Katarzyna Kępińska is a CELTA tutor at IH Wroclaw in Poland
How long were you an EFL teacher, and how long have you been a teacher trainer?
I’ve been teaching for about 12 years and I’ve been a teacher trainer for 3 years.
Did you have a different career before EFL?
No, I’ve always been an English teacher.
What are your hopes/aspirations for your trainees?
I hope my trainees enjoy the course and get a sound basis for their future work. I hope to inspire them to be creative and to think out of the box.
When you were an EFL teacher what did you like most, and how do you bring that into the classroom for your trainees?
I still am a teacher and I like working on pronunciation a lot, which is what I often bring up in sessions. I think it’s just so important to include pronunciation practice in English classes on everyday basis as it is connected with increasing students’ communicative and listening abilities.
What advice would you give your trainees for successfully completing the course?
Don’t procrastinate. The course is short and there is basically no “later”.
What advice would you give your trainees for an interesting and rewarding career?
Don’t underestimate the important of teaching groups at various levels, of wide age range and in different contexts.