Julieta Baillo

Name: Julieta Baillo de Horta Date: 24.10.17

Criteria met
Candidates can demonstrate their learning by:
Yes / No

Awareness of the learners background, previous learning experience and learning Y

styles
Y
Identifying the learners language/skills needs

Y
Using correct terminology relating to language systems and skills

Y
Finding, selecting and referencing information from one or more sources

Selecting appropriate material and/or resources to aid the learners language N

development
N
Providing a rationale for using specific activities

Y
Using written language which is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task

Comments

This is a well-written and organised assignment, Julieta.

You show a very good level of awareness and understanding of the group with good detail on their background,
motivation and skills abilities.
Your analysis of their issues with grammar, lexis and pronunciation is solid..
You also include good reference to background reading.
However, of your 2 suggested activities, only one matches the area you identified accurately and includes sound
rationale. The other needs amendment.

In terms of resubmission, in order to meet all criteria fully:

1) Ensure the suggested activity matches the identified area of comparatives accurately.
2) Provide a clearer rationale for focusing on comparatives with this group by adding some more examples of errors
you have noticed with this grammar point. You also need to provide stronger rationale for the use of the activity
you choose. This includes making specific reference to what you know about the learners and why the activity
would suit them, their interests and they was they prefer to learn.

Grade

Pass Emma Meade-Flynn

Resubmit x
tutor

Resubmission date:02.11.16

Comments

Grade

Pass on resubmission
Fail on resubmission
pg. 1 Focus on the Learner Assignment
 Julieta Baillo

To be completed by CELTA candidate

Submitted by: Julieta Baillo

Assignment title: Focus on the learner

Assignment number: 1

Number of words: 988

Submitted on (date): 16th October 2017

This assignment is my original work and I have acknowledged all sources.

Full name: Julieta Baillo de Horta

pg. 2 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

FOCUS ON THE LEARNER

Part A
1. Level, nationality and mother tongue.
The learners, while attending the Intermediate course at International House Barcelona,
are mostly at the lower end of the level. They are mainly Catalan. They are bilingual in
Spanish and Catalan.
How many ss are in the class?
What about Fabiana? Shes Brailian.
Do the ss speak any other languages?
2. Background and learning experience.
The majority of the students have learnt English at school using traditional methods and
they enjoy being taught in a more communicative approach in which they are able to
interact among themselves. They feel that the previous methods of learning English were
very monotonous, and rigidly grammar-focused. good

3. Reasons / motivation for learning English and needs.

Some are learning English for personal development such as getting to know other
cultures and to be able to communicate with others. Others want to learn English for
professional reasons. This creates a classroom environment where some students are
intrinsically motivated, whereas others are extrinsically motivated by their jobs.i
Some feel that they need to make progress in all four skills. Javier, for example, works
in technology, and hence needs to be conversant with the latest terminology.
So they have very different needs?.....

4. Preferred learning style(s)

They enjoy groupwork, speaking activities, doing interactive tasks and the use of visual
aids. They benefit greatly from activities based on Bruners discovery learning
theoryii.They enjoy reading activities if done collaboratively. Drawing on their own lives
and experiences facilitates their self-expression.
good

5. Details of strengths and weaknesses.

Their main strengths are that they are a very talkative, inquisitive and self-motivated
group with a genuine interest in learning. Some have a higher level of English which
allows weaker students to be exposed to a better level while interacting. Given that they

pg. 3 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

are in class for an extended period, they have greater concentration and ability to focus
than one would encounter in younger classes.
good

Reading: They have good reading skills when skimming or scanning a text. They
use their prediction skills well and complete complex comprehension tasks within
the text. They do need the support of pair work to enhance their comprehension
and confidence in their ability to analyze the text, though. good
Listening: Their listening skills are close to an intermediate level (what does this
mean? How do you know? Did you test their listening with a standardised B1
listening test? ), although some students, as stated above, such as Frances,
occasionally need additional support as I have noticed that he has to turn to other
students to check what he is doing is correct. Good to mention differences in the
group.
Speaking: They are enjoy speaking despite making many mistakes. They tend to
translate directly using Spanish grammatical structures, one example can be
taken from Hannahs teaching practice when she asked the students not to think
in Spanish when they were struggling with expressions like more later or very
near of my house . OK
Writing: I must admit that I have not seen a lot of their writing, so it is difficult to
discuss this, but from what I have seen they do lack sufficient vocabulary but they
give it their best and usually manage to express what they want to say. OK, this
is a little thin. It would be good to mention register, layout, genre etc when
analyzing writing skills.
Grammar: They lack a strong understanding of English verb or sentence
constructions, such as using proper verb agreements, as in Madrid dont. They
have difficulty with irregular verb forms in the past: she start. This is a regular
verb. They forget personal pronouns and get confused when using them. Can
you give an example? They often get the word order wrong: Where you were
today?. good There is L1 interference: I like very much, his mother born, I
dont understand nothing. good They get confused with modal verbs, such as the
use of must/have to. What do they say?
Vocabulary: Their vocabulary is basic but because they are Spanish speakers
there are many cognates that they can access. good The other side of the coin
is that they then have difficulty with false friends: embarrassed or sensible,
turistic rather than touristy, or an antique church rather than an old church for
example They have more vocabulary when talking about familiar topics, such as

pg. 4 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

their lives, family, interests, etc. Their lexical knowledge outside these areas is
more restricted. Good analysis of vocabulary here.
Pronunciation: They often do not link words correctly, placing the stress in the
wrong place, due to lack of knowledge or L1 interference, often having problems
with elision: I am instead of Im or have to /hfta/; the different -ed endings,
such as ended /ndd/, walked /wkt/ or advised / dvazd/; sentence stress,
such as we danced all night /wi dnst l nat/; Another area of difficulty is
complex sounds such as dipthongs, such as /a/ or /e/. What do they say?Can
you give clear examples? They often need to have the sentences modelled by
the teacher to pronounce the sentence well. All ss need a clear model to work
from in order to develop pronunciation

PART B:

-ed Form Exerciseiii

I chose this activity because the variations in the sound of the past simple and
participle of regular verbs is a cause of difficulty for them and this exercise will
clarify the rules I would, of course, check their understanding of the rules and
clarify the correct answer prior to having them do the exercise, working in pairs.
good
It practices the use of the -ed endings of the past simple and past participle
endings of regular verbs in English. This exercise will be done as controlled
practice
OK. But you could give more information on how the task works. Not how you
would use it but how it practices. Is it controlled? Free? Etc
It is not clear from the materials attached exactly how the pronunciation area is
developed. This does not mean a description of how you would use it in class but
more how it operates on a pedagogical level.
This is the area that they need to work on. I did adapt the sentences from the
original in order to make it more fun, meaningful and culturally suitable for them
(See adapted exercise below). It is crucial to personalize the topic so it does not
become unengaging. Perhaps, unengaging would be a better word here.
Fossilisation is not connected to ss engagement. They are more engaged when
they talk about their background. good

Superlatives Exerciseiv

pg. 5 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

The reason I chose to focus on this area is that I have noticed that the use of
personal pronouns is something that they find difficult and interchange Common
mistakes are more old or more easy, which I think need to be addressed ASAP.
No need to be alarmist! ASAP is a little strong for a grammar error
More significantly, this error is a comparative mistake, not superlative. You have
misidentified the error. You need an activity that addresses comparatives, not
superlatives.
A further issue here is that you really only give one example of this error from the
learners so the justification of it as being an area of weakness in grammar is itself
quite weak. And you havent really mentioned it as being an area of weakness in
Part A Grammar analysis, which seems odd.
I would like a couple more examples of errors in the area of comparatives from
the ss as well a clear rationale why comparatives needs to be focused on above
other grammar points (that you brought up in the earlier analysis of their grammar
ability Part A)

This exercise practices the proper use of personal pronouns. it is c as this mistake
has been emerging in class from the begging. I would get students in pairs to
I need more here on how the activity works. Is it clarification, controlled practice, freer
practice? Written or oral?

It is suitable for this class because it used personal adjectives within the context
of their families. It is engaging because they have to match the adjective to the
person and because they are sharing details about their family in a fun way.
You have not related the activity directly to anything you know about the
learners. Why is it suitable for this group, based on what you know about them,
needs to be included here.

pg. 6 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

APPENDIX 1
Pronunciation activity

1. Carles and Juana moved to Badalona last year.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

2. Jordi answered the question correctly.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

3. The bus always stopped in Urquinaona.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

4. I stayed at the demonstration all evening.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

5. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

pg. 7 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

6. When Josep pushed the gas pedal, the car accelerated on Carrer
d'Arag.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

7. The tapa was tasteless, so Jessica added some salt.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

8. My friend, Julieta, is addicted to Zero Coke.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

9. My boyfriend, Albert, helped me move into my new apartment in Gracia.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

10. Dr. Puigdemont advised me not to speak to anyone about my condition.

A. ? "ed" sounds like d.

B. ? "ed" sounds like t.

pg. 8 Focus on the Learner Assignment
 Julieta Baillo

C. ? "ed" sounds like id.

pg. 9 Focus on the Learner Assignment

 Julieta Baillo

APPENDIX 2
Superlative activity

i
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York, NY: Macmillan
ii
https://www.learning-theories.com/discovery-learning-bruner.html
iii
http://www.englishmaven.org/Pages/Pronouncing%20ED%20Endings.htm
iv
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/adjectives/comparative-
and-superlative-adjectives-tips-and-activities/144844.article

pg. 10 Focus on the Learner Assignment