CELTA Learners & Teachers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CELTA trainee notices that adult learners in her class seem reluctant to make mistakes in front of peers. Which affective factor is most likely influencing this behaviour?
- Low motivation
- High anxiety (Correct answer)
- Poor aptitude
- Weak memory
Correct answer: High anxiety
High anxiety, particularly 'language ego' sensitivity, causes adults to fear public errors and inhibits risk-taking in the classroom.
Question 2: According to CELTA principles, what is the primary purpose of a needs analysis conducted before a course begins?
- To assess learners' grammar knowledge only
- To identify learners' goals, current level, and learning preferences (Correct answer)
- To decide which coursebook to purchase
- To determine the teacher's lesson plan format
Correct answer: To identify learners' goals, current level, and learning preferences
Needs analysis gathers information about learners' objectives, existing proficiency, and preferred learning styles so teaching can be tailored accordingly.
Question 3: Which learning style descriptor refers to learners who prefer to observe demonstrations and think before acting?
- Activist
- Pragmatist
- Reflector (Correct answer)
- Theorist
Correct answer: Reflector
Reflectors, in Honey and Mumford's model, like to watch others and collect data before drawing conclusions or participating.
Question 4: A learner repeatedly produces the error 'He go to school every day.' This persistent incorrect form is best described as:
- A slip
- An interlanguage feature (Correct answer)
- A fossilised mistake only seen in beginners
- A developmental error caused by carelessness
Correct answer: An interlanguage feature
Interlanguage refers to the learner's evolving linguistic system that has systematic features distinct from both L1 and the target language.
Question 5: Which classroom technique best supports learners with a predominantly kinaesthetic learning preference?
- Extended reading tasks
- Teacher-led grammar explanation
- Role-play and physical movement activities (Correct answer)
- Listening to recorded lectures
Correct answer: Role-play and physical movement activities
Kinaesthetic learners benefit from hands-on, movement-based activities such as role-plays, simulations, and tasks that involve physical engagement.
Question 6: What does the term 'affective filter' (Krashen) explain in language acquisition?
- The brain's grammatical processing unit
- How learners select vocabulary from input
- An emotional barrier that can block comprehensible input from being acquired (Correct answer)
- The speed at which learners decode spoken language
Correct answer: An emotional barrier that can block comprehensible input from being acquired
Krashen's affective filter hypothesis states that negative emotions such as anxiety or low confidence raise a mental block that prevents input from reaching the language acquisition device.
Question 7: On a CELTA course, trainees are advised to vary interaction patterns. Which pattern gives learners the most peer practice time?
- IRF (Initiate-Response-Feedback)
- Lockstep whole-class teaching
- Pairwork and groupwork (Correct answer)
- Individual silent reading
Correct answer: Pairwork and groupwork
Pairwork and groupwork maximise learner talking time (LTT) and allow more students to practise simultaneously compared to teacher-fronted patterns.
CELTA Learners & Teachers 2
A CELTA trainee notices that adult learners in her class seem reluctant to make mistakes in front of peers.
Which affective factor is most likely influencing this behaviour?