The Method
We learn a new language in the same way we learn our native language. First, as children we hear words, then we say them, then we learn to read and finally we learn to write. If you keep this order, have a little bit of patience and revise regularly you will succeed. Robin Callan, a qualified linguist, applied this rule when designing his own method of teaching English. Here is what you need to know about the method we use at ILS.
The Callan Method is used to teach English from the beginner level to the Cambridge FCE exam level. The complete course is divided into 12 stages each of which is concluded with a comprehensive revision of the material covered and an end-of-stage test. In order to pass the test students need to obtain a minimum of 65% as such a result guarantees a sufficient knowledge of the English language to continue the course on the next level
Four times faster
Over 80 hours an average student following the Callan Method masters around 1500 words which makes it 19 words per hour. With the other methods of learning English, which take up to 350 hours (four academic years), students learn around 4.25 words per hour. At ILS during just one class the students speak English and listen to English four times more than students using any other forms of language learning. It is due to the fact that students do not waste time on making notes, which lowers their levels of concentration, but instead they are constantly involved in a conversation with the teacher. As a result the students learn four times faster and spend four times less on their English classes.
Overcoming the fear of speaking
The fact that the Callan Method is a conversation-based language teaching technique is its great advantage. Students have the possibility to overcome their shyness and the fear of speaking in a foreign language.
During the classes the teacher asks questions and the students answer them. The teacher utters around 200-240 words a minute. There is no time to analyse a given sentence in your native language, that is why after some time the students start thinking directly in English. The teacher asks each question twice directing it to a different person each time, this enables the students to listen carefully to what others are saying and to understand it correctly. The teacher corrects the students as they go along. Through the control of pronounciation and the speech speed the students gradually become more independent at speaking and more confident at using new grammatical structures. The key to the method lies in a clear and logical lesson plan and a system of very intensive repetitions.
Learning through repetitions
Every lesson starts off with a revision of the material covered recently. This is a very important element of the learning process as the students revise and remember what they have learnt so far. Hence there is no need of revising at home. Homeworks are redundant too, however, it is up to the student if he/she wants to work at home as well. Regular revision of the material covered allows to effectively remember new words for longer. During the class students read through the previous lessons with the teacher which allows the teacher to correct students’ pronounciation and the students to remember the spelling of the new words. The correct pronounciation is very important and the teachers pay special attention to this aspect of the English language.
Students’ books
What the students have in their books is an exact reflection of what the teacher says during the class. So making notes, which is merely a waste of time, is unnecessary.
Every student’s book comprises two stages which constitutes around three to four months worth of classes. The books are available at the school and the price varies from L8 to L9 depending on the level.
The Callan Method comprises five books, which are designed to prepare students for the Cambridge FCE exam. The fact that students do not need to buy any other books significantly lowers the cost of the whole course.