Blog topics for May/June 2017

Our blog topics for May and June 2017 look at the themes 'multilingual approaches', 'integrating ICT' and 'assessing learning'.

There were some excellent blog posts from March and April 2017 looking at various issues around the theme of The Learner, including using mobile devices in the classroom, developing your own materials, working with students who have special educational needs and giving feedback. You can read some of these posts by clicking on the links below:

Loli Iglesias: Giving learners feedback on their writing

JVL Narasimha Rao: How to Encourage Children to Write Discourse and give Feedback

NinaMK - Feedback on writing

Beki Wilson: Planning for the early primary stages

Neil T. Millington: Three enjoyable smartphone activities to get learners talking

Madhu Tiwari: Embracing inclusion

English with Kirsty: The inclusive classroom – working with blind and partially sighted students

Ekontovas: Are iStudents the future of our classrooms?

Phil Wade: Why make worksheets?

Fabiana Casella: mLearning using smartphones in the classroom - it's possible!

James Taylor: Teenager challenges

Topics for May and June 2017

  1. Do you have a multilingual classroom? Do you see this as a benefit or a drawback? What are some of the techniques you've used to manage a multilingual classroom? How can we exploit the different languages of the class to the benefit of everyone?
     
  2. What benefits does using technology in lessons bring and what are some of the challenges involved in integrating it in your lessons? Does your school or institution provide any support to its teachers with this? Have you received any training in using technology in the classroom? Do you have any tips or advice for other teachers who wish to start using technology more?
     
  3. What are some effective strategies for teaching and assessing speaking skills? Do you use similar activities when you teach and assess speaking skills? How authentic are the tasks that you use?
     
  4. Communication, Cooperation, Collaboration and Creativity are areas we try to develop with our learners, but how do we evaluate our learners in these areas? Do these 'four C's' form part of your syllabus and do you initiate activities that explicitly focus on them? 

Happy blogging! 

Comments

Submitted by GIFT CHIDI-ONWUTA on Wed, 05/24/2017 - 19:07

Learners learning language of instruction should first be properly assessed to establish their learning abilities and difficulties. With targeted and continued support, provided in the mainstream classes rather than in separate classes, proficiency at any target level of language study can easily be achieved. But when learning language of instruction is located outside the language community, say in African countries, total immersion will be difficult.. In this case, establishing areas of structural differences between the learner's native language and the target language (English) becomes pertinent. Then targeted and continued support in areas of structural contrasts, with interactive teaching and learning activities can go a long way to help learners.

Submitted by jvl narasimha rao on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 16:25

The blog topics for May and June are so useful and wonderful that I would love to write blogs for all the four topics within the two months.Multilingualism, technology, assessment, communication are the crucial topics in the present educational scenario especially teaching English.I rate this with 5 out of five and compliment Mr Paul Braddock for choosing wonderful blog topics and creating excellent blogs on teaching English from time to time

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