 David Overton
E-mail:
madridteacherdavid@hotmail.com.
Telephone:
912-877-646.
Cell:
652-93-92-89.
 In-Company English teacher for
Company Classes:
My main teaching focus is general classes, company classes
and Cambridge exam classes (FC, CAE, Proficiency). I live in Sanchinarro
so prefer working in the centre and north of Madrid.
Making the most of your time
Students keen on making the most of their time don’t settle for beginner TEFL teachers, which so many are; in fact, many hardly speak Spanish. An experienced teacher is familiar with the challenges faced by Spanish learners and is able to effectively lead the way to communicative competence.
A deep knowledge of methodology
After teaching English for so many years, why is it that I still find it interesting? The answer is simple: English language teaching is not static: linguists are constantly pushing back the frontiers of our knowledge of English and how best to teach it. I find it entertaining to find out about the latest developments and put them into practice in my classes.
Word grammar
To learn English, the first step is to have contact with the language, that’s why some students read books and magazines in English and watch original version films. But in class, students have the luxury of having the guidance and support of a teacher, whose primary role is probably to help students “notice” the most interesting and useful characteristics of a text (whether spoken or written). Often, this means noticing “collocations”; that is, the way words combine (also known as “word grammar”). This is probably one of the most significant breakthroughs in English-language teaching in recent times, and is just as important as traditional grammar. For example, knowing that you can say “have a drink” but not “take a drink” is central to communicative competence.
Conversation in English
Conversations with my students are enjoyable, and it helps them to consolidate what they already know. As well as that, students can learn from their teacher’s language and from the teacher’s corrections. However, in the case that the student’s goal is to make as much progress as possible, it’s usually more beneficial to combine speaking with noticing activities. On-going revision and writing in English are also useful.
English classes with me
Learning English means that both the teacher and pupil must make an effort. The teacher can show the way, but the students must do their part and study and participate in class. Thanks to my extensive experience, I’m flexible and can quickly adapt to my students’needs. So, if you want to make the most of your time and have an experienced teacher, I can help you meet your language needs and improve your communicative ability in English.
Work by David Overton
Talking
Teachers - Watch David Overton's video-article on Carefully
Controlled Teacher Talking Time. (CCTTT)
Lexical
Approach - A book review on the Lexical Approach, a book
for English teachers, by Michael Lewis.
Approaches
and Methods - A book review by David Overton of Approaches
and Methods in Language Teaching (Cambridge Language Teaching
Library) by Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers.
Metaphors We Live By - A book review of Metaphors We Live By, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson.
Meanings and Metaphors - A book review of Meanings and Metaphors, by Gillian Lazar. TEFL Diary - David Overton keeps a diary - a blog - about his actual experiences during his English classes.
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