General Principles of You Are The Course Book Method (08.01.13) Benefits for students: • • • • • • • Your work Your ideas Your current errors discussed Your present needs met You the hard work You are engaged T provides the opportunity and the framework: T = form, SS = content Students: • • • Student-centred – they most of the work Students work together in pairs and groups, not individually Little or no individual “brain > content” time Students need to be active learners and work hard Lessons will be demanding There is no free ride You have to work Teacher: • • • • • • • • Teacher is a guide No top-down teaching Elicit don’t tell Teacher has to be patient and let the students find the answers Let SS make mistakes They will learn from their errors If you don’t know the answer, “trick it”, or ask the students to find out Don’t lose your authority Your positioning is important, e.g where you stand Don’t stand over students Stand away When with them, sit with them at their level and make eye contact Teacher can disappear Save your energy! Don’t burn yourself up like the candle which gives light The students should use their energy They are there to learn You are a guide directing them but not doing it for them Teacher controls the timing in the lesson, ensuring a variety of activities and elements are covered Teacher controls the student input, encouraging everybody to get involved Both: • Improvise – don’t block Take other people’s ideas on board Say “Yes”! Don’t be dismissive Environment: • • • • • The classroom language is English There is a whiteboard and pens, or blackboard and chalk There is a clock; desks, chairs; students bring with them notebooks, pens, dictionaries Use the board – it democratises the process Everyone can see the work as it progresses There are resources, e.g dictionaries, reference books, novels, newspapers, magazines, etc The layout of the furniture is important Sit students so they are in pairs and facing each another rather than facing you The Modes: • • • Take as long as you want with Mode All the skills are practised regularly – reading, writing, speaking, and listening, but the focus is on productive skills – speaking and writing elements of English are practised regularly – vocabulary, text (reading and listening), grammar, verb forms, pronunciation, free practice, and writing 55