استاد زبان انگلیسی پرستو علیزاده

There is no unique method that would suit every student and all learning strategies. Based on the purpose that you follow, you may use different methods when teaching. But my method, generally speaking, has three stages: “engagement, study, and activation”: I try to involve my students and attract their attention by showing them some pictures or by asking them some warm-up questions to make their minds ready. Afterwards I move to the study stage, providing them with the vocabulary, grammatical points and the kind of the language that they might need according to their own propose. After that comes the activation stage: I want them to use whatever I’ve taught them, I would make some examples, have them do some control practices and then free practice. During free practice they may talk about their favorite topic but they should use those grammatical points and expressions, and personalize them.

Regarding the books and references I use, I must say that no one single book or publication would meet every student’s needs and demands, so based on the needs analysis that I do when I speak to my friends and ask them about their purpose the aim that they follow, I use a variety of books in my classes, and sometimes in just one session I use three sources: one for vocabulary, one for grammar, and one for different components of language or different skills. I believe that no one single book or publication may answer the all needs of the students. About the course books and references that I have taught so far, I must say New Headway, American English Files series, Skills for reading, Mindset for Ielts (main course book for ielts candidates) are my primary books, but I must add I always use supplementary sources, like English Connotations in Use, Idioms in Use, Grammar in Use, all of them! Sometimes I take advantage of online sources and websites, those that I know are valid and belong to reliable companies, and sometimes I use those references.

I’ve been teaching at Iran-Mehr institute and Kish Institute, I love them because I think they have been successful at encouraging their applicants and their students, because they use up to date sources and not old fashioned ones, and their TTC courses are like this too, and they hire very professional and well-known instructors that they know how to use new materials, how to do needs analysis, how to manage the class and time, and they represent a good package I can say, a good package of what a good institute teacher must be.

Whose my ideal teacher? Actually I can name her, miss Tajedidni. She was my teacher when I was an advanced student. She was my teacher for some semesters and I really enjoyed her classes because she is really good tempered, she had a good connection with us and was also very knowledgeable. I mean good rapport is really important. If a teacher is really knowledgeable but cannot form a good connection with her student, I don’t consider that teacher a successful one, a good teacher must be human first, some teachers are like robots. They teach robot-like. I like dynamic classes full of positive energy. Positive psychology has many followers now and it’s going viral, so I believe it’s necessary for teachers too.

Again I believe there might be no single big-mistake for everyone, every teacher might have some major problems. Judging based on my own attitude towards teaching, I think lacking a good rapport with the students is a big mistake. Also bombarding the students with a lot of information in one session can exhaust them. So you should identify their learning style after forming a connection with them and present information without flooding them.

I don’t believe in nativism, by this I don’t mean to convey that I am against native teachers teaching English! But I believe that nowadays English is an international language. Due to some trends such as globalization and English as an International Language and papers that are published by none-native scholars from countries where English is not a native language, but they are very successful. Not all native teacher are necessarily ideal teachers. Because teaching a complex skill and needs a certain personality that maybe all native speakers don’t have! But when it comes to learning about the culture, proverbs, and life experiences, having a native teacher would be good. People can also watch documentaries or read books for these information, so it’s not a must to have a native teachers. Nowadays most scholars believe that none-native teachers can have special benefits to the language learners, since they are familiar with the first language of the students. Anyway the division between native and none native is not really that well-defined. Merely being native does not add to the art of teaching.

Both private and group classes have some advantages, it depends on the students goals and purposes and how much time they can spend on studying. If they have a deadline or are in hurry, they must choose private classes. But group classes have advantages: in groups, students can interact, get familiar with each other, give and take information, they can communicate. So each kind of private or group classes has their own plus sides.

About TTT and STT (teacher talking time and student talking time) I must say of course the second one must be longer than the first one. Because the more you speak, the more you produce language, the better and faster you get at learning the language. In classes, you are first going to be exposed to the language and then you are going to produce it. So you won’t be able to produce it if you don’t talk, and your teacher won’t be able to give you feedback. So I believe the students should talk more. It doesn’t mean they should just chit-chat and say anything, irrelevant topics that have nothing to do with the grammatical points, vocabulary or the skills taught in the class. Student must reproduce them little by little since it does not happen overnight. So I personally like the act of –give and taking questions: I ask, they answer, and vice versa. I try not to be dominant in the classes.