Tutor-Private Teaching and Learning

The quality of the education at the present time decreases. At some educational establishments brides are favored and young people do not want to study. The life is full of affordable pleasures and the children are too spoiled to refuse them. But the educational establishments strive to improve the situation, since there is a shortage of highly qualified personnel.

Devry University. Devry began in 1931 as a small school in Chicago to prepare students for technical work in electronics, motion pictures, as well as radio and television. Dr. Herman DeVry is the founder of the University.

Devry provides rigorous, career-oriented undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, management, and technology. Students access the University programs through a system of more than 80 locations as well as through DeVry University Online. Devry offers degree programs in accounting technology, biomedical engineering technology, business administration, computer engineering technology, computer information systems, electronics and computer technology, electronics engineering technology, game and simulation programming, health information technology, network systems administration, technical management, and network and communications management.

People tend to complain that Devry has chosen the wrong direction in specialty trainings. They say that it is all about the Intellectual technologies and this aspect is not urgent. There are also complaints that the University does not enjoy popularity among employers. It is not considered to be a real school. Applicants are laughed at when interviewed. They have spent several years and thousands of dollars to get a degree and now they are laughed at. Is this fair? Some may say “At least you have the degree”! But what if this degree is worth nothing? On the employment these graduates are equal to those 70% of the Americans who did not go to college at all. There situation is even worse since they wasted money which are hard to earn.

Online education has its own drawbacks. You never know whether the institution receives your papers or it does not. It is the case with the Dervy University. Numerous students argue that their papers disappear and they are forced to rewrite them for several times.

Sometimes people feel lost and lonely. In such times anybody can fall into a destructive depression. That is why many for-profit companies were created that had their main concept as helping people to improve their own individuality, to become stronger and wiser. These companies mostly provide different courses and seminars to help those who want to reach the next level in career, relationships, mental or spiritual health. During these courses certified psychologists explain how to use various tool and techniques of self-improvement. And one of the companies, which deliver such courses, is PSI Seminars.

About the company. PSI Seminars is a private company. PSI Seminars was founded in 1973 and at the present time it is based in Lake County, California. The slogan of PSI Seminars is: “Strategies for life success.” The company was created to provide self-improvement and personal development courses. This company is actually the oldest coursework created in the United States. It has a subsidiary company that is named PSI World. The company has many locations in a number of cities all over the world: in the USA, Canada, and Japan. PSI Seminars deliver five courses of self-upgrading work. Professional teachers show people different exercises of self-improvement and try to help them to reach their individual aims. According to PSI Seminars, the main thing is to teach people understand themselves, their beliefs and desires to reach success.

PSI Seminars complaints. People complain that all the perfect customer service ends when some problems appear. If a client feels that the courses are not for him and want to get his money back, it is very hard to do. The coaches of PSI seminars even do not let to bring water in the room. The employees become very rude, not helpful and do not want to understand why the client wants to leave. Some attendants of the courses state that PSI Seminars make you dependant on their help. People are brainwashed there and forget what they really wanted.

It`s a common knowledge that reading is not only the careful recognition and understanding of each word on the page. A good reader is able to reconstruct the exact writer`s message to analyze and to enjoy it. Reading is an essential way of learning any foreign language. Fluent and quick reading can also become a fun, because a person can absorb a lot of material in a short amount of time. Various approaches, methods, trends connected with developing reading skills have been studied by many scientists. All these scientific works have had the main aim – to change habits of slow reading. Foreign language teachers have the opportunity to help students develop their reading skills and teach them different methods of improving their reading abilities.

How to teach students to read as quickly as possible? A lot of different abilities influence speed of reading and understanding of the text. The ability to understand the text and guess the meaning of new words on the basis of their context, surroundings, their grammatical function and morphological structure is considered to be the most important for quick and fluent reading. No doubt that successful reading depends on the ability to predict what comes next. Is it possible to develop this ability? The answer is definitely “yes”. There are some principal strategies that may help. First of all you should keep in mind that reading takes effort, quick and fluent reading takes even more. That`s why you shouldn`t read in the same way that you watch TV. I mean in an ineffective, passive way. Successful reading should be active and attentive. It`s very good to read in thought groups and phrases, but not in single words, because it`s easier to pull the meaning from groups of words rather than from individual words. If you want to read quickly you should learn to read between the lines and work on the meaning of the text at different levels for understanding information and critically evaluating the idea. It`s also important to stop talking for yourself while reading, because talking will slow you down.

The effective use of dictionaries. A lack of vocabulary prevents students from being fast readers in foreign languages. They interrupt their reading to look up new words in a dictionary. Certainly, it`s necessary to find out the meaning of an unknown word. But the problem is that the students do it too often and it makes reading less effective and very slow. As a result of constant referring to a dictionary, like many useful tools, a dictionary can become dangerous. It would be incorrect to ban the use of dictionaries, that`s why a good foreign language teacher is to make his students realize that they can cope without dictionaries while reading and that it`s wasteful to look up every new word. So, students must learn to use a dictionary effectively and with discretion. A good foreign language teacher realizes that his task is to make his students advanced and confident readers.

Nowadays the rhythm of life is becoming faster and faster, that`s why time is considered to be the most precious treasure. Informational revolution becomes a challenge to the system of education and especially to the system of foreign language teaching. So, the foreign language teachers are in constant search of new methods which could make teaching more effective and results visible in shorter terms.

What is the intensive method of teaching foreign languages built upon? The method of intensive teaching has already shown its effectiveness. The followers of this method prove that it is built upon the principle of so-called “submersion” in the atmosphere of a foreign language. It means that students constantly stay in the flow of foreign speech: oral or written. They avoid the level of internal translation of foreign speech into native language and back. Such a submersion is made by daily involvement of students in foreign speech. In such a way students start to use the language without knowing grammar or phonetic structure. In the same way they started to use their native language. Continuous usage of role-plays in the studying is another important feature of this method. In those role-plays every student gets some role. So, he becomes another person and starts acting according to his “legend”. Students are involved in some situations during the lesson so they have no time to think over the phrases or to translate them from native language and as a result they start to use a foreign language as a means of expression.

What is a teacher`s role? The role of a teacher at such lessons is to make a dialogue or situation and to coordinate students in its flow. The professionalism of the teacher plays extremely important role in the studies as students will imitate his manner of speech and all gestures in their own expressions and he also must be able to involve all the students into the speech flow. The method of intensive teaching is based on the natural principles of mastering language by a person. This method gives teachers the opportunity not to teach about the language but the language itself.

The need to individualize becomes urgent in our society in its present stage of development. One may think that study is an individual matter and the methods which suit some individual will not suit others. It`s true. Different methods are appropriate to different subjects. The best methods of learning Maths will not necessarily be the best methods of learning Chemistry.

What does success in study depend on? Study still remains an art. Although methods of learning different subjects can differ, there must be certain general principles of learning appropriate to different subjects. Both students and teachers shouldn`t forget about these principles, because they enable a person to work out his own personal methods of study more effectively with less trial and error. Every teacher knows that success in study depends not only on ability and hard work but also on effective methods of study. Some students can do more work in a given time than others and do it more easily. No doubt that this is a matter of ability. Important study skills such as note-taking, revising, making plans and time-tables have to be learned and practiced by students but as a rule very few students get systematic instruction in these matters. Most students rely on the traditional study techniques they learned at school. If a student works out his own methods of study and practice new study skills he will be able to enjoy his learning and to succeed in it. A teacher`s task is to explain his student that he can become efficient in learning through proper organization and method.

What is the most effective method of learning from textbooks? Nowadays students spend a great deal of time preparing their individual tasks. They read a lot and learn a lot from their textbooks. There is no wonder that the question of the most effective method of learning from textbooks concern all students all over the world. The method of reading and then making brief outline notes proves to be the most effective. In this situation some training in note-taking is absolutely necessary, because without practice this method may be inferior to the traditional method of reading and rereading. Whatever method a student may use he must first of all understand what he is studying. To understand doesn`t mean to remember easily, because the important thing is not what you know, but what you can do with what you know. To understand thoroughly is to be able to apply your knowledge in new situations.

Recently I have seen an advertisement in the newspaper, claiming that it is possible to learn English within 5 months. I got surprised. But since that time I see such sort of advertisements almost in all newspapers every day.

Ridiculous or dangerous? Not long ago rather famous foreign singers were telling on TV about the latest method of learning English that allows to take no effort at all in the process of studying. When I see such advertisements or hear something like this I don`t know whether to laugh or to cry. Lots of linguists all over the world have been working hard in order to create methods of teaching English that may be more efficient and more helpful, that may do the process of learning productive as well as exciting. The scientists have got lots of questions and only few answers. But the people writing such sort of advertisements in the newspapers seem to know the answers. Do they really know something special about teaching English? The universal method may have already been created by them. Did we happen to miss something? Nothing of a kind. If it were as easy to learn English as they promise in their advertisements, most of foreign language teachers would have to look for another job, because very few teachers would be needed. But it`s very dangerous that a large number of people must believe these ridiculous claims otherwise the advertisements would not appear.

What is the best way to learn a foreign language? It`s natural for students to be attracted to methods that will teach them as quickly and efficiently as possible. But it`s difficult to explain in simple language why one method is better than another. Some experts even say that there are as many good methods of teaching a foreign language as there are good teachers. And it`s true because every teacher is an individual with his own personality. No doubt that the best way to learn a foreign language is to spend a great deal of time in a country where it is spoken. It`s clear that students who go to England or the USA have a great advantage over others. But every person should remember that no one can ever learn to speak English or any other language unless he is interested in it. Language is a means of communication. What people want to say and write in another language is probably very close to what they want to say and write in their own. What people listen to and read cannot be a formula. It must be real. Every student should keep in mind that it`s impossible to learn a foreign language without working hard. And it`s no use pretending that anyone has discovered a perfect way of teaching English in every possible situation.

An oral approach has been a most popular talking point in foreign language teaching for a long time. If you ask any foreign language teacher, he will assure you that the oral approach is the greatest thing, and it is the best approach in foreign language teaching. All of us will agree. But let`s pause for thought. How is the oral approach evaluated nowadays? Is it universal indeed? Is it in the same way suitable to teaching children, teenagers and adults?
What are the criticisms of the oral approach? The oral approach to teaching English as a foreign language often seems so novel and interesting to most teachers, that a general notion of it is formed and embraced without evaluation. Misguided generalizations about principles and techniques are made and it becomes twice an unproductive as the traditional grammar-translation method. Teachers, half understanding the terminology and techniques, work without asking themselves why they do that they do. They dash off into classroom and wreak havoc among their students. They try to apply the techniques, meet resistance and problems in class and as a result may have a crisis of confidence in the approach. The teachers simply don`t know which of the techniques are achieving anything and gradually they become victims of a dangerous virus. This virus is called “Isn`t-an-oral-approach-marvellous?” This virus can produce dogma and insularity. Pedagogical practice shows that at its worst an oral approach leads to a pointless display of fireworks on the part of the teacher, and confusion and dissatisfaction on the part of students.

Over-valuing of technique. Rather often one can hear teachers say: “You know, I did a fantastic progressive substitution drill today”. This concentration on techniques goes beyond a reasonable awareness of their usefulness and becomes petty, punctilious and absolutely boring. A teacher may bring to the lesson suitcases full of flash-cards, beautiful sets of carefully-prepared visual aids and may use all these to teach expressions which are absolutely useless to students. Every teacher should remember that at its best an oral approach provides a set of techniques which can make learning more efficient and enjoyable only in appropriate circumstances.

The attitude to newspapers can be different. You may like reading them and may not. Some people cannot imagine their morning without fresh newspapers. They simply got into habit of reading them at breakfast. The question arises: can foreign language teachers use newspapers at their lessons.

Using newspapers. A new or an old strategy? Using newspapers in foreign language teaching is rather new trend in the methodology. In many countries newspapers were mostly used at the lessons of foreign languages for current events discussion. In the early 1990-s foreign language teachers from different countries raised the problem of using newspapers at the lessons of foreign language. A lot of techniques have been worked out so far.

Why should we use newspapers in foreign language teaching. There are a lot of reasons for using newspapers in foreign language teaching. It stands to reason that economic newspaper texts provide readers with the latest information about what`s happening in the world`s economy and give the opportunities for classroom discussions. Besides, while reading newspapers students can enlarge their professional vocabulary and learn speech patterns typical for different areas of professional communication. Reading and understanding a newspaper article can cause some difficulties arising from a specific area of its topic. Such difficulties are connected with the author`s writing style, lexical and grammar peculiarities. The students can analyze difficult structures and discuss complex ideas, they read about in the newspaper article. So, newspapers can be used to teach many aspects of language and communication skills. Editorials and gossip columns, serious and lighthearted newspapers can be used to teach formal and informal varieties of English. Letters to the editor can demonstrate good features of letter writing. Newspapers are easy to operate, readily available, affordable and helpful at different levels of learning English.

Many linguists both in Great Britain and the USA have been creating hundreds of textbooks designed to teach students spoken English. And what about written English? Are there any differences between written and spoken languages as types of communicative activities? How should a teacher start working at teaching his students written English? It`s not easy to answer all these questions, because teaching writing has been rather neglected for a number of years.

What does learning to write involve? Only recently teachers have faced that many students want and need to learn how to write English as well as to speak it. As a result linguistically oriented textbooks designed to teach written English appeared. It`s obvious that grammar, reading and oral production are to some degree involved in writing. We cannot teach a writing course that doesn`t touch on other activities. Learning to write involves more than learning to use orthographic symbols. This process involves selecting and organizing experience according to a certain purpose. It`s obvious that teaching students to write requires active thinking. In the process of writing a student is to keep in mind the purpose of writing, he must think about the facts that are relevant to the purpose and about their selection. He also must think how to organize all those facts in order to achieve his purpose and succeed in writing.

The main problem in teaching writing. Writing is an active process. One of the first things the students should learn is that writing has certain structural differences from speech. First of all the students shouldn`t forget that writing usually has longer sentences in comparison with the oral speech. What may be two or three sentences in speech is often one sentence in writing. So, the students should learn how to combine short sentences of spoken English by modification or by using some sentence connectors such as however, therefore and others. Another big problem in teaching writing is that students must express their facts and ideas in the form of grammatical English sentences. When the student starts doing it, he thinks of these facts and ideas in his native language and then tries to translate them into English, making a plenty of mistakes. A teacher can help his student avoid such a problem, requiring to use facts and ideas that the student gained while reading the text in English. In such a situation the student can concentrate on the purposeful selection and organization of the sentences. He will concentrate on thinking and he is likely to succeed.

It`s hard to give the exact definition of humor. Let`s try. According to the psychologists, humor denotes a mental disposition towards pleasantry, often realized in the enjoyment of anecdotes, jokes, puns repartee riddles, wisecracks and witticisms.

The role of humor in breaking the class routine. Humor can do miracles. Humor is one of the effective means of enhancing students` motivation to study English. It promotes students` interaction, eases the constant tension in the class and encourages students to take part in various activities. If a teacher can encourage students to be humorous, they usually produce answers that are more interesting and productive. As a teaching strategy humor can provide substantial benefits of understanding, increased attention and interest. Humor creates a positive classroom environment, reduces anxiety, manages undesirable behavior and builds self-confidence. It`s important that humor can allow the shy or timid students to relax and to take part in group discussions. Humor can also reduce the authoritarian position of the teacher, allowing him to be a facilitator of learning process. Humor is an effective way to help students remember key concepts and structures.

The danger of over-using. The teacher is to remember that his class is made of individuals with different tastes, that`s why the teacher shouldn`t be discouraged if his jokes don`t meet the expectations. It`s good to let humor arise naturally but not force it. Like any teaching strategy, the use of humor can become meaningless if over-used. A careful balance is necessary. The overuse of humor in teaching can lead to some unintended consequences. A teacher should be extremely careful about telling jokes. Not every teacher is a good joke-teller, so it is important for a teacher to be prepared for such an activity. The most amusing and entertaining jokes lose their significance if they are told at an inconvenient time and place. Humor can be one of the hardest aspects of a foreign language for students to understand but at the same time it is also one of the most rewarding.