Teacher Discussion Forums

I think you should stop trying to entertain them and drop the fun and games act. The ball, for instance, was a nice try but the students aren't going to play along, so forget about it. That's the sense I'm getting from your post: the students aren't playing along. So, stop playing. Become more tradi...

Every teacher should strive for the same goal: teaching metacognition (awareness of one's thought processes) in order to turn students into self-sufficient learners. In order to bring this lofty goal down to earth, I'm reading about "Strategies-Based Instruction" that emphasizes making students awar...

I agree with the spirit of your post: I don’t want to become overly reliant on technology in the classroom at the expense of adaptability and comfort within traditional (analogue) settings. I also think that the rush toward using CALL (computer assisted learning) is based to some degree on hype, or ...

It's obvious that Computed Assisted Learning (CALL) is very good and only getting better, as more and more classrooms gain access to technology and as technology itself improves. A whole new generation of teachers in training have come of age, and are now being trained, in the era of computers and i...

It's obvious that Computed Assisted Learning (CALL) is very good and only getting better, as more and more classrooms gain access to technology and as technology itself improves. A whole new generation of teachers in training have come of age, and are now being trained, in the era of computers and i...

You’re definitely right; teachers without experience or training with ELLs need help. I’d also like to see the districts/administrators attempt to provide effective training, but I’m not holding my breath. Even if every district were able to find the funds, I’m not sure districts would do a very goo...

I’m a ESL teacher in training, and nearing the end of my pre-practicum coursework. I’m certified to teach in another area besides ESL, and so have taken a lot of training courses. There’s a lot of redundancy, but that’s to be expected and I don’t mind it so long as what seems repetitive is worthwhil...

I agree with your background theory and intentions about tailoring teaching/assessment to best align with multiple intelligences. I’m wondering about the “personality style tests” you’ve mentioned though. What are these? Where can they be found and are they credible? Another point I want to raise: W...

In certain teaching situations, planned curricula (or at least skeletons of planned curricula) are provided for teachers. For example, public schools have to adhere to state core standards which in many ways dicate what content is taught and when it is taught. In other situations though, no pre-plan...

I think group-work has taken a much more central role in education pedagogy across the board in recent decades, and that it’s largely a good thing. I think it’s especially valuable in language-learning settings because it gives students a chance to interact with students at a similar level, demonstr...

I think many if not most ESL teachers would agree that students' native cultures/languages influence their learning a new language. I think teachers should do whatever they can to encourage students to bring their cultures into the classroom, and teachers should be sensitive to how students' culture...

I agree that students should be encouraged to “self-teach” in order to help them become independent and more self-sufficient learners. This should be the goal of all educators in all fields. My goal is to teach ESL and US History/Civics in tandem, and I am trying to formulate effective ways to encou...

I'm very supportive of direct grammar instruction in adult ESL classrooms, but it can be difficult to discern how much is appropriate, for what age levels, ability levels, etc. I'm a teacher in training and have limited experience actually using direct grammar instruction myself. I have read of grea...

These sites are fantastic! Thank you (and thanks to the others who have replied to your post) for making this site available and pointing to others. I am extremely interested in incorporated news/current events into my teaching, as well as civics. These sites will be a big help to me in the future a...

In the various teaching scenarios/settings I've observed or participated in, I've witnessed lots of forms of extrinsic motivation (using rewards to motivate students). This is especially true in child-learning settings, where it seems all too common to use candy, stickers, or other baubles to psych ...