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CELTA assignment question - the form of "It suits you" and "It fits you"


steveg1  
27 May 2011 /  #1
Hi all teachers of English.

I recently submitted assignment 1 of the CELTA and all was well except one part; the form of "It suits you" and "It fits you".

I answered "subject + base form + object". I was told the base form part was wrong. Could anyone enlighten me on this?

Thanks,
Steve
JonnyM  11 | 2607  
27 May 2011 /  #2
Present simple, 3rd person singular - not base form/infinitive.
Seanus  15 | 19666  
27 May 2011 /  #3
That's right! He/she/it is third person singular.
OP steveg1  
27 May 2011 /  #4
Present simple is what I was after, I don't think we include the fact it's 3rd person in the form. Thanks!
Seanus  15 | 19666  
27 May 2011 /  #5
I wouldn't be so sure ;0 ;P
scottie1113  6 | 896  
27 May 2011 /  #6
It seems a ridiculous exercise, unless they were asking about the difference in meaning between the two. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Trevek  25 | 1699  
27 May 2011 /  #7
One means it is the right size, the other means it looks good one you. Since when did anyone need to know grammar to get on a CELTA?
OP steveg1  
28 May 2011 /  #8
you're probably right seanus, so i wrote 'subject / present simple +s / object.

the exercise is:

form - subject + bla bla
how to elicit the word
meaning - looks good, doesn't look good etc (ask concept Qs eg. does it look good on you? no. is it too big? yes

pronunciation
anticipated difficulties and solutions.

we had 3 other sentences to do it with as well, including "i've been waiting".

It was pretty stupid of me not to see that it's present simple, i don't know why i put base form
Seanus  15 | 19666  
28 May 2011 /  #9
Also read up on the infinitive and bare infinitive. Depending where you choose to work after your CELTA, you will need to explain the difference to whatever relevant extent. For example, here in Poland, many Poles say 'I must to go'. Even more advanced learners fall into that trap.
scottie1113  6 | 896  
28 May 2011 /  #10
For example, here in Poland, many Poles say 'I must to go'. Even more advanced learners fall into that trap.

Ain't that the truth!
Seanus  15 | 19666  
28 May 2011 /  #11
:) :)

I can remember my CELTA essays well. Basil Paterson College had harsh markers so you had to be clear on all distinctions, terminology and functions.
OP steveg1  
31 May 2011 /  #12
Do you guys still teach in exactly the same way the celta taught you to? i keep getting bitched at that i'm too teacher centred, i explain too much bla bla, but they don't tell me how to rectify it, just tell me to change it. it's like telling someone who can't swim that they're doing it wrong without telling them how to actually swim.

i elicited, gave very clear instructions, demonstrated it with the class, but not good enough! i got my first not to standard on my 6th lesson, even though i thought it was my best lesson yet. i think they're trying to shock me because there's no way it was a not to standard
rozumiemnic  8 | 3875  
31 May 2011 /  #13
steve they always do this on CELTA courses. It's like a kind of mind game to stop you getting complacent. Try not to worry too much. Try to "throw the ball" to the students as much as possible...for example if one student asks you a question don't answer it, but open it up to the class...." Does anyone else know the answer?" Just think about YOU talking less and the students talking more...use your body language (koff koff) and eye contact and students names (John???) to encourage this.

I am sure you will be OK, do not worry.
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
1 Jun 2011 /  #14
Just think about YOU talking less and the students talking more...use your body language (koff koff) and eye contact and students names (John???) to encourage this.

What drives me nuts about this is that sometimes, there's a need for the teacher to talk much more than the students.

I've got one class where the students can all speak to a very high standard - they don't need practice with conversation, but rather taught really high level stuff. If they were made to speak for 2/3rds of the time, they'd be rather unhappy and feel that they're not learning.
rozumiemnic  8 | 3875  
1 Jun 2011 /  #15
Well sure you have to see what each class needs and expects.....but Steve just needs to get through his celta course...(poor guy!)
OP steveg1  
1 Jun 2011 /  #16
i wish i had done this celta 5 years ago, the market in the uk is pretty poor right now. wages just haven't gone up over the years in real terms at all. they say the standard wage in london is £15 an hour (it's been £15 an hour forever), but most job ads are for £12 an hour, some even £8! i don't know if anyone here knows london well, but you can't live in london on £8 an hour unless you're working 200 hours a month and rent a room rather than a flat, but most english schools offer about 100 hours, sometimes less.

an example of london, a 25m2 studio in even the poorest areas would cost at least £800 inc. council tax and bills. i think i have chosen the wrong profession! i heard wages have been stuck on 50zl an hour in poland for quite some time as well, with poland obviously getting more and more expensive. though 50zl an hour in poland would still give a far better lifestyle than £15 an hour in london! i hear the middle east is great for wages (low or no tax), provides accommodation etc, but it's not the place for me

i said the wages haven't gone up in real terms, i should have said they haven't gone up fullstop!
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
1 Jun 2011 /  #17
i heard wages have been stuck on 50zl an hour in poland for quite some time as well, with poland obviously getting more and more expensive.

It depends on the place really - though the "big name" schools are now offering up to 70zl an hour.

A good, stable job will offer around 55-60zl an hour in a big name school - and far less in a bad school.
Seanus  15 | 19666  
1 Jun 2011 /  #18
There are contradictions when talking about TTT and STT. On the one hand, they love to hear a native speaker chat away about sth and they question them but, on the other hand, the preference is for maximum STT during the lesson. I try and strip it down to the bare minimum which means corrections, giving a model, setting tasks and facilitating transitions between the lesson phases etc etc.
OP steveg1  
1 Jun 2011 /  #19
70zl is good, but i was the tax is pretty lame in poland. in england the first £620 or so you earn is completely tax free. my friend told me in poland even if he earned 1500zl a month, they took about 30% away so he ended up with about 1200zl. whereas in england if you earn £1000 a month, you end up with about £865. (though i'm also told many teachers in poland are paid cash in hand so avoid tax).

seanus, if celta teachers were to view your classes now, would you still be conforming to their exact requirements? or have you created your own style? after all, teaching is hardly an exact science with one way better than all the rest

but i HEARD the tax*

sorry, just noticed an error with my mathematics, his gross would've been about 1500zl, net about 1100
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
1 Jun 2011 /  #20
sorry, just noticed an error with my mathematics, his gross would've been about 1500zl, net about 1100

That's about right.

Teachers tend to be paid under a so called "freelance" contract - so they pay an effective tax rate of 9.5%. The legality of this is somewhat dubious, though.
Trevek  25 | 1699  
1 Jun 2011 /  #21
Try to "throw the ball" to the students as much as possible...for example if one student asks you a question don't answer it, but open it up to the class...." Does anyone else know the answer?" Just think about YOU talking less and the students talking more...use your body language (koff koff) and eye contact and students names (John???) to encourage this.

Agreed. This is the "student centred' learning. Try not to lecture them... ask them a lot more and try to get them to realise the answer themselves as much as possible. CELTA loves this. One little trick is after each exercise, ask them to compare with a partner (in English of course).

What drives me nuts about this is that sometimes, there's a need for the teacher to talk much more than the students.

Yeah. I'm teaching Arabs at the moment and some of them simply have no concept about certain aspects of writing and useage of grammar. I have to bluntly tell them and lecture them about it because this is how they've been taught. They aren't taught to think in the same way many European students are.
Topsports  
14 Sep 2013 /  #22
Hi can anyone enhance me on concept questions for 'it doesn't fit' and 'it doesn't really suit you'

'
Morad83  1 | 19  
14 Sep 2013 /  #23
Topsports
'it doesn't fit. Is it too big or small. Yes Is it a good size? No
'it doesn't really suit you.' Do you look good in it? No Is it your style? No

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