Hello everyone! I'm Elena from Greece, I've been an English Teacher and a Language school owner for 35 years and I'm so excited to be a member of this group of amazing people!
Since the beginning of my career I've been searching for innovative teaching methods and I was very lucky to have been trained by exceptional teacher trainers. Continuous studying, training and self evaluation have resulted to my having great awareness as a teacher. Additionally, I 've attended courses on Psychology ( Children Development ) and last year I completed my university studies on Coaching. I equally love Teaching, Psychology and Coaching and I believe that a teacher needs to be most of all a Coach in class and help the children discover the best way for them to learn.
I mostly work with young children and teenagers (aged 5 - 16) and since these are the years that they develop as personalities I love creating teaching material that gives them the opportunity to express their feelings, their fears or their doubts, material that motivates them and also gives them cultural and social skills and knowledge.
I'd love to be connected with those of you in the group who can help each other develop as teachers, writers and educators and create beautiful things together!
Please feel free to contact me at: Email: metaxa.lena@gmail.com
Saturday, August 4, 2018
I've always loved using photos in my teaching and over the years I have created a big bank of photographs which are...
I've always loved using photos in my teaching and over the years I have created a big bank of photographs which are classified according to subject and they are easily accessible. I have collected them from magazines, newspapers, advertisements, leaflets and brochures and many are photographs I have taken myself.
I would appreciate it if you had a look at this assignment and commented on it. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PrLoVAp8QHbcVsG1zTLsaVpAG1eBeRDUKTQ6PazRC2Y/edit?usp=sharing
I would appreciate it if you had a look at this assignment and commented on it. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PrLoVAp8QHbcVsG1zTLsaVpAG1eBeRDUKTQ6PazRC2Y/edit?usp=sharing
Who Am I?
Who Am I? Where Am I? and What Am I? are well-known games with a couple of variations. I've revised previous materials I made to save reinventing the wheel, and have further simplified the language so that (except for names, numbers and fillers, e.g. Ah, Hmm, Oh), 94% is A1 and rest is A2 vocabulary (according to Word Kitchen). The materials are designed for students to use in a self-access (language learning) centre and play out of class.
In-Class Use
After students have had a tour of the self-access centre and start to get settled into the 1st semester, I introduce a selection of games like this in class (which is part of an oral communication course with a focus on fluency development).
Students choose which game they want to play and I am there to help if they wish to ask any questions but are generally able to figure it out amongst themselves. You can find more games here:
http://www.konan-wu.ac.jp/~espace/games.html
Out-of-class Use (Self-Access Centre)
Between classes, they have to complete a self-access centre 'challenge'. For the week in question, they must choose a different game and then answer a short online Reflection & Evaluation questionnaire. (Feedback on the games has generally been very positive - see comments below.)
They usually play during lunchtime or between classes in a free period or at the end of the day. If they need help or want to play with someone, there is always a Learning Advisor in the centre and sometimes a Student Volunteer Staff or International Students speaking English. However, as materials are photocopiable, they can also take a copy and basically play anytime, anywhere.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a0kPu_NUgRmH4xhLqYLSe5IvGZO7_Rs9/view?usp=sharing
In-Class Use
After students have had a tour of the self-access centre and start to get settled into the 1st semester, I introduce a selection of games like this in class (which is part of an oral communication course with a focus on fluency development).
Students choose which game they want to play and I am there to help if they wish to ask any questions but are generally able to figure it out amongst themselves. You can find more games here:
http://www.konan-wu.ac.jp/~espace/games.html
Out-of-class Use (Self-Access Centre)
Between classes, they have to complete a self-access centre 'challenge'. For the week in question, they must choose a different game and then answer a short online Reflection & Evaluation questionnaire. (Feedback on the games has generally been very positive - see comments below.)
They usually play during lunchtime or between classes in a free period or at the end of the day. If they need help or want to play with someone, there is always a Learning Advisor in the centre and sometimes a Student Volunteer Staff or International Students speaking English. However, as materials are photocopiable, they can also take a copy and basically play anytime, anywhere.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a0kPu_NUgRmH4xhLqYLSe5IvGZO7_Rs9/view?usp=sharing
Wow, people have given great advice in this thread!
Wow, people have given great advice in this thread!
My piece of advice has to do with sharing and getting feedback. Whenever possible, share the materials you have designed with fellow teachers who'd be able to use them in their classes AND get feedback on the content. Sometimes we oversee important things when designing materials and having other people use and comment on our work will definitely help us become better writers
My piece of advice has to do with sharing and getting feedback. Whenever possible, share the materials you have designed with fellow teachers who'd be able to use them in their classes AND get feedback on the content. Sometimes we oversee important things when designing materials and having other people use and comment on our work will definitely help us become better writers
What ONE piece of advice would you give a teacher who wants to create their own classroom materials?
What ONE piece of advice would you give a teacher who wants to create their own classroom materials?
I'd tell my colleague to use authentic material as a starting point and to design their own material thinking out of the box taking into account their own students (level, age, interests), being consistent and clear with instructions.
Have a great day!
Laura Perrotta
I'd tell my colleague to use authentic material as a starting point and to design their own material thinking out of the box taking into account their own students (level, age, interests), being consistent and clear with instructions.
Have a great day!
Laura Perrotta
Friday, August 3, 2018
Hey everyone -
Hey everyone -
Here's my last assignment. It's for a flipped-classroom where students read the information on the Five-Paragraph essay on the following websites:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm
http://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf
They then complete the crossword puzzle below that I designed on the website www.armoredpenguin.com
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qysg_Dh0djCGKNcvm2ClkDVayg_0E_VhAsMABb4wWjI/edit?usp=sharing
I would then have them identify all of the parts of an essay in the following essay, which I got from Longman Academic Writing Series 5:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lip45IJDy1km8OEWvxKeNiOJJZbw1nYWJxthWKWCE7A/edit?usp=sharing
Here's my last assignment. It's for a flipped-classroom where students read the information on the Five-Paragraph essay on the following websites:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm
http://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/FiveParagraphEssayOutlineJuly08_000.pdf
They then complete the crossword puzzle below that I designed on the website www.armoredpenguin.com
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qysg_Dh0djCGKNcvm2ClkDVayg_0E_VhAsMABb4wWjI/edit?usp=sharing
I would then have them identify all of the parts of an essay in the following essay, which I got from Longman Academic Writing Series 5:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lip45IJDy1km8OEWvxKeNiOJJZbw1nYWJxthWKWCE7A/edit?usp=sharing
I've really learned a lot about creating content from this course.
I've really learned a lot about creating content from this course. It was a great investment, and I really wanted to thank everyone involved in putting it together.
In 12 months, I see myself doing a lot better at creating original content that would be impressive to an employer. I really liked learning about Creative Commons because it's a lot simpler way to share media across the internet, and it opened up a new world of content that would help me and my students.. I also think this is the most amount of resources I've ever collected in one class (even though it was only a month long!) I wanted to thank everyone - teachers and people participating alike - for sharing all of the online resources they use. It was extremely helpful, and this will make my job a lot easier for years to come.
In 12 months, I see myself doing a lot better at creating original content that would be impressive to an employer. I really liked learning about Creative Commons because it's a lot simpler way to share media across the internet, and it opened up a new world of content that would help me and my students.. I also think this is the most amount of resources I've ever collected in one class (even though it was only a month long!) I wanted to thank everyone - teachers and people participating alike - for sharing all of the online resources they use. It was extremely helpful, and this will make my job a lot easier for years to come.
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