Professional Documents
Culture Documents
January 2019 Caricato
January 2019 Caricato
January 2019 Caricato
resources
Tracker
Issue 120
January
www.etprofessional.com 2019
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A one-day event packed with seminars, lively debate,
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networking opportunities, and interactive workshops.
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28 February 2019.
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Experiential professional
development
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modernenglishteacher ETpedia
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Te a c h i n g E n g l i s h
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FEATURES TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
4 44 Six minutes and 40 seconds
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LISTENING
8 Listen up! William Littlewood tackles pecha kucha
presentations with trainees
Chiara Bruzzano adds variety to skills teaching
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SPEAKING
48 No one told me that! 4
Beth Davies and Nicholas Northall offer more
10 Time to think
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tips for those moving into teacher training
Paul Morin believes preparation time is key
SPEAKING TECHNOLOGY
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12 This is your pilot speaking ...
John Kay has students for whom slow speed
is essential
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52 Online testing
Anastasiya Shalamay assesses the technology
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for assessment
SPEAKING 55 Unlocking the potential of SAMR
13 How many have you got? Flora Floris and Willy Renandya explain how
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Chris Roland sees absent students as an a technology intergration model can transform
opportunity for the others speaking and writing tasks
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59 Webwatcher
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READING
18 Making reading more fun Russell Stannard creates flashcards with Quizlet
Graham Perry takes the solitude out of
REGULAR FEATURES
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studying texts
Mark Trevarton mixes writing with the other skills Mario Rinvolucri explains why he started
writing to his students
IN THE CLASSROOM
IT WORKS IN PRACTICE
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28 Students’ stories 10
David Heathfield tells a tale of clever trickery
34 REVIEWS
36 SCRAPBOOK
VOCABULARY
60 NOT ONLY, BUT ALSO ...
39 Systematic word learning 1
Chia Suan Chong examines how we can
Charles Jannuzi sets vocabulary learning off encourage a growth mindset
with sets of cards
IN THE CLASSROOM
42 Let’s revise!
Includes materials designed to photocopy,
Martin Bastkowski helps his students remember
some of which can now be downloaded from
what they’ve learnt
the ETp website (see page 3)
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skills (reading and listening) – however unsatisfactory
sees how young learners can be challenged and
that separation might seem to be. In reality, these
encouraged to become writers, by introducing them
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skills are rarely separate, and each can be seen to
to the genre of fan fiction. And in a welcome return
support the others in some way; yet they are often
to ETp, Mario Rinvolucri explains what led him to a
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tested separately, with the result that they are
career-long exchange of letters with his students.
frequently taught separately, too.
Of course, there’s a whole wide world of skills out
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This issue of ETp considers all four skills, plus a few
there. Our Scrapbook looks at some of the more
more besides. We begin by looking at listening, and in
unusual ones and, in a photocopiable activity, invites
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our main feature, Lesley Lanir begins a new series on
you and your students to showcase your own
identifying and addressing the problems that students
particular skills – and then teach them to others.
may have with listening. She believes that pinning
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down where and why breakdowns in comprehension
occur is key to being able to deal with them. Chiara
Bruzzano offers some practical suggestions for
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Helena Gomm
how well they can already do it.
Editor
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Resources online
Go to etprofessional.com/resources for your extra printable resources, ready for use in class.
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ONLINE RESOURCES ONLINE RESOURCES
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each set of cards before you give it to the students. Don’t forget to keep an intact copy for yourself as a
How to balance a spoon on your nose
reference (they are in the correct order below).
How to fold a T-shirt in under five seconds
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‘Scrapbook: skills’ by Ian Waring Green www.etprofessional.com ‘Systematic word learning 1’ by Charles Jannuzi www.etprofessional.com
©
www.etprofessional.com
MAIN FEATURE
Listening:
the forgotten skill 1
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Lesley Lanir believes we should be attending to the barriers that prevent effective listening.
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What is listening?
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Stated simply by Dean Thomlison, listening is the
ability to identify and understand what others are
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saying. From the outside, ‘listening’ seems somewhat
passive, yet comprehending spoken language is a
complex achievement, involving numerous parallel
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mental processes. John Anderson separates these
processes into three stages, perception, parsing and
utilisation (see the diagram on the next page). Put
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simply, the first stage, perception, involves the
students engaging selective and directive attention in
order to perceive language sounds through their
auditory sensory memory and allowing their
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chunks for use and/or longer-term storage.
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speaking, reading and writing skills. However, how an able listener is capable of dealing with all these
much attention do teachers pay to the development processes simultaneously.
of their students’ listening comprehension skills? For students who are learning a foreign or second
When students do not succeed in listening tasks, do language, the perception and parsing stages are
their teachers know how to pinpoint why, and particularly significant, because at these points, the
precisely where, the breakdowns in listening listener needs to be aware of the strategies which have
comprehension are taking place? to be applied, in order to deal with the incoming
This is the first in a series of three articles on information effectively; otherwise, it will fade quickly
recognising some of the barriers to listening from sensory memory and short-term memory.
comprehension, and understanding and exploring Once teachers become familiar with the different
how we can assist those students who have difficulties stages, they can use them to help identify more
with processing spoken language successfully. specific points of processing weaknesses in their
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have an adverse effect on listening comprehension 2 PARSING
and can affect any of the stages from Anderson’s Holding language sound information in short-term
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memory, analysing and making sense of it
model mentioned above. However, findings from
research on the acquisition of listening Parsed/analysed speech
comprehension strategies allowed Yiching Chen to
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categorise seven barriers that can be used to 3 UTILISATION
Using background knowledge to interpret
determine what other factors might be preventing the input for use and/or storage
students from becoming competent listeners.
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These categories, adapted below, together with
Anderson’s three stages as described above, provide
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a useful checklist for teachers to help detect the of how they might sound stored in their memories. In addition, students
causes of listening comprehension breakdown and might recognise spoken words but be unable to recall their meanings fast
identify the points at which it occurs. enough, or not at all.
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Category 1 Affective barriers Type 2: processing speed
The students’ affective state – how they feel Difficulties in dealing with the rate of incoming auditory information may
emotionally – has an impact on all the stages of be due to lack of proficiency or parallel processing problems, which may
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listening. If the students feel anxious, frustrated, come to light during the acquisition of a second language, especially if the
upset or demotivated, or if they perceive the task target language has a different sound system from the native language.
Processing incoming data together with applying listening strategies are
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Findings have shown that students experience own thoughts, information processing can be interrupted at any stage –
breakdowns in several areas of information depending when the interference occurs.
processing:
Type 5: interpretation
Type 1: spoken word recognition Even if parsing occurs successfully, the students might not achieve the
At the parsing stage, students may struggle to correct interpretation of particular vocabulary items and expressions – or
identify or differentiate individual sounds or chunks even an entire text – because the topic is unfamiliar and they do not have
in a stream of words. They could also have difficulty the relevant background knowledge to comprehend fully.
in matching spoken words with words acquired only
through reading – in particular, words such as Type 6: fatigue
jealous, ocean, picturesque, etc, whose pronunciation Students get tired and can lose concentration when they lack listening
differs greatly from their written form. With words stamina. Mental fatigue caused by a feeling of overload or general
such as these, students may have a different ‘version’ tiredness results in a breakdown of spoken word processing at all stages.
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unable to comprehend the text, even after applying strategies. The purpose of this article is to help teachers recognise
where breakdowns in listening comprehension are occurring.
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Category 6: Belief barriers
The next one in the series will focus on methods and tips that
Students may enter our classrooms with beliefs about learning that they can use to help students overcome these barriers. n
delay or halt comprehension. For example, they may consider
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using listening strategies to be ineffective and believe that
Anderson, J R The Architecture of Cognition Harvard University Press
improving their other language skills is more important. They may
1983
rely on translating the target language into their first language in
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Anderson, J R Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications (4th edn)
order to understand a text. Or they may pay close attention to Freeman 1995
every word and resort to looking up each unknown vocabulary
Chen, Y ‘Barriers to acquiring listening strategies for EFL learners and
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item, instead of trying to gain a general understanding. their pedagogical implications’ TESL-EJ 8 (4) 2005
Category 7: Materials barriers Thomlison, T D ‘Relational listening: theoretical and practical
considerations’ Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the 5th
The teaching materials might be creating a problem; auditory International Listening Association 1984
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information may need to have visual support added, to
facilitate the stages of listening comprehension, especially for
beginners or with tasks that are more challenging. Lesley Lanir is a certified life coach and has
an MA in Learning Disabilities, Assessment
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■■ unfamiliar accents;
■■ text length and complexity; lesleylanir@gmail.com
■■ the genre and its format;
■■ the chosen topic.
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Camden, London
22 June 2019
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Pavilion ELT is now accepting speaker proposals for Pavilion Deadline for
ELT Live! Challenges and Change in ELT on the theme of proposals:
‘At the chalkface (what works in practice)’. We want to hear about midnight GMT,
modern or new teaching techniques that are working for you. 15 February 2019.
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Beginner level Modern Stories Favourite Characters
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Non-fiction Traditional Tales
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www.ladybirdeducation.co.uk
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Listen up!
Chiara Bruzzano offers some practical tips to incorporate in your everyday teaching.
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magine being in the classroom: you play a CD; endeavour, even for an experienced teacher or for an
your learners answer questions; you check the autonomous learner. Breakdowns can depend on a
answers together. Does this sound familiar? There number of factors, and learners often point to
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are certainly many possible variations to this accent and speed as being their main problems.
scenario, yet it does seem as if we often struggle More often, their main problems can be linked to a
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to think of teaching listening with the same variety lack of concentration at the beginning of a listening
of techniques and materials that we would apply to task, a lack of vocabulary (be it their listening
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teaching the other three skills. vocabulary or even their reading vocabulary),
There are several reasons for this: problematic features of connected speech, lack of
familiarity with a topic, or tasks which are too
■■ We may not have received much professional
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demanding.
training on teaching listening.
With all this in mind, it still needs to be
■■ Teachers’ books may only give us support in
recognised that in many institutions, ‘traditional’
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‘procedural’ terms on how to conduct a
listening tasks will be the core of the materials
listening task.
available, and institutional and assessment
■■ We may have been led to believe that listening requirements will influence the way in which most
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will ‘take care of itself’. teachers will be able to teach listening. While it
While all these reasons are certainly understandable would certainly be desirable to focus on listening
in real-life situations, as John Field points out, we just as a skill to learn, and perhaps dismiss outdated
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should wonder whether we are doing our learners a approaches, it is reasonable to argue that this would
disservice by either disregarding listening as a skill in not be possible in many contexts. This article,
its own right, or by teaching it with an exclusively therefore, offers a list of practical suggestions to
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comprehension-oriented approach. By only assigning enhance your teaching of listening that can be easily
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comprehension questions to our learners and incorporated into any teacher’s present practice,
subsequently checking their answers, we constantly even if they feel that it is very traditional.
check their present level of listening comprehension,
rather than actually developing their skills. And while How to conduct a listening task
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using their knowledge of the speaker, the world or Increase the learners’ listening vocabulary. When teaching
previous parts of the text to make up for any failures in vocabulary, remember that if a learner knows or learns the
bottom-up processing: translating acoustic cues into target written version of a word and its translation, that does not
language sounds, words, phrases and literal meaning). guarantee that the word will be recognised in listening. Make
However, when this does not work, don’t be afraid to focus your learners aware of the importance of incorporating the
on individual chunks and work on basic decoding, for pronunciation of the vocabulary that they study into their
example by replaying short extracts that may have caused a systematic records of new words, if their age allows.
breakdown in comprehension, and asking the learners to Expose your learners to a range of different accents. Include
transcribe or focus on the sound that they can hear. non-native accents. This is already a feature in some textbooks,
During a listening task and listening to a non-native speaker of English is an
increasingly likely scenario for learners nowadays. Try to detach
1 Rather than giving the learners questions to answer, why
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yourself from traditional dichotomies of American/British
not give them a graph to fill in or a drawing to do? This
English and consider introducing an element of English as a
way, they will focus more on listening than on writing or
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lingua franca in your lessons.
understanding the questions. This, in turn, allows you to
isolate their listening comprehension ability from their Teach listening not only as unidirectional. A great part of the
listening that happens in real life is not unidirectional (eg
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writing, reading or vocabulary, and to assess better how
they are doing. For lower levels, you could do a picture listening ‘passively’ to the radio or watching TV), but
dictation in pairs (with one learner describing a picture interactional. Therefore, while using CDs and videos is
and the other listening and drawing it). Or, if you would certainly fundamental, make room for interaction in your
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like to use multiple-choice questions, how about having lessons. This will give you the chance to teach coping strategies
pictures, instead of words, as options? For higher levels, if in communication (such as interrupting or asking the
interlocutor to rephrase), which can give the learners a sense of
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the learners are listening to a story, you might give them a
timeline with a few important dates to complete. When control over their listening.
listening to texts with a lot of statistics and numbers, filling Make notes. When your learners struggle with listening, don’t
in a graph or table might be easier than answering be intimidated, but observe. Don’t take a good answer to a
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comprehension questions. question as a sure sign of comprehension: two learners may
2 If you are playing a recording, allow the learners to listen have chosen the same answer by understanding very different
to it more than once, so that they can become familiar portions of an aural text. Do not hesitate to ask them when
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with the voices of the speakers: having to note down exactly their comprehension broke down, what they
details while listening only once to a speaker they haven’t understood, and compare it to the actual text. This should give
you an idea of the nature of their listening breakdown. For
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the task that you have already done and in general. Being listening exercises in which the learners can be exposed to and
aware of your learners’ difficulties, which may sometimes practise particular features that they struggle with.
be related to their L1 or previous teaching experiences, is
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an invaluable tool.
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2 Make time for a final speaking activity in which your
learners can relate the content of the listening task to the
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real world. Listening is undoubtedly a difficult task, not only for our learners,
but for us as teachers too. Hopefully, these tips will help you think
How to apply a different perspective of it as a little less daunting and a little more manageable. n
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Give your learners an active role. Let them take ownership of Field, J ‘Listening in the language classroom’ ELT Journal 64 (3) 2010
the task and create a set of questions or respond to the content
of a listening, rather than having to do a pre-set task. When
using recordings, allow them to listen individually (with tablets, Chiara Bruzzano is a PhD candidate at the
phones, etc) and use the pause button to self-regulate. School of Education, University of Leeds,
UK. She has taught English in Italy, Spain
Recycle. You can re-use the same text with different purposes in and the UK. Her main interests are listening
different lessons, so that the learners end up using different instruction and strategies, learner and
strategies to extract information from it or to react to it. You teacher beliefs and English as a lingua
can also recycle the topic by using different texts on the same franca.
topic. Both these strategies allow your learners to recycle chiara.bruzzano@gmail.com
vocabulary: they will feel more in control, lower their listening
anxiety and increase their motivation to listen.
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Time
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to think
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magine that you’re at the ticket counter of a bus station in a A step closer to genuine
foreign country, and the ticket agent asks you a question in communication
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what’s the word for ‘round-trip’? It’s uh ... . Oh, and how do I say short, communicating – surprising you and probably even
‘different city’? Um, it’s ... . And what’s ‘terminal’ again? And themselves by the amount and sophistication of the English
‘window seat’? they are using. You didn’t do anything to make it happen; it
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Words crowd into your head with no rhyme or reason, while seems like an accident.
others completely vanish. The ticket agent is drumming his fingers, You can take a step closer to that, and a step away from the
and suddenly you feel like you can’t speak the language at all. You ticket agent experience, with one simple addition to your lesson
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sense the impatient stares of the other people in line behind you. plan: preparation time before speaking – time for your students
You start to sweat. You wish things would just stop for a minute so to plan what they’ll say, or simply to gather the vocabulary and
you could gather your thoughts and sort out your response. grammar they might need.
Even if you’ve never been in this situation, I’m sure you can
imagine it. Reasons to pause
So now imagine your own students in your own speaking It stands to reason that, when given time to prepare what they
class. You ask them a question. Some words crowd into their want to say in a task, students say it better, with greater fluency
heads, while others vanish. They sense you waiting, feel the eyes and accuracy.
of the other students on them. They wish things would just stop Giving students preparation time also levels the playing field.
for a minute. You probably have some talkative students who don’t have any
It’s an awful situation to put them in. Luckily, you have the trouble contributing to a discussion – or even completely taking
power to give them something the ticket agent didn’t give you. it over – alongside more reticent ones who struggle to express
their opinions. With preparation time, you can put your timid or completeness for the task to be successful. There are right and
quiet students on a more even footing with the students for wrong answers.
whom speaking comes easily. In a task like this, the students may not need time for
Whether they are confident or not, you will want all your organisation, but they may for accuracy. You want to give them
students to push their language beyond what they already know, a chance to sort out exactly how to use the specific language
to take it further by trying to say things that they’ve never said they will need. You might say: ‘OK, take a few minutes, and
before. You may already be giving them preparation time, think about what you’ll have to say. Try to think of the exact
especially when the class is taking on a serious discussion of a words you need. How will you use them? I can help. Write them
heavy issue, such as the death penalty. But you don’t need to down if you want. You don’t have to write full sentences.’
reserve preparation time for the big, serious discussions only.
Whether short or long, simple or complex, any speaking task will Difficult
Sample task: You ask the students to decide in groups which of
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benefit from a period of thinking time beforehand, to give the
students a chance to get ready. four fictional job candidates should get a fictional job. Any
issue-oriented discussion that introduces the potential for
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An example differing opinions falls into this category.
At the start of a lesson, do you ever ask your students what they In these tasks, if it’s a discussion about a contentious
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did over the weekend, or what they did last night? What kind of issue, words themselves will not be enough: the students
answers do you get? need time to decide what their opinion actually is, form it
into complete thoughts in English, and organise those
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Even though these are simple questions, you can’t deny that thoughts, if necessary.
the students’ responses would benefit from some preparation
time, in which they can put together a better answer than they So you might say: ‘We’re going to take some time to write
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might give otherwise. Instead of ‘I study’, you might get: ‘I down what we think. Then we’ll talk about it. So put some
studied at the library with my roommate. After that, we ate pizza.’ sentences down. You don’t need to write paragraphs. I don’t want
An answer like that offers a lot of possibilities for further you to read out your opinions – this is a speaking class. Just write
the important points. Use other words to remind you.’
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exploration (eg How was the pizza? What kind of pizza?).
In an advanced task like this, the students might also be
Making time required to reach a consensus in groups. The activity may, in
fact, extend over two or three stages. In such a case, there’s no
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If you look at your average lesson plan, you’ll see that there are
reason you can’t give the students two or three opportunities to
countless opportunities to give the students time to prepare. The
put their thoughts in order silently.
following are some ideas, roughly in order of task complexity:
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Sample task: You ask the students to describe what they did If you’re not sure whether preparation time will benefit your
over the weekend, as above, or describe a photo in their phone classes or not, why not ask your students? After assigning a
or a picture in their textbook. Note that there are no wrong task or posing a question, simply ask them: ‘Do you want time
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answers here, and that their responses will be fairly short. to think about your answer?’
In a task like this, the students probably already know the Another idea you might try is to give your students
vocabulary and grammar they need to respond adequately. That preparation time in some tasks but not others, and keep track
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doesn’t mean they have it at their fingertips, though. Offering a of which tasks are more successful.
minute or two for preparation gives them a chance to flesh out
an answer that addresses the prompt more fully than they would
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plans, and make sure your students take advantage of it, over
the words you will need, especially the verbs. Maybe write time their class contributions will get better and better, their
them down.’ voices gradually gaining in confidence and pride. n
At this point, you might have some students ask permission
to get out their phone to look up a word. Let them, because Paul Morin is a teacher and writer living in
this is a sign that your strategy is working – they would never North Carolina, USA. He has taught English
in Turkey, North Cyprus and the United
have thought to seek out the word otherwise. States.
Intermediate paul.d.morin@gmail.com
speaking ...
One hundred words per minute seems quite slow,
To any native English speaker’s ear.
But that’s the speed an ATC [/eɪ tiː siː/] must go,
If what they say is going to come out clear.
John Kay has a poem to help aviation To any native English speaker’s ear,
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One hundred words per minute seems quite slow.
personnel slow down. But that’s the speed that’s going to keep things clear,
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o be an aeroplane or helicopter pilot, flight navigator And meet requirements set by ICAO [/aɪ keɪ əʊ/].
or air traffic controller, you must prove that you can The English language, it would seem, produces
speak and understand English to an acceptable level.
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More sounds per second than the human ear can hear.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation So bearing that in mind, consider this,
(ICAO) has a speaking and listening test with six How many of these sounds can you find here?
levels of achievement. To secure your licence, you must achieve
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at least Level 4 – roughly equivalent to CEFR B2. First, I dictate the poem one line at a time, at normal speed,
and encourage the students to ask for confirmation and
The ICAO states that its proficiency rating scale:
clarification, and for me to speak more slowly. They compare
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■■ ‘Puts all English speakers in the same category. in pairs after each line.
■■ Does not use native English speakers as the norm. I then remind them about the 100 wpm rule, and
Advises a type of English that belongs to no particular country demonstrate how slow this is by reading the poem again: first
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■■
or group of people.’ at normal speed, then in exactly one minute (not easy!), paying
These seem worthy objectives. It goes on to say: attention to enunciation, level intonation and clarity.
‘Speech transmitting technique should be such that the highest The students then practise with each other, focusing on
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possible intelligibility is incorporated in each transmission. Fulfilment enunciation and timing, trying to avoid any elision, assimilation
of this aim requires that aircrew and ground personnel should: or intrusive sounds.
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a enunciate each word clearly and distinctly. I follow this up by writing the poem on the board, line by
line, identifying linkages, to show what happens if they speak
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In many ways, this goes against what we teach our general English to save time. I remind them that ICAO research has indicated
students, as we normally encourage them to add light and shade that more time is wasted asking fast speakers to repeat.
and to recognise and use all the features of connected speech.
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a plane for how well the professionals are keeping to the rules!
rule, which explains why passengers often listen in bemusement
Guessing it wrong when pilots welcome them on board holiday flights! n
When we listen to English, we sample sounds from the stream
John Kay is the Training Development
of speech. Based on this sampling and other paralinguistic
Director at ETC/Athena Teacher Training in
information, we can usually identify what someone is saying. Bournemouth, UK.
‘Knowing’ what someone has said, without actually hearing it john@etc-inter.net
completely, is how people listen. However, in aviation, it can
lead to what is known as ‘the problem of expectancy’, which
results in pilots climbing when they should descend, or worse!
In January 2006, the Civil Aviation Authority reported
that ‘80% of radio-telephony transmissions by pilots were
incorrect in some form or other’.
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Chris Roland uses unexpected drops in attendance to maximise speaking practice.
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ne occasion that I have noticed tends these are an absolute gift to the language teacher. It
to throw teachers off balance is when is normally the ratio of many students to just one
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a significantly smaller number of teacher that puts a logistical ceiling on the amount
students turn up to class than they of personalisation and personalised attention we are
were expecting. In the case of able to give our students in class. Here, that ceiling is
teenagers, this might be because a lesson coincides raised a great deal higher – but making the most of
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with a local festival, a school trip, external exams, or it does require some adjustments.
because it falls at the end of term when reports have
Making the transition
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to whether to launch into the lesson they had board with a mountain of empty space between
planned for that day – because the whole-class you and the class. You might have the students
activities intended might not work with fewer come to you and sit around your teacher’s table, or
learners; because they don’t want to use up the
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lesson would mean putting those few students another option may be to pull everyone into the
ahead, in terms of syllabus covered. middle of the room. With all three strategies, we
As their teacher flits about and can be heard are closing down distance, which sends the clear
conferring with colleagues (How many have you got? message that this is going to be a different sort of
©
or I’ve only got three), the students sit awkwardly in lesson. We are also sitting down and staying sitting
their respective rooms, wondering why they came, down, rather than faffing and flapping about. This
texting their parents messages such as ‘I told you sends out the message that we are relaxed, we have
nobody was going to come, Mum!’, trying to locate a plan and we are here to stay and chat.
other students via WhatsApp and hoping that they Having transitioned from a teacher–class set-up to
will not be put together with the remnants of an interviewer–interviewee(s) style set-up, we then
another class, while watching the first ten or 15 need to get things underway. Just as most real-life
minutes go by on the classroom clock. chats that we have are not fronted with ‘Hey, let’s have
This is a scenario that I have lived first-hand a conversation now!’, this can be done without any
many times, but it is also one that I have managed trumpets or fanfare. If you are in the habit of making
to free myself from, because of an increasing small talk with the first few students to arrive, this can
conviction, over the years, that reduced classes like be done quite naturally. However, even veteran
interviewers need some back up. For this, I have a list of questions Once you have got started, you note down on one side
printed out and always to hand. systematic errors that you hear. Writing them down as you hear
My own list is a resource I created some five years ago. It them is easy and quick. On the other side, you jot down new
consists of 300 questions, divided into 20 common topics, such language – both that which you have provided as the student is
as neighbourhood, animals, personality and technology. These speaking, so that they can carry on, as well as additional
are available on my website, and a more polished version is phrases that it occurs to you may be useful as they are
included as a downloadable resource in my recent teens’ speaking. Then finally, at the bottom of the page, you scribble
methodology book. Adapting that, or writing your own list from prompts for follow-up questions that spring to mind as you
scratch, is an excellent option. When using these questions, I do listen. You can then backtrack to these if and when there is a
often read out the topic headings and let my teenagers choose lull in the exchanges.
the one or two they like most, resulting in conversations like this: After every five or ten minutes of conversation, you spin the
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paper(s) round and correct the errors with each student and run
But are we going to do this for the whole lesson, teacher? over the input language. Some of it will naturally repeat if you
Just talk?
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remain on the same topic for another five or ten minutes.
Let’s have a chat for a while and see how we get on. In Figure 2, I have used the edge detector feature on a
But there’s only three of us. What can we do? photo editing programme to show you more clearly how, with
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We can do MORE than normal. I can ask you questions and two students in attendance, I had my questions in the centre
listen to you very very carefully and give you the words that you and feedback from these working its way onto the zoned pieces
need. So what topics do you want from the ones I read out? of paper for each of the students on either side.
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Mmm … Can we hear them again? On this occasion, the following set of 15 questions about
personality and self kept the three of us going for over an hour.
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Our role as listener
Self
Listening as a friend and listening as a language teacher are
different things. As a teacher, you have no reason ever to feel guilty If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
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about making notes as your students speak. Quite the contrary: it What’s your favourite colour? Why?
means we are doing our job. It may not be something that feels What are you really into?
natural to start with, but it is a skill that can be developed. Is there anything in this world you can’t stand?
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dragon, etc)
Which element best describes you? (earth, water, fire, air)
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input
errors language
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Figure 1 Zoned paper Figure 2 Questions in the centre and notes for each student on either side
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of Doc Martens she had. I quickly divided up a piece of
paper, as described above, and at the two-minute mark already
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had ‘to wear them in’ and ‘softened up’ on the input language
side. At that point, the rest of the class filed in – they had
decided to come to class in the end rather than go trick or
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treating (it was Halloween night). My point here is that I was
able to transition smoothly back to the regular class I had Figure 3 With a little bit of cooperation, everybody gets a go
planned. Nobody had lost anything. There had been no
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perceived uncertainty on the part of the teacher and the teacher, where each student sat and described a picture for a
student who had been first to arrive felt just as valued when it minute and received feedback at the end (see Figure 3).
was her on her own as when her classmates turned up.
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Meanwhile, the rest of the class worked quietly on exercises
from their activity books, allowing everyone to practise in a
Being proactive half-hour period.
With the reader’s permission, I would now like to take the
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We have also just had a round, not of one-to-one
subject just a little further. I believe it is one-to-one teacher– speaking with the teacher, but two-to-one speaking, where
student exchanges that set the tone for whole-class the students have sat and discussed something with a
cooperation. We do not have to wait until their classmates are partner, again receiving feedback from me at the end of their
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off to give individuals some undivided teacher attention. We allotted two minutes.
can make space for that in a regular class. If the rest of the
class is working on an exercise from their coursebook, we can
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ask students to come and sit with us, one by one, and listen to t t t
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that each student has a legitimate place sitting talking to, and becomes. We can, however, aim to talk to each student every
getting language guidance from, their teacher as well as sitting so often. As we have seen, seizing the chance to do so when
with their peers. there is a fortuitous drop in student attendance is one way.
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fragment a regular class like this and have two things going on
far wrong when the answer is ‘I spoke, and the teacher
at once requires effective task design and effective classroom
listened to me’. n
management on the part of the teacher. Securing cooperation
on the part of the class by convincing them of the usefulness
Chris Roland is a trainer based at ELI, a
of these short practice slots is, perhaps, the key element to language academy in Seville, Spain. He also
success here. The ability to hone our ear to the person in front tutors on the Trinity Diploma course for
of us, cutting out the, hopefully productive, murmur in the Oxford TEFL, Barcelona. His first
background, is also a skill that can be developed. methodology book, Understanding
Teenagers in the ELT Classroom, has just
been published by Pavilion.
Getting round them all www.chrisroland.net
With my current pre-B1 group, at my students’ request, we
have just had a round of one-to-one speaking with the
Good news!
Mohamed Elhess finds online news stories perfect for a diverse classroom.
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y classes are usually fairly diverse, consisting of lesson and either match their current language abilities or
adult students from a variety of backgrounds, are at a slightly higher level, to offer a degree of challenge.
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with different experiences of learning English
and, more importantly, different abilities and 2 Explain your objectives
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interests. Using the same reading text with the Begin your class by explaining the language function(s) of the
whole class can be problematic: it may be beneficial and lesson you are giving. Use illustrations, mention a real-life
interesting for some, but not others. One of the ways I offer situation, etc. For example, for the function of defining a problem
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more choices in my classes is through the use of online news and suggesting possible solutions, you could present the example
stories. These stories cover topics in different genres: current below: a short news item about teaching crows to pick up cigarette
affairs, business, entertainment, historical events, etc, and any butts in a French theme park. Before embarking on studying this
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one of these can be a good source for the students to select particular news item, you could discuss with the class other types
something that they really want to read. of pollution and how other pollution issues could be solved – eg
cutting emissions by replacing cars with bikes.
Why online news?
Unlike printed newspapers, online news outlets provide easily
accessible resources. Using smartphones, computers or readers,
gaMake sure to connect your examples to the news item and
language function. After that, as you read the text about crows,
engage the students with questions such as What is the problem?
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the students can do an internet search to obtain a variety of What solution have they found? List these questions and the
results on any specific subject. They can then choose something students’ answers on the board. You could also help the
that engages their interest. The pervasive expansion of online students by giving them a handout with the target language
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news sources means that the students can facilitate their function put into sentence frames. For example:
understanding by means of multimodal (images, audio and One reason ______happens is that ______
video) content. In addition, online channels such as CNN and
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finding out about their language abilities, try to learn more about 3 Guide, modify and engage
their interests and how they learn within their own social context. After the students have chosen what they want to read, give
Things that it can be useful to find out include: them a worksheet to use as a guide during the reading process.
■■ What topics capture their interest? Why? This might include sentences to complete. For example:
■■ What kind of topics do they read about for fun? Before reading
■■ Do they work comfortably by themselves or do they prefer From the pictures and the headline, I can tell that this article
working with others? is about ...
After you have gathered information about your students,
help them to select news items on topics they are interested During reading
in, depending on the context, the demography and the The article is mainly about ...
resources that are available. Ensure that the students select Based on the context, I think the meaning of the word [x] is ...
news texts that align with the language function(s) of the At first I thought …, but now I think that ...
After reading discussion, interact with the students and offer feedback as
I would change the title of the article to ... they share their own findings:
Have higher-level students read and interact with the news text Why do you think that this event happened?
by applying their own personal learning preferences: What you think about the events in the news?
■■ Some may watch a video that accompanies the text. What did your friends on social media think of this story?
■■ Some may post and share the news on social media. Always encourage a non-threatening atmosphere by asking
■■ Some may use online channels to post and exchange open-ended questions that do not have right or wrong answers.
comments on the story at the end of the news homepage. Encourage the students to use the target language function as
Meanwhile, guide lower-level students, giving them any support they present their findings to each other.
they may need, such as helping them to find more than one
5 Assess
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news source reporting on the same topic, in order to find a
simpler explanation. For example, at the time of the royal Devise tasks based on the news items that the students have
read which they will find meaningful and engaging. For
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wedding in the UK, one online news headline read:
example, if your students are interested in the nuclear talks
Meghan Markle’s father recovering after heart surgery
between the USA and North Korea, you could encourage them
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Another was: to do a project on the topic in which they collaborate to write
Meghan Markle’s father is reportedly ‘OK’ after heart surgery news reports based on what they have read.
Encourage the students to use multiple sources to help each other Always let your students know the criteria on which they
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with unknown words, leading to conversations such as: will be evaluated: handing out copies of a checklist of the
Student A: What does ‘Markle’s father is recovering’ mean? criteria is useful. For example, you might tell them that they
will be assessed on their understanding of the text, their use of
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Student B: It means ‘he was sick but he is feeling better now’.
the correct language for the target function and their fulfilment
Also, exploit the fact that some online channels present the of the objectives outlined earlier.
same news in different languages to help lower-level students.
Then ask the students to choose one of the following tasks:
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4 Reflect ■■ Perform a roleplay in which you take the part of a
Using the students’ worksheets, hold a class discussion to newsreader, reporter or news analyst.
reflect on all the students’ ideas. As the class engages in the Write a short summary of the news item you have read.
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■■
what is happening.
1 Encourage each student to build their vocabulary skills as
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they read news texts outside the classroom. They can create
t t t
their own thesaurus as they come across new synonyms or
antonyms, create a journal of word forms (verb, noun,
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collocations, etc) and note the positions of words in difference Choice is essential in order to create the kind of environment
sentences or common phrases. For example: that is needed for a successful mixed-ability classroom. We need
■■ Archaeologists have discovered a massive ancient to empower our students so that they feel competent, express
what they know, know what to do, and can master ways to
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building in Egypt.
overcome challenges independently. n
■■ he Ancient Egyptians were serious cat people, if a
T
discovery in a tomb near Cairo is any indication.
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information and that from reliable news sources. Good https://newsineasyenglish.com https://arabic.cnn.com
techniques include comparing different sources to verify
their stance, questioning their reputation, checking the origin
Mohamed Elhess is a PhD student in the
of any images, and so on. Department of Curriculum and Instruction at
3E
ncourage the students to apply comprehension strategies the University of Idaho, USA. He is also a
and skills to monitor their own understanding. For example, member of the adjunct faculty at the College
of Education at Washington State University,
you can give them a news story without a title and have teaching courses in English as a Second
them create one. They can then compare their titles with the Language. His research interests include
original; you can also get them to compare the events of student engagement, creativity and
one particular news item with another version, or create addressing the needs of culturally and
linguistically diverse learners.
questions around the topic of a news story.
midodonny@gmail.com
Making reading
■■ Put the students into pairs, and ask
them to select one or two sections
from a text they’ve just read.
more fun
■■ Ask them to copy these sections out
on pieces of paper, but changing a
piece of information in each one –
make sure this is factual and not
grammatical (unless, of course, you
Graham Perry suggests some activities to bring texts to life. want to focus on a particular piece
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of grammar). So, for example, they
y its very nature, reading can don’t want the students looking at the could take the sentence:
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be a solitary, introverted text in their books). At the time, I had no idea that this
activity. As such, it can kill ■■ Photocopy the reading text twice and red-haired whirlwind would within months
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the pace and dynamic nature cut each copy into five or six sections. become one of my life-long friends.
of a class outright. The way And they might change it as follows:
■■ Display the sections of text randomly At the time, I had no idea that this
that I have sought to solve this problem
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around the room. red-haired whirlwind would within weeks
over the years is two-fold:
■■ Put the students into pairs or small become one of my life-long friends.
■■ Break up reading classes – don’t do all
teams and give them the questions. Once they’ve finished, ask them to
the exercises one after the other, and ■■
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don’t present the students with a ■■ Tell them they have a time limit to find leave the papers on their desks and to
monolithic block of comprehension the answers. Then watch them race stand up.
around the room reading the sections of
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questions, true/false statements or ■■ Ask the pairs to circulate around the
gapped sentences. Instead, do a text and trying to answer the questions. room and try to work out how each
number of short activities. Set strict Note: Make two copies of the text to cut section has been changed.
time limits, and alternate reading with up, otherwise you’ll find too many students
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speaking and other tasks. at once crowded around one piece of paper 5 Who or what am I?
■■ Introduce interaction (and movement, trying to answer the questions. This post-reading activity gets the
where possible) before, during and students talking and asking questions.
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after reading a text. 3 Key word summaries ■■ Ask each student to secretly choose a
This activity encourages interaction after person or object described in the text.
Here are some of the activities I use:
an initial reading.
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This pre-reading activity pre-teaches ■■ Put the students into groups (as many what their partners have chosen. (They
vocabulary and is fun at the same time. groups as there are sections of text). can ask each other a maximum of 20
■■ Select seven or eight words from your ■■ Give each group a section to read. questions. However, the person being
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reading text. Make sure that most of asked may only answer Yes, No or I
■■ Explain that, while they read, they are don’t know. In my rules, questions
them have very strong links to the topic
allowed to write down eight (and only which provoke an I don’t know answer
of the text, and that a few have a
eight) key words from the text. Explain don’t count as one of the 20.)
slightly more tenuous connection.
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Explain the topic of the text, and ask each of the previous groups. The Graham Perry is
the students to discuss and predict students are not allowed to take the text from Brighton, UK,
which words they will and won’t find to their new group, only their key words. and started
in it. Award points for correct guesses teaching in 1991.
■■ They then summarise their sections of Since then, he has
if you want to make this competitive.
the text to each other. worked in private
2 On the wall ■■ Finish by giving these groups a schools in Spain
and the UK,
This activity makes a potentially dry comprehension exercise, and ask them teacher training
reading exercise very lively and dynamic. to collaborate to answer the questions. and, for the last 20
■■ Write a number of comprehension years, working with
questions based on the text (or use the 4 What did I change? international students in the further
education sector.
coursebook questions, but copy them The aim is to assess how much the students
grahamperry99@yahoo.co.uk
out onto a separate worksheet: you have taken in from an initial reading.
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across the globe, plus a high standard n MA TESOL
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of academic and pastoral support. n MA TESOL and ICT
n MA TESOL (Young Learners)
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We offer a range of opportunities for
n MA TESOL (Teacher Education)
professionals with 2 years’ experience.
These courses are designed to enhance n MEd TESOL
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your knowledge and skills or allow you to
specialize in a certain area.
Discover more: ga
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www.education.leeds.ac.uk
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Write for us
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We are always looking for fresh ideas that will appeal to our
readers. Whether you are an experienced writer or a practising
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teaching and for your continuing professional probably already know, we publish a wide range of features
development. Publication enhances your profile as and articles dealing with practical classroom issues,
professional and personal development, methodology,
a teacher and can improve your future job prospects
pedagogy, technology, language and linguistics, teaching
as a result. It’s also good for the teaching profession as resources – and a lot more besides. Our aim is to be fresh and
a whole; the exchange of ideas benefits all teachers. accessible. Please write clearly and simply about what you
did and explain how someone else can do it too/adapt it to
Starting point their situation, etc. whilst avoiding, unless you explain,
You may wish to submit shorter pieces to begin with. technical terms or jargon.
We are very pleased to receive letters and suggestions for
publication, and contributions to the TALKBACK! and IT
WORKS IN PRACTICE sections of the magazine. Good, Contact the editor
innovative photocopiable materials are particularly welcome. Helena Gomm. Email: helena.gomm@pavpub.com
ENGLISH TEACHING
Confessional Mario Rinvolucri relates how something a colleague told him
caused him to engage in 30 years of letter writing to his students.
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I
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n the mid 1970s, Carlos Maeztu, an American colleague, told young adults. It seemed too banal, this writing letters to the
me about a primary teacher he knew in New York who taught students; it also seemed artificial, as on an intensive course, I would
immigrant Hispanic children, often in classes of more than 30 see all of them in the flesh for four and a half hours a day.
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at a time. This man tried every methodological trick in the book It took a little time to get over these misgivings and to accept
to get these recalcitrant eight and nine year olds to write in a hefty extra workload, replying to the students’ letters (two to
English, as he was well aware that unless they learnt to read and three hours each day, five days a week). I launched the project
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write with at least minimum fluency, these young ‘new Americans’ with a single letter to the whole class, talking about myself and
would end up sweeping the streets like their fathers or cleaning asking them each to reply.
other people’s houses like their mothers.
©
The single exercise that he found worked was writing them Dramatic results
individual, personal letters, to which they had to write replies. The
After five or six exchanges of letters with these students over two
only rule was that in each letter, the writers had to give some new
weeks, I was amazed at how much I was learning about each
information about themselves.
person – stuff it might have taken me a term to glean normally. The
If you throw down this article and read no further, I think I students’ letters quickly had dramatic results for my teaching, as I
understand why: ‘That teacher must have been mad ... and with a got a much clearer idea of each of them in the following areas:
class of 30-plus difficult kids!’ ■■ their language strengths and weaknesses;
Starting out ■■ their life outside class, eg life in their host family;
■■ t heir level of homesickness, cultural amazement and
When Maeztu told me about this man, at first I did not feel motivated
sometimes what they had learnt about the UK;
to try the technique out, even though my classes at Pilgrims in the
UK were much smaller than his in New York: 12 to 14 teenagers and ■■ how each person felt in the class group.
Though I could not analyse the data scientifically, I could by offering three words in place of just one. I realised that, as the
sense that the regular letter writing was drawing us closer exam loomed larger in their minds, the amassing of new lexis/
together as a group. Discipline in class was noticeably better. vocabulary/words might not be of much linguistic use but may
The letter writing also radically changed my lesson have assuaged/softened/dampened their exam jitters.
preparation. As I thought about the next day’s lessons, I was
much more aware of individual students than I had ever been
Letters home
before. Looking back, I am pretty sure that the letter writing Occasionally, I would suggest that the students translate one of
stopped me doing certain exercises in a given class that I my letters that struck a particular chord with them, together with
would previously have happily charged ahead with, like a bull a letter of their own to me that they were especially proud of, to
in a china shop. send back to their family, in order to help these people, who were
so important to them, to get a feel of what learning English in
As time passed, I realised that writing letters to my
Cambridge or Canterbury was like.
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students was not just one more good teaching technique, but
that it gave me a framework that improved and strengthened Pair letter writing
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all areas of my teaching.
A really useful technique that grew out of students-to-teacher
letter writing was pair letter exchange. I would ‘string pair’ the
Looking back
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students (using nine pieces of string in a class of 18 students,
Over the past two years (2017 and 2018), I have gone back each person takes the end of a piece of string and is thus
and re-read wodges of letters that I received from FCE randomly paired with another member of the class). I then told
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preparation classes as far back as the 1990s. As I sit and read them that they had ten minutes to write a letter about anything
their different national and personal styles of handwriting, I am they liked to their string partner. After ten minutes, they
gob-smacked by how their letters re-evoke the lives of those delivered their letters to their partners. They could then either
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classes from the deep past. answer the letter they received or freely write to someone else
As I read the student letters again, I am delighted that I of their choice in the class, and so on for the rest of the
maintained the strict rule that I would never attack their letters 45-minute period.
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with a red pen. I resolutely refused to correct their texts. A few
Cross-class letter writing
of my students were outraged by this behaviour and told me so,
in no uncertain terms. But I was absolutely right to model rich Do you find that halfway through a term your classes can start
getting a little bored with each other’s company? To introduce
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their letters that they absorbed plenty of language from reading of one class facing the students of the other. They started off
by each writing a letter to the person opposite them in the
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and, if there was time after that, they could write to anybody in
the other class that they wanted.
Sensitive underlining
With some classes, I read the students’ individual letters to me
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and then replied in one letter to the whole class. At first, this did
seem to be a way of reducing my writing time. Colleagues,
however, especially women colleagues, nudged me into realising In a couple of years’ time, you may be able to read sets of my
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that I had to be extra-vigilant not to quote something from a students’ letters on the yet-to-be created Pilgrims-Bridge
student letter that the writer had intended only for my eyes. My School Archive website, run from Bratislava in Slovakia. Our
two solutions were a) to try to choose more sensitively, and b) to hope is that this Danube-side repository will grow in size under
©
ask the students to underline any parts of their letter they did not the direction of Klaudia Bednarova and become a useful focal
want me to mention to the class. (This is one of many instances point for people interested in relational, student-centred
where improvements in my teaching came thanks to colleagues’ learning and teaching. n
comments, even if, at first, I accepted them only grudgingly, and
sometimes grumpily.) Mario Rinvolucri was the ‘dispatcher’ of
colleagues from Pilgrims Language School who
I soon noticed that some students quickly scanned through
fanned out from Canterbury, UK, to do roving
my letter and then got their dictionaries out, to be sure they fully EFL teacher training work in Europe and
understood how I had reacted to their letter. beyond. He did this until he retired in 2012.
From 1999 until 2006, he edited Humanising
Vocabulary enrichment Language Teaching, the Pilgrims webzine.
As we got close to the dates of the examination for which they mario.rinvolucri7@gmail.com
were preparing, I would sometimes enrich my text/letter/missive
Integrating writing
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Mark Trevarton explores strategies for teaching writing alongside the other skills.
A
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central tenet of Communicative In this article, I will present some strategies for
Language Teaching is inclusion of all integrating writing with other skills and language, as
four language skills across all levels. But well as the benefits I noticed while trialling these
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ask our students to write essays or compositions My initial attempts to integrate writing as a means
individually; then we mark them, correct them and of controlled practice for grammar or vocabulary
return them. Does this sound familiar? weren’t very communicative. The learners just wrote
I realised that my own treatment of writing in to practise the target language and didn’t use their
©
general English classes was in the form of texts again. From this, I realised two things:
monolithic writing tasks like this. It wasn’t Firstly, integrating writing successfully means
particularly communicative (as there was no real using and valuing the learners’ texts. Sharing their
audience), and it wasn’t particularly engaging. So I texts gives them an audience and purpose for writing,
set out to devise some strategies for integrating which motivates them to put pen to paper in the first
writing as a communicative class activity. I knew place, and to edit, correct and clean up their texts.
from my own experience as a learner of Arabic When using writing for controlled practice, it is a lot
how beneficial writing can be when integrated with more communicative if the learners write personalised
other skills. For example, taking dictations from texts – or, at least, different texts from one another
recorded stories greatly helped my listening skills. – which they can then share with their classmates
So this was another reason for integrating writing afterwards by reading them aloud, swapping papers,
rather than isolating it. displaying them on the classroom walls, and so on.
Secondly, some lesson planning models work better 2 Writing and speaking
than others for integrating writing with other skills and Writing can be very usefully integrated with speaking, giving
language teaching. the learners thinking time to plan what they will say and how
■■ Integrating writing in a task-based sequence (as described they will say it. A great way to do this is to get them to write
by Dave and Jane Willis) works well. For example, in one their own roleplays. This creative activity also helps the
activity, my learners were each given a copy of a map with a learners to link language studied in class to situations when
jail on it, and they had to decide how to escape (task stage), they might actually use it.
then write down a description of their escape route
(planning stage). Next, working in groups, they each had to Write your own roleplay
read their escape routes to the others (reporting stage), who 1 Before class, prepare an example roleplay prompt card. You
plotted each route on the map and, when everyone’s route can incorporate any target language points, contexts or
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had been plotted, decided on the best one. This integrated content you like. For example, here is a simple roleplay
listening, speaking and writing to create a purposeful prompt I used in a lesson about making requests:
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communicative activity. Student A: You have just left the hospital and are going
■■ Integrating writing in a Test–Teach–Test sequence is also home on a crowded train. You don’t feel well. Student B is
effective. The learners can be ‘thrown in at the deep end’ with sitting down on the train. Ask if you can take his/her seat.
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a speaking task (first Test stage), such as telling a story based Student B: You have just had a really long day at work. You had
on a series of pictures. Then, they can be taught any useful to stand for a long time on this crowded train, but two minutes
vocabulary or grammar for the task (Teach stage), which ago, a seat became available and you finally sat down.
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they put into practice by writing about the task (final Test 2 First, ask the learners to perform your roleplay, as an
stage). This activity integrates speaking (focusing on the example.
students’ fluency), grammar/vocabulary input and writing
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3 Next, tell them to write their own roleplays prompt cards in
(focusing on the accuracy and complexity of the students’ pairs. One learner writes the Student A prompt card, and the
language), producing a coherent sequence. The ‘Writing and other the Student B prompt card. This requires a great deal of
vocabulary’ activity described below uses this staging.
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coordination, so it generates a lot of task-focused speaking.
■■ When integrated with other skills, writing usually serves as a 4 Help the learners to correct their writing, and check that it
pre-stage or post-stage – but it can also be a while-stage, in focuses on the right situation or language (eg a request).
the case of dictation.
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listening skills, and I have never seen my teenage learners interspersed speaking stages. However, several typical pre-
concentrate as hard on listening as they did in this activity! reading or post-reading tasks can also be done in writing. The
learners can write their own comprehension questions for each
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Song dictation other, reconstruct parts of the text, or even make predictions in
1 Choose a verse of a song with clear lyrics that you think writing. The activity below encourages purposeful reading of a
your learners will like. text in order to write a summary.
©
2 Tell the learners that you will play the song, and they should Written summaries
write down everything they hear.
1 Choose an article of interest to your learners. It could be an
3 Play the song, pausing after each line, replaying a line if the authentic text (eg from a newspaper or magazine) or taken
learners ask you to, until they have transcribed it all. from a coursebook.
4 Play the whole verse for the learners to check what they 2 Engage the learners in the article, set a gist-reading task,
have written. together with one other reading task, ideally one that
5 Get them to check their texts together and then against the encourages them to examine the text’s organisation in more
printed lyrics. detail, such as matching headings to paragraphs or adding
6 You could now go on to focus on the language in that verse missing sentences to paragraphs.
or a particular phonological feature, or you could use the 3 You could focus on vocabulary or some other language
activity as a springboard into discussion of the lyrics. feature of the text at this point.
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together. 4 Ask the learners to work with their partner from
6 When they have finished, ask them to read all the Stage 2 to write up a final version of the story,
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other pairs’ texts and vote on which one best combining their favourite elements from each
summarises the article. of their original stories. They can incorporate
the new vocabulary and refine their language.
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They can personalise the stories, inventing
My teenage learners find this far more engaging names and other details. You can even make
than typical comprehension activities, and it really a mid-task intervention and remove a few
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encourages them to apply all sorts of different different pictures from each pair, with the result
reading skills. They also ‘steal’ and appropriate that each pair’s story will turn out to be different.
several useful pieces of vocabulary from the text,
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To encourage use of the target language, you
and practise paraphrasing and reporting. could also ask the learners to underline those
phrases in their written stories.
4 Writing and vocabulary
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5 Finally, get the learners to read each other’s stories
Our ultimate goal in any vocabulary lesson is to give and vote on the most romantic, silliest, etc.
the learners several meaningful encounters with the
lexis and to enable them to personalise it. The Writing gives the learners a chance to refine their
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following simple activity does this, integrating writing stories and use appropriate vocabulary, after
with vocabulary, speaking and reading. focusing on fluency in the initial stage.
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Writing poems works as a practice activity for
many other language points, especially verb
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tenses. It’s also great for building confidence in
pronunciation, as the learners recite their poem
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several times in Step 5. Of course, creative
writing can take many forms, not just poetry, t t t
and despite my initial reservations, I find my
learners really enjoy it. In many of the activities above, writing is in a
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mutually beneficial relationship with the skill it is
6 Writing and phonology integrated with. In ‘Written summaries’, for
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example, the learners don’t only learn to write a
Phonology is in everything we do with language.
summary. They also skim, scan and infer meaning
Speaking (obviously), listening (as learners
and the author’s attitude from the text they are
distinguish sounds and grasp meanings
reading more effectively and purposefully than with
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communicated through stress and intonation) and
conventional comprehension exercises.
reading and writing (when subvocalising texts or
spelling a word). Running dictation is a great way to Writing is also a natural way of encouraging what
draw attention to phonological features in all four Dave and Jane Willis term ‘language focus’, where
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skills. Here’s a little twist on the usual set-up. the learners concentrate on putting meaning into
words, and increasing the accuracy and complexity
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1 Choose a picture with lots of things happening Other benefits of integrating writing are that it
in it, and write labels about it on slips of paper. allows for more sensitivity to mental processes and
For example, a picture I used contained lots of individual preferences in language learning. For
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contractions and weak forms, eg The woman example, it can offer opportunities for thinking time,
who’s looking at her phone is about to walk into creativity and visualising language. It also varies the
the lamp post. pace and tempo of lessons, especially in longer sessions.
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2 Pin the sentences up outside the classroom So why not go ahead and integrate writing into
and set up the running dictation. One learner is your other activities? The suggestions above are a
the writer; the other is the runner, who goes starting point, but the ways of doing this are endless.
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outside, reads a sentence, comes back and However you do it, integrating writing ‘little and
reports it to the writer, who writes it down as a often’, as opposed to ‘lots all at once’, can really help
label next to the picture. Then they swap roles learners’ progress throughout a language course. n
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Fan
fiction
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Benjamin Moorhouse gets his
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learners to write adaptations of
original works of fiction.
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ave you every wished to know what happened to the way to stimulate creativity and kickstart the writing process.
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characters of your favourite story after the book Students can be tasked with making a story funnier, scarier,
ends? Or before it even began? Or perhaps more shorter, longer, more interesting, more educational, modern or
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about the lives and adventures of secondary old-fashioned, or more personal to the students in the class. They
characters? Or what the story would be like if it was can adapt stories in a number of ways:
set in a different time or place? If so, you are not alone, and there ■■ Change the characters, setting, problem, solution or ending;
ion
characters or settings from that work. It is an incredibly popular ■■ Add a modern or new item;
form of fiction today, as it has become easy to share these ■■ Extend the story forwards or backwards.
adaptations and creations on websites dedicated to it, such as
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Storybook: The Three Little Pigs new way for the students to think about stories and the life and
times they represent.
Adaptation: Alter the viewpoint
The Three Little Pigs is a classic tale that most students will Easy stories to adapt
know. It tells the story of three pigs who build houses out of The above four examples may seem quite challenging for some
straw, sticks and bricks. Each pig in turn gets visited by a big bad of your English language learners, but there are some super-
wolf who threatens to ‘huff and puff and blow the house down’ simple stories that can be easily adapted with even beginner
– until he gets to the last house, where the pigs have a plan. English writers.
Students can be given the task of creating the same story For example, the students can be asked to add an extra
from the wolf’s perspective. Did he really want to eat the pigs? character to any of the following books:
Why was he visiting their houses? Could he be a vegetarian wolf?
rown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
B
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■■
After the students write their stories, you can read the book The
and Eric Carle – What other animals can they see? What
True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, which tells the
colour are those animals?
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story from the wolf’s perspective. The students can then see how
their ideas could easily become a real book one day. ■■ Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell – What other animals could the
zoo send? What are their characteristics?
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Storybook: Goldilocks and the ■■ he Gingerbread Man (traditional folktale) – Who else could
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the Gingerbread Man meet?
Three Bears
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The teacher can then create a class book with all the students’
Adaptation: Extend the story adaptations in it. This can be shared and kept in the class library
Everyone knows the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. for all the learners’ enjoyment.
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I think parents often read it to their children in order to teach
them to be well-behaved. But in the language classroom, it is Benefits of story adaptation on
also good for teaching adjectives and the use of the adverb too. students’ writing development
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The story is about a naughty girl called Goldilocks, who goes
There are a number of benefits of getting students to adapt
into the three bears’ house when they are out for a walk. In the
storybooks in their writing lessons:
house, she eats their porridge, finishing one of the bowls, sits
on their chairs, breaking one of them, and then tries out their ■■ he students will be writing in a familiar genre and will have
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beds, eventually falling asleep in the one belonging to baby a social purpose in mind.
bear. The story ends with the bears coming home and finding ■■ hey can take ownership of their writing, and feel confident
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her, and Goldilocks running away. and comfortable about being creative.
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I always feel there is more to tell here, and there are lots of ■■ It provides teachers with the opportunity to focus on
creative ways to continue the story. Students can be tasked with different aspects of the story, in order to build up the
extending the story, by being given question prompts, such as students’ awareness of the story structure, purpose,
What did Goldilocks do next? How did her parents react? What intended audience, features, language and vocabulary.
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did the bears do? Did they look for Goldilocks? Did they call the ■■ tudents will feel pride in creating an original text that can
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police? Through extending this story, the students can see how be shared within a positive writing environment.
they might think of sequels to other stories.
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With the shift from old literacies to new literacies, we are seeing a
Little Red Riding Hood is another classic tale, set in a very
change in who can be an author and how stories are shared and
different time from today, when mothers would let their
read. By giving our students the chance to adapt classic stories,
children walk alone to their grandma’s house in the forest.
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they can be part of this change and, one day, may go on to create
It tells the story of Little Red Riding Hood and her mission to
famous works of fiction, fan or otherwise. n
deliver some food to her grandma. Along the way, she meets
a wolf. The wolf learns of her errand and decides to eat
Little Red Riding Hood’s grandma. He then tries to eat Little Benjamin Luke Moorhouse is a lecturer in
Red Riding Hood as well, but she is saved just in time by a the Division of English Language Education,
Faculty of Education at the University of
passing woodcutter. Hong Kong, where he teaches on initial
I wonder how much of the story our students can relate to teacher education programmes. His research
today, with all the modern technology available. Therefore, it interests include initial English language
teacher education and young learner English
could be fun to ask our learners to imagine that this story is set language education.
in the modern day: What would happen if Little Red Riding
benmoorh@hku.hk
Hood had a mobile phone? Or a GPS tracker? Or a video
camera? What would the wolf do then? This can create a whole
Students’
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feedback from peers is immensely
satisfying and motivating for students.
Further practice
stories
This tale is short and simple so, having
acted out the story, the students are now
ready to retell it verbally. Make sure they
understand that they don’t need to use
exactly the same words you used, because
learning to tell a story is a process of
moving from imitating to ‘re-inventing’.
David Heathfield tells a tall tale from Turkey. Ask the students to sit facing each other in
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Before telling pairs – one will be the storyteller and the
f all the characters who
other the listener. The storytelling student
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appear in folk tales, none Introduce Nasrudin Hodja to your
should still use mimed actions to enhance
can feature in as many students, using the information above
their telling of the story.
stories as Nasrudin Hodja, and by showing an illustration. Let your
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the wise fool. Turkish people students know that they are going to The listener can support the
claim that the Nasrudin tales, which can learn to tell a story by listening to you storyteller by making a lot of eye
also be categorised as jokes, are about a and then acting it out. contact, and prompting with mimes or
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real man who lived in Konja in Anatolia in verbally, if the storyteller wants them to.
the 13th century. The tales spread While telling It works best if the more confident
throughout the Islamic world from Be clear and simple, bearing in mind that storyteller goes first. Then they can
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Western China to North Africa and, the students are going to have to remember exchange roles.
during the Ottoman Empire, into many and retell the story. Remember to act out Over the following days, encourage
parts of Europe. Nasrudin is called several the tale as two distinct characters. the students to retell the story as many
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different names – in Arabic-speaking times as possible, both in the classroom
countries, he is usually known as Joha. After telling and beyond, with other students, family
Nowadays, Nasrudin tales are shared Invite the students, in pairs, to act out members, friends and neighbours. They
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throughout the world. The one I have the whole story in mime while you tell it can tell it both face to face and online.
most often been told by Turkish students again. They will not be speaking, so They can even post a video of their most
is ‘Borrowing the pan’, and I was told it they should act with a lot of physical successful version online.
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Emel Yalçın, who was a student in an Next, ask the students to mime the t t t
English class I was teaching in Exeter, story again, this time in total silence,
UK. In this story, Nasrudin proves while they remember what happened. You can watch a YouTube recording of a
himself to be a cunning trickster. class of ten-year-old students in Hamburg,
ion
youtube.com/watch?v=CMM6lFLRyNw.
with short, simple two-character tales Can I borrow your big pan?
from any culture. This particular story, On the following page is the
Bring it back tomorrow.
‘Borrowing the pan’, provides a good transcription of that telling of the story,
Your big pan had a baby.
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opportunity for the students to learn and which I adapted for students in their
A pan cannot die.
practise greetings and requests. second year of learning English. n
Now get the students to repeat these
‘Borrowing the pan’ phrases chorally, in character and David Heathfield is
©
a freelance
Storytelling tip: Act it out with feeling.
storyteller, teacher
Rehearse acting out the story physically as Next, the pairs act out the story a and teacher trainer.
third time, this time speaking as the two He is the author of
you tell it, switching between the two
Storytelling With
characters: the trickster Nasrudin and his characters.
Our Students:
easily-duped neighbour. It’s a good idea to Finally, invite one or two pairs to Techniques for
shift between two positions – this will help perform their version of the story in Telling Tales from
your students when they act it out in pairs front of the class. Afterwards, get the Around the World
and Spontaneous
afterwards. Mime knocking at the door other students to comment on what they Speaking: Drama Activities for Confidence
and picking up the big and the small pan, enjoyed about their classmates’ and Fluency, both published by DELTA
and express the characters’ feelings. Make performance, eg voices, posture, Publishing. He is a member of The
sure the language you use is suitable for movement, gestures, humour, unexpected Creativity Group.
your students’ level of English. details, creativity. Getting positive www.davidheathfield.co.uk
O
ne day, there was a knock at the door.
The neighbour opened the door and
there was Nasrudin.
‘Neighbour, can I borrow your big pan?’
‘Why?’
‘I’m having a party. I want to borrow your big
pan, please.’
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‘Yes,’ said the neighbour. ‘Here you are. Bring
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it back tomorrow. Goodbye.’
The next day, there was a knock at the door.
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It was Nasrudin.
‘Neighbour, here is your big pan back.’
‘Thank you, Nasrudin. But inside the big pan
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there is now a small pan. Why?’
‘Ah,’ said Nasrudin, ‘while I had your big
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pan, your big pan had a baby. And the baby
goes with the big pan, so the big pan and the
small pan are yours.’
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‘Really? Thank you very much. Goodbye.’
A few days later there was another knock at
the door. The neighbour opened the door, and
there was Nasrudin.
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provide plenty of inspiration
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for last-minute classes …”
EL Gazette
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ETpedia Grammar
500 ideas and activities for teaching grammar
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■ provide inspiration
■ help you motivate students
■ anticipate difficulties students might have before they occur.
Suitable for English language teachers of all experience levels.
Bringing you inspiration, teaching tips, practical
advice, and engaging classroom activities across
eight volumes, there’s an ETpedia or two for you.
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ETpedia TM
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Materials Writing
500 ideas
for creating
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English language
materials
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Lindsay Clandfield and John Hughes
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www.myetpedia.com
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ion
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©
Email: info@etprofessional.com
Call our orders hotline: +44 (0)1273 434 943
IT WORKS
IN PRACTICE
More tested lessons, suggestions, tips and techniques which have all
worked for ETp readers. Try them out for yourself – and then send us your
own contribution. The contributors to this issue will each receive a digital
subscription to Modern English Teacher.
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SIX STRATEGIES FOR
STUDENTS’ NAMES
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Jennifer Cochran, Cranston, USA
Do you have trouble remembering the names of your
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students? Here are some strategies that you might like to try:
1 Repeat the student’s name aloud and in your mind as
many times as possible when you first meet them.
2 Develop some type of visual or word association with
their names while picturing their faces.
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3 If you meet with a group of the same students each day
or week, create a visual chart of their names and your
associations with these names.
4 Make a quick slideshow on your tablet or smartphone
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as a great welcoming display for future parents’ Westerner) has difficulty pronouncing the names of the
evenings or for end-of-year celebrations. Surprisingly, students (often those from Asia), something which can be
it only takes a few minutes to put together. very embarrassing for teacher and student alike.
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5 Play the tried and true memory game where everyone However, asking one or more students to choose a foreign
sits in a circle and says the names of the students on name is understandably a sensitive issue, one that might
their left and on their right as well as their own names. make both the student and the teacher uncomfortable.
Every individual’s name is special to them, and something
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random around the class. name. While some students enjoy the novelty of picking an
alternative name (creating a sort of separate language
6 Empower the students by asking them to make their
learning identity or alter ego), many others consider this task
own suggestions for good ways to remember their
to be an additional inconvenience, whose only purpose is to
©
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The game is ideal for a class of students who are ■■ hey read out their descriptions, and the other students have
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bored with traditional reading lessons, as it improves to guess who it is. Each correct guess wins a point for their
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their reading skills in a fun way. All the students are group.
involved throughout, and the teacher’s role is minimised.
Before this activity, I give the class a list of vocabulary used to
The students also learn to work collaboratively in teams,
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describe physical appearance. The list can be displayed on the
and speed-reading is promoted.
blackboard. For example:
If you like, the winning team can be identified as
Complexion: fair, dark, brown
the ‘reading wizards’ of the week, and they can be
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Hair: straight, wavy, normal, curly, black, brown
given badges to wear.
Height: tall, medium, short
1 Before the lesson, divide your chosen stories Build: small, big, average
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into individual sentences and copy these onto
It is important to note that you need to be very careful when
coloured paper strips, using a different colour
encouraging students to describe each other’s physical
for each story.
appearance, as there is the possibility of bullying or accidentally
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2 Put the strips into a box, jumble them and place causing offence. If this is likely to be a problem, ask the students to
the box (the sentence box) in the middle of the describe celebrities or people they all know well. Monitor carefully,
classroom. (It is a good idea to arrange the to make sure no one is including anything in their description that
classroom so that the students’ desks form a might cause offence.
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most up-to-date lists, Webb and Nation significant practical benefits.
discuss the pros and cons of various Discussions of best practice seem to
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lists. This helps readers effectively judge go hand in hand with colleagues claiming
whether a particular list is appropriate ‘but it wouldn’t work in my context’.
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for their specific context. Further Thankfully, Webb and Nation saw this
chapters deal with learning burden, coming! They have prepared evidenced
the incremental nature of lexical advice on best practice for a range of
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development, and conditions that contexts: EFL, ESL, young learners, large
facilitate learning. Some readers might classes, beginners, advanced learners,
be familiar with research in these areas, intensive courses, and more besides. We
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but take it from me, there will be know that consideration of context is
something new for most. For example, vital to the success of any pedagogical
while other books have dealt with intervention, and readers will be able to
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extensive reading, the additional focus incorporate the nuggets gained from this
on viewing here is particularly welcome, book into their classes, irrespective of the
as this is a major avenue of current particular context in which they work.
research and reflects typical learner This includes both classroom-based tasks
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now we can set up such learning learning. This is a vital area to consider if
operate effectively in English. Knowing
opportunities to transform journeys we want our learners to be independent,
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learners. It is that rare thing, a book As teachers, we want to provide our understand the questions that many
that provides accessible theory and learners with the best advice and practitioners have: Should I use L1 in the
discussion of research findings, while effective learning tasks. The discussion classroom? How can I utilise corpora to
on analysing vocabulary learning
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Best Practices for Blended is the way in which it explains key terms,
Learning particularly the main models employed on
by Pete Sharma and Barney Barrett a BL course. The ‘%’ model refers to the
Pavilion 2018 percentage of the course which is
supported by online work. For example,
978-1-911028-84-0
on a 70–30 course, 30% of the learning is
done online. This can increase to a hybrid
course (50–50) or up to 100% on an online
course. Implementing a ‘dual track’
approach means that students have 24/7
online access to the online materials that
supplement their taught classroom
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materials. These materials may or may not
be related to each other, but both have a
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similarly holistic learning aim. Arguably, out and use instantly may be a little
the most well-known model is the ‘flipped disappointed. Many of these activities
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classroom’ approach, where the online ask for an awful lot of commitment,
learning materials are introduced before often far beyond what can reasonably be
the lesson starts, and are then utilised in expected of a busy teacher. For instance,
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the classroom, with the focus being on ideas such as recording screencasts or
deepening understanding of what has been sending emails of sentences to practise at
studied before the lesson. home all involve quite a lot of
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preparation and continual monitoring.
Sharma and Barrett understand that
there are various challenges facing There is a telling part in the ‘Tips for
In this book, Pete Sharma and Barney institutions who wish to set up a BL teacher trainers’ chapter towards the end
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Barrett have attempted to address the course, and they deal with each of them of the book that proves this point. When
challenges that institutions and in turn. They identify the fact that discussing a comment from an attendee
practitioners face when trying to employing a successful blended learning at a training session who questioned the
implement a blended learning (BL) component takes a great deal of time usefulness of the activities as they
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course. The pair recognise that one of and effort, and also acknowledge other wouldn’t have time to implement them,
the core issues at the heart of the BL considerations that need to be taken Sharma and Barrett interpret this as
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approach is the absence of definitive into account, such as appropriacy and more of a reflection of the limitations of
rules when it comes to its effective the need for training for teachers and that teacher’s circumstances rather than
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implementation. As a result, teachers students alike. Their framework for any failing in the training. However,
and institutions can be quickly creating a BL course is very useful, as it taken more objectively, the comment
overwhelmed by the sheer number of allows practitioners and institutions to identifies an inherent problem with the
ion
approaches and potential methodologies work systematically through four clear BL approach as a whole: it is more
that exist. There is little doubt that there stages that the authors believe will help applicable to higher education
is an established need for a book that to create a successful BL course. establishments with the time, money and
attempts to pull all these issues together inclination to implement it, and many
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wooden barrel, but it is made of a number of very carefully
shaped pieces of wood. Each piece is widest in the middle, and
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tapers at the top and the bottom. In addition, because each
piece is part of a circular container, its edges need to be angled,
also very precisely, to achieve a perfect and watertight (or, more
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often, ‘winetight’) fit. A cooper is the person who constructs this
A cooper making a barrel
wonderful item – which is made all the more wondrous because
he or she makes each piece by eye. Now that is skill!
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The imaginary kind is when someone claims to be able to do something but actually can’t. This is
sometimes hubris, which leads them to boast that their abilities are greater than they really are, and
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sometimes it is simply optimism.
There is an excruciating sketch by British comedian Catherine Tate where, in response to a crisis in the
office, she volunteers her services as a translator in a major international business meeting. When asked
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to translate to representatives of half a dozen or so different nationalities, she produces the sort of
wordless noises used to lampoon the cadences of the various languages (the lilting pitch of Scandinavian
languages, for instance). I find it truly agonising, if fascinating, to watch.
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speaking skills Some people seem genuinely A rather more unusual claim came
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female speaker is New Yorker include a section where skills are a bicycle. You’ve either got forklift
Fran Capo, who can say 11 listed. ‘Proficiency in the use of skills or you don’t, and I can remove
words per second. At such a Microsoft Office’ can, indeed, be a somebody’s molars with a forklift.’
high rate of speech, you might valuable asset, but how about
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eyesight also took away his life when he was 16.
particularly ugly, whereas he finds 333 particularly attractive.
When it comes to calculations, he ‘sees’ the results in the Ben Underwood is not the only blind person to have had this
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form of landscapes, and can ‘sense’ whether a number is skill. Daniel Kish, who also learnt echo location as a child, now
prime or composite. Tammet is not only able to describe these teaches it to other blind people so that they can get out and
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visions verbally, but he also does paintings of them. experience the wonders of the natural world that sighted
people too often take for granted. He regularly leads blind
While most people can calculate pi to around four decimal
teenagers on hiking and mountain biking trips.
places (3.1415), Tammet holds the European record for
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memorising and recounting it to 22,514 digits – a feat he In the words of Paul
managed in just over five hours. Watson, the Canadian
environmentalist:
He also speaks a variety of languages, including English,
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‘Follow your dreams
French, Finnish, German, Spanish, Lithuanian, Romanian,
and use your natural-
Estonian, Icelandic, Welsh and Esperanto. He particularly
born talents and skills
likes Estonian, because it is rich in vowels. Tammet is
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to make this a better
capable of learning new languages very quickly. He was
world for tomorrow.’
once challenged to learn Icelandic in one week for a
A nice aspiration ...
television documentary. Seven days later, he appeared on
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Why not find out what skills your students possess? They may surprise you with the
things they can do! On the following page is a worksheet about learning and teaching
new skills, which practises imperatives and giving instructions. Make one copy of the
ion
physical skills predict the verbs that they will hear, then complete gapped sentences. You will find
the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tuhC9B73zw.
Renowned rock climber Alex ■■ ctivity 2 requires cards with the instructions for balancing a spoon on your nose and
A
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Honnold once said: ‘I suppose being for folding a T-shirt in under five seconds. These are downloadable from the ETp
a bit of an antisocial weirdo definitely website at www.etprofessional.com/media/32280/etp-120_onlineresource_
honed my skills as a soloist. It gave page36_ianwaringgreen.pdf. You might like to bring a T-shirt and a spoon to class, so
©
me a lot more opportunities to solo that the students can see if the instructions work, once they have put them in the
lots of easy routes, which in turn correct order. Draw their attention to the use of the imperative in these instructions.
broadened my comfort zone quite a
■■ hile the students are doing Activity 3 (writing instructions for their own skill), monitor
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bit and has allowed me to climb the
and give help with vocabulary. Make sure the students’ instructions are clear and that
harder things without a rope that I’ve
they use the imperative correctly.
done now.’
■■ In Activity 4, encourage the students to teach their skills to their classmates. You can
These ‘harder things without a rope’
do this in class, with the students taking turns to demonstrate and give instructions to
include climbing the 3,000-plus feet
the rest. Alternatively, ask them to produce their own ‘how to’ videos to teach each
of the sheer face of El Capitan, a
other their skills.
rock formation in Yosemite National
Park, USA, without any kind of Answers to Activity 1
safety equipment – now that is a She uses blow, bring, crack, insert, peel, roll (as a noun), rotate, remove and tap.
skill, but not one that I yearn after! 1 tap, roll; 2 Peel; 3 insert; 4 remove; 5 bring, blow
blow bring crack hit insert peel roll rotate remove tap throw
Now watch the video and use words from the box above to complete these sentences.
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2 _____________ off about the size of a quarter*.
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3 Taking a small teaspoon, _____________ it under the shell and start rotating.
4 Tap the top of the egg, and you’re going to _____________ a bit of the shell, about the size of a dime**.
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5 Now _____________ the egg to your mouth like this, and you’re going to _____________ .
2 Your teacher will give you the instructions for two more skills: Balancing a spoon on your nose, and
folding a T-shirt in under five seconds. Decide which instructions belong with which skill, and put
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them in order.
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3 What special skills and abilities do you have? Could you teach one of them to your friends?
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Decide what words you will need to use and write out your instructions. You may find it helpful to use
the words in the box.
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First, ... Then, ... Make sure you ... Finally, ...
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Pa
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4 Use your instructions to teach your skill to your friends. If you like, make a video in which you
demonstrate your skill, giving your instructions at the same time.
Systematic
word learning 1
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Charles f you asked motivated, engaged learners which
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part of language learning was the most
Jannuzi challenging, many would probably say vocabulary.
offers a Such students would probably want to master the
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template for sort of vocabulary that they would need in order
active word to get a high score on tests like TOEFL, TOEIC or
IELTS. They might also hope to be more capable of
study.
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expressing their ideas when they communicate in
English in real interactions (conversations, emails,
SMS posts, video chats, etc).
The issue of vocabulary learning relates closely
to that of memory. Anyone who has struggled to
learn a foreign language knows the challenge:
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despite intensive study and review of key
vocabulary, it turns out to be impossible to recall it
fast enough for use in any real-time situation.
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devised to enable and support the active learning smoothly through most of their university lives.
of more vocabulary. However, they are not very useful for making their
English language learning more effective.
Background
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sets mostly resulted in nothing more than a passing up a new template. I tested it out with my own
familiarisation with the words: there simply wasn’t Japanese studies. After using it for about 25 Japanese
enough space for the sort of information needed for words, I could see how the new, larger cards worked
in-depth study and review. The students reported better than either a bound notebook or a set of small
that they were more likely to remember the Japanese flashcards. The 25 cards could be consolidated into
translations and forget all but the vaguest one pack and steadily expanded and constantly
impression of the English words. It wasn’t enough reorganised alphabetically (the Japanese words were
to match an English item with one or two Japanese also written in Roman letters for that purpose). After
translations. Most words are polysemous and have some adjustments, I came up with a template that
multiple meanings, nuances and uses. On the other can be done uniformly, word after word, by all
hand, I felt it best to avoid bogging the students the students. A copy which has the purpose of
down in minutiae that wouldn’t really help them the different sections of the card marked is shown
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learn and revise their vocabulary. Clearly, a different in Figure 1, and a blank photocopiable version
template for vocabulary learning was needed. can be downloaded from the ETp website at
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Taking what I had learnt from these five years of www.etprofessional.com/media/32279/etp-120_
trial-and-error, in early 2017, I asked myself what I onlineresource_page39_charlesjannuzi.pdf. Figure 2
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would want on a word study card or form and drew shows an example card for the verb ‘to negotiate’.
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For the most part, the word cards are completed as
homework. The word template is introduced in the
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first meeting of the course. (It is helpful to provide
examples in several consecutive classes to get the
students going.) For example, I introduce the
students to what they do with the word cards in the
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first class with an example verb. They then try to
do a card during the same class for another verb.
I assign them all the same verb, so that they can
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as an aid to memory.
However, many students aren’t ready for
independent learning. Their English courses are
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quotas until the time required for word study week, both during class and while doing
between each class is about one hour. Quotas homework. So now I use the vocabulary template
make it possible to check for minimum as a learner-centred ‘filter’ to help me choose what
compliance: I can look at a pack of cards and words will feature in the tests for a course.
quickly see if a student has at least done the
minimum number up to that point in the course.
t t t
Once the packs get beyond 30 cards or so, I
show the students how to organise them
Getting my students to complete the word study
alphabetically and how to bind them. I recommend
cards on a regular basis is not without difficulties.
a locking metal ring through a hole in the upper-left
Many of my courses are required English, where the
corner or a large binder clip to clamp the pack.
students’ language proficiency is limited and their
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motivation is low. Some students resist, simply
Active learning to increase because it entails doing more homework than they
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compliance are used to doing for an English course. But there
One way to increase compliance is to use a basic are other issues as well. A lot of students don’t have
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‘active learning’ technique: make the students dictionaries or know how to use them (Japanese–
responsible for some of the teaching. For example, English and English–English ones being mostly
I choose several students to teach the entire class outside their experience).
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one of the words that they have been working on. Nor do they always understand the separate
They can copy their word cards onto enlarged sections of the word study template, even if this is
templates on the board. This is also a good time explained in Japanese (for example, the concepts of
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for me to make improvements and suggestions in parts of speech and their inflections, common
terms of how the cards can be used. The board lexical derivations, English-language definitions,
space in most of my classrooms allows for the collocations, etc). I have found that many students
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simultaneous presentation of four words. Over the are unable to put a pack of word cards into
first month of a course, all the students will have alphabetical order. And many have reported extreme
taught at least one word that they have been difficulties in using online word study resources (like
studying to the rest of the class. This makes it clear translators and dictionaries).
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that this is a required task, and one that is to be It’s an insidious temptation for teachers to avoid
taken seriously. It also helps me to give further teaching difficult but worthwhile learning tasks
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guidance and correction on how to do the cards. because training the students to do them is too
All the students can then add to their own
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The cards can be used to help evaluate the limited proficiency and don’t understand much
students. For example, you could ask them to English? Often we are hesitant to endure the
submit their pack of cards at the end of the students’ bafflement, reluctance and opposition.
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semester and assign them a grade based on their Despite these hazards, I have persevered at getting
efforts. Since I have to teach large numbers of my students to study vocabulary more
students, collecting so many cards in order to systematically using the word template.
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grade them proved too time-consuming and In the next article in this series, I will look more
logistically overwhelming. Instead, I now check a closely at the various issues that have arisen with my
certain number of students each class and make it students, and some possible solutions. The discussion
a part of the classroom-participation grade. If any will also feature some online resources that have
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students are behind the quota, haven’t put their helped greatly in overcoming the difficulties. n
pack into alphabetical order or aren’t prepared to
teach a new word, they will get lower classroom- Charles Jannuzi has taught
participation marks for that class. English in Japan since 1989 and
Perhaps the best use of the cards, though, at the University of Fukui since
1994. He spends much of his
is to note down a handful of the words that the free time with 30 cats and
students themselves have selected to teach the publishes several blogs,
class each week. These can then be recycled in including ELT in Japan (www.
mid-term and final tests. All the students will have eltinjapan.blogspot.com). He is
co-author of Core English for
had the chance to study the words, but this
Global Communication,
technique tends to reward the serious students published by Asahi Press.
who are actively engaged in the task, week after jannuzi@gmail.com
Let’s revise!
Martin Bastkowski recommends 12 activities
to remind students of things they have learnt.
I
guess we have all experienced the following scenario: You
introduced a new topic the day before, and your learners
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have already forgotten all about it. What can you do? How
can you help them brush up on that forgotten material?
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To counter this problem, I always start my lessons with a
revision slot in which we refresh and reactivate previously-learnt
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topics together as a class.
In this article, I would like to introduce a range of activities
that are, to my mind, very efficient when it comes to revising
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content. (The focus on content can, of course, be changed to a
focus on language.)
If you do these activities with your learners on a regular
basis, they will make fast progress, especially if you revise the
content every single lesson in a different way.
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Revision activities
In general, these revision activities should be done at the
beginning of a lesson, and they should not last longer than ten ■■ Tell the learners to describe to their partners six things they
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minutes. It is useful not only to revise the last lesson, but also a would definitely take on a trip to New York City.
couple of earlier lessons, in order to connect different topics
■■ Monitor, and encourage them to give reasons for their choices.
with each other. In order to explain each revision activity best,
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You should aim to include as many learners as possible in This is an activity that I introduced in my article in Issue 103
each revision activity. of ETp. I would like to have a quick look at it again here, as it
is very effective for revision.
1 Five-finger brainstorming
ion
■■ Ask the learners to form two lines and face each other in
■■ Ask the learners to draw outlines of their hand(s) on a sheet
pairs.
of paper.
■■ Give them a topic, statement or question which they have to
■■ Tell them that now they have to write five keywords about a
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discuss for 20 seconds (eg Which part of the USA would you
certain topic, one on each finger. For example, Name five
like to go to and why?).
things you would like to do and see in New York City.
■■ When the time is up, tell all the learners in one of the lines to
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■■ If you get the learners to draw both their hands, you can choose
move one step to their right and face a new partner.
a topic where both positive and negative aspects can be listed and
contrasted. For example, you could ask them to write on one of ■■ Then give them a new topic or question (eg What is your
their drawings five pros of living in big cities like New York, and opinion of the current president of the USA?).
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on the other five cons of living in big cities like New York. 4 Buzz groups
■■ After writing down the items on their hand drawings, the Using a ‘buzz group’ discussion activity is especially useful for
learners can elaborate on their ideas with a partner, and then a quick exchange of information, with all the participants
share their ideas with the whole class. contributing something to the topic. Topics that work best are
2 Pairwork quite controversial ones, where the learners have to come to a
conclusion or some sort of agreement.
Sometimes, simple traditional methods such as pairwork
discussions are quite effective for revision. ■■ Put the learners into groups of three or four.
■■ Provide a topic for the learners to talk about with a partner. ■■ Give each group a different topic and ask them to discuss it.
In order to get them to speak to a variety of people, you For example, Discuss the effects of Hollywood stars on
can tell them that they have to pair up with somebody who teenagers. Do these stars set a positive or negative example?
is not sitting near them. ■■ Ask each group to report back to the class on their discussion.
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■■ Give them a topic to talk about (eg Your favourite American
film) and explain that, first, A has to talk about the topic for 11 Keyword presentations
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20 seconds. Afterwards, B does the same. This is quite a demanding activity.
■■ Get feedback from the class and compare results. You can ■■ Give the learners a set of five or six keywords on your chosen
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also let A present what B talked about, and vice versa. topic (eg for the topic The MeToo movement, you could have
as keywords Harvey Weinstein, women’s rights, hashtag,
7 True or false? assault, social media).
A broad range of topics can be covered in this activity.
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■■ Tell the learners that they have to use these keywords in a
■■ Read out to the whole class a series of statements on your short presentation on the topic. All the keywords must be
chosen topic(s), one after another. Make some of them true included and used in a coherent way.
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and others false.
12 Swap-it cards
■■ Ask the learners to note down whether each statement is
true or false and to correct any false statements right away. You can cover a wide range of topics using this activity. In
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For example: addition, everybody is involved and actively participating.
There are 51 states in the USA. (false – 50) ■■ Ask each learner to create a card with a question on it (eg
The capital city is Washington, DC. (true) What was New York called before it was called New York?).
Los Angeles is known as The Big Apple.
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8 Quiz round
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■■ Ask the first question. For example: Revising previously-learnt material can be tedious, but I have
How much is a dime? a) 1 cent, b) 5 cents, c) 10 cents, suggested several ways in which it can be made fun, engaging
d) 50 cents and energising for the learners and the teacher. These activities
1,600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the address of which famous provide enjoyable alternatives to traditional revision where the
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building? a) the White House, b) the Statue of Liberty, teacher stands in front of the classroom, asks questions and
c) the Empire State Building, d) the One World Trade Center calls on individual learners to give the answers. In addition, all
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■■ The person/team who gives the correct answer first wins the activities are easy to adapt and can be used right away in
a point. your next lesson. n
■■ Alternatively, get small groups to create their own quiz
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questions for other groups to answer. During the preparation Thanks to Anna Trebits for her support.
stage, they can use their coursebooks to help them come up
with the questions.
9 Four corners Martin Bastkowski is an English teacher,
■■ Ask five or six learners to go into one of the four corners of university lecturer in TEFL and teacher
training, and materials writer. He has an MA
the classroom. in Education and has taught in Germany, the
■■ Ask a question on one of the topics previously discussed in USA and Ireland. He is particularly interested
class. The person who answers correctly first can move on to in communicative techniques and activities,
as well as efficient teaching methods.
the next corner of the room.
martin@bastkowski.de
■■ Carry out several rounds. The first person to get back to the
original corner is the winner.
Six minutes
and 40 seconds
William Littlewood employs quick-fire presentations as a strategy for training.
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A
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‘pecha kucha’ is a presentation based on learners of English (L1: Chinese) following an MA
20 PowerPoint slides, each set to show programme in Language Studies. One course in the
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for 20 seconds, ie the whole presentation programme deals with the language curriculum, and
lasts for exactly six minutes and 40 for the last five years, I have asked groups of four or
seconds. Once the slides begin to five trainees to take on responsibility for designing
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progress, the speaker has no control over them and and presenting a pecha kucha on how to teach
has to ensure that his or her oral delivery is either one of the four ‘language skills’ (speaking,
synchronised with the slides that accompany it. The listening, writing, reading) or one of the three
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idea was first developed in Japan in 2003 as a way to ‘language systems’ (grammar, vocabulary,
keep presentations concise and flowing. Since then, pronunciation) during the final three sessions of the
‘pecha kucha nights’ have spread in popularity, and course. The actual speaking time should be shared
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many useful introductions to pecha kucha can now equally within each group – generally, each trainee
be found on the internet. simply takes responsibility for four or five slides, but
As part of the programme of the KOTESOL they are at liberty to choose a more complex
International Conference in Korea in 2013, distribution. To help them prepare, they are given
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participants were offered the opportunity to give a guidelines, shown examples, and recommended to
pecha kucha presentation. Up till then, pecha kucha read material such as relevant chapters in books by
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had been a concept that was unknown to me, but I Anne Burns and Jack Richards, Jeremy Harmer,
decided to ‘rush in where angels fear to tread’ and Cora Lindsay and Paul Knight, and David Nunan.
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claim a slot. It turned out to be challenging, but I Otherwise, they have complete autonomy to work as
learnt a lot from my mistakes. The result is still they wish within the constraints of the pecha kucha
available on the KOTESOL website – together with framework.
ion
The main lesson I drew for myself was that widen the trainees’ awareness of key aspects of
although I had spent enough (perhaps too much) language teaching: many of them have no prior
time on the preparation stages and on learning experience of teaching. In this situation, pecha
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various visual ‘tricks’ that were new to me at the kucha is a good framework for ensuring that they
time, I had not spent enough time practising the have a general overview of practical issues, which
presentation itself and ensuring that my delivery they can follow up as intensively as they wish, either
would be fluent, relaxed and coordinated with the immediately or in their future careers. Of course,
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PowerPoint slides. The various introductions to what they learn from seven presentations of six
pecha kucha available online emphasise the minutes and 40 seconds each cannot be more than
importance of practice, but nothing can compete the tip of the iceberg. But they need to go into some
with experience for driving that lesson home! depth to prepare their own pecha kucha, and are
encouraged (with varying degrees of success) to
Only time will tell whether any of my future
read the background material for the others. We
pecha kucha performances will benefit from the
also follow up each topic with practice-oriented
lessons I learnt. However, in the shorter term, it is
material provided by me.
my trainee teachers who are now reaping the
rewards. My experience as a presenter prompted me A second purpose has been to provide a context
to explore the potential of pecha kucha as a format for the trainees, as L2 learners themselves, to practise
for trainee presentations in a teacher development key processes in the development of oral fluency. I
course. The trainees in question are advanced have observed that one major hindrance to
developing fluency through making presentations is a A With regard to the pecha kucha which you co-presented:
strategy that seems ingrained in many of them from
Mean Mode Range
their past experience: first, they make photocopies of
1 On the whole, did you enjoy the 4.14 4 2–5
key texts; then, they highlight what they see as
experience?
relevant excerpts; finally, their presentation is based
2 How effective was it in encouraging 3.64 4 2–5
on these same excerpts, which they either read aloud
cooperation within the group?
or deliver from memory. In this case, at no point do
3 How useful was pecha kucha in 3.93 4 3–5
they need to engage with the texts intensively at the
helping you develop your language
level of meaning, integrate that meaning with their
and oral presentation skills?
own ideas and perceptions, or use the resulting
synthesis as a basis for oral production. I hope that at 4 How useful was it in helping you 4.00 4 3–5
least some aspects of this process may be facilitated become familiar with language
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by the need to select key content and produce a teaching principles and techniques?
synthesis in collaboration with others in the context
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B With regard to the pecha kuchas that other groups
of a pecha kucha.
co-presented:
The previous sentence hints at my third Mean Mode Range
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purpose: I hoped that pecha kucha would provide
5 On the whole, did you enjoy the 4.07 4 2–5
a strong context for collaborative learning. In
experience?
terms of collaborative learning, pecha kucha is a
6 How useful was it in helping you 3.61 4 3–4
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form of ‘group investigation’ (as described, for
become familiar with language
example, by Steven McCafferty and his colleagues),
teaching principles and techniques?
in which the students agree on a topic within their
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7 On the whole, how easy was it to 3.14 3 2–4
group, take responsibility for sub-topics as
follow the content?
individuals, research these sub-topics, come
together outside class to share and synthesise the
C As an overall evaluation:
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information, and produce a joint end-product (in
Mean Mode Range
this case, the pecha kucha). If implemented
8 Would you advise me (or another 3.96 4 2–5
successfully, such forms of collaboration can help
teacher) to adopt this technique in
to make the classroom into what Chris Watkins
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experience
In the context of the course, each pecha kucha was
ion
t t t
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All teaching is also a form of research. We plan it
with certain aims in mind, discover the results either
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impressionistically (as I did initially with pecha
kucha) or more formally (as reported here), adjust
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our plans the next time round, and so on, in a cycle
of action and reflection. I am grateful to the
(item 3), the trainees rated pecha kucha with a mean organisers of the KOTESOL International
of 3.93. Slightly disappointing was their rating of
nd
Conference in 2013 for giving me the idea and
3.64 for the effectiveness of the format in stimulating opportunity to set this cycle in motion. Most of all,
group cooperation (item 2). But still, the mode was I am grateful to the trainees following the MA
4, indicating that most trainees rated it positively.
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Programme in Language Studies at Hong Kong
The lowest score (3.14) was about the ease of Baptist University for participating with such spirit,
following other groups’ presentations (item 7). This intelligence and good will. n
aspect obviously requires attention in the future. The
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trainees’ free responses suggest some ways to do so.
Some online sources of advice and examples of
pecha kucha presentations
How to improve the Avoision Guide to making a pecha kucha: http://
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experience? avoision.com/pechakucha
The trainees’ overall evaluation of the pecha kucha KOTESOL Video library: http://koreatesol.org/video
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experience was positive. With a mean rating of 3.96 Mitchell, O Five presentation tips for a pecha kucha or
ignite presentation: www.speakingaboutpresenting.com/
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reference to the related issues of time and Lindsay, C and Knight, P Learning and Teaching English
comprehensibility. For example: OUP 2006
‘Twenty seconds is too stressful. I like the idea of McCafferty, S G, Jacobs, G M and DaSilva Iddings, A C
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rectifying this. One recommended expanding the time Watkins, C Classrooms as Learning Communities
for each slide to 25 seconds, another to 30 seconds. Routledge 2005
Another trainee recommended varying the number of
slides according to topic (though this would endanger William Littlewood is Honorary
one of the main purposes of pecha kucha: to ensure Professor at Hong Kong Baptist
that each presentation is concise). Another suggestion University, where he teaches on
MA courses. He has published
was to upload the PowerPoints and make them
widely in the field of language
accessible before class or let the presenters go through teaching, and his publications
them a second time, so that the listeners could recall have been used in teacher
the content and ask questions. education across the world.
A major unknown is what happened during the wlittlewood9@gmail.com
preparation stages. Some of the part-time trainees,
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Short courses, CELTA, Delta and MA
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for language teachers and trainers in
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the UK, overseas and online
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Contact registrar@nile-elt.com for more information.
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www.nile-elt.com
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ion
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C
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CM
©
MY
CY
CMY
K
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
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ed
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nd
No one told me ga
that! 4
In the fourth instalment of this series
aimed at novice teacher trainers,
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Beth Davies and Nicholas Northall
discuss lesson observation.
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or most of us, part of our job description 3 Data collection: this could form part of research
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as teachers involves being observed from into some aspect of classroom life (eg the type and
time to time. These observations are frequency of use of error-correction techniques).
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usually either done by another teacher as These observations are often conducted by peers or,
a ‘peer observation’, perhaps with the aim in some cases, academics.
of sharing good practice, or by a line manager or 4 Developmental: during these observations, the
ion
boss, as part of an appraisal system or quality observee specifies what they want the observer to
assurance regime. Some of us might actually be the focus on. For example, a teacher might want to
ones observing, perhaps as part of our role as a know whether their instructions are clear. The
senior teacher or ADoS, because we want to focus
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of institutional demands (as in the case of a senior
teacher or ADoS, for example); they may not have 3 It’s a good idea to write a summary of the
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been trained in how to observe or, indeed, in how to lesson, highlighting the strengths as well as
handle the pre- and post-observation discussion areas to work on.
sessions (as in the case of a line manager); and they 4 At the end of the lesson, make a note of every
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may also find it difficult to provide effective written aspect the trainee needs to improve.
and/or verbal feedback (if this is required).
5 Always hand-write observation notes.
In this article, and in the remaining two
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6 Don’t be afraid to interfere in the lesson
instalments of this series, we will explore ways
(especially if the trainee is struggling with
in which some of the tensions outlined above
something).
can be addressed.
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7 Whilst observing, make expressions (such as
Observation versus evaluation pulling faces) or gasp whenever the trainee
does something wrong.
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Rosie Tanner and Catherine Green draw a distinction
between observation and evaluation. According to 8 Always sit at the back of the classroom when
them, the differences can be categorised as shown you are observing.
in the table at the top of this page. 9 Focus only on the trainee and not on the
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some sort of assessment is being made. encourage those trainees who are not teaching
to observe their peers.
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Context
As this series is aimed at supporting novice teacher Some suggestions
trainers, we want to focus here primarily on the Producing written feedback (points 1–5)
ion
fifth type of observation, ie training. As trainers We believe it can be useful for a trainee to go away
observing on pre-service courses such as CELTA with a record of the lesson as you observed it –
or Trinity CertTESOL, our role essentially entails including actual timings of stages, relevant
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observing to assess trainee teachers, thus it can be observations about what the students and the
classed as evaluative, according to the definitions trainee were doing at each stage and comments on
above. Given the integral part that observation how the actual stages corresponded to the lesson
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plays in the assessment of such courses, the whole plan. The key word here is relevant: it’s not practical,
process is often perceived as threatening by nor conducive to development, to attempt to focus
trainees and, in our experience, as the most on everything that takes place during the lesson,
sensitive part of the job by many trainers.
©
Flock as a medium for peer- and trainer-led Although, in this context, the observation is
discussion of a trainee’s lesson – and, quite often, primarily evaluative, do remember to consider the
these chat streams are being used as a replacement learners. Perhaps you could try sitting at the front of
for a running commentary. However, a discussion of the classroom sometimes, to allow you to focus better
this is beyond the scope of this article and, possibly, on the learners and their learning, rather than focusing
more relevant to more experienced trainers. only on the teacher and their teaching. Learners could
An overall summary of the lesson, including be acknowledged more by, for example, getting
both strengths and areas for development, is feedback from them or framing your written and/or
essential and provides trainees with a useful spoken feedback in terms of the learners, ie by looking
reference post-lesson. We would advise against at the lesson through their eyes.
listing every area the candidate needs to work on, as A final word of warning in relation to the
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this can be demotivating and impossible to achieve. learners: Gower et al make the point that the trainer
Instead, limit the number of action points to should not be overly friendly with the learners – such
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between three and five and, again, ensure these are as chatting to them, taking the register, reminding
realistic and relate to the stage of the course. them of the next lesson, etc – as this could lead to the
Whether to produce handwritten or typed learners thinking that the trainer is the ‘real’ teacher,
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observation notes is likely to come down to either with the result that they stop paying attention to the
personal preference or the resources that are available trainee. Worth bearing in mind!
in your context. Nowadays, most people tend to type Peer observation (point 10)
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– and this does allow more written feedback to be
We feel it is beneficial for trainees to observe each
produced in the time available. On the other hand,
other; indeed, this is a requirement on some
handwritten feedback may be perceived as more
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pre-service courses. Peer observation allows learner
personal and may encourage you to focus only on
teachers to pick up ideas, observe different
certain areas. If you do choose (or are forced) to write
techniques and learn from each other, and can often
by hand, do ensure your writing is legible!
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form the basis of post-lesson discussion. In
Managing the observation process: addition, they are not observing someone (such as
practicalities (points 6–9) an experienced teacher) who, at the moment, is far
Roger Gower, Diane Phillips and Steve Walters beyond what they hope to achieve as a teacher, thus
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suggest that while the role of the observer during an making the benefits more meaningful and tangible
observed lesson is to support the trainee, this should at such an early stage in their professional journey.
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be silent, confident support. We agree, arguing that This, of course, is the first type of observation
according to Scrivener’s definitions and is ‘true
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the lesson. If the trainee is having a problem with to give them a task to complete, and they provide
their lesson, an interruption or – in extreme cases several ideas for such tasks. If the trainees don’t
– taking over the lesson could have disastrous have a task to do, their observation may lack focus.
consequences for the trainee’s confidence, causing Observation tasks for trainees should, wherever
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far more damage than the original mistake. Gower possible, be tied to the stage of the training course
et al go so far as to state that a trainer grimacing or they are at; that is, they could be connected to
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tutting at a trainee’s mistakes would also have a assignments, they could complement input sessions
similar effect. It would be far better, as a trainer, to (see our article in ETp 118) or they could be related
think about what could be done to help prevent the to discussion points arising from previous lessons.
situation happening again and, after the lesson, help Observation tasks also help trainees to focus their
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the trainee to understand this. ideas and reflection for post-lesson feedback.
However, we do feel that it can be a good idea If trainees are observing each other, like trainers,
for the trainer to move around the classroom they should not be talking or making noise while
occasionally during a lesson (perhaps during a their peers are teaching. They should also arrive on
reading task or during a grammar exercise) to get a time, not cause any excessive disturbance to the
better idea of the learning taking place, especially lesson and should remain focused and in the
if the trainer is sitting at the back and cannot see classroom throughout the lesson.
what the learners are doing. If you decide to take
this approach, we would suggest that you don’t Benefits of observation
interfere in the lesson (eg by offering advice to the Despite the anxiety often associated with it, there is
learners or answering questions), as this could no doubt that observation, even when forming part
undermine the trainee. of the assessment process on a teacher training
course, can be an invaluable developmental tool, if ■■ Make sure you get the final lesson plan and copies
it is handled in the right way. of the materials to be used from the trainee before
When we’re teaching, it can be really difficult to they start teaching (see our article in ETp 119).
take in objectively what is happening around us, and You need to have these in front of you as you
it can be all too easy for teachers (inexperienced or observe the lesson.
otherwise) to fail to notice key strengths and ■■ Create a positive and comfortable learning
weaknesses in their own practice. Another pair of environment to reduce anxiety levels.
eyes can often provide insight and give a different ■■ Focus on development as well as evaluation, even
perspective; as long as there is a degree of trust, an
when the observation forms part of an accredited
observer can notice things that the teacher may fail
teacher training course.
to because of their emotional involvement or simply
Don’t try to do too much or focus on too many
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■■
being ‘in the moment’.
things at once. Tailor the observation to your
The process of being observed enables trainees
context.
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to reflect on their practice, share ideas (with the
trainer and their peers) and can lead to real
■■ Remember the importance of the learners and the
professional growth. In addition, the observer can learning process (it’s not all about the teachers!).
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(and should!) also learn from the experience, a fact ■■ Relax and enjoy it, and do your best to help
which is often overlooked. Jill Cosh goes so far as everyone to benefit from the experience.
to say that the observer should have as their focus
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what they can learn about their own teaching from
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the observation. Indeed, we have both certainly
picked up tips and ideas from our observations
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over the years that we have happily incorporated We hope you will now feel more confident about
into our own teaching! approaching lesson observation and that our
suggestions will help you, your trainees and their
So, while the anxiety involved in learning that an
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learners to get the most out of the process. In our
observation is due is completely understandable (and
next article, we will discuss what comes after
something which a lot of very experienced teachers
observations, namely feedback. n
– and trainers! – still feel), we believe that the process
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■■
summary or both? Thornbury, S and Watkins, P The CELTA Course Trainee
Book CUP 2007
■■ What will you focus on? Will it be determined by
the trainee’s needs/action points, stage of the
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nd
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testing
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b lis
Anastasiya Shalamay suggests how you can get started with all kinds of classes.
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hether you work with adults or together with ideas for how and when you could use
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young learners, testing what your them for online testing with your classes.
students know has always been an
inevitable part of any classroom Needs analysis and diagnostic
experience – and if we ask the testing
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approachable. Having reviewed what your students
have written, you can send them a short encouraging
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comment about how you think the course will meet
their needs. You can also ask one or two questions.
My students always appreciate extra interest in their
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goals, and I am sure yours will too!
The message can be sent as an email or right
Figure 1 A test question on GoogleForms
from the test webpage, as part of giving feedback
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on the test results.
handy for diagnostic purposes: you will be able to
see at a glance which questions turned out to be
Tools and more test types
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the easiest and the trickiest, so that you can revise
If you would like to try running an online test, the syllabus depending on your students’ needs.
your next question is likely to be about the tools Besides that, identifying those students with the
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you should use. It might not be that obvious, but same strengths and weaknesses or the same scores
any online survey tool can easily be turned into a will really help academic managers who are
short quiz or a full-blown language test. I would responsible for placement testing – automatic
personally recommend either SurveyMonkey or marking and grade statistics have saved hours of
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multiple-choice, dropdown, scales, grids, etc). provides more time to process questions and
Another great advantage is that they both offer a encourages ‘research’ (this could be described as
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‘quiz mode’, which means you can allocate points ‘cheating’, but most of the time I actually
to each question, depending on your preferences – appreciate the time and effort that students spend
the algorithm will do all the counting for you. It is in trying to find the correct answers, and think it
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also possible to let the students see the results as is educational in itself). Thanks to features such
soon as they have finished the test, unless the test as ‘logical branching’ (changing what question or
includes open-ended answers. You can also choose section of the test a student sees next, depending
to release the score after manual review – this will on their answers) and/or ‘integrated feedback’
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give you time to add a personalised comment, eg (pre-planned comments on correct and incorrect
Well done, Anna! Excellent use of past tenses! answers), you can even prompt the students to
before forwarding the results to the student.
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on a photocopy), and then use this test over and over depending on their answers), but without a
with different classes until you get bored with it. question bank (a collection of questions, usually
Another great advantage is that you can add quite representing a wide span of levels of challenge,
detailed explanations of why this or that answer is from which a computer chooses the next question,
correct, and you can refer the students to a rule or a depending on the test taker’s previous reply). Do
coursebook page where they can find more you need to ensure equal conditions for all the
information (see Figure 1). I have found this to be test takers? Set a time limit by only making the
much more efficient and less embarrassing than going form available at a particular time and disabling it
through the answers in open class, not to mention that when necessary.
it helps build up the learners’ independence. Of course, some students will simply forget to
Such online tests also give you a detailed take the test – and there isn’t much you can do
summary of the students’ answers, which is very about that. What helps me with my teenage classes,
though, is adding a link to something they find 1 Design a quiz on kahoot.com before the lesson,
really interesting (an article about a celebrity, a using language items that you want to test.
video, etc) to the pop-up window they see after they 2 During the lesson, ask the learners to open
have submitted the test. You could give your kahoot.com (or the Kahoot! mobile app) on
students hints about what they will find at the end their team’s device (eg a computer or an iPad:
(eg Next time, tell me what the video was about: a one per team).
computer game, a popular singer or a new Marvel
film) or you could just say it’s a surprise – no matter 3 On a smartboard, open the quiz from your
what you choose, it’s a fun way to exploit young Kahoot! account and choose ‘Play’.
learners’ curiosity. Also, when word gets around the 4 A code will appear on the smartboard,
class that there is something interesting that they which the learners have to enter on their
can only access once they have taken the test, it
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devices to join.
encourages more of them to do so. What you have
5 Ask the learners to come up with team names
added can then be discussed during the next lesson.
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and type them on their devices. Then they
write their real names, or come up with
Making tests fun superhero names if they want.
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So how about young learners – don’t they hate
6 When everyone is set, you hit the ‘Start’
tests? Well, some do, and it is often a challenge to
button and the quiz begins.
get them to write something independently outside
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the classroom. The bigger problem is that the 7 The learners read the questions and look at
learners will certainly need someone’s help when the possible answers on the smartboard, but
doing an online test, at least the first time, so this answer on their team’s device, usually by
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doesn’t make individual online testing easy in a choosing one of the four colours that
young learner class. If you would still like to try, correspond to the answer options.
I’d recommend starting with groups who already 8 After the quiz has finished, the results will
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play complicated computer games confidently, and appear on the smartboard.
those are usually learners aged nine to ten.
However, you can, instead, add some more fun
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certainly worth trying it out if you haven’t yet. It These three tools may seem intimidating at first,
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is not traditional online testing because it involves but I am sure that after having explored them in
teamwork (which makes it more of a form of more detail, you will find that they are quite
entertainment) and will happen in class (because straightforward. I also believe that the benefits of
you will be hosting the quiz), but it still can be online testing will outweigh any inconveniences
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used in a creative and fun way for informal you might encounter while designing your first
formative assessment. If you cooperate with other test. Your first test will take more time to set up,
young learner teachers at your school, you can of course, but things will become easier as you
become more familiar with the technology.
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projector. Here’s how to use a Kahoot! quiz as a test, you the possibility of actually teaching online – so
with your students working in teams: why not give it a try? n
©
Anastasiya Shalamay is a
teacher of English and German,
a Pearson speaking examiner
and a freelance teacher trainer
for Cambridge English. She is
currently working in Kyiv,
Ukraine. She is interested in all
aspects of teaching, academic
management and training, but
her personal favourites are
teaching young learners, ESP
and teaching online.
shalamay.anastasiya@gmail.com
Unlocking the
potential of SAMR
Flora Floris and Willy Renandya present some ideas on using the SAMR model
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for transforming speaking and writing tasks.
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erhaps the most common reason for Nancy Rhodes are all of the opinion that
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learning a language is to be able to technological resources may help teachers provide
communicate with others in that a positive environment that will decrease anxiety
language – or, in other words, to speak levels and be perceived as less threatening to the
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and write in the target language. Yet learners. Choosing the right digital tools and the
these two skills often present the biggest hurdles appropriate teaching strategies can have a
for L2 learners. Magdalena Aleksandrzak points profound effect on shaping the students’ language
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out that ‘achieving proficiency in foreign language skills in myriad ways and can make classroom
speaking in classroom conditions is not an easy tasks fun and inspiring.
task’; and, according to Marion Tillema, writing is
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also ‘one of the most complex skills to be mastered’.
Learning to speak and write in English, therefore,
may cause feelings of fear and frustration, and The SAMR model describes the path
bring about a decrease in motivation. by which technology can be
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Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, that are frequently used in the Enhancement stage,
with functional improvement such as spelling and grammar checkers, online
dictionaries and thesauri, or Microsoft Office; and
also that the target students are ready for tasks
Substitution which require more sophisticated use of technology.
Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, It is important to note that the Modification
with no functional change level is where task components are redesigned
with significant changes, and are used more
effectively to produce a richer outcome that will
Dr Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model for technology integration transform the students’ learning. The Redefinition
level is where technology allows the teacher to 2) their office’s annual or routine plan or activity,
replace old tasks with new tasks that were 3) a memorable office assignment. The completed
previously not possible. Redefinition might task is then shared using Google Docs so that other
represent the most adventurous and exciting way students can provide feedback and comments. In
for students to demonstrate their learning addition to the writing task, the students are also
through the use of technology. asked to prepare a picture or illustration that will
support their descriptive text. When they are ready
Suggested activities with their descriptive text and picture, they are
Here are four examples of speaking and writing asked to practise reading the text aloud, using free
tasks designed for the Transformation stage. These text-to-speech tools. Next, they are asked to use
activities are intended for different types of learners, the Clarisketch application to create a short video
in which they will upload their picture and record
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to showcase how technological innovations can be
integrated in any English language classroom. their reading. The link to the video will then be
shared for public view via a class website.
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Example 1
Example 2
Original task: The teacher asks beginner-level
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business English students to present a topic which Original task: The teacher asks a class of
is related to their working experience. university students to write a 1,000- to 3,000-
word essay on one of the following topics: 1)
Modification: Each student has to choose two Computer and mobile technology will (or will
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reading texts describing two of the following three not) replace teachers, 2) Computer and mobile
topics: 1) a piece of office equipment, 2) a daily technology hinders (or adds to) creativity and
professional activity, 3) a job description. All the
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imagination.
texts come from their coursebook or are provided
by the teacher. The students are asked to practise Modification: The students are asked to create a
reading the texts aloud several times, record brief report that includes video interviews with
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themselves reading them, listen to their recordings, some classroom teachers on one of the
and share the recordings with their teacher and aforementioned topics. The students work in groups
classmates. In doing these activities, the students and use Google Docs to compose their report
collaboratively in real time. Then each group uses
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Redefinition: This time, each student is asked to Redefinition: Each group is asked to choose another
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write a 50- to 100-word text to describe two of the group’s report and to create an animated video
following: 1) a piece of office equipment which is using PowToon or Animaker, based on the selected
essential to the daily operations of their office, report. The video aims to support the opinions of
the report writers. Each group that creates the
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Example 3
Original task: The students are asked to present an
overview of a museum in their city/town and to
©
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country or area could learn from them. The
presentation is uploaded onto YouTube and
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allows viewers to comment.
Example 4
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Original task: The teacher asks the students to
write a 1,000- to 2,000-word review of a movie.
They can choose their movie from a list provided
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by the teacher.
Modification: The students work in groups to
watch their chosen movie and prepare a 1,000- to
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2,000-word review of it. The review is created by
using e-book tools such as Book Creator. The
Aleksandrzak, M ‘Problems and challenges in teaching
students are also asked to supplement their written and learning speaking at advanced level’
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text with movie clips and images that will support Glottodidactica 37 2011
their opinions. When the students click the Dunn, M G ‘The effect of Voice Thread® integration on
‘Publish’ key, they will get a unique link (URL) to high school students’ anxiety and oral proficiency in
their e-book, which will enable people with the the foreign language classroom’ Doctoral dissertation
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(www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2013/03/28/
teacher, in order to get feedback. Book Creator SAMRandTPCK_AnIntroduction.pdf) 2013
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enables online revision, so everybody can see any Tillema, M ‘Writing in first and second language:
changes that are made immediately. empirical studies on text quality and writing processes’
Redefinition: When the students have finished LOT Dissertation Series 2012
their revisions, they are asked to export and
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upload their e-book as a YouTube video. They are Flora Debora Floris is a
also asked to embed their YouTube video in a lecturer at Petra Christian
Google Form and create a short quiz or a feedback University, Indonesia, where she
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form relating to it. The link can be shared via a teaches general and business
English and language teaching
classroom website or Google Classroom. This is a methodology courses. Some of
way to confirm that the uploaded video has been her published papers are
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viewed, and to find out whether the audience is available for download at
satisfied or not with the review. http://petra.academia.edu/
FloraDebora.
©
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Willy Ardian Renandya is an
experienced language teacher
We hope that the above examples can help spark educator, currently teaching at
some ideas. Our suggested activities can easily be the National Institute of
Education, Nanyang
adapted for use with other text genres and might be
Technological University,
incorporated into just about any lesson plan. Singapore. He maintains an
Hopefully, these activities will serve as a reminder active language teacher
that technological innovations, used in meaningful professional development forum
and creative ways, can really be integrated in any called Teacher Voices: www.
facebook.com/groups/
English language classroom, enabling us to teachervoices/.
transform the way that our students perceive and
debora@petra.ac.id
experience the learning process. n
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1 (politician, entrepreneur, scientist …) that they admire, and to
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Why technology and the reading skill? follow their chosen person’s social media updates on their mobile
The internet provides us with a rich repository of texts in a wide devices outside class time, over a few weeks or months. In class,
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range of genres. Magazine and newspaper articles, graphic novels ask them to provide regular updates on what their chosen
(or comics), blog posts, interactive fiction, memes, social media celebrity has been saying or doing on social media.
posts ... Many online text types can include multimedia, integrating
4 hat if my students don’t understand words in
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images, video or audio alongside the written word. It is now easy
for students to find and read texts in English, whatever their digital texts?
proficiency in the language, either during class or in their free time. One advantage of digital text is that there are dictionary plug-ins or
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There is also a wide range of devices we can use to access digital apps that work with computer browsers or on mobile devices. This
text. Apart from computers and mobile devices, we have dedicated means that when your students read digital text in English and find
e-readers like the Kindle, which, far from ringing the death knell of a word they don’t understand, they can move their mouse pointer
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the printed book, can widen our reading access and choices. As over (or, on a mobile device, touch with their finger) the unknown
actor Stephen Fry quipped: ‘Books are no more threatened by word and see an immediate dictionary definition. Research has
Kindle than stairs by elevators.’ shown that having immediate access to the definitions of key
2 words while reading can help students understand texts, and over
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What digital texts should my students read? time this increased comprehension can improve their reading skills.
This depends on your students’ needs. Business English students
5
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may need to read (and write) emails, while others may need or an technology help my students develop other
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want to understand (and produce) social media updates in reading skills?
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English. EAP students may need to read (and write) academic Yes, and you can easily foster this, for example by using a
articles online. In each of these cases, it’s not simply a matter of word processing program to produce texts for your students
reading and understanding the English words on the digital page, that focus on specific reading skills. For example, type out a
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but also of being familiar with a range of additional conventions. text (eg from your coursebook) into a word-processed
Any reading of digital text will require a certain amount of digital document, and then arrange the paragraphs in the wrong
literacy, from understanding the use of hashtags (#) in a social order. Get the students to access the word-processed text,
media update, to understanding the use of images in memes and and to drag the paragraphs into the right order. This will help
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social media, to understanding hyperlinking and sourcing them with text organisation, coherence and cohesion. You can
conventions in online academic text. These additional also highlight key words, structures or ideas in a word-
conventions may need to be taught explicitly.
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Russell Stannard
I
If they turn on the audio, they will also hear the sentence first
have been making use of Quizlet a lot recently. It is one of the
before they have to reproduce it, and this way they are hearing,
most popular tools for language learning, and it allows you to
reading and then reproducing the language.
create your own online flashcards and then use them with a
variety of game types or ‘modes’, including matching, gravity, I have also been using Quizlet to focus on grammar. In the
spelling and various test modes. (‘Gravity’ is a fun game where examples below, the students first hear and see the sentence in
asteroids fall down the screen towards earth, and you have to type the present simple. They have to try to produce the same
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in the words for the objects pictured on them before they reach sentence, but in the past tense. They can then click on a button
the bottom.) More recently, a ‘diagram’ mode has been introduced, and check if they were right. Again, the focus is on production, as
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in which you have to label parts of a diagram correctly. well as reading and listening.
The flashcards
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I go swimming I went
Quizlet is popular because it is quite simple to use and you can in the swimming in
make flashcards really easily. In fact, I tend to search for sets of local pool. the local pool.
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flashcards which have already been created by other teachers.
I then save these to my own account and edit them to suit my
requirements. I can share a link to the flashcards with the students, I get up at six in I got up at six in
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and they can then access the cards and play games with them. the morning. the morning.
Quizlet is very flexible, enabling you to exploit a large range
of combinations involving putting one thing on the front side of
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the card and something different on the back. So, for example, Accessing the cards
you could have an English word on the front, and a definition in
Your students do not have to sign up to Quizlet in order to use it. If
English, or a picture, or a definition and a picture, or a translation,
you create a free account and produce some cards, you can share
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You could also create ‘classes’ using Quizlet and get your
pronunciation. So the students can get both visual and aural input.
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students to sign up. Once they have done so, they can join your class
and access your cards. It is not, however, necessary to do it this way.
Being more creative
Ultimately, Quizlet is about student autonomy, so my
More recently, I have been looking at different ways of using
long-term aim is to get my students so familiar with the tool that
ion
If you want to learn how to use Quizlet, you might want to watch
these videos on YouTube:
I eat dinner at I ____ _____ ___
Introduction
six o’clock. ____ o’clock.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgdbAFYKJJI&feature=youtu.be
©
Advanced features
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUBKyvo0cHA&feature=youtu.be
I play my I ____ _____
guitar in the _______ ___ ___ Russell Stannard is the founder of
afternoon. afternoon. www.teachertrainingvideos.com, which
won a British Council ELTons award for
technology. He is a freelance teacher and
The students first see the complete sentence; then they click on a writer and also a NILE Associate Trainer.
button and the card turns over – this time, they only see the first
Keep sending your favourite sites to Russell:
and last words of the sentence. They then have to try to
russellstannard@btinternet.com
reproduce the whole sentence.
I like this activity, as there is a cognitive element to it and, of
course, the students are learning the use of words in sentences.
I have often heard students and trainees say things like ‘I’m just • • •
bad at languages’, ‘My mother said I’m not the studying type’, ‘I In one set of studies, Claudia Mueller and Carol Dweck found that
have a bad memory so I’m not going to be able to remember 12-year-old children praised for their intelligence tended to see
vocabulary’, ‘I don’t have the kind of mind that can process intelligence as a fixed trait more than children praised for their hard
grammar’ and ‘I just can’t multi-task like that’. work, who saw intelligence as something that can be improved on.
They seem to believe that we are born either good or bad at Compared to the children praised for their effort, those praised for
something, and that ability cannot be changed. They see their intelligence also tended to choose future tasks that were likely
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mistakes and failures as an epitome of their lack of talent, and to earn them similar praise, enjoyed the tasks less, and would give
think those with talent ‘have it easy’. Psychologist Carol Dweck up when the tasks proved to be difficult.
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saw these beliefs as symptoms of a fixed mindset, and put
forward the concept of a growth mindset: the belief that talents
• • •
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and abilities can be developed by putting time and effort into Likewise, the way we give negative (or developmental) feedback
developing them. Her research into the plasticity of our brains can influence the way our students see setbacks. Statements like
discovered that connectivity between neurons can be changed ‘You’re terrible at grammar’ or ‘You have such a bad memory! I
just taught you this yesterday!’ might lead students to think
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and new connections can be made and strengthened as we work
on them. Those with a growth mindset, therefore, see mistakes ‘What’s the point of even trying? This is clearly not my forte’.
and failure not as signs that one is bad at something but as a
• • •
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necessary (and desirable) part of the journey to becoming better.
In contrast, developmental feedback can have a real impact on
Today, growth mindset has become a bit of a buzzword in
improvement when the focus is on the future: how learners can
some schools, and students are increasingly encouraged to see
improve and the support they can get to make this possible.
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their potential for development and improvement. But in order to
Perhaps the growth mindset is best summarised in the power of
get students to embrace such a mindset, teachers need to share
the simple word yet: a word that can make a world of difference
the same beliefs and behave accordingly.
in attitude between ‘You can’t do it’ and ‘You can’t do it yet’.
• • •
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One method of communicating a growth mindset to our students Mueller, C M and Dweck, C S ‘Praise for intelligence can undermine
lies in the way feedback and praise are given. Giving positive children’s motivation and performance’ Journal of Personality and
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feedback like ‘You are so clever’, ‘You are clearly good at this’ or Social Psychology 75 (1) 1998
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‘You have a real talent for this’ could serve to reinforce fixed
mindsets. However, by shifting the feedback to focus on effort, Chia Suan Chong is a teacher trainer and communication skills trainer,
hard work, strategies used, resourcefulness, perseverance and based in York, UK. Chia has been ETp’s resident blogger since 2012,
and she is the author of Successful International Communication,
experimentation, we could get our students to see the value of
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published by Pavilion. You can find out more about a growth mindset
such traits in their learning journey. on her blog at etprofessional.co.uk. chiasuan@live.co.uk
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©
Successful
International
Communication
Understand and enhance
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your communication skills
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Chia Suan Chong
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H ave you ever felt frustrated talking to
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someone? Have you ever been puzzled by the
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way someone communicates? Communication
issues can be amplified when communicating
internationally with people who have different
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norms and practices to our own, thereby causing
issues to escalate if they are left unresolved.
lis
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www.pavpub.com/english-language/