I love reading newspapers. There are crosswords, stories, etc. I like traveling stories. BBC’s newspapers write that on New Year’s Day Phileas and Gulliver meet each other. It’s a wonderful news, isn’t it? I like both of them very much, because they are kindly intelligent people. 

As we know, Gulliver and Phileas Fogg love traveling and on New Year’s Day they met together in Paris. They decided to celebrate this wonderful day and went to the supermarket to buy presents and drinks, but they don’t know French. What can they do? Suddenly Philleas saw Passepartout, his old friend who knows French very well and he helped them.

They bought presents, drinks and some food. Passepartout asks them “What do you want in the New Year?”  “We are so tired that we need only sleep and rest”. Soon they were at home and cook supper. At 12 p.m. they congratulated one other and they were very happy.

I want to read many books, go traveling with my family, watch cartoons and of course I will end this pandemic.

Before a New Year, Phileas Fogg started to pack his baggage and to fly around the world and see many places. Phileas Fogg doesn’t want to go alone, he wants to see a friend. Two hours later Phileas Fogg chooses a man and his name is Jean Passepartout. In the morning Passepartout starts packing his baggage. When he ended, they went to the airport and flew the first plane. At first, they arrived at Cuesse. In Cuesse they saw a beautiful Christmas tree. Around the Christmas tree, people were selling Christmas toys and Gingbreades. After Cuesse they arrived in Tbilisi. In Tbilisi the whole city was illuminated, the streets were full of cars, to see the illuminated city. After they arrived in Callcuta. On the Christmas tree, there were Christmas letters and waited to the Santa Claus and their wish came true. It was fun. Then they arrived in Hong–Kong. In the city, there were many fireworks and beautiful laser shows. Suddenly the flight was canceled. He decided to stay in the hotel. Three days later Phileas Fogg gets ready to go to the airport. 

The internet offers a lot of possibility for expanding the horizons of teaching. That said, a lot of discussion forums end up being empty of life. How can teachers help nurture interaction?

• Set rules for engagement

It’s always a good call to have some basic rules of behavior, “netiquette”, in other words. Here’s a sample.

1. Respect the opinions and views of other people in the forum.
2. Use names when you quote someone.
3. Do not insult anyone in the forum or use rude language.
4. If you don’t understand something, ask the person to explain it in a different way.
5. Don’t type in all caps.
6. If you have a problem with a user, inform a teacher.

2) Use names

Naming participants in your interactions helps them feel included, which is important for communication. If you know that your name is mentioned, you may be inclined to comment.

3) Lead by example and give praise

Make sure to participate in a lot of conversations yourself, setting an example for everyone else. Also, don’t forget to thank students for their contributions! That is great motivation.

“Online class management”, Lindsay Clandfield and Jill Hadfield. Cambridge University Press, 5 April, 2017, P8

Some think that just because technology plays a key role in ‘blended’ classrooms, teachers are no longer central to the model. This isn’t true. Blended learning does not imply a silent classroom full of students all working individually on their computers while their teacher addresses technical issues. The model combines the best of both worlds, which means that teachers are just as important as computers.

The technology provides access to the online materials, sure, but it’s the teacher who chooses what to do. The technology also marks closed practice activities, but teachers facilitate open activities and assess students’ language use. Teachers also recognize and praise their effort.

In short, teachers shouldn’t feel threatened by technology, but rather see an opportunity to improve their work.

“Blended Learning myths: busted!”, Graham Skerritt. Cambridge University Press, 5 April, 2017, P10

Jonathan “Jony Wilkinson”, the English rugby national team captain who drove his teams to victory in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup finals, shared some tips for learning a new language with Lauren Ward, a journalist at The Cambridge University Press. His own experience comes from transferring to Toulon in 2009, where he started learning French.

He says that his motivation for learning a new language was that “not knowing a language is an enormous limitation when expressing and sharing experiences”. He suggests to “get in amongst it and throw your best efforts” if you want to do the same. “For me, learning is not about remembering but about investing, experiencing and committing way beyond any type of fear or making mistakes. Keep hold of your excitement and passion. Don’t make it about right and wrong. It’s your energy and internal state that will create momentum”, he adds.

“From Toulon with love…”, Lauren Ward. Cambridge University Press, 5 April, 2017, P8

The LOA cycle starts at the “macro level”, where key learning objectives are set at the start of a course. These objectives allow us to create a syllabus, which moves us into the “micro level”, where the course is actually taught. At this level, teachers are asked to identify a task designed to help students to work toward one of the learning objectives. This task is to be observed and informally assessed by the teacher.

The teachers are then to use these observations to make decisions on how to further organize the course. This includes giving students feedback on their performance, but could also involve changing the tasks ahead in accordance to students’ needs.

Teachers can also use a formal proficiency exam at the end of the course, the results of which can be used to complete the students’ profile. This allows them to combine evidence of learning and evidence for learning.

If you’re interested in implementing the LOA cycle in your classroom, here are some tips:

• Make sure to set both higher-level learning outcomes and more specific objectives as well.
• Identify the different styles of assessment.
• Collect evidence in a systematic way.
• Turn this evidence into individualized learning.
• Build learners’ ability to learn!

“Learning Oriented Assessment”, Angeliki Salamoura and Sarah Unsworth. Cambridge University Press, 5 April, 2017, P5

1) Error Correction

Many teachers hesitate to interrupt students in order to correct their grammar or pronunciation, as they feel that this could make them self-conscious. Thankfully, videos provide a great way of correcting errors without having to break the flow of a presentation of a conversation. You can always rewatch the recording and pause at the error. You can even get students to watch the video themselves and try to find errors.

2) Teach tenses

Another great idea is to use videos to practice tenses. Stop a video and ask students to guess what will happen next. They will have to use the future tense! Or you could practice present perfect by only playing audio and asking your students “what has he done?”.

3) Use digital tools to build learner autonomy

You could also try getting your students to make their own videos to help them become more independent. You could use iMovie, Shadow Puppet or WeVideo.

4) Give students a reason…and an audience!

Videos give students a reason to use English, which they can also share afterwards. So, you could make a music “festival” where students can share their films.

5) Create a sense of progress

Using videos can be great for showing progress. Watching a video from a month ago, students can notice errors that they no longer make, which will motivate them a great deal.

“Five top tips for using video with your learners”, Alastair Horne. Cambridge University Press, 5 April, 2017, P3

Though we talk often about learners and their roles, it’s just as important to pay attention to the teachers themselves. According to Hoyle’s and Harmer’s lists, there are a number of roles ascribed to the teacher in a general educational setting:

• A representative of society (teachers morals)
• A judge (gives marks)
• A resource (conveys knowledge)
• A helper (provides guidance for student difficulties)
• A referee (resolves conflicts)
• A detective (catches rule breakers)
• An object of identification (has traits that students imitate)
• A limiter of anxiety (helps students with impulses)
• An ego-supporter (helps with students’ self-confidence)
• A group leader (establishes group climate
• A parents surrogate (acts as object of bids for attention)

Knowing one’s role can be very motivational as a teacher, which is why it’s important to be familiar with these kinds of lists.

Source: Peter Medgyes, “Teacher-centered and learner-centered approaches”, The Non-Native Teacher

Minimal resources: Students’ ideas

The student test

Most tests actually check what your students don’t know rather than what they do (unfortunately this is the very nature of most testing). However, it doesn’t need to be like this. Here is an idea to make the whole process far more useful.

1. Divide your students into small groups (between 3 and 5 students is best).
2. Ask the students to look back over what they have been learning (you might want to set a time limit).
3. Then, ask the groups to write a test for the other students. The tests can then be exchanged and each group try another test. Once the tests have been done the original group can mark it.
4. Finally, collect all the tests in and take a look at them – particularly at the questions, not just the answers.

Oops!

1. Make a note of 8 sentences that contain mistakes that your students make – these can be from written work or from when they speak. You will need two pieces of paper (for larger classes you may need more).
2. On one piece write down the eight sentences, but correct 4.
3. On the other piece of paper write down the same eight sentences, but correct the four sentences that on the first piece of paper were left incorrect.
4. Now divide your class into two groups and give each group one of the pieces of paper.
5. Ask the students to work in their groups and decide which sentences are right and which are wrong.
6. Tell the students to correct the sentences that are wrong. The students should make their own copies of the sentences.
7. Next, put the students into pairs – so they are working with someone from the other group – and compare their answers.
8. Finally, collate and discuss as a class.

A student dictogloss

1. Find a suitable piece of writing from one of your students (sometimes it is fine to work with a piece that contains mistakes as these can become part of the focus of the activity. However, it is worth thinking about how the individual student may react to their mistakes being discussed by all the other students).
2. Tell the students you are going to read out a short text.
3. Ask the students to put their pens down and just listen.
4. Read out the text once and then ask the students to note down all the words they can remember – this should be done focusing on key words and NOT trying to remember everything verbatim.
5. Read out the text again and then ask the students to work in pairs and reconstruct the entire text. Then ask the pairs to compare their texts.
6. Finally, compare their texts to the original and discuss.

An object feast

1. 1st lesson: bring in a small object, or a photo. (For example, I would bring in a photo taken from a visit to the rainforest in South America. Another friend would take in a Boomerang they bought while on holiday in Australia). Tell the story behind the photo/object and then put the students into groups. Ask the students to write questions to ask you. Conduct a Q&A session.
2. 2nd lesson: Ask the students to bring in an object or photo. If your class is large divide into small groups and get them to discuss their photos/objects. In small classes the whole activity can be done together.

Word limits

1. Ask your students to choose 3 words that they have recently learnt and to write these words in their notebooks.
2. Next, ask them to write 4 words that they associate with each of their ‘key’ words. Put students into pairs or groups and explain the task.
3. Students should take it in turns to explain each of their key words to the other students in their group. However, when explaining they must not use the other words that they wrote down (those that that they associated with each key word). They must not mime, draw or resort to L1 either.
4. Often students get better at explaining if they have to do it more than once. Therefore, after the first go put students into new groups and get them to repeat the activity.

The question box

1. 1st lesson. Ask students to write down three questions (you could limit the focus or allow the questions to be about anything) that they would like answered. If you want, this can be done for homework. Put all the questions in a box.
2. 2nd (and subsequent lessons). Put students in groups and ask each group to pick a question from the box. In their groups they should discuss the question (you might want to set a time limit. e.g. 10 minutes) before reporting back to the class. If there is one question of particular interest you might want the class to spend more time on it.

Our project

1. 1st lesson. Put students into groups and explain that over the next X weeks/lessons they are going to be involved in a project. Give the groups 6 minutes to brainstorm project ideas and then two minutes to vote/choose which project their group will do. (Alternatively, ask students to think of projects on their own and then form groups where all the students have similar ideas).
2. 2nd (and subsequent lessons). Devote a section of the lesson (from 10 minutes upwards) to the groups discussing their project. During this time they can set tasks for themselves, and each other, that can be done outside the class, discuss progress, exchange information etc.
3. Note: It is important to have an outcome and time limit for the project. i.e. In 10 lessons time you will ‘present’ your project to the rest of the class.
   This type of project work is extremely motivating for many learners, especially those studying at school where classes are levelled by age, not ability.

   Source : www.onestopenglish.com

In addition, many parents and educators feel that schools need to be ready for children. Of course, the reality is that a match between your child’s development and the school’s resources and adaptability may not exist.

When you’re deciding when your child should start school, consider your child’s unique abilities and local circumstances. Gather accurate information about your child’s development, especially communication skills, including language development and the ability to listen; social skills and the ability to get along with other children and adults; and physical skills from running and playing to using a crayon or pencil. Talking with your child’s pediatrician, preschool teacher, and/or childcare provider can provide some useful, objec­tive observations and information.

Some schools may conduct their own tests to evaluate your youngster’s abilities. So-called readiness tests tend to concentrate on academic skills, but most usually evaluate other aspects of development.

When you or the school identify some areas of your child’s development that seem to lag behind, use this information to help you and the school plan for the special attention that your child may need.

Parents can encourage their children’s cognitive, physical, and emotional development before they enter school. Kindergarten teachers appreciate having children who are enthusiastic and curious in approaching new activities, can follow directions, are sensitive to other children’s feelings, and can take turns and share. Some specific skills that will make your child’s first year at school go smoothly include her ability to:

• Play well with other children with minimal fighting or crying.
• Remain attentive and quiet when being read a story.
• Use the toilet on her own.
• Successfully use zippers and buttons.
• Say her name, address, and telephone number.

There are great benefits to reading to your child beginning in infancy. Help your child acquire some basic skills, like recognizing and remembering letters, numbers, and colors. Expose her to enriching and learning experiences like trips to the museum, or enroll her in community art or science programs. To promote social-skills development, encourage her to play with other children of both sexes in the neighborhood and to participate in organized community-sponsored activities.

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