The new format for the Cambridge English Proficiency exam introduced in March 2013 should not present any unforeseen problems for the teacher or student. Existing task types have either been modified slightly or changed to bring them in line with the FCE and/or the CAE examinations (eg the Reading and Listening multiple-matching tasks). Some task types (eg the Use of English gapped sentences) have gone altogether and others which might seem to be new (eg Writing Part 1) are largely building on skills the students would already have been practising for the old exam format, ie summarising.

While children learn by doing, they also learn through social interaction. Vygotsky (1962) found that children construct knowledge through other people, more specifically through interaction with adults or more competent peers who provide assistance or ‘scaffolding’ to help learners achieve more than they could on their own. View the video.

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Visual literacy in English language teaching

*This interview was first published in Issue 141 of the TESOL Greece Journal

How can the 5 Ts of TESOL be used in different teaching contexts?

There is a general feeling that English pronunciation is not worth teaching. This is because there are many exceptions and students are generally told that they will eventually pick up the correct pronunciation. Here, Jennifer Lowe explains how to simplify the process and focus on pronunciation essentials.

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“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Have you ever played hangman with a 5-year old? It’s not easy. I’ve just tried it with Elliot, my youngest. It was his idea. I didn’t know he knew the game. He simply said he wanted to play a game, and left the room to get some scrap paper and pens. When he came back he wrote my name on one piece of A4 and his on another. He draws the gallows on his.

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Answer: This is something we are asked quite often. Many colleagues would like to celebrate Thanksgiving with their  learners. The activity we describe below can be used with learners from A Senior+. 

"Thanks for. . . "Thanksgiving Celebration

Materials needed: Colored A4 paper.

Την πατρότητα της φράσης μπορεί να τη διεκδικούν αρκετοί διάσημοι μεγαλοεπιχειρηματίες του παρελθόντος (Marshall Field, Harry Gordon Selfridge κτλ) αλλά τις συνέπειές της, τις βίωσαν και τις βιώνουν καθημερινά, εκατομμύρια επιχειρήσεις. Επιχειρήσεις που καλούνται να διαχειριστούν τους πελάτες τους ισορροπώντας ανάμεσα στο να κάνουν σωστά τη δουλειά τους με τον τρόπο που ξέρουν καλύτερα ή να ανταποκριθούν σε παράλογες πολλές φορές απαιτήσεις, ρίχνοντας αρκετό νερό στο «επαγγελματικό τους κρασί». Τελικά με τους πελάτες μας πρέπει να είμαστε straight ή on the rocks;

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Οι followers στα social media δεν είναι απαραίτητα και πελάτες.

Όχι πολλά χρόνια πριν, η δημοφιλία μίας επιχείρησης, ενός προϊόντος ή μίας υπηρεσίας φαινόταν, εκτός των πωλήσεων, μόνο μέσα από τις έρευνες αγοράς: χρονοβόρες και ακριβές διαδικασίες με αποτελέσματα, πολλές φορές οριακά και συζητήσιμα.

Και μετά ήρθε το like.

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