Every cloud and all that. Online learning may not be ideal but it provides some great opportunities for CPD. The last time I filmed myself teaching was, wow, during my DipTESOL (2014). I remember filming my lessons to analyse my… Read More ›
General
My new normal
Talk about a weird situation. I started a new teaching job on April 1st. I haven’t met my students face-to-face (well, you know, apart from virtually). I haven’t met my colleagues face-to-face either. I haven’t set foot in my new… Read More ›
All change!
It’s the end of an era! I’ve spent nearly five years with the same language school (British Council) here in Thailand, which is a pretty long stint. Overall, it’s been a good experience. I mentioned before that the pay and… Read More ›
Types of curriculum
Leslie Owen Wilson’s useful post on types of curriculum is well worth a read. Before I read it my idea of ‘a curriculum’ was narrow. I thought of it as a group of subjects that are taught, plus the skills… Read More ›
Useful links: Project-based learning
I’ve been reading a bit about project-based learning (PjBL) recently. I had to write a critique of an approach used in my context as part of the PGCEi. Our Secondary course now follows a PjBL approach*, so I thought it… Read More ›
Bottery’s Educational Codes
During the face-to-face component of our PGCEi were introduced to Mike Bottery’s Educational Codes and Values (from The Morality of the School, 1990). Bottery outlined four codes which underlie approaches to education in schools. Here’s a grainy snapshot from Bottery… Read More ›
App review: Studycat
Studycat is a language learning app for young learners. It aims to ‘revolutionise the way kids learn a foreign language, by making it fun and engaging’. According to the Studycat website, the app has been downloaded by 11 million families,… Read More ›
Parents and online learning
Soooo much training! In the last 10 days at work I’ve completed five modules of mandatory training on Zoom, had two webinars on using EtonX with YLs, got up to speed quickly with Microsoft Teams (which I had previously neglected… Read More ›
Learn Thai Duolingo-style
Just a quick post for any Thai learners out there. I’ve just subscribed to the Ling app. It’s basically Duolingo for Thai. If you like that format then is well worth getting. There are 50 units to study, 10 units… Read More ›
Materials writing news and views, March 2020
One-year anniversary of these posts. Cool! New releases Congrats to Billie Jago, who has authored these practice tests for Cambridge C1 Advanced: This is the first time I’ve come across the publisher Prosperity Education. Looks like they are mainly exam-focused,… Read More ›