Page 5 - ELG1709 Agu-Sep Issue 450

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WELCOME .
EDITOR’S LETTER

Don’t come up for air just yet.

After a long summer, UK teachers could do with a break – but theteam
Dynamic Placement Test there’s one last challenge ahead, writes Irena Barker IRENA

BARKER, editor,
It’s been a long summer – and you’re exhausted. Teaching the future studied French
perfect continuous to a crowd of hungover Italians was probably what and linguistics at
Durham, UK and
No more marking finished you off. taught English in
Or maybe it was that tricky lesson involving a malfunctioning
France for two
projector and a class of near-mute French girls stroking their
years. Her subsequent 15-year
No more paper smartphones under the desk? career in UK news journalism
includes reporting for local and
Either way, managers and teachers in the British ELT sector surely
regional newspapers, a news
now deserve a break – except all is not over for management.
agency and a 10 year stint at the
No sooner have they hung up their summer-school hat than it’s time
to get that suit dry-cleaned and head to the cut and thrust of StudyWorld. Times Educational Supplement
magazine.
This annual festival of self-promotion is a vital part of the UK ELT calendar and not to be
Run your test on their devices missed for anyone serious about getting noticed. MELANIE
BUTLER,
It is an opportunity to quite literally show the world what you have to offer via a curious
kind of ‘speed-dating’ arrangement with editor-at-large,
started teaching
agents, tour operators and others looking to EFL in Iran in
Many of us might do business with the UK. 1975, she worked
for the BBC
prefer a lie-in than a lie- Sure, after a high-octane August, many of World Service,
C us might prefer a lie-in than a lie-down with Pearson/Longman and Modern
down with global suitors, global suitors, but the adrenaline of the event English teacher magazine before
M should keep you going. And, in between taking over at the Gazette in
but the adrenaline of the 1987 and also launching Study
Y appointments, why not take a seat with the Travel magazine. Educated in
event should keep you EL Gazette and digest some food for thought? ten schools in seven countries
CM For example, on page 14 we examine the she speaks fluent French and
MY shocking extent of racism in ELT through one Spanish and rather rusty Italian.
going
CY woman’s testimony and a look at the latest CLAUDIA
research. CIVININI, chief
Is it really possible that in this day and
CMY reporter,
age students are refusing to be taught by won a scholarship
K to teach Italian
people because of the colour of their skin? in Australia in
Unfortunately, it is. 2009, where she
And on pages 16 and 17 we take a look qualified as a state school teacher
at the complex issues that can arise when in 2010. Bilingual in English and
Italian, she joined the Gazette
institutions introduce English as a medium of as head of research in 2014
instruction. after teaching for five years. She
Wooing While finances and resources may be key specialises in data journalism
international concerns, it is important to consider the and research news.
clients social aspects of the move and the dangers of
sidelining local languages, experts tell us. ANDREA PÉREZ
On page 22 Melanie Butler explains that a small class size really isn’t the thing that helps EGIDO, online
students progress – no matter what parents think. If you want to offer a low-cost, high-quality and production
manager,
option, invest in good teachers who want to stay, and don’t worry about bigger classes. They has a BA in
can handle it. Journalism from
For some light relief, we also bring you a feature about the growing trend for online Complutense
grammatical pedantry. Are the ‘grammar police’ who stalk the internet doing a good deed by University, Madrid and a Masters
in Corporate Communications
removing people’s misplaced apostrophes or are they merely bullies? from Kingston University,
Finally, why not check out our biannual UK rankings supplement and see which language London. She previously worked
Tests learners from Email 15min Reading Read the text and then choose the best answer to each question. 1/20 centres are riding high this year. on the international desk at the
Spanish newspaper La Razón.
Password
Hi Helen, Maybe yours is one of them? IRENA BARKER,
I'm going on holiday to Paris. I'm at the train station now. She joined the Gazette as online
Log in Our train doesn't leave for an hour.
CEFR A1 to C2. We're waiting for him to come. We can't carry the suitcases EDITOR and social media editor in 2015.
My brother's tired and is on his suitcase.
My sister's _________ a magazine.
My father's _________ tickets.
without him as they are very heavy.
I'm really excited because I like to travel by train.
See you when I get back.
Mary
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