English, only English? But how?
Callan Method is great for teaching beginners directly in the new language. No need to use learners’ first language. English and only English is more than enough to create a meaningful and satisfying English learning experience. Here is how:
Repeat, repeat and repeat...
In the beginning was the repetition…
How does one even find somebody who doesn’t speak any English? It’s probably easier to imagine learning a less commonly known language like Armenian or Farsi.
English is seemingly ever- and omnipresent, yet many learners coming to Speak Quick have had little to no previous experience learning English or if they have, it has sadly been negative.
Repetition is exactly what is needed at this stage. By repeating basic vocab together, both learners and educators start a conversation. Following the carefully laid out structures in lessons 1 through 9 can be extremely empowering and dare I say life changing.
Sprechen vor Schreiben.
Always look before you leap but never write before you speak.
I have personally yet to meet a learner who claimed not to be a visual learner. A picture is worth a thousand words they say and I couldn’t agree more. But… precisely because this is so true, it is vital to focus on the acceptable pronunciation, rhythm and melody of the new language before we practice reading and writing.
We are naturally drawn more to the spelling of the a word when we see it and are more likely to memorize the way a word or a phrase is spelled than the way it is pronounced.
This is where the Callan Method magic comes to the fore. In a Callan Method lesson we listen and speak first, then we read and write.
Practise what you practiced.
I love the sensation of being fully immersed in a new language. Even if I know I’ll never learn it, I enjoy being surrounded by new, unexpected sounds and interactions. This feeling of excitement, however, can quickly become overwhelming. One way of managing these strong emotions in a Callan Method lesson is revising (reviewing) the material from previous lessons.
Practising what had already been practised may at times feel underwhelming for the tutor but for the learner it might be exactly what they need and want. By sticking to the carefully planned and laid out context in the Callan Method books and not adding extra unnecessary input, we can boost learners’ confidence and inspire them to embrace the new linguistic reality.
Reading to the rescue.
The first Reading of the course is in Lesson 4 (page 22) and it can be a godsend. After having practised the names of the object in the immediate surroundings, the verb to be, some basic adjectives, plurals, pronouns and preposition (yes, that’s a lot) a Reading will change the pace of the lesson and introduce another unique element to the Callan Method experience.
ABE - Always Be Educating.
Knowing that what we do has a purpose and has been carefully thought out to optimise the learning process and help learners progress towards achieving their learning goals is a didactic tool in itself. Educating the learners why we do what we do, is often as important as actually doing those things.
Understanding the logic behind the Callan Method principles and educating learners on it is part and parcel of a Callan Method educator’s role.