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Adult Classes Teaching Methodology

The curriculum  at Donegal English Language School is based on current, well-established ELT methodologies, namely TBLT, CLT and Dogme.  The aim of this curriculum is to maximise student exposure to real-life English.  This takes the form of authentic texts for listening and reading, and an opportunity each month to meet a member of the local community to learn about and ask questions regarding their field, which will be related to the monthly topic.

Students study grammar, reading, listening, and vocabulary on a weekly basis.  The intention is that the classes will be interactive, so rather than following a strict schedule, there would be time for students to ask questions, and time for the teacher to pursue and deal with emergent language issues.  The texts chosen for listening and reading should also kickstart discussions.

The four cornerstones of the curriculum are

 

  1. Communication

Classes are interactive, with a focus on emergent language.  Teachers are flexible and able to deal with problems and explore new language as it arises.  Language is meant to be spoken, and an increasing number of students feel their priority is learning to communicate effectively.

  1. Reflection

Self-reflection is vital to learning.  We need to be able to identify our own strengths and weaknesses if we want to improve and meet our goals. For this reason, we encourage students to reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses.  Formal tutorial sessions are held at the end of every month, during which students can discuss progress with their teacher and identify areas for improvement.

  1. Assessment

We adopt a combined approach to assessment.  Students will have a class test and IELTS mock test, and will also have to give a presentation to the rest of their class in the final week of the month.  Feedback on student progress in these will be given in the monthly tutorial session.

  1. Real-life English

We aim to provide students with as many ‘real-life’ English language learning experiences as possible.  This includes monthly class visits with members of the local community, and the use of authentic materials in class as much as possible. We want to provide you with the tools you need to learn independently, with the ultimate goal of being able to communicate in as natural a manner as possible.