' choose t!o specific problems' each from a different area
(grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation! e.g." 1. 2rea" grammar. Problem" choosing between present
perfect and past simple3 4. 2rea" pronunciation. Problem" ,th/ sound. Then describe a specific activity
which would provide the students with practice in this area. )ou can select an activity either from your
courseboo&, from a boo& of supplementary materials in the $#(T2 library, or design your own activity.
0owever, at least one of the activities you choose should be ta&en from published resource material
that is not the coursebook. Please attach photocopies of the activities, paying due regard to copyright.
Put into writing the aim of each activity, why you thin& it would be suitable for your students and briefly
indicate how you would use it.
(350 words approx.)
Assessment (riteria (ambridge )S*&" + A pass assignment sho!s candidates can:
show awareness of how a learner%s bac&ground, previous learning experience and learning style(s!
affect learning3
identify the learner%s language 5 s&ills needs3
correctly use terminology relating to the description of language systems and language s&ills3
select appropriate material and 5 or resources to aid the learner%s language development3
provide a rationale for using specific activities with a learner3
find, select and reference information from one or more sources3
use written language which is clear, accurate and appropriate to tas&.
CELTA Page 1
Assignment 1
Focus on the Learner
Trainee Name: Word Count: 75
Part 1
!ntroductor" #ro$i%e o$ "our c%ass &si'e( age range( gender mi)( nationa%it"*
A class of 15 students, both boys and girls, teenagers to adults (12 to 5! and Thai nationality
Learning +ac,ground: comment on language"learning bac#ground, learning styles,
moti$ation%reasons for study, and o$erall communicati$e ability&
This is an elementary class& 'tudents ha$e totally different language"learning bac#ground& T(o
students mentioned that they ha$e studied English for )*1+ years at school and uni$ersity, but they
need to study more in order to s,ea# English fluently& 'ome teenagers are high school students and
are studying English at school no( and they can only ,ractice s,ea#ing English (ith their teacher at
school& 'ome adults studied English at school many years ago and need to attend classes to refresh
their memories&
-ost of the students res,ond (ell to games, gestures, role ,lays and $isual acti$ities (hich sho( that
they are more .$isual/ and .#inaesthetic/ than .auditory/& They thin# grammar is difficult and they ,refer
s,ea#ing, (riting and learning ne( $ocabulary&
They ha$e different reasons for learning English& -ost of adults need English in their 0obs& They need
to communicate (ith foreigners, tal# (ith their friends and read English boo#s& 'ome of them (ant to
learn English in order to find a better 0ob& A fe( of them learn English for fun& -ost of students are
.instrumental/ and some of them are .intrinsic/&
They res,ond (ell to sim,le and clear instructions& They usually communicate by using only one
single (ord and are not able to use a com,lete structure correctly& They understand the numbers& They
ha$e difficulty in ,ronunciation1 they usually ,ut stress on the final syllabus of (ords& 2hen they are
not able to communicate (ith each other in L2, they sim,ly shift to L1&


Part 2
2rea 1 (*rammar!
#xample of good usage"
There are five people in my family.(written!
#xample of error"
-hat the student5s said 5 wrote" Do you li&e a cup of coffee6( spo&en!
-hat is wrong6 The conditional 7would li&e% (8infinitive! is often used as a polite
way of saying 7want%, especially in reuests and offers. 7Do you
li&e....6% is not used in this way.
-hy did they ma&e the
mista&e6
+ince the concepts 7to li&e% and 7to want% have almost similar
meanings the student may be unable to distinguish the difference.
Furthermore we can use both of them in one sentence, but with
different meanings" . li&e to play tennis.( in general! .%d li&e to play
tennis today.(today! +o students may use them wrongly.
2rea 4 (9ocabulary!
#xample of good usage"
:y brother is very handsome.(spo&en!
#xample of error"
-hat the student5s said 5 wrote" 0e will go to 2merican next month.(written!
-hat is wrong6 ;sing the nationality 72merican% instead of the country 72merica%.
-hy did they ma&e the
mista&e6
The student may be unaware of different terms for nationalities and
countries and may consider both of them the same, or might have
heard the word 72merican% more than 72merica%. Furthermore some
countries and nationalities have almost similar words which are
sometimes confusing for students, for example" 7*reece% and 7*ree&%.
2rea < (Pronunciation!
#xample of good usage"
.7m twenty four years old.
#xample of error"
-hat the student5s said" ;tterance of the words" 7church% and 7chip%. 5 5 for church
and 5 5 for chip
-hat is wrong6 They should pronounce 7church% as5 5 and 7chip% as 5 5.
-hy did they ma&e the
mista&e6
Thai spea&ers have problem in articulating certain final and initial
#nglish consonants for which there is no rough euivalent in Thai, as
a result they pronounce the one which is near to it. .n the Thai
language, #nglish consonants and vowels are widely pronounced as
their nearest Thai euivalent.
Part $
Problem
(i&e v. would li&e
2ctivities = >ationale
(earners are given a tas&1to invite someone out1and go around the class interacting
with peers in order to accomplish it. The material offers plenty of input and variety,
plus the context for this interactive activity involving the use of like v. would like.
?y doing this tas& students will experience different situations in which they
should choose to use either 7li&e% or 7would li&e% and learn the difference between
7li&e% and 7would li&e% and then use them properly.
Problem
Pronouncing
5 5 and 5 5
2ctivities = >ationale
(earners are given a tas& to listen to some words and then choose the ones with
5 5sound. They are also given another tas& to listen to more words and circle the
words they hear twice. ?y doing these two tas&s now they are uite familiar with
both sounds and are ready to practice pronouncing the sounds. The teachers shows
the students two pictures in different situations and as&s them to imitate the
sounds, he can also use a mouth diagram to show the students the place and
manner of articulation of the sounds. @ow the students wor& in pairs and dictate
some words to each other in which there are both5 5 and 5 5 sounds. 2nd finally
the teacher as&s the students to read some sentences and underline 5 5sound. ?y
doing these tas&s the students have heard, experienced, and practiced sounds and
can differentiate between 5 5and5 5 sounds.
Assignment 1 Chec#list
Background
0ave you found out about and commented on"
1 (earning history and type of learning the
students have been exposed to
1 $urrent exposure to #nglish and opportunities
for practice
1 :otivation
1 (earning style
1 'verall communicative ability
Areas for development
For each of the < areas, ma&e sure youA..
1 .dentify a specific and appropriate area to wor&
on (bac&ed up by at least 1 example from
interview 5 writing samples 5 observation of the
learners!
1 +uggest why the student has these problems
(referring to bac&ground, observations and
using 7(earner #nglish% will help!
1 +elect and attach appropriate materials for 2 of
the areas
1 +ay why and how the activities will help your
learner
*rammar 5 9ocab 5 Pron
(ommon pitfalls:
1 Trainees don%t get the data they need from interviews 5 writing samples, often through not as&ing
the right uestions5setting the right tas&s, or not getting the students tal&ing enough
1 The areas chosen don%t fit the examples (e.g 2 student says 7. li&e read% and the trainee chooses
to focus on the present continuous 1what is the actual problem in this example6!
1 :aterials chosen don%t fit the level of the students
1 :aterials chosen don%t fit or help solve the problem identified
1 Trainees don%t show enough understanding of how the materials will help the students
Ways to shine:
1 +how a clear understanding of the learners% bac&grounds5motivations5learning styles, and how
these affect their strengths and learning
1 +how a clear understanding of their problems and possible causes (using 7(earner #nglish% will
help you here!
1 +ource effective materials that suit the learner%s problems 5 level 5 learning style
1 show a clear understanding of what the teacher and learner would be doing and how this would
help the learner