Alexander R.

Fúm féin

Is cainteoir dúchais Béarla mé agus tá cónaí orm sa Phortaingéil le daichead bliain. Cé gur rugadh sa Ghréig mé, fuair mé oideachas Briotanach i gcónaí agus labhair mé Béarla ar feadh mo shaoil. Táim i mo mhúinteoir Béarla mar dhara teanga le fiche bliain anuas agus labhraím Portaingéilis go líofa gan aon bhlas coimhthíoch. Táim bródúil as ceachtanna a thabhairt go heisiach i mBéarla, agus ní hamháin go seachnaím úsáid na Portaingéilise sna ceachtanna, ach éilím nach n-aistríonn daltaí aon ghné d'ábhar atá dírithe ar an teicneolaíocht amhail struchtúir ghramadaí. Is bealach foghlama níos éifeachtaí é seo, dar liom, mar ní dhéanann aistriúchán ar an ngné seo ach mearbhall ar dhaltaí. Cuirtear é seo i gcomhar le ceachtanna atá dírithe ar dhaltaí ina bhfuil am cainte an mhúinteora íosta agus am cainte na ndaltaí uasmhéadaithe.I am a native English speaker having lived in Portugal for forty years. Despite being born in Greece, i have always had a British education and spoken English my whole life. I have been a second language English teacher for the last twenty years and speak fluent Portuguese with no foreign-sounding accent. I pride myself in giving lessons exclusively in English, and make a point of not only avoiding using the Portuguese language in lessons, but insist that students do not translate any aspect of technically-orientated material such as grammatical structures. This, I find is a more effective way of learning as translating this aspect only confuses students. This is paired with student-orientated lessons where the teacher talking time is minimal and student talking time is maximised.

Faoi mo cheachtanna

Creidim gurb é an bealach is éifeachtaí chun teanga a fhoghlaim ná trí chur i bhfeidhm praiticiúil. Tá staidéar a dhéanamh ar ghramadach agus ar stór focal chomh tábhachtach céanna, ach mura gcuirtear iad seo i bhfeidhm ar an ngné labhartha agus líofachta, ní dhéanfaidh siad mórán chun cabhrú le mac léinn. Mar riail ghinearálta, dá airde leibhéal an mhic léinn, is ea is mó cleachtadh labhartha a dhéantar sna ceachtanna. Is maith liom a cheapadh go bhfuil mo cheachtanna dinimiciúil agus, níos tábhachtaí fós, spraíúil. I mo thaithí féin, dá mhéad suaimhneas atá mac léinn, is ea is mó a ghlacann sé/sí le foghlaim trí aird a thabhairt go nádúrtha agus ceisteanna a chur. Cén fáth nach mbeadh spraoi againn agus muid ag foghlaim?I believe the most effective way of learning a language is through practical application. Studying grammar and vocabulary is just as important, but if these are not applied to the speaking and fluency element, they will do little to help a student. As a general rule, the higher the student's level, the more speaking practice is done in lessons. I like to think my lessons are dynamic and more importantly fun. In my experience, the more relaxed a student is, the more receptive he/she is to learning through naturally paying attention and asking questions. Why not have fun while we learn?

Taispeántar na hamanna cruinne atá ar fáil nuair a dhéanann tú áirithint.