I procrastinated for a very long time about whether I wanted to do the Delta. One issue was I couldn’t decide if I wanted to do the Delta or a Master’s. I also couldn’t really see a way to make the Delta work financially and I wasn’t sure what exactly I would get out of it. Then there was the usual self-doubt: what if it was too difficult? What if I failed? So, for a long time, I did nothing.

In 2021 I felt that my teaching had stagnated a little bit, I’d lost my spark and I self-assessed that I had fallen into some bad habits. It was at this point I saw Sandy Millin was offering a Take Your Time Module One course. It sounded good to me as it would fit in around work. I’d been following Sandy’s blog for some time and I thought even without doing the exam it would be a great way to develop professionally. I contacted her, and following a reassuringly thorough pre-course task and interview I signed up. I’m glad I did as I was awarded a distinction. I think the result is down to my hard work combined with a great preparation course.

What I liked about the course.

  1. The online classes.

I really enjoyed talking about teaching with other teachers and Sandy every week. We had 90-minute Zoom sessions where shared ideas/questions/ thoughts. As a result of these conversations what we learned went beyond just passing the Delta Module 1. I believe the Delta can be a weirdly isolating experience when done remotely and I never felt that way.

2. Taking my time (Doing it over 9 months- or even longer in my case)

I loved how manageable the course is. Having 9 months (or longer) meant I had time to consider how to apply what I was learning. Sandy actively encouraged us to try things out in our real-life classes, meaning it wasn’t just about passing an exam but actually thinking about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. I didn’t take the exam at the end of the initial course but I felt inspired by it (and thanks also to my coursemate Ian) to the extent that I did module 2. I passed Module 2 (distinction) so thought it made sense to go for Module 1.

3. The self-study

I liked how I could tailor my independent studying to my needs and interests. Sandy created a menu you could choose from and that worked really well for me. The course recommends around 3 hours per week (1.5 hours class and 1.5 hours self-study) but there were plenty of suggestions of things to do when I felt I wanted or needed to do more. As a result, I could focus on my areas of weakness. I also realise how little I know about Second Language Acquisition and this is something I will continue to explore well beyond the Delta.

4. The feedback /promoting learner autonomy

Sandy provided excellent feedback. However, thanks to the way the course is run I also learned how to evaluate my own work but with the bonus of knowing that Sandy was there to answer any queries when they came up. I think this made a big difference.

What I didn’t like?

Overall, there isn’t anything I didn’t like about the course. There are plenty of opportunities to give feedback and make suggestions so anything that would need tweaking is dealt with. Any negative feelings I had were related to the exam itself. For example, it took me a while to get my head around paper 2. part 2 but the course helped deal with those issues.

Overall experience.

I was delighted when I finally got my exam result last week to see that I had been awarded a distinction. I didn’t find the exam easy but I was very well-prepared. I felt I knew how to approach the exam thanks to the course and the focus on exam strategies. I learned more about teaching in general and although it’s nice to have passed, I would still think it had been worth it if I hadn’t. The way this course helped broaden my understanding of teaching/second language acquisition definitely helped me achieve a distinction in module 2. I’m currently working on the Take Your Time Module 3 course but my Delta experience so far makes me realise how much there is left to find out about SLA.

If you are interested in the Take Your Time courses with Sandy I’m very happy to answer any questions about my experience. There is more information about the course on her website https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/takeyourtimedelta/

I’m currently studying for module 3: if you’ve done it already do you have any advice or tips to share?