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

reflective practice
#ObserveMe
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.
Encouraging autonomy in teen classes
You might not need to encourage your students to take control of their learning. I do. My teens aren’t used to working independently or undertaking tasks without the teacher directing proceedings. Our current topic is health and fitness. I found… Read More ›
30 tips for developing teachers
Some teachers have clear direction when it comes to development. Others, like me, have always been a little bit lost. I found that once I finished my initial teacher training there wasn’t much support or guidance when it came to… Read More ›
Interactive whiteboards – some pros and cons
At my current school we have interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in every classroom. These are a luxury, but I do think they have their drawbacks. In ‘400 Ideas for Interactive Whiteboards’, Sharma et al (2011:10-11) list these benefits of using an… Read More ›
Some thoughts on authentic listening materials
I’ve been a materials writer for 2 months now. It’s about time I started reflecting on it. I haven’t had time to do so as it’s a very busy role – hence the lack of blog activity. I’m currently writing… Read More ›
Reflection on CELTA and Trinity TESOL Courses
In her latest guest post, Nicky Salmon talks about the importance of reflecting on your teaching practice. A very important part of any pre- or in-service teacher training course, is REFLECTION. On a CELTA or Trinity TESOL course this will… Read More ›
Tips for managing young learners
We set up a ‘Quality Circle’ here at the British Council Bangkok last term. Ours is basically like a reflective practice group set up for teachers, by teachers. We meet twice a term. Every 5 weeks we choose a topic… Read More ›
5 great tips for new teachers
Here’s a fantastic guest post from Michael Walker, who currently teaches at a university in South Korea. He offers some great tips for teachers who are just starting out. Thanks Michael! Smile There is an old piece of teaching advice… Read More ›
Great formative assessment tools
In the first ever guest post on ELT Planning, Kirsten Anne shares her teaching experiences and offers two great ideas for formative assessment. This post has been a long time coming. I’ve been promising to write something for ELT Planning for a… Read More ›