Asked why they enjoy their language lessons, students at schools using the Callan Method might say it’s because they’re engaging, energetic, immersive, and fun! But the main reason they stay at the school and continue studying there is because they learn – fast – much faster than they would elsewhere. Callan works, and here are a few reasons why:

Highly efficient use of lesson time

A Callan Method lesson is very different from a conventional language lesson. There is no class time spent in silence doing reading, writing or grammar exercises. At every moment, someone is speaking. Oral practice at the core the Method. However, students do not take part in free conversation; the speaking is carefully designed to target the specific words, expressions, and grammatical forms and structures that the student is learning.

In a Callan Method lesson, learners are busy with important activities that they cannot do outside the classroom.  They are listening all the time, they are speaking a lot, and all their mistakes are corrected.  They learn quickly because they are constantly immersed in the language they are learning. There is no silence, and no time to get bored.

Systematic revision and recycling

To use new words and structures confidently and naturally, students need to be exposed to them many times. So, the Callan Method is based on a carefully constructed system of revision. When learners are introduced to new language items, they immediately practise them orally with their teacher. This course material is then revisited in subsequent lessons, and the language items become easier and easier for the students to use; they find this noticeable progress encouraging and motivating. These same language items are then systematically recycled, reappearing in different contexts as students progress through during their course. This careful programme of revision and recycling means that learners truly acquire the language, and using it becomes natural for them.

Natural speed

Callan Method teachers speak quickly. Even at beginner level, students practise listening to quick, natural speech and are soon able to understand without first translating into their mother tongue. This idea of not translating is at the centre of the Callan Method; it helps learners to start thinking in the target language.

Constant correction

With the Callan Method, teachers help students while they’re speaking and correct all mistakes at the moment of error. Teachers correct by imitating the mistake before immediately providing the correct form or pronunciation of the word. For example, if a student says “He come from Spain”, the teacher quickly says “not come – comes”. This correction by imitation helps learners to hear the difference between their mistake and the proper form. On being corrected, students immediately repeat the correct form and continue with their sentence. Students benefit enormously from this constant correction and, as each instance is only momentary, they are also able to keep their focus and maintain fluency when speaking.

Useful speaking practice – not chatting

Although the Callan Method involves a lot of oral practice, it is highly targeted; there is no free conversation. If there were, the students would only use words and grammar that they were already comfortable with, and they would not be stretched. In Callan Method lessons, students are regularly engaging with new vocabulary and structures, and they are constantly recycling language that they came across in earlier lessons. So, they are always challenging themselves slightly. The benefit of this is huge, and progress is fast.

The Callan App

When studying at a Callan Accredited School, students have access to the Callan App, which is perfect for practising between lessons.

The Callan App is free to download, and accredited schools can allocate appropriate content to each individual student depending on their course and level.

The Callan App is where students can find their Callan eBooks, all of which include full audio. The app also provides learners with lots of extra interactive content to revise and consolidate what they have practised during their face-to-face lessons.

• The unique question-and-answer feature lets students practise their listening and speaking. They can record themselves speaking, and compare their recording with one of a mother-tongue speaker.
• The dictation feature provides listening and writing practice with auto-correction feedback. They can then re-listen and/or edit their writing as many times as they like.
• The extra exercises in the app give learners a chance to revise vocabulary and grammar, and to improve their accuracy with both.

Teaching quality guaranteed

The Callan Method has an excellent track record of success over many years, and the courses are meticulously structured. However, it is essential that teachers deliver the material correctly in class. Callan’s highly successful learning outcomes result from the proper implementation of the Method. For this reason, Callan Method Organisation only supplies materials to Callan Method Accredited Schools, Accredited for Online Schools, and Registered Teachers. The two main criteria for accreditation are that teachers are provided with training in using the Callan Method effectively, and that teaching standards are subject to annual review. This simple system ensures that Callan Method students enjoy lessons delivered by trained teachers, and therefore benefit as much as possible from their studies.

If you would like more information about the Callan Method, please contact us at cmo@callan.co.uk