Paul Bress works both in the fields of ELT and personal growth and has published very widely in both areas. His particular skill is an ability to see the ‘big picture’ and to help others to take practical steps to solve their professional and personal problems. Paul is a life-long, non-stop, learner – he learns more from everyday experience than from formal research. In addition, Paul has written the following novels: The Man who didn't Age; The Dysfunctional Family; For Adults only; The Check-out Operator. They are all available from www.fast-print.net
ELT (English language Teaching)
Paul is involved in a number of areas of ELT. He writes resources for www.teachitworld.com, examines for Educational Development International, trains teachers for Bell International, teaches English for Academic Purposes at The University of Kent, and undertakes consultancy work for Oxford University Press
ELT publications:
Books
• “Discourse dictoglosses” in New Ways of Teaching Writing (ed. White R.), (1995), T.E.S.O.L.
• “From debate to essay” in New Ways in Content Based Instruction (eds. Brinton D. and Master P.), (1996), T.E.S.O.L.
• Lernkontrollen (for Highlight 4), (1997) Cornelson
• TEFL: Questions and Answers (2008) Diggory
• English for Business, EF (contribution), forthcoming
Journals (longer, research-based articles)
• An examination of the effects of using consciously applied empathy in high-stake situations (The Teacher Trainer, Oct., 1992)
• Learner autonomy without navel gazing (I.A.T.E.F.L. Learner
Independence, Apr.1998)
• What makes a teacher special? (English Teaching Professional,
Jan.2000)
• Gender differences in teaching style (English Teaching Forum,
Oct. 2000)
• The importance of happiness and well-being in TEFL (Modern English
Teacher, July 2006)
• Correcting and praising: the perceived usefulness on teacher
interventions (Modern English Teacher, Oct 2009)
Journals (shorter articles)
• I hate teenagers! (EFL Gazette, Oct. 1992)
• Getting students to play teacher (Modern English Teacher,
Jan. 1993)
• Shifting the EFL workload (EFL Gazette, Feb. 1993)
• Making words memorable (EFL Gazette, Apr. 1993)
• Teaching subtextual meanings (Modern English Teacher, Oct. 1993)
• Correction codes (Practical English Teacher, Dec. 1993)
• Which communicative activities for which students?
(Modern English Teacher, Apr. 1994)
• Milk it! (Modern English Teacher, Oct. 1994)
• Helping students to recognise and produce positive and negative
connotations in English (Modern English Teacher, Jan. 1995)
• Using the 'R.E.C.I.P.E.' model in teaching practice feedback sessions
(I.A.T.E.F.L. Teacher Training, May 1995)
• What teachers think, what students think (Modern English Teacher,
Jul. 1995)
• Drills for advanced students? You bet! (English Teaching Forum,
Oct. 1995)
• Towards the perfect lesson (I.A.T.E.F.L. Teacher Development,
Autumn 1995)
• Be a better person, be a better teacher (I.A.T.E.F.L. Teacher
Development, Spring 1996)
• A Hegelian view of the developing EFL teacher (I.A.T.E.F.L.
Teacher Training, Spring 1996)
• Changes in TEFL - for better or for worse? (E.T.A.S. newsletter,
Summer 1997)
• A return to strictness? (E.T.A.S. newsletter, Summer 1997)
• Minimising stress and maximising reward for the EFL teacher
(I.A.T.E.F.L. Teacher Development, Oct. 1997)
• The teacher from hell (English Teaching Professional, Jul. 1998)
• Coping with negative feedback (English Teaching Professional,
Sep. 1998)
• Combating stress in the EFL classroom (EL Gazette, Oct. 1998)
• Transactional analysis (English Teaching Professional, Jun. 1999)
• Cognitive dissonance on assessed training courses (The Teacher
Trainer, Oct. 1999)
• Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow (English Teaching Professional,
Jan. 2001)
• Connect with your class (English Teaching Professional, Jan.2002)
• The culture question (English Teaching Professional, Jul. 2002)
• Examining the examiner (IATEFL Issues, Oct 2002)
• Dealing with the megamotivated learner (English Teaching
Professional, Jan. 2003)
• Maintaining the gain (English Teaching Professional, June 2003)
• Gut feeling assessment in oral examination (IATEFL Testing, Oct.
2003)
• Happy teachers, happy students (IATEFL issues, December 2003)
• Self-esteem top-up cards (English Teaching Professional, Jan.
2004)
• Do less accomplish more – in management (IATEFL management,
March, 2004)
• Confidence tricks in ELT (English Teaching Professional, May 2004)
• How to praise (IATEFL Teacher Trainer, July 2004)
• Student-centredness re-examined (EL Gazette, June 2004)
• Teaching language strategies (English Teaching Professional, July
2004)
• TP profiling (Modern English Teacher, July 2004)
• Faking it - how to become an EFL teacher in five days
(The Teacher Trainer, Oct. 2004)
• Questioning the concept question (Modern English Teacher, Oct.
2004)
• Writing ELT CVs (ELT Gazette, October 2004)
• Flavour-based TP reports (IATEFL Teacher Development, Oct.2004)
• Taking responsibility for your teaching (IATEFL Teacher
Development, Jan 2005)
• Learning contracts (English Teaching Professional, January 2005)
• The anatomy of a leader (IATEFL management, January 2005)
• Teaching ‘in the zone’ (English Teaching Professional, March 2005)
• Make no mistake? (English Teaching Professional, July 2005)
• Learning can be fun (Modern English Teacher, October, 2005)
• Teaching phonology: going the extra mile (IATEFL phonology,
forthcoming)
• What type of examiner are you? (IATEFL testing, forthcoming)
• Heading towards holism (English Teaching Professional, January
2006)
• Listening skills: what are they and how can you teach them?
(Modern English Teacher, January 2006)
• Running standardisation meetings (IATEFL Issues, May 2006)
• Lesson objectives: setting them and realising them
(English Teaching Professional, July 2006)
• Creating a happy working environment (IATEFL Voices, July 2006)
• Speaking skills: what are they and how can you teach them?
(Modern English Teacher, October 2006)
• Teaching in the real world (English Teaching Professional, Jan
2007)
• Teaching pre-university courses (Modern English Teacher, Jan 2007)
• Teaching slow learners (English Teaching Professional, Jan 2007)
• Globalism versus discretism (IATEFL Issues, Jan, 2007)
• Seven axioms of successful TEFL training
(IATEFL teacher training, Feb, 2007)
• How to make happy students (English Teaching Professional, April,
2007))
• Teaching multicultural classes (IATEFL Issues, July 2007)
• Preparing yourself for class (English Teaching Professional, Jan,
2008)
• Writing skills: what are they and how can you teach them?
(Modern English Teacher, Jan 2008)
• Teaching English for use (IATEFL Issues, Jan 2008)
• Teacher remuneration (IATEFL Issues, forthcoming)
• Racism in class (IATEFL Issues, forthcoming)
• Writing clear assignments (English Teaching Professional,
forthcoming)
• Reading skills: what are they and how can you teach them?
(Modern English Teacher, forthcoming)
• Signpost words (English Teaching Professional, July 2008)
• Rude students (English Teaching Professional, Sep 2008)
• Don’t take it personally (English Teaching Professional, Jan 2009)
• Giving feedback on failed lessons (The Teacher Trainer, Jan 2009)
• Look after yourself! (Modern English Teacher, April 2009)
• How to teach idioms (English Teaching Professional, July 2009)
• From EFL to EAP (English Language Gazette, August 2009)
• Fire your enthusiasm (English Teaching Professional, Oct 2009)
• QC in EAP (English Language Gazette, Oct 2009)
• English for texting (English Language Gazette, Dec 2009)
• English for team building (English Teaching Professional, March
2010)
• Answer the question (English Teaching Professional, July 2010)
• A blueprint for teaching phonology (English Teaching
Professional, forthcoming)
• Teaching the unteachables (English Teaching Professional,
forthcoming)
• How to win friends and teach people (English Teaching
Professional, forthcoming)
• Students in a hurry (English Teaching Professional, forthcoming)
Internet articles
• An explosion of choice (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Better teaching through self-coaching (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Facilitating the acquisition process (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Tips for in-company training (www.lingualearn.co.uk)
• Acquisition-based ELT lessons (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• TEFL: Questions and answers (www.tesol.com)
• Email English (www.onestopenglish.com)
• Using life coaching principles to help curriculum development
(www.onestopenglish.com)
• Teachers as people (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Seven ways to make grammar interesting (www.onestopenglish.com)
• Don’t forget the noun phase! (www.teachingenglish.org.uk)
• Teaching in the twilight years (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Humanising ELT oral examining (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Seven steps to effective vocabulary teaching
(www.teachingenglish.org.uk)
• Humanistic language teaching (www.teachingenglish.org.uk)
• Writing MA dissertations (www.onestopenglish.com)
• The importance of happiness and well-being in TEFL
(www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Coaching interpersonal skills (www.pdcoaching.co.uk)
• The power of context (www.teachingenglish.org.uk)
• Bringing learning to life (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Respect! (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• TEFL for dummies (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Humanistic language teaching in the twenty first century
(www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Be fair! (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Teaching English as a body language (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• TEFL – nuts and bolts (www.hltmag.co.uk)
• Forget about ‘istic’ – are you a human language teacher?
(www.hltmag.co.uk)
Personal growth
Paul has worked as a management coach (for BEN, a housing association) and as conflict resolution consultant (for IATEFL, an educational association).
Personal growth publications
• Great! We're having a staff meeting! (Counselling at Work, Sep.
2002)
• Goodbye criticism, hello improvement opportunities
(Counselling at Work, Jan.2003)
• The do's and don’t's of successful management
(Counselling at Work, Apr. 2003)
• Resolving conflict at work (Counselling at Work, Oct. 2003)
• Why are you a therapist? (Personal Relationship Groupwork, Jan
2004)
• Don’t worry - be happy: an introduction to method acting therapy
(Personal Relationship Groupwork, July 2004)
• Conflict resolution step by step (Personal Relationship
Groupwork, Oct, 2004)
• Helping therapy clients get the full benefits of therapy
(Personal Relationship Groupwork, Oct 2004)
• Creating happy employees (Coach the Coach, May 2005)
• Attitude and mental health (Personal Relationship Groupwork, July
2005)
• Conflict situation? Be quick on the ‘D.R.A.W.’ (Coach the Coach,
October, 2005)
• From negative to positive mindsets (Personal Relationship
Groupwork, January, 2006)
• Positivise! (Personal Relationship Groupwork, January, 2006)
• Unblocking clients’ feelings (Personal Relationship Groupwork,
forthcoming)
• Helping clients to be themselves (Personal Relationship
Groupwork, forthcoming)
Fiction writing
Paul has published four poems in The Daily Express and four novels with www.fast-print.net (see their bookshop or check them out on Amazon. Here is a description of each novel:
"The Man Who Didn't Age" by Paul Bress
ISBN: 978-1844-26-7002
John Davidson is a university lecturer, who, at the age of 28, has already begun to see signs of ageing on his face. He has experimented with various lotions but, profoundly frightened about growing older, he takes a more drastic step - he takes Pro Clear, a new anti-ageing drug which keeps his physical age at a constant 28. The Man who didn't Age tracks John’s development through the ensuing years. How does he take advantage of the fact that he's not ageing? How does he continue to relate to his friends? This fast-moving novel tackles a number of existential questions and finishes in an unexpectedly poignant way.
"The Dysfunctional Family" by Paul Bress
ISBN: 978-1844-26-7187
Meet the Browns. Phil's a call centre operator and Sue's a secretary. They drive a Ford Focus and holiday in Benidorm. You could hardly meet two more average parents.
But then there's Jack, their 17 year-old son, a brooding, menacing, psychopath, who uses his fists to get what he wants. And Theo, his younger brother, an infant prodigy struggling with his sexuality. How could these two boys, from the same background, be so different?
The Dysfunctional Family explores the lives of each of the Browns in diary form. Find out how they try to make sense of their relationships and their lives. Find out just how dysfunctional the family really is.
"For Adults Only" by Paul Bress
ISBN: 978-1844-26-7644
James Smith and Tom Williams have just finished doing a teacher training course and are ready to face the world. They get jobs at the same comprehensive school, but they both find it difficult to get through to the kids in the first few weeks of teaching. Peterson, the head teacher, does his very best to help them both to develop. But do they manage to tap into the inner resources necessary to help them cope in the 21st century? Can they become bona fide adults?
"The Check-Out Operator" by Paul Bress
ISBN: 978-1844-26-8450
Rodney Tomkins is a singularly unattractive young man, who works as a check-out operator in his local Somersbury's supermarket. His life couldn't be less eventful and he has no ambition whatsoever (he doesn't even aspire to being the supermarket manager). Then, when he's working at his check-out one day, he has an altercation with a customer. Joe, a local heavy, confronts Rodney about his till receipt. This apparently insignificant incident leads to a chain of events that profoundly changes both Rodney's life and the life of the town he lives in.
PAUL'S BOOKSHOP
