Category Archives: Learner training

A few more Xmas and New Year worksheets

Posted on 22/12/2008 by alexcase

… including my first ever guest writer worksheet (many more wanted!) from Paula Swenson: English Language New Year’s Resolutions (good for learner training, and set up by the kind of relevant reading text that I really should write for my worksheets … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural differences/ cultural training, Future tenses, Learner motivation, Learner training, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, Teaching numbers, TEFL | Tagged | 1 Comment

A little bit more reality in TEFL theory

Posted on 06/11/2008 by alexcase

Continuing my occasional series (as occasional as reality coming into TEFL theory): “…it is relatively rare for language teachers to negotiate overall learning goals with their classes at the beginning of courses in an open, direct manner. However… it is commonplace … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta, Cambridge ESOL, Cambridge University Press, CELTA, Classroom dynamics, ELT publishing, Learner training, Lesson planning, Materials, Syllabus negotiation, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL heroes- Rose M Senior, TEFL qualifications | Tagged | 2 Comments

Korean body parts vocabulary memory game

Posted on 11/09/2008 by alexcase

Read the Korean and my attempt to turn it into a picture based on the closest English sounds, see if you can guess the English meaning and then scroll down and check. Hopefully worth a look for people who are … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, Learner training, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Korea, TEFL, Vocabulary, Vocabulary games | Leave a comment

Deep TEFL quote of the day

Posted on 21/07/2008 by alexcase

“While many teachers may attend to the questions ‘Do you like this language? Do you like this class?’, perhaps the more fundamental question for a student is ‘Do I like myself in this class?’”

Posted in Cambridge University Press, Classroom dynamics, Classroom management, Learner training, links, Materials, Mixed ability classes, Problem students, Teaching methods and methodologies, TEFL, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL heroes- Zoltan Dornyei, TEFL reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

New Year, New Grammar

Posted on 04/01/2008 by alexcase

As people searching for Xmas themed lessons seems to finally be over, here comes the New Year worksheets to ease yourself back into your classes with:

Posted in adverb word order, Adverbs, Adverbs of frequency, Conditionals, Cultural differences/ cultural training, First conditional, Future continuous, Future perfect, Future tenses, Grammar, Learner training, Photocopiable worksheets, state and action verbs, TESOL, Will for predictions, Word order | 2 Comments

Christmas is all about the kids, maaaan

Posted on 15/12/2007 by alexcase

Update: Full page of my Xmas stuff now here. Don’t know how and when it happened, but no kids’ classes at all this year so had no chance to see their happy and snotty little faces when doing the lessons … Continue reading →

Posted in Adverbs of frequency, First conditional, Future tenses, Going to for future plans, Grammar, Learner training, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, Teaching young learners, TESOL, video | Leave a comment

Warning, extended metaphor ahead! Learning a language = swimming

Posted on 01/10/2007 by alexcase

Apart from my attempts at investigative journalism for the EL Gazette (see below) and some writing work for Usingenglish.com (details soon), another thing that has kept me off my blog recently is trying to lose the beginnings of middle age … Continue reading →

Posted in Learner motivation, Learner training, TESOL | 2 Comments

Speaking Spanish in the English class

Posted on 10/08/2007 by alexcase

I was recently reading a piece on David’s English Teaching World that lay into the endless debate about L1 in the language classroom. I’d never thought about the link to the publishing industry of an English only policy before. In … Continue reading →

Posted in ALT, Alternative teaching techniques, Classroom management, False friends, Learner training, links, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching low levels, TEFL, TEFL blogs, Using monolingual dictionaries | 1 Comment

Why are there so many bad English teachers in Japan?

Posted on 10/08/2007 by alexcase

After training, recruiting, observing and chatting with English teachers and students in Turkey, Thailand, Spain, Italy, the UK (meaning teachers and students from everywhere) and spending 4 years in Japan, I have come to the conclusion that the average level … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom management, Learner motivation, Learner training, Pairwork and groupwork, Phonemic script, Pronunciation, Teacher training, Teaching English in Japan, TEFL, TESOL | 4 Comments

How the future of textbooks has to be

Posted on 09/08/2007 by alexcase

How the future of textbooks has to be Looking back on my 12 years of teaching English, if it is not just old age speaking I could swear that the first couple of years after I did my initial certificate … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, ELT publishing, General English textbooks, Learner motivation, Learner training, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, links, Mixed ability classes, Speaking, Staging, Technology, TEFL, TESOL, textbooks | 7 Comments