Some ideas are just more “delicious” than others, it appears.
For example, little did the students know that originally, I was thinking I would do something related to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19) or even for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama (Jan. 20). But those ideas didn’t pan out. It just didn’t seem to work in my head creatively. Time was running short.
Originally uploaded by klattu01
I am often asked, “What is the best way to teach a language?” The only answer that I can give is that I have noticed that effective teaching and learning occurs when students balance meaningful communications with direct teaching. The history of second language teaching is marked with periods where people believe more in one approach, e.g. meaningful communication, than the other way of teaching, direct language teaching for accuracy. Then there are periods when the reverse happens. So it goes in language teaching methodology. There are many methods that have come over the dam and down the stream. But in the end the stream flows in one of these two directions.
At WAL’s Intensive English Program, we meet new students from faraway countries every 5 weeks. We spend time together as a group, and build a bond with them, and then POOF! Some leave right after their one-session stay, and we don’t always hear back from them or know how they are doing once they return home. It can be quite sad, actually.
But thank goodness for the internet and EMAIL!
In the past, we would have to send a fax, letter, or postcard to stay in touch. Today, there’s email, social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, blogs (like this one!) and yes – phone calls and “snail” mail still works.
Romanian children learn to read
Originally uploaded by operation.blessing
Even native-English-speaking children have trouble shifting from informal playground English to Academic English. Academic English involves relating a single event to other events, discussing events of long ago, making comparisons, justifying a choice, knowing different forms and inflections of words, and modes of expression specific to one discipline or another. At some point the student has to be able to read and write in academic language.
Originally uploaded by Robert Pollack
Recently I have been observing several ESL teachers doing their practicum as a final step in achieving an Endorsement. I have noticed five behaviors in these very multicultural classrooms that struck me as almost paradoxical for an ESL teacher. I will raise these in the form of questions and hopefully some you can share your thoughts.
I’ve worked at WAL for many years as an activities coordinator with our English language students. At the beginning of each new term, I must plan a menu of things to do, see or play so that the students can enjoy using the English language skills they are learning at WAL.
But sometimes… I just need MORE time to think up something. Getting that perfect “idea” at the beginning of a session just doesn’t come very easily. There are times you just can’t get an old idea out of your head. How do I let myself think of ideas that are new and different for our students, and yet still have an excitement about it for myself as well?
How about by thinking of NO IDEAS at first? (Do I have your curiosity now?)
Originally uploaded by Danarah
Welcome back to school, teachers and students! With all of this fall’s discussion about Bellevue School District’s Curriculum Web, we wanted to take a look at how curricula are created for our local ELL classes.
We hear from teachers in our ELL Endorsement program all the time about the curricula their districts expect them to teach. They run the gamut from pre-prepared lesson plans to a list of texts they must use for developing a program to a lack of any formal guidance. These differences can mean major issues for the districts. What happens when a student must move frequently from one school to another within the district? Will s/he transition more or less seamlessly into a new ELL classroom? Or are the differences between classes too great to bridge the learning gap?
As activities coordinator for our international students at WAL who are learning English as a Second Language, I have a lot of fun. Plus, a lot of “on the job” adventures to share. Let me tell you about one…
A few weeks ago, a small group of students and I went to Seattle Premier Outlets in Tulalip, WA, We wanted to experience American bargain shopping at its best! The one problem: this trip required taking 3 buses from downtown Seattle! For anyone who has spent much time in Seattle, you know how treacherous this can be.