Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 2; March 03

A Student-centred Language Course

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Caterina writes:

……..also the choice of having no textbook was really right. When you have a book you are forced to follow it and often you forget what are the real needs of the students.

Without any book you can work on any subject that would interest the class, sniffing different books, if it is necessary…….

This English course was, for me, a new experience. I've been four times in England in different courses: I attended courses in Italy but they were academic courses- I mean- we had a timetable which included writing, speaking, listening exercises and nothing was left to the personal ( students' or teachers') imagination. On the other hand this course I have just done comprehend all the basiliar skills but everything is done with the purpose of making students collaborate with teachers.

On this course I don't see our teachers as persons who have only to check if we do our homework, or if we study, but as persons who could cope with us. I don't feel me passively learning but I think I am co-operating to build up my English language knowledge.

I really liked learning how some things could be showed in different ways and also how could manage to see things under different lights. Language is supposed to be a subject always changing and so I think it is important to learn the lively language and the use of words in nowadays speeches.