UNIVERSIDAD CENTROAMERICANA

FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES Y COMUNICACION

Enseanza del Ingles como Lengua Extranjera

Training Course for Nicaraguan Public High School English Teachers

Author: Yessica Ma. Gamez Aguinaga

Managua, Nicaragua
Junio 2011

Abstract

This course is designed for public high school English teachers who want to improve
their language skills and teaching methodologies in order to manage an excellent
Communicative Teaching of English (CTE) in their classrooms. In doing so trainees will
be exposed to a variety of activities such as problem solving, case studies, learning and
teaching situations analysis, etc. It is content and situational based course for it focuses
on the application of the different teaching methods used in a specific context or
situation. The method to be used will be the communicative language teaching (CLT) as
means of improving the language skills and applying an effective teaching method.

Introduction
2

Since English has become the language of communication across the world, it is
relevant to have well prepared English teachers who will be the ones in charge of
providing students with the necessary elements to have a good command of the target
language.
It is also important to equip English teachers with a variety of tools that can help them to
have an effective teaching and learning environment in their classrooms. The best way
to do so is by providing English teachers constant training in which they will have the
opportunity to improve not just their language proficiency but also their teaching
methodologies.

Context
A training course for Nicaraguan public high schools English teachers is sponsored by
the Department for International Development (DID) of the British Mission in Managua.
There is an amount of 75 English teachers who will be divided into 5 groups of 15
students. They come from different cities of Nicaragua and will stay at UCAS dorms
during the training course. The course consists in 48 hours, 8 hours per day. It will be
divided into 6 modules, one module a day. The course will last a week with an exception
of not classes on Wednesday.

Goal
Nicaraguan Public high schools English teachers will improve their language
skills and teaching methodology in order to implement a Communicative
Teaching of English (CTE) in their classrooms.

General objectives
By the end of this course Nicaraguan public high school English teachers will:
Have a better command of the English Language
Apply a more effective methodology in their classrooms by using the CTE

Graphic Outline

Module 6
High
Intermediate

Module 5

Reflecting upon the course

Course Evaluation
Self evaluation

Content Based Instruction

Teaching Writing by using CBT

Basic principles of Communicative

Language Teaching (CLT)

Teaching Reading by using CLT

Relating communicative principles of

Cooperative Learning and
Participatory Approach

Teaching Speaking through those

Methods

Task Based Approach

Teaching Listening by using the

TBA

Teaching Methods and approaches

Methods used by the Ts

Traditional Methods ( GM & AL)

Teaching Grammar (Inductively vs.

Deductively)

Module 4

Module 3

Module 2

Intermediate
Module 1

Expressing
&
Expressing opinions
opinions &
ideas
ideas

Improving hand writing

(Capitalization &
punctuation) Brainstorming
Outlining
Organizing Ideas
Predicting
Predicting by
by using
using pictures,titles
pictures,titles &
& subtitles
subtitles
Skimming
Skimming
Scanning
Scanning
Highlighting
Highlighting
Understanding
Understanding word,
word, sentence
sentence &
& paragraph
paragraph
structure
structure

Comparing
Comparing and
and
contrasting ideas
Discussing

Predicting
and guessing
guessing
Predicting and
Listening for
Listening
for General
General
info
Listening for Specific
Info

Presenting & Practising

Structures
Structures

Suggested content for the first module

Module
1

Introduction to the
course
Content

Whats a Teaching Method or approach?

Methods or approaches used by the Ts in their classrooms.

Traditional teaching methods used in public high schools in Nic (GT, AL)

Main principles of GT & AL

How to teach Grammar Communicatively ( inductive vs. deductive teaching of grammar)

Exchanging Personal Information

Expressing opinions
Making decisions
Analyzing
Language
Functions

Highlighting specific information

Note Taking
Reading. Writing
Listening & Speaking

Strategies

Skills

Drawing conclusions

Activities

Material

Exchanging personal info

Whole class discussions
Groups discussions
Mini Demo Lessons
Writing a self reflection paper

Handouts
Power point presentation
Case studies
English Books

Writing a reflection paper

7

Justification
There are two main reasons for the designing of this project proposal. First it is a
requirement of the English Major to have students working on the design of an English
course in which they can apply all the knowledge acquired during the years of study.
Knowledge of Teaching Methodologies, Applied Linguistics, Language Acquisition,
Philosophy of Education, Pedagogy, etc will be relevant for the elaboration of this
project. Second, this project is designed as a request of The Department for
International Development (DID) of the British Mission in Managua that wants to train
public high school English teachers to be proficient in the English language as well as to
improve their teaching methodologies by using the Communicative Teaching of English
(CTE).
The Course
This training course will be based on teaching the trainees to adopt and adapt principles
and characteristics of the different teaching methods, principally the CLT; thus, they can
teach the target language in a communicative way, and facilitate their students learning
processes.
In language teaching the best way to help learners to produce the language is by
exposing them to meaningful and real life situations activities in which they can
communicate and interact. Margie S. Berns, an expert in the field of communicative
language teaching, writes that "language is interaction; it is interpersonal activity and
has a clear relationship with society. In this light, language study has to look at the use
(function) of language in context, both its linguistic context (what is uttered before and
8

after a given piece of discourse) and its social, or situational, context (who is speaking,
what their social roles are, why they have come together to speak)" (Berns, 1984, p. 5).
For those reasons teachers should teach the target language in a communicative and
interactive way to help students to understand the language meaning and use.
Moreover as part of the course, trainees will be working on different activities that will
help them to improve their language skills. This is also presented as a basis of the CLT
whose focus has centered on speaking, listening skills, on writing for specific
communicative purpose, and on authentic reading tests (Brown, 2000). In order to
implement a good methodology, it is important for teachers to have a good command of
the English language, so they will not have language use related problems while
teaching their students.
The way in which the trainees will be exposed to the language skills will be based on
Krashens Natural Order and Input Hypotheses. In the Natural Order Hypotheses, he
states that we acquire the rules of language in a predictable order, some rules tending
to come early and others to come late (Krashen, 1982). And in the Input Hypothesis
Krashen emphasizes that the learners of a second language must receive as much
input as possible. The thrust of the input hypothesis is that in order for language
acquisition to take place, the acquirer must receive comprehensible input through
reading or hearing language structures that slightly exceed their current ability (Brown,
2000:278). It is for that reason that the first skill to be presented is listening and then
speaking, reading and writing.

Syllabus
The syllabus suggested is a Mixed or multi strand syllabus since it combines different
aspects in order to be maximally comprehensive and helpful to teachers and learners; in
these you may find specification of topics, tasks, functions and notions, as well as
grammar and vocabulary (Penny Ur p.178)
The reason for using a mixed syllabus is because the students will be exposed to a
variety of contents related to teaching methodologies, and at the same time they will
perform different activities in which they will put into practice learning strategies, and
language functions in order to have a good command of the English language.
The incorporation of language functions is based on the necessity of having proficient
teachers who can be able to communicate efficiently in the target language, and who
can implement a better teaching methodology by using the communicative teaching of
English (CTE).
Material
During this training course a variety of authentic material will be used to facilitate the
teaching and learning processes. The material will be adopted and adapted by taking
into account the course goal and objectives, and the trainees needs.
The use and adaptation of the material will depend on the trainers choice as they are
the only ones who will know the context in which they will teach and also, they are the
ones who can identify the areas trainees need to reinforce. As Savignon says,

10

Teachers are the ones who make materials work; they make them work for their
students and for themselves in the context in which they teach (p.131-132).
Furthermore, the material use will have a double purpose: to help trainees to improve
their language skills as well as to teach them how to apply effective methodologies in
their classrooms by using the communicative approach.
The criteria to follow for selecting the material will be based on identifying WHO the
users will be, WHERE the material will be used, WHAT facilities will be available, and
HOW the material will be used. It is also relevant to take into account materials format,
accuracy, and the way language and culture are presented.
Since in this training course a specific book will not be used, there will be a compilation
of different sources whose use will be oriented to the different activities trainees will be
exposed to during the course.
Assessment
This is a highly participative training course thus the trainees will be assessed by their
performance and participation in the class discussions and activities. During this course
the participants will be exposed to real life situations and problem solving activities to
which they will give a solution or response by taking into account their experiences as
learners and as teachers. Recent studies demonstrate that new ways of classroom
assessment can be associated with authentic, real world tasks in which language,
interaction and performance play important roles (Brown 1998).

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Trainees will be assessed every day at the end of each module to know if they can put
into practice all the theory they will learn during the day. They way this assessment will
take place, will be through mini demo lessons, reflection papers, and self- evaluation
sheets. The latter as a way of self- assessment as trainees will be given the opportunity
to make reflections about the course and their performance on it.
There will also be two written tests that will allow the trainees to apply the theory in a
critical manner and improve their skills. The written tests can serve as an instrument to
identify the participants difficulties and major problems.
In order to properly construct an assessment instrument, it is helpful to have some
explicit notion of what is being measured and how it might be labeled. An elaborate way
to describe language assessment instruments is according to their primary function that
can be for administrative, instructional, or research purposes (Jacobs et al. 1981). In the
training course, the written test will be use to measure language learning and language
use as well as to see any evidence of progress.

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Universidad Centroamericana
School of Humanities and Communication
Training Course for Nicaraguan Public High School English
Teachers

Trainer: Yessica Gamez

Cell phone: 8859-5036
E-mail: jessiegamez@hotmail.com
Schedule: Monday to Sunday (no classes on Wednesday)
8 A.M. 5 P.M.
Required Text: Compilation
1-Description on the course: This training course for Nicaraguan Public High School English teachers is designed to
help trainees to improve their language skills and teaching methodology by using the Communicative Teaching of English
(CTE). It focuses on teaching trainees how to use different methods in a communicative by using different meaningful
exercises. Through the practice trainees are given the opportunity to improve their language skills which are fundamental
for having a good command of the English Language.
2-Goal of the program: Public high schools English teachers will improve their language skills and teaching methodology
in order to implement an excellent Communicative Teaching of English (CTE) in their classrooms.
3- General Objectives: By the end of this course public high school English teachers will:
Have a better command of the English Language
13

 Apply a more effective methodology in their classrooms by using the CTE

4- Methodology of the course:
This is a training course will give the participants the opportunity to improve their language skills at the same time they
learn how to apply an effective teaching methodology in their classroom by using the CTE. Therefore, the method to be
use in this course will be the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) since trainees will perform meaningful tasks in
which communication and interaction will be the main elements. During this training course, the trainer will work as a
facilitator of communication as well as an advisor of the trainees. He or she will also monitor trainees performances.
5- Requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Attend every module and be on time.

Have the required material for each module.
Participate in all activities.
Be prepared and do not miss quizzes and in-class assignment.
Turn off your cell phone during the class time.
Do not eat during the class.
Respect classmates and professor.

6- Grading System
14

Assessment

Description

Percentage

2 Test

10%

20%

In class Assignments

Mini Demo Lessons

20%

Case studies
Problem solving
activities
Self- assessment

Reflection papers

20%

Self- Evaluation sheets

Class performance

Participation

15%

Group work
Final Exam
Total

Demo Lesson

25%
100%

15

MODULES

CONTENT

SKILLS

Reading

ACTIVITIES

MATERIAL

Game: 2 truths

Name tags

Personal Info

Highlighting

& a Lie

Cards

Whats a Teaching

Expressing

specific

Whole class

Handouts

Method or

and supporting

information

discussions

Power point

approach?

opinions

Methods or
Module 1

STRATEGIES

FUNCTIONS
Exchanging

-Introduction to the
course

LANGUAGE

Note taking

approaches used
by the Ts in their

presentation

Analyzing a
Speaking

Groups

English

discussions

Books

specific

classrooms.

learning or

Self-

Traditional

teaching

Mini Demo

evaluation

teaching methods

situation

Lessons

sheet

schools in Nic (GT,

Making

Writing a self-

AL)

decisions

reflection paper

used in public high

Main principles of

Writing

based on their

GT & AL

personal

How to teach

learning and

Grammar

teaching

Communicatively

experiences.
Predicting and

Interviewing a

Power point

guessing

stranger (live

presentation
16

listening)
Task Based

Reading

Listening for

Approach main

Expressing

principles and

opinions

characteristics

Listening
Agreeing,

Module 2
Teaching Listening

Speaking
Writing

Material
Jigsaw Listening Video
Case Study

Listening for

Whole class

specific Info

discussion

disagreeing,
arguing

by using the TBA

general info

Taped

about the case

Listening for

study Helping

detailed info

Students to
Listen
Test
Writing a
reflection paper

17

Relating

Making

Guess the

Power point

connection

picture

presentation

Comparing

between the

Information Gap

Handouts

and

reading and the

Role Play

Realia

Learning and

contrasting

conversation or

Lesson

English

Participatory

ideas

lecture

preparation

books
Self-

How to teach

Learn how to

Writing a selfreflection paper

Speaking through

speak from

those Methods

notes

communicative

Discussing
Speaking

principles of
Cooperative
Module 3

Writing

Approach

evaluation
sheet

Supporting
answers

Basic principles of

Listening

Questioning

Communicative
Language
Module 4

Teaching (CLT)

Criticizing
Speaking
Commenting

Teaching Reading
by using CLT

Reading

Understanding

Simple reading

Realia

word, sentence

tasks

Handouts

& paragraph

Identifying word

Articles,

structure

categories and

magazines,

Predicting by

sentences

stories

using pictures,

structures

Self-

titles and

Connecting

evaluation

subtitles

sentences/

sheet

Skimming

ideas.
18

Scanning

Responding to a

Highlighting

text
Criticizing and
selecting
reading
materials

Commenting
Listening
Arguing
Content Based
Module 5

Speaking

Instruction
Teaching Writing

Reading

by using CBI
Writing

Improving hand

Mini demo
lesson
Punctuating a

Power

writing

text

p.

(Capitalization

Writing a

& punctuation)

personal story

point

Handouts

Brainstorming
Expressing

Outlining

Responding to

opinions and

Organizing

problems in

ideas

Ideas

writing (problem
solving activity)
Writing a self
reflection paper
Test

19

Expressing
Reflecting upon
the course

Note taking

opinions &
Speaking

Module 6

Demo lesson

Evaluation

with all the

sheets to

ideas

Organizing

language skills

evaluate:

Discussing

ideas

integrated

the course

Course Evaluation

effectiveness
Writing

Summarizing

Self evaluation
Evaluating

Supporting

the trainer

answers

performance
Trainees selfevaluation

20

LESSON PLAN FOR A MODULE

Material:
Module 1

Handouts

Intermediate Level
Adults

Power point presentation

English books

Time: 8 AM- 5 PM
Content:

Whats a Teaching Method or approach?

Methods or approaches used by the Ts in their classrooms.
Traditional teaching methods used in public high schools in Nic (GT, AL)
Main principles of GT & AL
How to teach Grammar Communicatively (inductive vs. deductive teaching of
grammar

Objectives:
At the end of this module trainees will be able to:

Use principles of Grammar Translation and Audio-lingual Methods

communicatively.
Teach grammar inductively
Analyze and give a solution to a specific learning or teaching situation
Make decisions based on their personal learning and teaching experiences.
Procedure
Introduction to the course: Explaining the goal and objectives of the course
Passing around name tags in which trainees can write their names.

Warm- up Activity: 2 Truths & a Lie (10- 15 minutes)

Description: In this activity each person writes down on a card two truths and a lie
about themselves, and then we will try to guess each other's lie. The goal is to: a)
convince others that your lie is truth (and that one of your truths is the lie) and b) to
correctly guess other people's lies.
Trainees will be given 5 minutes for writing down the 2 truths & a lie.

21

After that trainees will gather together in a circle. Start with one person who reads their
three statements aloud. The trainees who will be listening will decide which of the
statements the lie is. If they are correct they get a point, if not the person who read the
statements says the correct answer and gets the point. The trainer may add drama and
reinforcement, etc. for correct guesses, tricky statements, etc.
The advantages of this activity are that trainees can get to know one another in a funny
and interactive environment. And also, during this activity, the trainer can do a need
analysis to identify the areas trainees need to improve.
Presentation
The trainer introduces the content of the module by asking participants what is a
teaching method or approach. The trainees have to reflect upon that question by
taking into account their philosophy of education.
After having a discussion about the different answers the trainer will move to the
next question that is about the methods or approaches the participants use in
their classroom. There will be a whole class discussion.
Once the discussions end, the trainer will explain through a Power point
presentation the traditional & old methods used in ELT. The trainer will focus on
Grammar translation and the Audio- lingual Methods.
The trainees will highlight the main principles and characteristics of GT& AL
(Handouts will be distributed).
The trainer will ask the trainees how they teach grammar.
Practice
During the whole class discussion about grammar teaching, the trainer will show
sample activities in which grammar is taught in a traditional way (deductively),
and then in a communicative way (inductively).
The trainees will reflect upon both sample activities.
The trainer will present a grammar exercise the trainees will do.
The exercise will be about the future tense (Be going to & Will). It will consist in
practicing grammatical structures by focusing on meaning rather than on form.

22

 The trainees will do the activity and once they finish, they will discuss about it by
making any comment or suggestion.
The trainer will distribute handouts that present examples for teaching grammar
inductively and deductively.

Production
The trainees will work in groups of 5 and they will prepare a mini demo lesson to
teach grammar communicatively by using principles of GT& AL. (The material will
be provided by the trainer)
At the end of the mini demo lesson trainees will be evaluated by their peers and
by the trainer.
Homework
Trainees will write a reflection paper about the learned during the first module.

Universidad Centroamericana
School of Humanities and
Communication
TEST Modules 1-2
23

Trainee: _________________________________
Trainer: ________________________

Date: __________________
Score: __________

1. Look at this part of a teachers lesson plan

Aim: To teach Ss to make suggestions using Lets..
Presentation
1. Give a situation and example:
Its Friday night and you and your friend are thinking about what to do. You
suggest different things. For example, you want to go to a party- so you say
Lets go to a party.
2. Chorus repetition:
Lets go to a party.
Write the sentence on the board.

?
What should the teacher do next? Consider these possibilities. Explain and support your
answer.
Repetition

Substitution

T: Lets go to a restaurant.

T: You want to go to a restaurant;

Ss: Lets go to a restaurant.

Ss: Lets go to a restaurant;

T: Lets go to the movies

T: You want to go to the movies.

Ss: Lets go to the movies, etc.

Ss: Lets go to the movies.

2. Trainees will listen to the podcast The Experience of Language Teaching from

Cambridge University Press. They will answer the following questions:

What is the interviewer name?

What is the interviewer occupation?

24

According to Mrs. Senior a class sentence framework is _________________

What does becoming an experienced teacher mean?

Do you agree with Mrs. Rose about adding humor to Language teaching?
Support your answer.

3. What are the benefits of teaching grammar inductively?

4. Write the appropriate method or approach in the box which describes that
method
a)
-

Students read aloud the entire passage. When they have

finished, the teacher calls on students at random, asking them to
translate the sentences into English.

Method/ Approach: _____________________________________

b)
-

The students do a task in groups, following the teachers

instructions. They are each given part of the information they need
to complete the task.

Method/ Approach: ____________________________________

25

c)

The teacher introduces a dialog by modeling it two times. After

that the students repeat each line of the new dialog several
times.

Method/ Approach: ____________________________________

d)
-

Students are asked to design a way to survey the other students

about their favorite subjects. They are to figure out a way to report
their findings to the rest of the class.

Method/ Approach: ____________________________________

SUGGESTED EVALUATION FOR THE TRAINING COURSE

In order to evaluate the course in an efficient way, formative and summative
evaluation will be used.
Formative evaluation will be necessary in order to receive feedback from the
trainees at the end of each module. It is important to know trainees points of view
and opinions about the course in order to make changes if necessary to improve
26

the course effectiveness. It is also a good idea having the trainer giving feedback
to the participants too as maybe that can influence their performance in the next
modules. Weston, Mc Alpine, and Bordonaro state that The purpose of
formative evaluation is to validate or ensure that the goals of the instruction are
being achieved and to improve the instruction, if necessary, by means of
identification and subsequent remediation of problematic aspects (1995).
On the other hand, Summative evaluation will be utilized to have a general
evaluation of the course. According to Graves summative assessment is done at
the end of a course and provides information about the students' overall
achievement as well as the overall effectiveness of the course (p. 208). This kind
of evaluation serves a double purpose for one can assess the learner to know his
or her results and by knowing those results is that one can identify whether the
course taught what it was supposed to teach.

27

SUGGESTED MATERIAL
Since there is not a specific book to be used for this training course, there will be a material compilation from
different sources and books which will help trainees to achieve the course goal and objectives.
According to Jack Richards Effective instructional materials in language teaching are shaped by consideration of a
number of factors, including teacher, learner, and contextual variables (2001). That is why that at the moment of
adopting and adapting material those factors will be taken into consideration.

28

FUTURE PROBLEM TO RESEARCH

After presenting the proposal for the training course, it is relevant to analyze and take
into consideration the possible problems that can arise. A possible problem is related to
the course length. As we know the course will be taught for six days in which trainees
are supposed to become proficient in order to teach English communicatively. It is not a
certainty that in a short period of time trainees will become proficient in English since
many of them can have any learning problem related to the contents being taught or to
the activities they have to do.
The trainer, on the other hand, cannot dedicate too much time to those problems as he
or she has a schedule to follow. Consequently, the pace in which each module will be
taught will be kind of fast as there will be too much material to cover in few days. It is
here that a question emerges, is it necessary to lengthen the training course in order to
achieve its goals and objectives?

29

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR COLLECTING DATA

Action research will be used as it will allow finding a solution to the possible problems
that course could have. The solution can be found by consulting different sources, and
using different instruments.
One of the main sources the trainers could have will be the participants as if any
decision related to the course is made; it has to include the participants suggestions or
recommendations. As Eileen Ferrance explains, This research ( action research) is
carried out within the context of the teachers environmentthat is, with the students
and at the school in which the teacher workson questions that deal with educational
matters at hand (2000).
The possible instruments to be used will be interviews, surveys and class observations.
The results will be then analyzed by using triangulation of sources. The objective for
using triangulation of sources is because it is important to have different perspectives
and points of view to collect as much information as possible. Then, for processing the
information it is necessary to link the information, analyze it and draw own conclusions
about the research.

30

CONCLUSION
This research proposal is intended to allow Nicaraguan public high school English
teachers to improve their language skills and teaching methodologies in order to have a
better and communicative teaching of English in their classrooms.
Since English has become the language most used and spoken in a globalized world, it
is relevant to have well prepared and competent English teachers who manage a good
command of the English language and whose methodologies facilitates the students
learning processes. It is for those reasons that is relevant to implement English training
courses in which teachers are provided with the tools that they need in order to be
proficient in the language use, and in order to teach English communicatively.

31