QUESTION:  As language teachers, the ‘authority’ in class, we have many opportunities to give feedback to our learners.  My question is “How can we encourage our learners to give us feedback on how much they value what we ask them to do and how they feel when interacting in class?”  

ANSWER:  Personal Connectors is an in-class writing activity designed to provide learners with a number of compound and complex sentences, which they can refer to when they practice essay writing in class or at home. Connectors, which are difficult for many learners to use and learn, need to be associated with the individual learner's real experiences to make sense to them and to be remembered. 

ΑΠΑΝΤΗΣΗ:  Στα ελληνικά λοιπόν για τους καθηγητές/τριες όλων των άλλων γλωσσών. Η άσκηση αυτή είναι ειδικά για τον γραπτό λόγο για Επίπεδα Β1+. Ειδικότερα, μία άσκηση που βοηθάει τους μαθητές/τριες μας να διαβάσουν προσεκτικά και σταδιακά τις οδηγίες, να κάνουν

*καταιγισμό ιδεών ( brainstorming),

*να κρατήσουν σημειώσεις,

*να τις ιεραρχήσουν, και επομένως να σχηματίσουν ένα πλάνο, και

*να εκφράσουν τις ιδέες τους.  

Η διαδικασία αυτή μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για επιστολές (emails) και για περιγραφικές-αφηγηματικές εκθέσεις.

Familiarizing learners with works of art is a great idea for a number of foreign language projects! We'd like to share a lesson that you can do with your B2 students, which can be a 'springboard' for a series of projects around Art, Music and Poetry.  

PART 1:  Show your students a print of Vincent Van Gogh's painting “Starry Night”. [Another option for elicitation is to show the interactive animation of this painting  by Petros Vrellis   http://vimeo.com/36466564 ]

Answer:   When working with learners, we may want to provide them with an array of multi-sensory activities.  This activity is great for hands-on learners because it requires the learners to handle the paper circles to form the caterpillar's body and 'reshape' its body parts to revise question formation! The only minor preparation by the teacher is to cut out the 'manipulatives'  for this grammar game, which is designed to help learners practice and consolidate the formation of the interrogative forms of verb tenses that have been presented to them.

ANSWER: Writing activities must take place in class. And, when we say writing, we mean productive writing activities which are specifically designed so learners can produce in writing the knowledge they have just acquired or they have acquired so far.

Answer: It's true that Valentine's Day isn't part of every language learner's culture and tradition. However, just about all of the world has adopted it, as it does give the opportunity to people to "celebrate" love and friendship on a special day.

We would like to suggest an activity which could be used for Valentine's Day, but it could also be used any other time of the year, whenever you would like to give the opportunity to your learners (of all ages) to be mindful and to express positive feelings towards each other, their best friend, or their family.

Project Image: 

Answer: There are many activities. The one we are discussing today, combines collaboration and developing the social skill of giving/receiving, as well as the language one can use. This activity could also be used in-person.  

TITLE: "Pass the Gift"

LEVEL: A1+

BEFORE CLASS: No preparation required of the teacher.

IN CLASS - ONLINE:

Project Image: 

QUESTION: I have heard about poetry writing activities in the EFL classroom.  I would like to use some with my learners. Could you suggest activities for young learners as well as for adolescents/teenagers? And, if I use them, would I be taking time from more "important" language practice activities?

ANSWER:  One of the best strategies for learners who may be reluctant or shy to speak is to get learners working in pairs to 'prepare' something to perform for you and the rest of the class. In pairs learners often mutually support each other's performance success.  You may wish to try this activity below with elementary+  learners of all ages.

ACTIVITY:     "Voices:  Inside and Out"  dialogue writing pair work activity.

LEVEL & AGE: All Levels from A2+, ages 10+