Category Archives: Pairwork and groupwork

The CELTA Ten Commandments

Posted on 12/06/2010 by alexcase

Say what you like about the Ten Commandments (unrealistic, need a scary fake God to make people pay attention, etc), I think we all must admit that we’d improve our lives and the world by keeping it in mind not to lust … Continue reading →

Posted in CELTA, Eliciting, Pairwork and groupwork, TEFL, TEFL certificate, Using a whiteboard | Tagged | 16 Comments

The CLT robot

Posted on 08/11/2009 by alexcase

“I suppose that in the not too distant future this sort of hopping from group to group and ‘listening in’ can be taken over by some language-surveillance computer or robot. This device would hover above the participants, the symbolic meaning … Continue reading →

Posted in links, Pairwork and groupwork | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Losing my best students

Posted on 06/11/2009 by alexcase

Getting back to my paranoid fears of the last post (because a blog might be time consuming and pay nothing, but unlike seeing a therapist it’s free), there definitely does seem to be one kind of student I have lost … Continue reading →

Posted in ALT, Classroom management, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Eliciting, JET, Pairwork and groupwork, Problem students, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in China, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching English in Korea, Teaching shy students | 3 Comments

New TEFL articles and teaching ideas Dec 08

Posted on 20/12/2008 by alexcase

15 ways to learn students’ names LINK UPDATED 15 more fun ways to practice the Past PerfectLINK UPDATED 15 fun ways to practice third and mixed conditionalsLINK UPDATED 15 more ways of eliciting vocabulary LINK UPDATED 15 fun ways to practice will … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom dynamics, Classroom management, Conditionals, Eliciting, Future tenses, Grammar, Grammar games, Mixed conditionals, Pairwork and groupwork, Past perfect, past tenses, Speaking games, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL games, Third conditional, Using L1 in class, Vocabulary, Will for predictions | Tagged | Leave a comment

New stuff July 2008 Part Two

Posted on 30/07/2008 by alexcase

As mentioned in a comment or two below (and in every other sentence in my real life conversation), I am off on my reasonably well deserved hols from Friday and won’t even be looking at a computer screen for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Business English games, Complaints, Compound nouns, Cross cultural training in EFL, Cultural differences/ cultural training, ELT publishing, Functional language, Grammar, Grammar games, Learner training, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, links, Materials, Pairwork and groupwork, Personalisation, Prepositions, Present simple/ continuous, Present tenses, Pronunciation, TEFL, TEFL games, TEFL reviews, Usingenglish, Vocabulary | Leave a comment

The Alternative ELT Jargon Dictionary Part 7

Posted on 06/06/2008 by alexcase

Community Language Learning– The theory that students getting together at break time to bitch about British food and their teacher is the best way of drawing them together and increasing their motivation to learn DoS– Director of Studies. Often confused … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, Community language learning, CPD, links, Pairwork and groupwork, Peer observations, Suggestopedia, The Silent Way, Usingenglish | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Numerous number games

Posted on 19/05/2008 by alexcase

Might just be the physics graduate in me coming out, but I seem to find myself teaching numbers in my classes all the time- be it shouting “seven Eight NIne TEEEEEEN!” at the top of my voice in my kindy classes … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, EFL exams, English for Academic Purposes, Financial English, IELTS, Medical and pharmaceutical English, Onestopenglish, Pairwork and groupwork, Photocopiable worksheets, Teaching numbers, Teaching young learners, Technical English, TEFL, TEFL games, TESOL, Usingenglish | Leave a comment

The disadvantages of teaching in Japan

Posted on 18/05/2008 by alexcase

“My first two years in Japan were spent teaching English… The students… studied English- or should I say, English was taught in their presence. Nothing ever seemed to sink in. Years of classes and endless tests and still they couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in becoming a teacher trainer, British Council, Business English and ESP, Cambridge Delta, CELTA, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Eikaiwa, English Teachers in Japan, Functional language, JALT, Materials, Mixed ability classes, Pairwork and groupwork, Problem students, Teacher forums, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching low levels, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL working conditions, TOEIC | 22 Comments

Putting the grammar back into Xmas

Posted on 03/12/2007 by alexcase

UPDATE: Full list of Xmas ideas and materials now here. Putting the seasonal cheer back into grammar (and putting the grammar back into Xmas) Some of you might be thinking that the problem with Xmas today is an excess of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural differences/ cultural training, Flashcard games, Grammar, Grammar games, Lesson planning, links, Listening, Modals, Modals of deduction, Pairwork and groupwork, Passives, Photocopiable worksheets, pre-school/ kindergarten/ very young learners, Present simple for routines etc., Present tenses, Songs with adults, Teaching low levels, Teaching young learners, TEFL, TEFL games, TPR, Using songs with kids | 2 Comments

Unautomating teaching with Summerhill English Schools

Posted on 02/12/2007 by alexcase

Following my own advice for automated teachers, I’ve been trying to use my search for something to write about Japan and or teaching English on my blog as a way of expanding my horizons rather than shrinking them. Recent semi-successful … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, Classroom dynamics, Classroom management, Discipline in the classroom, Humanistic language teaching, Learner training, links, Mixed ability classes, Pairwork and groupwork, Problem students, Teaching methods and methodologies, Teaching mixed level classes, Teaching teenagers, Teaching young learners, TEFL, TESOL | 1 Comment