Q:
How did you first get into EFL?
A: I did a postgraduate certificate of education after leaving
university and there was an optional element related to EFL.
I thought it was interesting and the first teaching I did
was a summer course in Oxford, which was great fun.
Q:
Tell us about your career in EFL since then?
A: I worked in Spain for a year trying to learn Spanish. Then
I spent two years in South America, in Colombia and Bolivia.
In Bolivia, I worked in a bilingual school and taught History
and Geography as well as English. It's where I started to
realise the importance of content in language learning and
teaching. Then I went back to Spain and spent ten years working
in the British Institute for Young Learners in Madrid. Dave
Mower and I worked together and set up the department for
10-14 year-olds. We also began to write materials.
After leaving the British Council in 1992, I worked for nearly
five years in the University of Alcalá de Henares,
in the department of Modern Philology. For the last couple
of years I have been working freelance.
Q:
How long did it take you to write Opportunites ?
A: The whole project has taken over five years.
Q:
What does this book give teachers and students that is different
from other coursebooks?
A: Well, it has the strong educational content that I mentioned
above. It also has a very systematic approach to both language
and skills, with discovery grammar and strong syllabus of
communication strategies. The communication workshops really
give students a chance to talk and write, because they give
real guidance and support. Finally, there is a systematic
focus on culture and literature, which I have not seen elsewhere.
Q:
What do you think is the secret to successful teaching?
A: Being motivated and interested as a teacher. Another thing
is actually liking kids and being interested in them, even
at when they're at their most difficult age (14/15!!!).
Q:
What is the future of the Internet in language teaching?
A: The Internet will never replace direct classroom teaching,
there is no substitute for the teacher in language learning,
which is a fundamentally social phenomenon. However, the Internet
is a great complementary resource and will be great for things
like self-study and project work.
Q:
What are your favourite websites?
A: I confess I am a reader of The Guardian Online. It is a
very user-friendly website and very good for following the
football or cricket results! Other websites that I like are
those of magazines like Nature, New Scientist or Scientific
American. They have really good information.
Q:
How do you unwind?
A: Walking. I spend most of my time in the mountains near
Madrid. I just walk out of the house and up the hill and into
the pinewoods, which are stunningly beautiful. And you see
lots of wildlife up there - red squirrels, woodpeckers, vultures,
red kites…
Q:
What luxury would you take with you to a desert island?
A: Vegetable seeds. I have just started growing vegetables
and, even though I say it myself, my courgettes are doing
rather well. If that's not a luxury, I'd also take The Mediterranean
- my favourite history book ever, written by the French historian
Braudel. It's got three volumes and an awful lot to think
about. If it was in French it would keep me busy for ages!
Q:
What is your all-time top tip for upper secondary teachers?
A: 'Don't smile before Christmas.' I would never carry it
out literally, but the idea behind it is sound. First you
have to establish the way of working in class and make sure
that everyone knows what is expected of them. When that is
done and you get to know your students, you can start to unwind.
Q:
How did you first get into EFL?
