Where would you like to see yourself 12 months from now, in terms of being a materials writer?

Where would you like to see yourself 12 months from now, in terms of being a materials writer?

I would like to be part of a team that is responsible for internationalizing curricula at my current workplace, a polytechnic. We are accepting more international and newcomer students as part of our 5-year plan, and this will require working with teams in each department to prepare workbooks and on-going PD opportunities. I would like to spearhead this initiative if chosen (fingers crossed!).

If this does not work out, I will continue to prepare original content for my classes, as well as work on side projects like blogging or more e-classroom support.

Hello everyone

Hello everyone,

All good things must come to an end, and I want to thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas via discussions and materials. I do hope we meet again in another course. Feel free to add me on LinkedIn to stay in touch!

Here are my go-to games: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-D6qxBNKPNTpS_SOupCQe1zsKKi6NLdm

They are not originally mine, but they are the ones I use the most. Very communicative and a couple incorporate technology.

Cheers,

Emel
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-D6qxBNKPNTpS_SOupCQe1zsKKi6NLdm

Late but done!

Late but done!

As always, looking forward to your feedback.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1R3-26H9RoEijUPTr-PFEMCk29tSpahPb

Which ONE piece of advice would you give a teacher who wanted to create their own classroom material?

Which ONE piece of advice would you give a teacher who wanted to create their own classroom material?

I am going to repeat what I have seen here already but: Make sure you stay true to what your students need. Know your students! =)

Hello all!

Hello all!

My week two assignment is a reading assessment using an opinion article. The focus is on understanding implied meaning and tone.

I must say although the majority of words were A1, the type of task is what made it challenging for them. Please see below for a breakdown:

A1: 63% | A2: 11% | B1: 8% | B2: 6% | C1: 0% | C2: 0%

According to the profiler, the overall level is a CEFR B2 (IELTS 5-6) which makes it spot on for my CLB level.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XFz1exX4qsIpZeL0MtdTI79vSJUyUUcg

When using an authentic audio or video it is important to use only ‘native speakers'.

When using an authentic audio or video it is important to use only ‘native speakers'.

Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.

While I understand that 'native speakers' are (and probably always will be) outnumbered by non-native speakers, I think it depends on the ultimate goal of the learner.

From my experience working in Canada, the biggest "complaint" from students is: "Wow, I studied English for X number of years back home, and I can't understand these Canadians!" When I hear this, two things come to mind: 1) You were not in a Canadian environment, 2) Cultural references can make up a lot of why one cannot follow the simplest conversations, say at work between colleagues.

Ultimately, I think it's important to emphasize intonation and connected speech over accent. Native speakers no longer hold the reins, and cannot impose a strict pronunciation of words. I would argue it is better to be exposed to a number of accents and pronunciation standards as conversations go both ways, and do not necessarily always happen between native speakers or with a native speaker.

"Which Principles of Material Design are most important for you? Why?"

"Which Principles of Material Design are most important for you? Why?"

I love minimalism and good design. I do hope my worksheets are eye-catching, but not over-stimulating. I have a background in graphic design, and am picky about fonts and layout.

Why? It makes for an easy-to-follow handout. Using graphics helps with retention. Using lines and boxes create a natural chunking of language tasks. Students often respond well to these things.

Content-wise, I cannot stand irrelevant fluff or busy-work exercises (for example, and no offence to anyone, after having used certain ESL course books for years, I have a dislike of filling in blanks, unfortunately). I also agree that handouts/materials need to be part of a holistic plan. Modules should be leading somewhere, and avoid isolating skills. Grammar materials should be in context, and task-based when possible (levels, curriculum and ages permitting).

Why? Adult students will engage with content more if their expectations are met, and feel like their time is being well spent (Andragogy 101, am I right?). They often report the difference they see outside the classroom when materials are aimed for real communication (often this "difference" is an increase in confidence AND language ability).


PS. I also really recommend having a colleague check your wording (questions and instructions) before making copies, if possible, as mentioned in the first session.

Hello all

Hello all,

I'm about to go on a 6-day trip, and wanted to post something before leaving! (How else will my mini-vacay be relaxing with an assignment awaiting me?!)

As our program is off until August 20th, I wanted to share something I made recently regarding a Health and Wellness module in my CEFR B2+/CLB 8 class. My reflection has been added accordingly.

Looking forward to your constructive feedback!

Hello Fellow Colleagues!

Hello Fellow Colleagues!

I've been an English teacher for just over 14 years now, having taught everything from juniors to adults. I am currently living in Canada, and work in a LINC program (Language Instruction for Newcomers) which are essentially federally-funded (free!) English classes for refugees and newcomers from all over the world. Our goal is to help non-Canadians integrate and find jobs.

The main reason I am interested in this course is to continue learning how to develop better and more practical materials for my students. In LINC, teachers are responsible for the curriculum (via a "Needs Assessment"), materials, student binders/portfolios, and (continuous) assessments (we use Portfolio-based Language Assessment/PBLA). Everything is task-based and communicative, with grammar, of course, in context. Yes, it's as tough as it may sound, but also greatly rewarding.

This kind of course will no doubt offer us all a chance to learn, network, and discuss many useful and amazing things!

Looking forward to July 1st!

Cheers,

Emel