ELT NEWS - Maria Sachpazian

Dealing with uncooperative exam candidates

By M.A.Sachpazian The last article of 2020, a year as unexpected as no other before, is going to be a rather unusual one which touches on issues related with both teaching and management. In the history of every Foreign Language School there must be at least one case (usually more) of uncooperative exam candidates. This particular subgroup of demanding...

“Was I just bullied by this client, or did I imagine it?” Part A: What drives clients to behave like bullies?

upset young attractive caucasian girl dressed pullover

By M.A.Sachpazian In an era when bullying (at schools and in the workplace) is largely and openly discussed and no tollerance is shown for bullying of any kind, it is rather odd that professional bullying (by clients / customers to service providers/suppliers) is hesitantly discussed in hushed tones. This probably happens because it is awkward (and...

Supporting those who teach learners with special educational needs: the role of the Academic Manager

In the last few years, emphasis on honing our teaching skills so that we can be effective teachers of all learners, regardless of their special abilities or weakenesses, has become the mainstream attitude in the Greek ELT. It could be argued that in this climate discussing how academic managers should support teachers who teach learners with special...

Directing your school

The dictionary (www.oxforddictionaries.com) defines director as a person who is in charge of an activity, department or organisation. A second definition adds the aspect of the manager of business affairs, while the third one turns to arts, but diminishes the main person behind the staging of a play to a ‘’person who supervises actors’’. I really do...

The plane that never managed to take off: FLS that never managed to make their mark

In my last article (back in June 2018, before my unplanned but much-needed break of 6 months from ELT NEWS for the first time in 9 years), we explored the causes and the symptoms of once successful FLS whose volume of sales decreases gradually. In this article, we are going to pick up the thread to discuss the phenomenon of FLS that never manage to...

Why am I losing client momentum? OR The Empty School Syndrome

The story is familiar because you have seen it before. In fact, it’s played out in the same way so many times that one wonders why those involved in it do not realize what is happening to them. There was that school. It used to be huge! A trend-setter it was! A market leader and then gradually it faded into oblivion. The whole thing did not happen...