For Teachers

From the Author:

Dear All,
The blog has been permanently moved to wordpress. I'm not going to publish anything on the blogspot address any more, and I'll delete the blog within a week or two.
So if you'd still like to follow my posts (I hope you do), please visit the wordpress version and click follow there: teflreflections.wordpress.com You can also find regular updates on the posts on the new blog's FB page by clicking here.
Thanks for reading and commenting on the posts here, and I hope to see you soon on wordpress.
Best,

Marek Kiczkowiak

In this section I've been compiling a list of links to blogposts by myself and by others related to professional development. I've divide them into three broad categorises: THEORY: Skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking), Systems (pronunciation, grammar, lexis), Principles; PRACTICE: Skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking), Systems (pronunciation, grammar, lexis) , Exams and OTHER.


This is a very subjective list of posts I've come across in the last couple of months. I'm sure there are some really valuable ones that are not here, but should be. So if you have any suggestions, please do let me know.

THEORY

1. Skills:

a) listening

• some great advice for teachers tired with course book listening tasks by eflrecipes
• using TV series, trailers and films in class
• how to TEACH rather than TEST listening, and how to make your listening lessons more process-oriented: Let's bring back the TAPEs

b) reading

• how to choose authentic materials and what to do with them by Rachel Roberts on elt-resourceful.com

c) speaking

• tweaking delayed error correction
• Tweaking 4-3-2 technique to improve fluency

d) writing

• 10 proofreading tips which are bound to improve your students' writing
• 8 practical ways to correct students' writing 
• giving feedback to students by Ashowski

2. Systems:

a) pronunciation

b) grammar

• Life Beyond Gap-fill? Luiz Otavo Barros questions the value of classic fill in the gap controlled practice
• Is the gap-fill the best alternative for controlled practice? Luis Otavio Barros discusses "Life Beyond Gap-Fill"

c) lexis

• tweak your boardwork and become better at noting incidental vocabulary on the whiteboard
• teaching vocabulary in lexical sets doesn't facilitate retention: Leo Selivan proposes how to rethink our approach to teaching vocabulary
• a list of approaches to clarifying meaning
• helping learners memorise new words more quickly and efficiently using Memrise: Mem up your memory
• experimenting with teaching vocabulary 

3. Principles:

a) Motivation:

• Fascinating talk by Ken Wilson: Motivating the Unmotivated
• A very thorough and informative post on grit by Vicky Davis
• motivating speaking activities for lower and higher levels
• how to create a successful group 
• demand high and motivate your students to learn faster by Thornbury and Underhilll
• A very thought-provoking post with practical ideas from Larry Ferlazzo
• Motivating our students and developing grit - the key to success 

b) Lesson planning:

• make your tasks more flexible

• how to arrange the classroom and set up the learning space to improve learners' progress and satisfaction by Evan Simpson
• reduce your lesson planning time: Less means more by Katherine Bilsborough
• Do you like preparing your own worksheets and materials? Read Adam Simpson post to avoid these 6 pitfalls
• practical and easy to follow advice on making your lesson planning more efficient and effective
• Tired of the course book? Read this guide on developing effective classroom materials by Racael Roberts
• stick rigidly to the plan or go with the flow? 

 c) Reflection and CPD:

• Graham Stanley on how blogging helps him to reflect on his classroom practice
• top 10 ELT books by Lizzie Pinnard
• Are you a new teacher? Some great suggestions for personal development from Lizzie Pinard
• Adam Simpson suggests easy-access PD options
• Vicky Loras on benefits of sharing experiences with and learning from other teachers
• top 10 resources for English teachers by Lizzie Pinard
• Lizzie Pinnard on avoiding getting stuck in a rut
• thinking of going freelance? Set your teaching free 
• What makes inspiring teachers?  
• 10 nagging EFL questions 

d) Learner Training

• 5 language learning myths that hinder students' progress
• the MORE characteristics of ideal language learners
• how to set SMART language goals by Brian Powers 
• students learn how to better listen to TED talks and discuss the concept of grit and motivation

e) Teaching 1-1

• The advantages of teaching 1-1
• The first class: practical ideas and considerations

f) Board work

• learn how to draw cats, dogs and birds, as well as other animals by the BC
• some very good ideas on how to tweak your boardwork

g) teaching EAP

• Emma Greenhalgh explains why language learners should prepare to laugh in university seminars  
• Do I have what it takes to teach EAP? Great post by Adam Simpson for all those who are thinking of giving EAP a go 
• Edward de Chazal discusses preparing students for listening in an Academic context 

h) Young Learners:

•  a collection of articles by the BC

i) Business English

• five tips for teaching Business English by Gabrielle Jones

j) Mixed ability:

•  some tips how to teach mixed ability classes
• flexible tasks

PRACTICE:

1. Skills:

a) listening

• Listening and speaking focused lesson on Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" 
• This blog by Kieran Donaghy is an absolute gem: hundreds of top-notch lesson plans all using short films and videos 
• a selection of complete lesson plans by the BC based on short videos revolving around the theme: ___ is great
• students learn how to better listen to TED talks and discuss the concept of grit and motivation
• a wide selection of lesson plans for different levels based on a whole range of TED talks - an absolute treasure trove!

b) reading

• reading for gist and inferring meaning from context based on a text about Shakespeare
• tongue-in-cheek Christmas lesson

c) speaking

• telling and getting your students to tell an anecdote by Rachael Roberts
• looking for a useful and fun activity for an upcoming important holiday (e.g. Thanksgiving)? This page is an absolute winner!
• get your class punning: Read the lesson plan here 
• prepare your students for a job interview using videos from the BC
• giving better presentations - resources 
• the weekend game by Kaherine Bilsborough 
• the alphabet game by Ceri Jones 

d) writing

•  a guide to writing a formal email

2. Systems:

a) pronunciation

• an amazing resource of free videos and podcasts which can help your students speak like a Brit

b) grammar

• a fantastic resource for graphics which clearly explain different grammar point
• A lesson plan on 3rd conditional using a dictogloss and guided discovery
• Helping students make wishes in the past, present and future - a lesson plan
• short grammar videos by the BC
• practical and fun ways of using dictations in class: Dictations are fun!

c) lexis

• a fun mingle variation on Back to the board for recycling lexis
• ideas for recycling lexis in class
• EAP Word Lists divided by discipline based on British Academic Written English Written English Corpus (BAWE)
• teaching phrasal verbs through a story
• learn UK slang 

3. Exams:

a) CPE

• Useful CPE (2013 exam) sites with materials for both teachers and students by Emma Gore-Lloyd

b) IELTS:

• overview of the exam, tips and materials from IELTS Academic
• speaking: improving fluency and coherence video

• Speaking: vocabulary: video
• speaking: grammar: video

OTHER:

a) NESTs and NNESTs issues

• Speaking out against the discrimination in the TEFL industry
• Did you know that advertising for native speakers only is illegal in the EU? Read more here

b) Young Learners

• a treasure trove of ideas - lesson plans by the BC

c) Technology

• 10 web tools to use in your classroom
• using Edmodo by Lizzie Pinnard
• using cell phones in class
• more on how students can use mobile phones to learn English by Joanna Norton
• mailVu is a great and user-friendly tool which allows you to record videos and email them. Watch the tutorial here.

d) DOGME - unplug your teaching

• some unplugged activities to try out in class
• DOGME and technology

e) Literature in class

• excellent post by Christina Smart on how to use poems in class to practice writing, speaking and pronunciation 
• reading for gist and inferring meaning from context based on a text about Shakespeare
• Listening and speaking focused lesson on Hamlet's "To be, or not to be"
• A great lesson based on a poem by Emily Dickinson from Chrysa Papalazarou

f) Warmers and fillers 

• The alphabet race - a very simple idea, but works great and involves no prep
• 5 ice-breakers from Adam Simpson
• fun, no-prep activity for early finishers from Carissa Peck

g) Songs

• 10 ways to use songs in your classes from Lyrical English

h) Reviewing learners' progress

• Lot's of great ideas from Esther Suarez and Juan Gallardo (in Spanish)
• More great ideas for reviewing material and showing learners' progress by Anthony Ash
• a fun way to review material which makes use of technology and involves taking your learners on a field trip, by Larissa Albano