This video is a podcast episode from “English with Cambridge” that features an interview with John Slade, a teacher and CELTA trainer. The discussion covers his background, philosophy on teaching, and advice for other educators.
John Slade’s Journey: John’s interest in languages began in primary school with French [02:59], and was inspired by his grandfather who learned Spanish [03:09]. His background also includes training as a dancer and a yoga teacher, which he believes helps with communication and he incorporates physical movement into his pronunciation classes [04:36]. He recalls his first teaching lesson as “terrifying” [07:22].
Advice for Teachers: John advises new teachers to be patient, as their skills will improve with time [10:39]. For teaching pronunciation, he suggests using physical activities to help students connect with their bodies [11:37]. He also emphasizes the importance of professional development and contributing to the teaching community [14:48]. He advises taking on various jobs to build a strong CV [15:58].
Feedback Tip: The podcast also includes a section with educational consultant Miranda Hamilton, who recommends focusing on the learner’s self-assessment first when giving feedback, by asking questions like, “How do you think you did?” [17:34].
