E V O L V E S C H O O L: TeachingEnglish newsletter 19 February 2020

TeachingEnglish newsletter

19 February 2020

Welcome to the TeachingEnglish newsletter!

This week we have news of a webinar for teacher educators, 'Reflective talk: making conversation a tool for learning'; resources for primary, secondary and adult learners; a self-study booklet on managing resources; a NEW publication and an article on feedback.

And don't forget to register for this week's webinar – Speaking practice in the primary classroom with Tracey Chapelton, 20 February, 11.00 a.m. UK time.

We hope you find these resources useful.

The TeachingEnglish team

Reflective talk: making conversation a tool for learning

Teacher educators are invited to a webinar with Martyn Clarke on 27 February at 18.00 UK time. In this webinar we will explore the value of reflection as a teacher educator, the ways teacher educators talk to both themselves and each other and identify the key features of those conversations which tend towards internal and collaborative reflective practice.

Credit crunch

This lesson for teens and adults takes a light-hearted look at the economic crisis, or ‘credit crunch'. Although some of the task are better suited to higher levels, several of the activities can be used with low levels too. Students rank global problems, do a brief vocabulary activity using newspaper headlines and do a collaborative reading task about how to save money, before writing their own tips. There are speaking activities to finish.

Challenging the translingual turn: TESOL student teachers' perceptions, practices and networks

This report investigates the ways in which student teachers have encountered the term 'translanguaging' and how they responded to it. Translanguaging has become the buzzword in language learning circles, yet few critical studies have tested its capacity to be adopted by junior teachers. The authors have also created a related blog, which aims to discover and develop creative practices, activities and ideas that teachers can use in multilingual classrooms within a translingual framework.

Class tree display

In this primary lesson, learners work together to create a class tree display. Learners write on leaves and draw matching pictures on apples. After being cut out, the leaves and apples are displayed randomly and learners then try to match the leaves and the apples. Learners then give a short presentation describing their leaf and apple. To end, there is a song or a story, depending on the age and level of your learners.

Managing resources self-study booklet

This self-study guide for teachers and teacher educators looks at managing resources. In this booklet, you will look at selecting resources, developing and adapting materials and resources, using materials effectively in the classroom with appropriate pedagogical strategies, making effective use of stationery, equipment and technology to support learning, and more.

Consequences role play

Why not play a game of consequences with a difference, where students must take on the role of another person? Learners create a new character and family for themselves and then mingle to find out who they now are. This fun, creative activity is certain to get your students mingling, talking and curious about each other's 'new' selves.

Conducting feedback on exercises and tasks

The term 'feedback' can apply to a number of classroom situations and procedures, but here it refers to a range of techniques employed by the teacher to facilitate responses from the students to an exercise or task. Read this article to find out more about why feedback is necessary, alternative teacher-led and student-led feedback activities, and pre-empting lengthy feedback.