Author Archives

Teacher and Materials Writer

• Dip Tip: Phonology review quiz on PlayBuzz

  By Pete on September 10, 2018 • ( 0 )

  

  I’ve had a few emails from people studying the DipTESOL saying that my old review quizzes have disappeared! Turns out that Qzzr is now a ‘paid for’ site. Boooo! I’ve been working on alternatives. Here is a phonology review quiz… Read More ›

• Dip Tips: Phonology and you

  By Pete on September 1, 2018 • ( 1 )

  

  I sometimes hear from DipTESOL trainees who are finding it hard to get to grips with phonology. Common problems include:

• Lesson idea: Kahoot! for word stress

  By Pete on August 27, 2018 • ( 10 )

  

  Just a quick idea for using Kahoot! here. I found I was using it for the same purposes – grammar meaning/form checking, gap fills, consolidation at end of lesson, etc. I wanted to branch out. Turns out it works well… Read More ›

• #ObserveMe

  By Pete on August 25, 2018 • ( 3 )

  

  I really like the #ObserveMe movement (see Robert Kaplinsky’s post here or the hashtag). However, I’m going to have to tweak things to make it work.

• Correcting pronunciation errors from Thai speakers of English

  By Pete on August 20, 2018 • ( 6 )

  

  There are plenty of posts online explaining typical pronunciation errors from Thai speakers of English. Most seem accurate, and are a good starting point if you don’t have a copy of Swan’s Learner English to hand.

• Lesson idea: present perfect time markers

  By Pete on August 14, 2018 • ( 2 )

  

  Here are a few fun activities for practising time markers used with the present perfect. There’s a review of these markers in a B1 level teen coursebook we’re using (Gateway, Macmillan). I found the meaning/rule activity in the book useful,… Read More ›

• Tech tips for new materials writers

  By Pete on August 6, 2018 • ( 2 )

  

  These tips may sound simple to some, but useful to others! As a new writer I reckon you’ll have to do some of the things below, so this primer could help you hit the ground running…

• Developing into a materials writer

  By Pete on August 3, 2018 • ( 4 )

  

  Here are a few general tips for skills to develop if you’d like to write for publishers or big teaching organisations. This is not a ‘How to become….’ post. You can find good tips about how to actually get into… Read More ›

• Review: ELT Lesson Observation & Feedback

  By Pete on July 28, 2018 • ( 8 )

  

  Lesson observations – where to start?! Jeanette Barsdell, the author of ELT Lesson Observation and Feedback Handbook, was thrown in at the deep end and expected to observe a teacher on her first day as a DOS. Despite being terrified,… Read More ›

• Pronunciation priorities

  By Pete on July 27, 2018 • ( 4 )

  

  Uh-oh! Here comes a ‘Teacher Pete thinking something through out loud’ moment. Tut. I hate these… Mark Hancock shared a good article on LinkedIn the other day called ‘Pronunciation Teaching Post-ELF’. It’s got me thinking about my own attitudes towards… Read More ›