How to maximise learning from reading and listening

Toolkit: How to maximise learning from reading and listening

Do you read articles or listen to videos and podcasts on the TeachingEnglish website to support your professional development as a teacher? 

This free, printable poster helps you get the most from your reading and listening. It offers key questions to ask yourself before, during and after engaging with professional development materials – so you can retain valuable ideas, apply them effectively and improve your teaching. You can view the questions online or print the poster to display in a space you share with other teachers.   

Download poster – How to maximise learning from reading and listening

Watch the video below to find out more about how to maximise your learning from reading and listening.

Transcript – How to maximise learning from reading and listening

NARRATOR: How to maximise your learning from reading and listening [Uplifting background music] [On screen: How to maximise your learning from reading and listening.].

Do you ever hear interesting teaching ideas in articles, podcasts or online events and think, 'That would be great for my classroom, if only I could remember it later'. Focusing on three key stages when you read or listen [On screen: Three key stages] will help you retain valuable ideas [On screen: Retain ideas], apply them effectively [On screen: Apply them effectively] and improve your teaching practice [On screen: Improve teaching]. Let's explore how [On screen: ?].

Stage one. Before [On screen: Before]. Before reading or listening, think about what you or your learners want to know or improve. Thinking of questions before you read or listen [On screen: What do I want to know?] will prepare you to notice information that's relevant for you [On screen: What do I need to be better at doing?], especially in longer recordings or texts.

Stage two. While reading or listening [On screen: While]. First, identify the main idea or main message. If you find the answer to one of your questions, highlight it. Think about the content. What other information is useful or relevant to you? Write a short summary in your own words. This helps you to remember it better.

Stage three. After [On screen: After]. After reading or listening, reflect. Focus on the most useful ideas and how you can adapt them for your learners. If you plan to try something new, decide when and how you'll do it. If the article, podcast or webinar didn't answer all your questions, look for other resources on TeachingEnglish to learn more [On screen: www.teachingenglish.org.uk]. You can also connect with colleagues, online communities or other professional networks to discuss the ideas further and gain new insights. Remember, if you focus on these three stages when reading or listening [On screen: Before, while, after], you'll maximise your learning and see real improvements in your teaching.

Poster text

How to maximise learning from reading and listening

When reading, watching or listening to support your development as a teacher, ask yourself these questions to maximise your learning.

Before

• What do I want to know about this topic?
• What do I need to be better at doing?
• What would I like my learners to do better?

While

• What is the main idea of the article, podcast or webinar?

• Is it answering my questions?

• What other information is useful or relevant to me? 

After

• Can I use the ideas in my teaching?  

• What questions do I have now and where can I learn more?  

• Who could I connect with to discuss this further?