The English Trainer

I have lived in the UK for almost a year now and the constant processing that my brain had to do with the German language when I lived in Germany has stopped. Even though I still have German lessons, it's very different to actually living there and needing to use the language on a daily basis. It was therefore interesting to go to a country where I don't speak the language well. Spain. I last spoke any Spanish about 15 years ago when I went on a week long intensive course there. I have a GCSE (a qualification that people usually do when they are 16, I did mine in my 20s) in Spanish but I haven't use it since my course. I looked in my old Spanish books to prepare for the trip but I didn't feel that I had much Spanish is my 'working memory' that I can use instantly when I talk. Fast forward the trip. The first thing to note is that the language felt very 'familiar'.  I recognised lots of words but didn't know what they all meant. I also didn't seem...

I work with lots of different people who have different language needs and requirements. Some students I have been teaching a long time, they have long term goals and need a concerted effort to reach those goals. Others, I have for a short time, teach them what they need to know, and then they move on. It's always sad in a way when students move on, but I like to think I have helped prepare them for their further experiences with the English language. They also teach me! People think this is a one way process but I learn about culture, politics and customs from my students and I never cease to be fascinated with it. Good luck to my latest two students as they move on to pastures new..