Reflections on being an ELT volunteer
I just got home from Greece after a term away: I had three amazing weeks exploring and the rest teaching English as a volunteer in Athens. Other teachers have asked me about this, and I wanted to write about it. However, there are dozens of little agencies helping migrants/displaced people across Europe – all very different, and working in different … Continue reading
Puzzles for ESOL learners (again!)
Why am I so obsessed with puzzles? Last week I got back from the fabulous QATESOL/QCAL mini-conference in Mackay, where I had to admit that some of the things I claim for puzzles can be argued against too; I’ve been thinking more about this since then. Are puzzles really non-elitist? I say how much I like the universality of crosswords, … Continue reading
Real Grammar: a chat with Carl Eldridge
In this post, a chat about Real Grammar (out last year) with author Carl Eldridge: Carl, I know you were wanting to create something different from the usual grammar books. What has the reaction been to Real Grammar? The reaction has been great. Students tell me they finally understand how grammar works and can now make their own sentences with confidence. Which … Continue reading
Pre-employment English for beginners?
I’m going to give a link to my latest post from my other blog, at ‘The Book Next Door’. It’s a list of ways you could still use the ESL Extras reading books in a Pre-Employment class – not by pretending the books are all about employment, but by pulling out threads that invite discussion. It’s a massively long post – the kind … Continue reading
Dyslexia and ESOL teaching: post-MOOC musings
I scrambled my way through the last two weeks of Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching – late with my assignment, very aware of what it means to add study to an already busy life. Each small section invited reflection and comment – and as I mentioned in my thoughts from week 1, sometimes there would be more than 400 comments to … Continue reading
