Page 22 - ELG1709 Agu-Sep Issue 450

OUT FEATURES & COMMENT
secondary to a moment of good timing, and
good fortune. I got my first proper gig in
EAP because they needed a teacher to cover
the summer course, rather than the fact of
completing a masters in a related subject.
These days though, because so many
candidates have gained postgraduate
qualifications related to ELT – such as the
masters in Tesol – it is harder to get the
first gig that gives you a foot in the door of
universities.
On the plus side, there are a greater
number of private institutions who are now
offering opportunities for work in EAP,
even though posts may not be so lucrative.
These include Kaplan, INTO University
Partnerships, BPP University and many
others who run pathway programmes
throughout the year.
But qualifications specific to EAP are
clearly now the way to go, if teachers really
want to make the transition into higher
educational teaching. At the University of
Westminster we are launching a masters
in teaching English for academic and
professional purposes in 2018.
Other places too have done the same, and
it seems a good way to secure a career in an
area that currently offers some of the best
prospects in our profession.
If it is a field that teachers are interested
in, there’s every chance of finding a
rewarding, more stable career. And
thankfully these days, getting there is more
about design than luck.
n Dr Paul Breen is a senior lecturer at
the University of Westminster. His book,
‘Developing Educators for the Digital Age’ is out
in December.
JONNY HUGHES not give learners a task that
‘A man takes a job, you know? And
that job... that becomes who he is’ -
Taxi Driver
editorial@elgazette.com
p20-21.indd 3 8/25/2017
OF THE
BOX
The power of
public speaking
A few years ago, at the English formally, English language
language centre I was in charge learners. They all, however, do
of, our students would work on have English as their second or
presentations quite frequently. additional language. They also
But very often we felt those all use it – or aim to use it – in
presentations didn’t benefit the order for their ideas to reach a
students as much as we thought wider audience.
they would. The event takes place in a
It seemed our students often different country every year,
treated those presentations as
yet another classroom activity
that needed to be completed They
before the lesson was over. didn’t push
They didn’t give those
presentations enough focus, themselves
didn’t push themselves hard hard enough
enough to really bring their
language proficiency to to really bring
another level. The classroom their language
environment was too safe.
And that’s how the English proficiency to
Talks event started in 2015 – another level.
as a motivator, the extra push
learners of languages need The classroom
in order to excel. I thought, environment
‘Why not take English learning was too safe
outside of the classroom? Why
would put them in a position
that would really make them do
their best?’ and for 2017 we’ve chosen
And when do people do their Dublin (30th September,
best? Well, usually when they Spencer Hotel). There will be
are being watched, don’t they? ten speakers from ten different
And, it appears, only when countries (five continents),
they are aware that someone is with professional backgrounds
watching them. ranging from psychology to
Thus, I thought, ‘Why not journalism, and digital forensics.
provide learners with a chance The speaker list includes the
to give a talk in front of a live Dublin-based Lukas Koper who
audience that they don’t know? will talk about his struggle with
A talk about their own interests dyslexia and the multi-lingual
and experiences. After all, we Nesrine Makhfi who will talk
all love talking about ourselves, about how reading affects the
don’t we? And why not film brain.
it all so the talks could be
watched online by anyone who n Daniel Zuchowski is an English
wishes to do so?’ language consultant and trainer,
That’s how it all started, in teacher trainer, editor and found-
Brazil, but the event has since er/organiser of English Talks. His
developed into something quite second book, Chips and Sausage,
will be published this autumn.
different. Most of English Talks @DanielZuchowsky
speakers are no longer, at least
21
11:45:50 AM