Creative Teaching Workshop
My Address
Today: Creative Teaching
Our goal as English teachers… To make language learning more motivating and successful
Teaching = Learning?
People learn best when personally meaningful 2. engaged & active 3. purpose is clear Professor Curtis Kelly ELT Specialist
Teaching Creatively Means Engaging ALL Learners… What kind of learner are you?
A. Visual learners These students learn best by seeing. They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand- outs. B. Auditory learners They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. C. Kinesthetic Learners They learn through moving, doing and touching. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.
PicturesBrainstorming Flash cards Discussions Problem solving Reading aloud Dictation Posters Mind maps ProjectsRoleplaysGames SongsSurveys MimingCompetitionsTPR Variety in Learning Activities
Creative Activities
Pictionary Pages 11-12
If you spend most of your time studying grammar, your English will not improve very much. You will see most improvement if you learn more words and expressions. Without grammar, you can say or write very little. Without vocabulary, we can say or write nothing. Professor Hugh Dellar English Teaching Expert Why focus on vocabulary?
Drawing Dictation
Why do a drawing dictation? -Listening practice -Focus on meaning -Interesting
Listening
What Makes Listening to a Recording Difficult? No context/background Can’t see the speakers Cannot control the speed Can’t ask questions Unknown vocabulary Know written form, but not spoken
What’s the weather like? What are they talking about?
Page 11
Benefits of Dialogs -A model -More use of target language -Guided practice -More student talk time!
Potential Problem with Dialogs: -Just reading practice? -Students really listening to each other? -Real communication?
Read and Look up Page 11
Memory Match Page 14
Listening Practice Memory Match
Why do a Memory Match? Interesting Easy to play Gives students opportunity for repeated listening Demonstrates comprehension Turns written activity into oral skill practice
Beehive Page 14
Why Do a Beehive? -Fast-paced and easy -Interesting -Good for multi-level classes -Gets all students involved
Why use video? 1.Motivation/Interest 2.Language Models 3.Window on Culture 4.Stimulus/Input 5.Moving Picture Book
General Guidelines for Video 1.Test, test, test! (Equipment) 2.Recycle (Watch at least 2 times) 3.Modeling 4.Simultaneous Activities to a Minimum
Activity: Predict What You’ll See Talk with a partner: What is ‘Archaeology’? What are some things you think you’ll see in the video? We’re going to watch a video about archaeologists
Activity: Split Viewing – SOUND OFF One student watches and describes to other student, who isn’t watching. Let’s try it!
Post-Viewing Activities
The ever-increasing dialog Round 1: Students talk in pairs for 1 minute about the video. NO STOPPING Round 2: New partner – 2 minutes Round 3: New partner – 3 minutes
What “real, authentic” English do you hear in the video? Uh-huhYeah Ah,Yep, Mm,Hey,
Increasing Awareness of Language Use Have students notice and then discuss/explain discourse (e.g., how ideas are connected) speech acts (e.g., how to give a compliment) linguistic expressions (e.g., how do they say the time?)
Video as a Pre-writing Activity Writing exercises A critic Essay about a similar topic Compare and contrast paragraphs Re-write the ending A letter giving advice to a foreigner who is going to visit the place in the video
Thanks for listening! Justin Kaley