The language classroom.
It’s not just for conjugating verbs and playing vocabulary games (as much as we love them).
It’s a window to all kinds of exotic places. Like a Guatemalan village, a secret chamber in an old castle or …
Let’s take a moment to imagine a world without language.
At first, it sounds nice, even peaceful.
But then you realize that without it, your favorite TV show would not be nearly as funny. Your favorite books would be nothing …
There was a day, not so long ago, when having computers in the classroom was considered innovative.
A few of us are still able to remember when one of our more forward-thinking teachers got a few computers for students to …
Are you looking for the next big thing you can use to revamp your teaching style?
What if I told you that it’s right inside your pocket?
And no, I’m not talking about your USB drive filled with PowerPoint presentations—that’s …
Has this ever happened to you?
You head into work one morning, all excited because at last you’re going to try out that awesome new app all the cool language teachers have been talking about.
You just can’t wait to …
It’s everywhere you go.
You can try to hide in the teachers’ lounge or even under your desk. You can go to a nearby café and hide behind your sunglasses, trying to go incognito, but it will follow you.
You …
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who only wanted to talk, and not listen?
It’s annoying, isn’t it?
You might try to get a word in, but the other person doesn’t seem to hear you. Instead, he or …
Do you remember your high school days?
If you’re like most of us, each class was taught in a separate room. You went to math class, then down the hall to another room for English. When the bell rang, …
How about some time travel?
Let’s go back in time to experience the old days for a few minutes.
Come with me to a day when language classrooms looked very different from what they look like now.
Back when students …
How much time have you spent thinking about your foreign language teaching philosophy?
I’m betting it’s right up there with making dentist appointments and cleaning out your garage.
After all, it’s engaging activities and fun curriculum that make language lessons …
Having a hard time keeping up with the latest tools for online teachers?
Chances are, you’re probably feeling excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed.
The days of simple PDF files and email correspondence ended with the ’00s. These days, online …
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “assessment?”
Probably more of the same reading comprehension exercises and multiple choice bubbles.
What about…fun?
I know, I know. “Assessment” and “fun” don’t even belong in the …
Do you have a love for sharing your hobbies, interests and culture with others?
Does the thought of getting paid for that sound like a dream come true?
Well, guess what? You can!
With a passion for teaching and a …
Welcome to another day at the Language Teaching Method Buffet!
We sure hope you’re hungry, because there’s a lot to choose from.
Maybe you want a little grammar-translation.
Or perhaps your appetite craves some total physical response, with …
Have you ever gone grocery shopping without a list?
It might seem like a good idea at first.
But then you wander aimlessly.
You have some vague idea of what you need and why you need it… but that idea …
Throughout history, many trends in the world of language teaching have come and gone.
Some have graced us with just a brief visit.
Others have stood the test of time and become part of the training of language teachers the …
There’s nothing quite like it.
It’s a dynamic and fast-paced job.
It gives you the chance to influence lives while immersing yourself in language and culture.
You want to be a foreign language teacher, and who could …
Have you ever had to teach a teenager how to drive?
If so, you remember how helpless, and even terrified, you felt as you gave that teen the wheel.
It’s hard to give up control over something so important.
But …
Shakespeare. Molière. Neruda. Keats.
Do these names bring back scary memories of dull assignments from your own school days?
Even if your answer is “yes,” that doesn’t mean you should be afraid to use literature in your own language teaching.…
The forbidden, guilty pleasure of code switching.
We all do it. But when it comes to language teaching, it’s kind of a dirty little secret.
We’re all busy pursuing that sacred goal of language immersion, and slipping into …
You toss a question to your class.
You imagine hands flying up from enthusiastic students, eager to respond.
Instead?
Crickets.
Blank stares.
Maybe an uncomfortable cough or two.
Granted, there are moments when silence is optimal for students—like during a …
Let me paint you a picture.
It’s Monday morning.
You’ve had a restful weekend.
Your lesson plans are loaded up and ready to go and it’s time to start your busy week of teaching.
But there’s no need to pack …
Language teaching media. We all use it.
But what does it mean, really?
In its simplest form, the term “instructional media” refers to any physical materials that an instructor uses to facilitate learning. As such, media encompasses everything from your …
Like a long road trip, CLIL is one of those things that sounds magical from a distance.
That is, until you actually start to do it.
Then reality sets in.
With CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), students …
Dream big.
When you envision a successful immersion curriculum for your students, imagine it in 3D.
Think of it as a sprawling cityscape with tall buildings, an impressive skyline and unique but functional architecture.
Of course, this may be easier …
You don’t want to reinvent the wheel.
But that doesn’t mean we should drive our cars on wagon wheels instead of tires.
Sometimes, a smart update is necessary to turn something good into something great.
Take your language teaching. Do …
Are you one of those forward-thinking educators who always wants to try the latest, greatest innovation in the classroom?
If you are, then you know how exhausting it can be!
Deviating from tried-and-true methods requires meticulous planning, limitless collaboration and …
Immersion. We all want it.
It’s the pinnacle of language learning.
We teachers would all love to give our students that authentic language experience.
We’d take our class to London, Paris, Madrid or Beijing today if we possibly could, surrounding …
You yell at the screen, “Don’t go down to that basement, dummy!”
Well, that person doesn’t hear you and they go down to the basement.
Sigh.
In this case, you have no say in the story line and your favorite …
CLIL just clicks.
With what we know about the importance of making connections in student learning, this methodology just seems to make sense.
By now, most of us are familiar with the benefits of CLIL (Content and Language …
Most days, you love being a language teacher.
But to be honest, the life of a language teacher is hard.
Really, really hard.
You have to come up with a full day’s worth of engaging lesson plans, seemingly out …
Don’t you love the feeling of getting lost in a book?
It’s a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon, a lazy Sunday… or many enlightening hours of professional development.
Yep! The right language teaching books are your ticket to …
Do you remember being a student, walking into your classroom and seeing the VCR or DVD player at the front of the room?
You felt so excited and happy. Movie day!
Today, the technology has changed but the excitement …
In a way, immersion bilingual education should be the goal of every language teacher.
After all, immersion most closely mimics the way we learn our first language.
And in teaching students a second language, we are already creating a bilingual…
It appears that this TPR thing is not just a passing fad.
Although other trends have come and gone, TPR (Total Physical Response) has held steady as one of the preferred language teaching methodologies, ever since it was first introduced …
Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) is all the rage these days.
Many educators seem to regard it as a kind of Holy Grail of student engagement.
There’s no surprise that this growing tech trend also led directly to Computer Assisted …
What’s even better than authentic materials?
Authentic people, of course.
One conversation with a native speaker is more valuable than any combination of activities, games and simulated conversations.
And in terms of authentic language practice and …
