Designs and delivers personalised English language courses for individuals and for groups of professionals.

GPC Language Training > Why GPC?

Why GPC?

Training and learning is a two-way process between student and trainer.

We’ll find out all about you, but for now, here are some facts about us.

Who is GPC Language Training?

Gary Cattell.  It’s my business. I design the personalised learning plans, manage the company and I teach the courses.

How can you judge whether I’m an effective teacher?

I‘ve always had a passion for languages. I speak French, German and Spanish. I’ve used these languages extensively in my working life and for pleasure. I’ve always had a great respect for my language teachers and have benefited from their knowledge and training.  I aim to give the same opportunities to my students.

I’ve taught students from advanced to beginner, from age sixteen to mature adult.  Each student is treated as an individual, with individual training needs.  As a result, I design and deliver tailored learning resources and tasks that have resulted in stimulating and productive language lessons, consistently high student attendance at my classes and high examination pass rates.

Highly qualified and experienced teaching professionals and inspectors have observed and assessed the learning and teaching taking place in my lessons, and have consistently awarded me high grades. The following are quoted directly from a September 2010 observation report on my teaching. The observer was an experienced public sector English language teaching consultant:

  • ‘variety of activities and resources both stimulated and promoted learning’
  •  ‘efffective use of ILT (i.e. IT) by teacher and by learners’
  • ‘good, clear explanation of grammar rules/checking of learning and understanding’
  • ‘well engaged learners, contributing actively to lessons’
  • ‘learners challenged by tasks widening their vocabulary, improving skills progression and confidence’

What qualifications have I got?

CELTA (Cambridge English Language Teaching for Adults). This is where I learned the essentials of teaching the English language as well as the principles and practice of teaching in the classroom.

DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector). This is the qualification that you must now have to begin teaching in further education in the UK. This has given me the knowledge and skills in how students learn, how to expand my own learning about teaching techniques, and how to develop my teaching skills. I also teach part-time on a DTLLS course for a university, ensuring that my teaching skills are kept up to date.

In addition I have higher education diplomas in business, marketing, exporting, law, accounting plus business French, German and Spanish.

Criminal Records Bureau: I have a current, Enhanced Disclosure Certificate.

How do you know my experience will contribute towards solving your English language issues?

For these reasons: I have over 25 years experience in business. I have worked for large and small companies in senior roles ranging from UK and export marketing to operational management. I have experienced most situations where the choice of English, the way it is used and the behaviour expected by other cultures are critical to effective communication, for example: presentations, contract negotiations,  interviews, verbal and written instructions, disciplinary meetings, report writing, publicity material. Incidentally, I also wrote this website.

How would I describe my teaching style?

These nouns describe my teaching style; listener, facilitator and planner. In my teaching I am observant, persevering and patient. I use my creativity and subject expertise to design and plan lesson activities where students need to use authentic and current English. I structure my lessons to make it as simple as possible for each student to progress, giving detailed feedback as well as extension activities to encourage them to progress further.

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