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.…
We’ve come a long way in education.
My mom considered the TV a distraction, and I would have to turn it off to do my homework.
Now media seems to be an educator’s best friend.
But there are lots of …
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 …
Ready to set your class on fire?
No, you don’t need the firetrucks on this one. I’m talking about getting your students engaged with the content and setting your classroom ablaze with fun and excitement.
The word “rubric” has its roots in the Latin word for the color red.
Red is the color of my true love’s hair.
It’s the color of firetrucks, stop signs and other important, attention-getting things in our lives.
It was …
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 …
