Reflections on being a language learner
I wrote last time about my experience of volunteering in Greece; part of the excitement was living in a country with an unfamiliar language AND script. I knew I wouldn’t learn much Greek, but was hoping to put myself in the position of some of my learners, when they encounter the English script for the first time. Of course, in some … Continue reading
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
Kim Loves Life: a free ESOL health resource
Natalie Nawrocki is another ESL teacher-and-writer; when I first met her at a conference, she said she was ‘working on something’. I now know that the ‘something’ was Kim Loves Life, a free-to-download reader and workbook, available on the Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services (DC&ES) website. Kim Loves Life was ‘inspired by one woman’s experience of breast cancer and getting treatment’. … Continue reading
Living well with Hepatitis B: a chat with Elene Claire
I didn’t even know about this new ESOL resource set, Living Well with Hepatitis B, until I saw it at the recent QATESOL/QCAL conference – in fact I chose it when I won a door prize! I always love ELT readers, and the one in this set is very charming, with four short stories about people with Hepatitis B – … Continue reading
Oz Phonics: apps for early literacy
Today I’m talking to Diane Philipson, the content writer behind Oz Phonics, and Steve Cossey, the app manager/developer. If you teach pre-literacy or early literacy ESOL learners – and have access to iPads – you may have used OzPhonics as another way to review simple sound-to-spelling patterns. I’ve used the apps with adult learners, who like them a lot. I like … Continue reading
