TeachingEnglish: Building understanding through dialogue

How will the course help you?

By the end of Buildng understanding through dialogue, you'll be able to: 

• help your learners better understand their culture, identity and values
• use a range of strategies to help learners to use dialogue in a positive way
• identify how critical thinking can build dialogue and better understanding.

How can you enrol on the course?

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Enrol on this free course

What resources can you access at any time?

• A free workbook with extra learning content and resources connected to the course contents
• A dedicated Facebook community of course participants with up-to-date insight, resources and innovative teaching ideas for you to try out (Facebook account required)
• Learning content related to our courses on Facebook and YouTube
• Live events and recordings with course tutors and language teaching experts on Facebook and YouTube
• Teaching resources on the TeachingEnglish website
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What are the self-study modules in Building understanding through dialogue?

Module 1 – Dialogue and intercultural competence

The aim of this module is to help you help your learners better understand their own culture, identity and values – something which can help them to build dialogue and understand others.

Module 2 – Dialogue, trust and empathy

The aim of this module is to explore a range of strategies and techniques that can help learners to use dialogue to have a positive influence on those around them.

Module 3 – Dialogue and critical thinking

In this module, you'll look at what critical thinking is and how it relates to building dialogue and better understanding.

Course reviews

What have other teachers said about how Building understanding through dialogue helped them?

"Indeed, I have applied several of the mentioned activities and techniques, including the six thinking hats strategy' which was highly effective and engaging. I also tried to focus my attention more on students' body languages and the implied messages they deliver. Furthermore, it was really helpful to include the highlighted 2 types of questioning: rhetoric questioning and the Socratic in order to foster the students' critical thinking skills and engage them as a key factor in the learning process. Additionally, the trust equation and the modes of communication illustrated in the course assisted me in building rapport with my students and helped in maintaining a safe, engaging learning environment. I really appreciate the tremendous efforts exerted to present the course content in such an informative manner; I am really thankful to English Teaching British Council for such a fruitful opportunity!"

Course participant, Egypt

"After completing the 'Building Understanding through Dialogues' course, I applied the techniques for fostering empathy and critical thinking in my day-to-day teaching. For instance, I introduced a regular 'cultural exchange' session where students shared aspects of their cultural background. This not only helped them practice their speaking skills but also developed a deeper understanding and respect for diversity. By encouraging open discussions and reflections, students became more empathetic and thoughtful, enhancing the classroom's inclusive atmosphere."

Course participant, Pakistan

"As a teacher educator, I try to share my new knowledge with my teachers. Through the weekly meetings and discussions with them, I could raise their awareness about importance of building dialogue, trust, developing learners' critical thinking, effective communication and rhethoric skills."

Course participant, Jordan

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