DELTA DIARY: Module 2 – The break is over

I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t enjoy a month off doing my DELTA. It was great: I could read a novel on the metro and not worry about flipping my terminology cards, I spent some time changing the outlook of my blog, and I even got back into writing my novel. Not to mention a well earned break back in London for a week catching up with family and mates. 

Sadly, that’s all come to an end now. Last week was the first input session of module 2 and it looks like the next four months are going to be hectic. Here’s a little run down on the DELTA module 2.

Even more excited about the
FA Cup final this year.
Module 2 finishes
just before!
Photo markhillary

What’s Module 2 all about?

Becoming a better teacher, I hope, and adding to my grey hair collection. The course started last Tuesday (10^th January 2013) and we’ll be free again on the 10^th of May, just in time for the FA Cup final. We have input sessions from 9.30am to 2pm on Tuesday and Thursdays which cover language systems: grammar, phonology, and lexis and language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing. There are also sessions on learner styles, using technology in the class, and using course books as well as some peer observation sessions.

What do we have to do?

Assignments; and plenty of them. We have to do a PDA (Professional Development Assignment) which involves spotting our strengths and weaknesses and highlighting what we want to improve over the course, and four assignments – two systems and two skills. Three are going to be marked internally and the final one externally. It doesn’t sound like much over four months, but each one needs to include a 2,000-2,500 background essay, a detailed lesson plan, teaching a 40-60min lesson, and an evaluation. There are also two diagnostic lesson observations (first one this week) so the tutors can give us some guidelines on what to improve, plus an experimental lesson trying out a methodology that we’ve never done before.

How much time is it going to take up?

I reckon about every free minute that I have, apart from watching an odd game of football, slugging back some rioja on a Saturday night, and an occasional run by the river. Honestly, I think I’ll be working flat out: 23-27 contact hours a week, assignments, researching, peer observations, and input sessions. It’s going to be a tough four months. I guess I’ll have to put my novel to one side again.

What am I hoping to get out of it?

Module 1 taught me a lot of theory and terminology, but I’m hoping that this is where it all comes together. There are eight of us on the course, all with different backgrounds and experience so I’m hoping it’s going to be a bit of a laugh as well. I guess I’ll know more about my weaknesses after my diagnostic lesson. Personally I want to make my lessons tighter, better planned, and get some ideas about feedback and correction. Oh, and a certificate at the end would be splendido.

What am I most looking forward to?

Watching the FA Cup final with a massive jug of cruzcampo.

Is anyone else out there doing module 2 now? If you’re just starting module one then check out my last blog with some tips. Any advice from DELTA veterans would be great too!