Interview with the author: Jane Turner
Jane Turner talks to us about her ELT career, Cambridge exams and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the industry.
Jane Turner is an associate lecturer in EAP/EFL at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, and an EFL materials writer for international exam boards, universities and publishers. She previously worked as a Cambridge ESOL examiner for the British Council, and holds an MA in Education Management and Cambridge CELTA and DELTA.
Jane is the author of Reading CAE: Eight practice tests for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (2021)
How long have you worked in English-language education, and why did you choose this as a career?
I qualified with a CELTA in 1999 and started my English language teaching career in Turkey in 2000. Prior to working in ELT, I actually worked for Cambridge University Press, which is where I became more familiar with the world of ELT. The more I learnt about the field, the more interested I became in trying it for myself. And as a language graduate, it was a natural fit for me: I could use my own language learning experiences to understand my students' difficulties.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your own working processes?
Like people from most walks of life, I've been spending a lot of time using video conferencing this year – "you're on mute" has become a very familiar phrase! Meetings and conferences have all been online, which means I've had the opportunity to interact with far more people from my field than I'd normally do, which has been fantastic. In terms of teaching, my university classes have been put on hold. Instead, I've been teaching more EFL and exam students on an individual basis online. This has meant I've been able to provide more tailor-made instruction and provide very targeted feedback for learners with specific goals. It's been an interesting experience.
In what ways (good and bad) do you think the global pandemic has affected English language teaching?
Well, from an EAP (English for Academic Purposes) context, the university sector has been hit very hard. Far fewer international students have been able to study overseas at their chosen universities and colleges. It's certainly true that many elements of EAP work very well online, but sadly we can't replicate that genuine experience of living and studying in a foreign country. More generally though, I do think ELT is going through a period of great creativity. It's fantastic to see colleagues around the world sharing amazing teaching ideas. English language teachers have always had to be resourceful, and we're continuing to find new ways to meet our learners' needs using whatever tools we have! It's also been great to see students form learning communities to help one another. I'm a firm believer in the power of peer-learning.
How would you describe the difference in language mastery between B2 and C1?
One of the key things is flexibility of communication. As learners progress in English, they start to appreciate that the language is full of words and phrases with multiple meanings, collocations, and nuances, so it's not enough to focus on one meaning of a word like "pass", for example. Depending on the context, the word could mean very different things. Of course, B2 learners already understand this to a certain extent, but may still have difficulty using this idea to help them understand different types of text. C1 learners are generally more able to cope with unfamiliar or colloquial language that they may encounter. They have the strategies and language base to work out meaning from context, even if it seems to deviate from what they've already learnt as "standard" usage.
Which parts of the Cambridge exams do you think students struggle with the most?
Of course, it depends on the individual, but many students seem to feel that the receptive skills of reading and listening are difficult to work on. Many of the learners I've worked with have requested extra practice in reading and listening as they find them daunting, possibly because they're not in the habit of reading or listening in English. The good news is that once learners practise these parts of the test, they start to see what is expected of them. They also see how all the components of the exams complement one another. As for writing and speaking, these are certainly not easy skills to master, but learners have control over their writing and speaking to a certain extent in the exam. After all, these tasks are set up to enable students to showcase what they can do. Learners can also often notice the progress they're making in writing and speaking.
What are the challenges in writing assessment pieces for Cambridge exams?
Well, one is finding appropriate topics. We always want to find topics that are accessible, but with a new angle or fresh perspective. Not only does that make the materials more stimulating, but it also increases the likelihood that the reader will be exposed to new and useful language. And of course, trying to find topics that will stand the test of time is always a challenge as well. That's especially true if you're focusing on topics related to technology of course!
Is there any one, last-minute technique or piece of advice that you would give a student about to sit their exam?
Well, aside from the usual (but very important) advice about not panicking, I'd also add that ultimately, these exams are a test of communicative skills. Many test-takers forget that and assume that exam success is about having flawless grammar. Keep in mind though that the exams are designed to measure the ability to understand ideas and express them. That's why in both receptive and productive skills we all use communicative strategies to figure out what is being said, or to clarify our ideas. For me, these are precisely the keys to exam success – and knowing that can really make a difference to how you approach the exam.
How would you describe the experience of working with Prosperity Education?
It's been extremely positive. The team are so helpful and offer constructive feedback at all stages – it's been a very collaborative experience. I've always felt supported and able to ask for help when needed, which I've appreciated. I'm very much looking forward to working on future projects with them.
What are you currently working on and what will you be doing next?
Well, one thing I'm about to start working on is in fact another Prosperity project – an IELTS Academic Reading title. It should be a very exciting project as it addresses something a lot of my learners often ask for, namely more sample papers to work through. That's due to be published later in the year. And another project I'm hoping to set up soon is an EAP podcast. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time, as a lot of EAP learners struggle to find appropriate listening resources. It's still in its early stages but I'm looking forward to launching it at least in some form this year.
