Category: Volume 10

The Flipped Classroom Approach, what’s all the fuss about? Many educators are familiar with the notion of a ‘Flipped Classroom Approach’: The Flipped Model has been adopted across a wide range of educational contexts, and English Language Teaching is no different. So, what is it? Simply, it’s an approach that involves the reorganisation of what… Continue reading Flipped Classroom Approach | What is all the fuss about?

Teaching a group of business English students first thing on a Monday morning – short of going for a jog in sub-zero temperatures – is one of the surest ways I know of having to get out of bed and get into the swing of things snappily! I can’t say I look forward to the… Continue reading Making teaching personal | How to bring client-led content into your teaching

Ensuring That PBL Is Accessible to All 2 Evidence-Based Learning Strategies How to Teach Present Perfect – Activities and Examples How To Be A Better Teacher In 2018 Preparing to Speak: Top tips for speaking preparation Using near-peer role models for language learning Rigor for beginning English language learners? Absolutely!

Project-based learning (PBL) continues to gain momentum as a powerful approach to teaching and learning, and for good reason. Research indicates that when implemented well, PBL improves student motivation and achievement, and helps students master skills that are essential for college and career readiness.

I often say to my students, “If a test is the first time you’re made to think about or with the class material, we’ve both probably failed.” Learning is effortful and requires cognition. As their teacher, I need to ensure that I provide my students with opportunities for demonstration of learning in the classroom.

Most ESL teachers come to this hard realization. Most students who have learned English as a second language, effectively use only three tenses: present, past, and future. And they will most likely make themselves understood, but only by resorting to these three. The present perfect is one of those tenses that is soon forgotten, easily… Continue reading How to Teach Present Perfect – Activities and Examples

Goodbye 2017. It’s time to start a new year fresh! If you’ve been stuck in a teaching slump because of the busyness of the holidays, read on to learn how to become a better teacher in 2018. Redefine Your Teaching Philosophy Most teachers have explored their teaching philosophy at one point or another in their… Continue reading How To Be A Better Teacher In 2018

Many students measure their progress in English through their confidence and ability to speak in English in ‘real-world’ situations. On top of this, 70% of teachers from our Global Teaching Speaking Survey stated that speaking was the most important skill. However, oral fluency practice is not always given the classroom time it needs. Following on… Continue reading Preparing to Speak: Top tips for speaking preparation

Some years ago I started going to evening classes to learn German. In the early stages of my studies, I frequently thought of two German speakers who I aspired to be like in my language ability. The first, Bettina, is a native German speaker in her fifties whose English level at the time was only… Continue reading Using near-peer role models for language learning

Recently I signed up for a professional development project focused on infusing rigor into ESL instruction. Knowing the 21st century challenges that my beginning adult English language learners (ELLs) face and their language proficiency level, I was quite skeptical about the idea. However, I was delighted to discover that adding rigor doesn’t have to be… Continue reading Rigor for beginning English language learners? Absolutely!