By James Jenkin
There are teachers who, even after many years in the classroom, still experience nerves before a new class. It’s the fate of a great teacher, because they care if a lesson works or not.
So how can we make our first class a success?
What do learners want?
It’s worth...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
In the most general sense, a syllabus is a document that provides an outline of the teaching content of a course. Therefore, a teacher’s understanding of and familiarity with the syllabus is important because learner assessments will be based on the...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
A misunderstanding of research in general is that it is reserved for researchers; that is, teachers do the teaching and researchers do the research. This perception, however, is not accurate because most teachers are constantly looking for ways to improve their...
By Dorothy Cleary
On the face of it, small talk looks simple. Conversations tend to be short-lived, topics are fairly predictable and repetitive, and most workplaces provide lots of incidental practice in this essential workplace skill.
However, small talk is extremely complex and difficult. It...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
Do teachers always know what learners' needs and learning goals are? In the traditional model of education, teachers decide what learners need to learn. This is because some teachers and parents assume that learners are not aware of their own learning needs.
A...
By Dorothy Cleary
I could not count the number of ESOL learners, many of whom were competent high-level English speakers, who have looked hopefully at me and said, “I want to improve my speaking. I don’t know how to have a conversation.”
My heart always sinks, because at their...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
As the name suggests, intensive reading refers to reading short texts thoroughly and with clear goals, such as to answer reading comprehension questions or to identify how sentences are linked. Unlike extensive reading, the goal of intensive reading is not to read...
By James Jenkin
There’s a dilemma. Enthusiastic ESOL teachers want their students to enjoy class, to participate, to speak. But can our enthusiasm inhibit learners?
We do these things with the best intentions:
- stand close to and over students
- use big gestures
- give a thumbs-up while a...
By Dorothy Cleary
In my previous blog, I included a list of places to find authentic materials, both online and paper-based. The Careers New Zealand website is one easily accessible and varied resource for English in the Workplace (EWP) classes. It provides information about possible careers...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
In most conventional writing tests, test candidates are expected to write their essays independently. As a result, in an exam-oriented education system, in-class writing activities typically involve producing a piece of individual writing. Although there should be...
By James Jenkin
Students should read more. Reading has a significant impact on learners’ English in general: it seems to raise proficiency in other skills, such as writing and speaking (Waring, 2006).
Studies such as Ro (2016) report that extensive reading has a positive effect on...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
According to the online Oxford Dictionaries (2017), code-switching is ‘the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation’. Traditional approaches to language teaching and learning typically frown upon...
By James Jenkin
Writing a TESOL blog is a valuable endeavor for anyone serious about teaching. It will help you think deeply about your approach to teaching, and connect you with the wider TESOL community. And it’s fun.
Here are some examples of creative and inspiring blogs:
By James Jenkin
Course books: Yes or no?
Many teachers and students are fans of course books. Most are professionally written and provide teachers with ready-made material. Their alignment with international proficiency levels, such as CEFR, is useful for schools. And, more importantly, they...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
The goal of standardised assessment in general is to test learners’ knowledge and ability to perform a particular task. In the context of language assessment, some countries tend to focus on reading and writing skills. This focus has negative consequences....
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
The most common assessments are those that seek to measure candidates’ abilities. High-stakes language assessments, such as IELTS and TOEFL, are typically highly-standardised, and examiners usually display a ‘neutral and disinterested stance’...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
The concept of Plain English is commonly understood as being a style of writing that is easy to understand and that uses simple vocabulary. Although this understanding captures the core concept of Plain English, it is problematic because easy and simple are...
By James Jenkin
A tag question (or question tag) is a question added to a declarative sentence: You like grammar, don’t you?
Course books force students to learn tag questions – and usually all forms and uses at the same time. But learners find them immensely...
By Dr Jeremy Koay
A limited view
While learner-centred pedagogy is a common idea, evaluation is usually teacher-centred for a number of reasons. The belief that only teachers should evaluate students’ progress is driven by the idea that teachers are language learning experts. Advocates of...
By James Jenkin
Demotivation to learn English, roughly speaking, means losing any enthusiasm to learn the language. Every teacher meets demotivated students. Why have they lost interest?
Some researchers (Arai, 2004; Kojima, 2004) have highlighted internal factors: in particular, a lack of...
