That’s the only conclusion I can come to after a week of nasty man flu. Reading
about ELT methodology must cause the flu. I haven’t been ill for over three
years and after starting paper 2 and reading about testing, the history of ELT,
how second languages are acquired, I was hit with the flu. I should have got that flu jab.
 |
Anyone for a jab up the #@$% |
I guess it’s more a reflection of how much a DELTA can take over your
life. For the past month my timetable has been manic. Up studying, writing
terminology cards, and doing assignments from 8am till 1pm, then some lunch
before heading off to work until 10pm. That’s just Monday to Thursday. I’ve been
working flat out Friday, Saturday, and even Sunday mornings. My body had to
break at some point and last week it did. Photo by sylvar.
I’m not moaning though, even though my wife will tell you different if
you ask her how I was last week, I’m enjoying Paper 2 and the first Mock Exam
is just around the corner.
How’s Paper 2?
It’s actually really useful. Yes I am surprised because when I started
reading about testing, I questioned its uses.
Question 1 is all about analyzing whether a given test is appropriate
for a given student. It’s probably one of the most difficult parts of the exam
for me because I didn’t have a clue about the terminology and during my working
day I don’t think much about testing. Saying that, after the assignments I feel
ready for the exam.
Questions 2 and 3 are linked and I think these are both quite practical
and useful. You have to analyse exercises from a given course book and comment
on their purposes and state certain assumptions about why the authors have
included them. One great aspect of this question is that you start to question
yourself more about each activity you do in class. Exactly why am I doing a
warmer? What’s the point of talking about the images in the book? Is it
necessary to do two different types of grammar exercises? How do all these
exercises link together?
It’s not that I’ve never really thought about my classes before, and
maybe now I’m thinking too much about what I’m doing, but you get a better
sense of why you’re doing what you’re doing. I’m hoping that over time this will
become automatic.
We’re on question 4 this week and it’s a bit of a pig. The problem is
that the question is unpredictable, there is no set rubic, and it’s worth
almost half the paper’s marks. The question can cover anything from the grammar
or lexical approach, accuracy to fluency or fluency to accuracy, the
importance of course books over no course books, plus a lot more.
I’m just hoping with the reading I’ve done and my teaching experience I
can get a few marks together.
What’s in store?
As I mentioned before the mock exam is next week. The tutors suggest
doing it under exam conditions, which means doing paper 1 in 90 minutes, having
a 30 minute break, and then doing paper 2 in 90 minutes. I’ve got a couple of
days off before where I plan to study and then give the exam a go. Then it’s
back to assignments based on paper 1 again.
How am I feeling?
The closer we get to the exam the more I just want to get it over with,
but at the same time I’m trying to apply things that I’m learning to my
classes. I’m definitely doing a lot more pronunciation this year, writing in
phonetics, and I feel more prepared helping FCE with their writing. I think
module 2 will tightened up my classes even more though. It’s hard work, but now
I’m over the flu, I’m back on track and raring to go.
Is anyone else out there doing the DELTA? Drop a comment below and let
me know, get in touch.
Labels: DELTA, delta diary, elt methodology, flu, history of elt, module one delta, paper 2