CULTURA INGLESA: facing challenges through creative solutions

CULTURA INGLESA: facing challenges through creative

solutions

Innovation and Improvement

Which milestones would you point out as

having made the greatest impact on the

history of ELT at the Cultura?

Innovation and Improvement

1996 – C_______ F________

1997 – L _____ P_______

1998 – M_________ C________

2000 – L______F_____& C______ I_____ O______

2003 - Z____P___: courses for very young learners

Innovation and Improvement

1996 - Conversation Focus

1997 – Lesson Plans

1998 – Multimedia Cl@ss

2000 – LF Materials & Cultura Inglesa Online

2003 - Zip´s Planet: courses for very young

learners

Innovation and Improvement

2007 – I ______ & A______ A_______

2009 – The C_______ E______ (Pilot) & a new Business English Course

2010 – The Cultura Experience in all branches, S___ i__! Pilot), SME Project (Rio Criança Global)

Innovation and Improvement

2007 – IWBs & Academic Auditing

2009 – The Cultura Experience (Pilot) & a new Business English Course

2010 – The Cultura Experience in all branches, Say it! Pilot), SME Project (Rio Criança Global)

World Cup 2014

Olympic Games 2016

Brazilians, do you speak English?

“English is in greater demand in India than ever before: parents and employers want it, and public

policy increasingly accepts the need to provide universal access to it.”

(David Graddol, 2010 p 72)

The need for greater numbers of speakers of English:

State school students

Professionals

Adult learners

Role to play: to equip citizens with the necessary language and skills to face this

challenge

in all branches

LF & the public sector

Academic Auditing: Adult Learners

New Action & New Flash

2011

ADULT LEARNERS

BACKGROUND

‘Pesquisa de Satisfação’

Focus group discussions with adults

Academic Auditing reports

What do adult learners want?

BACKGROUND

Adult students want to

learn quickly

reach a post-basic level

develop oral skills

feel confident during the lesson

create a firm and solid foundation of the language

learnt

CEX – MUF & Drills

Training programme - focus on drills

Actions taken:

Students’ response (when drills are well-implemented):

Greater engagement

Willingness to take more risks

SITUATIONAL APPROACH – Jim Scrivener

Interesting context

Memorable situation (ideally funny)

Integrating intonation into grammar

Lead to naturally sounding language by learners

Involve authentic use of language

Role of the teacher: upfront

A more behavioristic approach: focus on the language,

form and meaning

“Communicative tasks- yes – but there is also a definite

need for an explicit focus on form and meaning, and

therefore for the micro skills needed to do that. And this is

often completely lacking in teachers and in their training.”

“The micro techniques (eg: drilling, contextualizing, use of

substitution tables, etc) ...are extremely useful ... and will

enhance coursebook work.”

(Jim Scrivener, IATEFL Conference 2010)

Relevance of repetition & “mental rehearsal” for

fluency

Adult Learners

Interested in the

development of the 4 skills

Value reflection and

hypothesis formation

Cultural aspects perceived

as relevant

Aiming at intermediate

level Cultura Express

31/01/2011:

CEX 1

556

2011.12010.1

CEX

552

SAY IT 1 SAY IT 2

326 53

Aspectos Avaliados CULTURA EXPRESS

2010

Satisfação Geral (Excluido My Cultura - P18) 85.5%

Satisfação Geral: Aspectos Institucionais - Excluindo My Cultura (P1aP6) 85.5%

Satisfação Geral: Qualidade de Ensino - Excluindo My Cultura (P7aP17 e P19) 85.5%

Adult Learners

Interested in the

development of the 4 skills

Value reflection and

hypothesis formation

Cultural aspects perceived

as relevant

Aiming at intermediate

level Cultura Express

Interested in the

development of speaking

skills

Clear communication

goals

Immediate results

Need to learn quickly

Methodology and Course Structure:

“audiolingual” with a plus

characteristics of the lexical and

communicative approaches

situational / clear communication

goals

18-month long

Piloting Scheme:

Adult Centre: 4 groups Macaé: 4 groups

Intense lesson observation scheme

Feedback incorporated into material

Training informed by piloting observation and results

1996CONVERSATION

FOCUS

1997LESSON PLANS

1998MMCl@ss

2000LF &

CI Online

2003Zip’s Planet

2007IWBs &

Academic Auditing

2009The Cultura Experience

(Pilot)

2010Cultura Experience

SMESay it! (Pilot)

1996CONVERSATION

FOCUS

1997LESSON PLANS

1998MMCl@ss

2000LF &

CI Online

2003Zip’s Planet

2007IWBs &

Academic Auditing

2009The Cultura Experience

(Pilot)

2010Cultura Experience

SMESay it! (Pilot)

2011

LF & the Public Sector

It’s all about people!

Thank you!

vera.costinhas@culturainglesa.net