Lesson 7, Level 4 (Intermediate) - Liliana (ISCSE FB group) - Magazines and Newspapers (present perfect)

Ha! This is an interesting session, not least because Liliana and I ran into a bit of an issue. Towards the end of the session (2nd recording used here, we got cut off once) she asks me to explain the present perfect tense and I refused. Why? Well, listen to the clip for more detail but the basis is that EOT speaking practice sessions are not meant to be for explicit 'conventional' teaching, i.e. explanations of rules. Liliana admitted she had had some doubt in her mind and talked to one of her practice partners who told her something that conflicted with what she thought she understood, and then she wanted confirmation/explanation from me.Why did I react that way? The history of language teaching has been about teaching rules and applying them but it hasn't really worked. That's why in a TESL Canada survey 95% of beginners dropped out of ESL programmes and never got past being beginners and 75% of intermediate speakers suffered the same fate. The language came before the rules; the printing press did not precede the telling of stories.Focusing on rules (that have many exceptions due the nature of language) causes anxiety and anxiety inhibits fluency and confidence.If I had explained to Liliana I would have been telling her it was OK to rely on a 'teacher' to help her speak English. In stead, I told her to go and read up in Spanish to get it clear in her head, then to try it out with someone (which is what the EOT lesson 7. in SS4 Intermediate does).I think Liliana understood why I took this position when she asked me and seemed to agree that it was a retrograde step in what we were trying to achieve. I hope it has made her think and that some of my words hit home.Apart from that Liliana's performance in terms of fluency and confidence were excellent, and, most importantly, I thought I could hear that the more explicit pronunciation correction of the last couple of weeks has had an effect and she is pronouncing words much better. Well done Liliana!