Author Archives: elt-techniques
Welcome to Tony’s video and content.
PRESENTER: Tony Gurr
PRE-CLASS TASK INCLUDED BELOW the class description.
Please respond in a comment on this page and comment on your colleagues' responses.
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Tony will look into the question of why so many of us shy away from pronunciation work and using IPA with our students, share many of the great ideas and tools teachers are currently using and look at some techniques and tools that each and every one of us can perhaps use a little more.
PRE-CLASS TASK:
Please post your answers HERE on this class page in the comments section below.
(1) It is frequently said that pronunciation (and especially the use of IPA) is the “step-child” of ELT speaking classes – the “sub-skill” that we teachers focus on the least.
- Why is this? What “stops” many teachers from doing more work on pronunciation (and using IPA to help them) in the classroom?
- If you don’t currently use IPA, what has held you back?
(2) When we speak to a lot of ELT teachers (even those with a CELTA), they tell us that they were never “taught” IPA or “trained” to use it with students – they had to learn it themselves (DIY-style).
- How did you learn IPA? What things did you do to help you get more familiar with IPA symbols and script?
- If you don’t currently use IPA, how would you go about learning more?
(3) Despite all this, there are many teachers that use it very
effectively as part of their classroom sessions with students.
-How do you use IPA with your students? What do you think are the best ways to use IPA in the classroom? What are some of your favourite tools and activities?
-If you don’t use IPA, what type of classroom practices or activities do you currently use to help students with their pronunciation (or correct errors or slips in pronunciation in the classroom)?
Class recording on You Tube
Powerpoint presentations
Welcome to Chuck’s post-class activities
Welcome to Chuck’s video and content.
PRESENTER: Chuck Sandy
PRE-CLASS TASK INCLUDED BELOW the class description.
Please respond in a comment on this page and comment on your colleagues' responses.
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Although the projects we'll look at and create together start off with nothing more than people, paper, and markers they wind up involving online surveys, interactions with the global learner community via social media, and lead to in- class or online presentations with big results. Along the way there's lots of interaction, listening, speaking, and pronunciation work combined with some reading, writing, and thinking. In this session you'll learn all you need to know to get started.
PRE-CLASS TASK:
Please post your answers HERE on this class page in the comments section below.
(1) In what ways could projects built around reading and writing activities improve listening, speaking, and pronunciation?
(2) How could social media be used to turn classroom projects that start with pen and paper into something much more?
(3) Share a story of kindness. It can be a story that happened to you or a story you know about. Use this as an example:
Recently when I was in Bangkok, I saw an old man pushing a cart full of fruit across a busy intersection. As he hurried across the street, one of his shoes came off. I saw him look down at his lost shoe and then up at the traffic coming and then decide in an instant to leave the shoe behind in order to get his load of fruit to the other side. I was not too far behind him and not in a hurry, so I waited for a break in traffic, went out to get his shoe, and brought it to him on the other
side. When the old man saw me walking up to him his lost shoe, his face broke into one of the biggest, sweetest smiles I've ever seen. He offered me some fruit as a reward. I tried to refuse or at least pay for it, but he insisted. I took it finally
because I didn't speak enough Thai to tell him that the beautiful smile he gave me was already a sweet reward.
Class recording on You Tube
Powerpoint presentation
Welcome to Sean’s post-class activities
Welcome to Sean’s video and content
Welcome to Paul’s post -class activities
Welcome to Paul’s video and content.
PRESENTER: Paul Maglione
PRE-CLASS TASK INCLUDED BELOW the class description.
Please respond in a comment on this page and comment on your colleagues' responses.
Paul will illustrate how entertainment video, such as clips from current movies or music videos, can be used as the basis of a complete lesson plan for all levels of learners of English, both within and outside of the classroom.
PRE-CLASS TASK: Please post your answers HERE on this class page in the comments section below.
(1) Many learners of English are convinced that if they do not understand 100% of an English-language communication or dialogue, they are not "understanding" it. But we know that learning a language means "negotiating meaning." Authentic English-language coversation is faster, uses more slang, acronyms and idioms, and can be less clearly pronounced than graded material made for teaching. Do you think it's better to use authentic materials (which?); graded materials; or both? And why?
(2) Many "learn with video" sites use subtitles (in English or sometimes the learner's L1) to aid comprehension. Do you think this is a good idea, or not? And why?
Class recording on You tube
Powerpoint presentation
Welcome to Nellie’s post-class activities
Here is Dr. Nellie's post-class assignment.
Click on the link and it will open in a new window. Follow the instructions and post the answer here ( in the comment box) and/or in the places recommended in the post-class document.
Nellie’s video and content.
PRE-CLASS TASK INCLUDED BELOW the class description.
Please respond in a comment on this page and comment on your colleagues' responses.
Active listening is allowing someone else to talk unconditionally. That means suspending any judgement or self-talk while they speak. Active listening is a key to effective communication in our personal and professional arenas. However, did you know that active listening can improve your well-being? There are many benefits to active listening. The participants will learn about and practice active listening.
PRE-CLASS TASK: Please post your answers HERE on this class page in the comments section below.
(1) What do you gain from talking and what do you gain from listening?
(2) How do you know when someone is really listening to you? List the things that indicate they are listening. You may provide examples.
Class recording on You Tube
Powerpoint presentation.