business_spotlight_2014_no_02__

approach [E(prEUtS] Methode

Blue Badge Tourist zertifizierte(r)

Guide[)blu: bÄdZ Reiseführer(in)

(tUErIst gaId] UK

(badge Abzeichen, Emblem)

buzz [bVz] Begeisterung; hier:

gutes Gefühl

challenge [(tSÄlIndZ] Herausforderung;

schwierige Aufgabe

coursebook Lehrbuch

[(kO:sbUk] UK

embarrassing peinlich, beschä-

[Im(bÄrEsIN] mend

face-to-face persönlich

[)feIs tE (feIs]

hub [hVb] Zentrum; hier:

Dreh- und

Angelpunkt

publisher [(pVblISE] Verlag

resources [ri(zO:sIz] Hilfsmittel

topic [(tQpIk] Thema

2/2014 http://www.business-spotlight.de 63

vocabulary. Get out and use it. Let it

take you places.

Do you miss the classroom?

It depends on what you mean by “class-

room”. I’m actually in the classroom

quite a lot these days in my role as a

British Council inspector. So I see a lot

of teaching. But do I miss teaching?

Not really, to be honest, because I do a

lot of training, which gives me the buzz

of interacting with people and helping

them explore different ideas.

What can learners do to improve their

language skills?

Activate the language. In other words,

get in the car and drive! Experiment

with the language, take risks. (But

don’t do that when you’re driving!)

How has technology made a difference

to teaching?

It’s given us some fantastic opportuni-

ties. When I started teaching in the ear-

ly 1980s, we talked about the “com-

municative approach”, which then real-

ly meant talking face-to-faceor on the

telephone. Now, communication is so

much more diverse — and exciting. But

it’s also a challengefor learners and

teachers to use new media effectively.

And don’t expect technology to do all

the work for you: the basic learning

tools are still needed.

What do you mean by basic learning

tools?

I suppose I mean all the things you will

find in a good coursebook: work on

grammar, vocabulary, functions, skills

and so on. I believe that there is noth-

ing better than a good coursebook at

the centre of any language-learning

programme. This is true of business

English as well as general English. One

of the things I like about International

Expressis the way it links the basic

tools of general English with the world

of work and business. It does this by

presenting interesting topics,

the sort of thing that adults

like to talk about in their own

language. It’s also got some

great video support.

What level of support do you

expect from publishers?

Publishers are so important

for our profession. Not just because

they produce books and resources, but

because they are often the hubfor

teachers and students in places around

the world. They provide information,

training and contact. We sometimes

forget about this level of support.

Who inspires you?

Anyone who can speak another lan-

guage. As I said earlier, I have always

found learning a language difficult and

it’s a bit embarrassingthat I only speak

English.

Ambitions and dreams

To go on doing what I’m doing now —

it’s a great mix.

Little-known facts about you

I am also a registered London Blue

Badge Tourist Guide, so I spend a lot of

time taking visitors around London —

the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of

London and so on. In a way, it’s a sub-

stitute for the teaching that I used to do

and enjoy so much. I love London and

I love showing people what a fascinat-

ing and beautiful place it is. ■BS

“Get out and use the

English language. Let it

take you places”

Interacting with people:

training can give you a buzz

Stockbyte

You can find more for teachers at

http://www.business-spotlight.de/teachers

www

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