Individualisation in Language Teaching

This publication provides a useful introduction to innovative approaches to self-directed learning and individualisation: http://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/milestones/individualisation-language-teaching 

Paso a Paso con el PNIEB (Step by Step with PNIEB)

I found a resource book that it could help us PNIEB teachers to better understand what we have to do in the classroom and what expectations we are to meet.

It seems affordable and I think is worth checking it out at least. It’s called Paso a paso… PNIEB.  If you want to check it out, the webpage is libropnieb.com

Finally this month, I have been able to get hold of this book.

I haven’t finished it reading it. So far, it looks OK to get a better idea of what it is this PNIEB phenomenon. It has graphic organizers as printable appendix.

I have read it and it’s a great tool, but I won’t call it the BIBLE for the PNIEB teacher. The book helps you to grasp ideas, but it’s no miracle worker or a planning guide.

To have a better look, I am posting the index right here.

Information taken from the page: 
Teaching PNIEB… ideas and stuff

Great vocabulary games!

Here´s an excellent page to find new ways to practice, review and recycle vocabulary, get flashcards and overall teaching ideas.

Guidelines for new (and not so new) teachers Part 1

One of the most significant things you can do to affect student conduct is to establish effective daily events in your classroom. Doing so will allow you to be organized and appear in control. It will also allow students to take responsibility for themselves because they will know what to do. Time is also used more effectively in classrooms with established daily procedures. The tips that follow offer suggestions that will help you establish effective daily procedures in your classroom.

What You Should Do:
Set up procedures for the following classroom activities:

• Entering the classroom
• Taking roll
• Dealing with tardy students 
• Dealing with students who lack materials 
• Labeling student papers 
• Preparing to leave at the end of class 

  How To Do It: 

Entering the Classroom 

Begin each lesson with a brief warm-up or ice breaker activity such as a game, vocabulary review, etc, in the following link you can find many warm-ups or ice breaker activities to use in your classes:
Warm-ups and Icebreakers for classroom games and activities

Before students arrive, post the warm-up activity on the board and make a list of the materials needed for the lesson. If there is a new homework assignment, post it on the board, too. If necessary, remind students to sit in their assigned seats. It may be helpful (and even necessary) to attribute a small portion of a daily grade to these warm-up exercises, you can then include it as a participation grade, but being a fun, short and interactive activity, everyone would be delighted and eager to participate.

Taking Roll
Use a quick method of taking roll as students participate in the opening activity or as they turn in their homework. On the first day of school, set up a seating chart, which you can use to support the students in sitting in their assigned seats. Throughout the year, use the chart to take roll quickly. If students say someone is not absent, but the student is not in the room, simply state that to be considered present a person needs to be working or sitting down when the bell rings or when you enter the classroom.

Dealing with Tardy Students 
Have a plan for dealing with tardy students. An alternative would be to allow a small interruption, quickly update your attendance sheet and move on. Be sure to point out to the tardy student the consequence of habitual tardiness. You may be able to prevent a majority of late students by holding them accountable for lateness. For example, you might dock a student's participation grade by half a point for every three times tardy.

Dealing with Students Who Lack Materials
If you are unable to get extra copies of your books, have students who arrive without their book share with classmates whom you designate. But not bringing the school materials should have a consequence; permitting students get by without the required materials might send the signal that it is okay to leave materials at home.

Labeling Student Papers
Ask students to write their name, the date, your name, the period number, and the assignment on every paper they turn in to you. You will probably need to remind students of this often. Don´t accept any unlabeled paper, returning it immediately to the student that turned it to you and asking him to write the proper information. Explain that if you cannot determine to whom a paper belongs or which assignment it might be, you cannot give credit for the work.

Preparing to Leave at the End of Class
Everything that has a beginning should have an end to be complete, have a signal for when students may prepare to wrap up the class. For most students, the bell means it is time to drop everything, stuff it all in their backpacks, and leave or wait for their next class, lunch, or home. You can ask students not to leave until you have signaled that class is over. Request that they not pick up their backpacks or other bags until they are dismissed. Allow time for closure and clarification of assignments. Then give your dismissal signal. Try always to include a game, a song, an activity which is fun, short and interactive as a wrap-up to leave them craving for more, but also that has something to do with the day´s lesson.

To be continued………………………

 If you have any comments or more ideas on this topics, please share your insights and knowledge!

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Some tips for English Language Teaching

The number of English Language Learners is growing  all over the world, as teachers we try to respond to the needs of these students, here are a few basic best practices that might help.  Using these practices makes our lessons more efficient and effective. I include a few "worst" practices in the hope that they will not be repeated!

Modeling

Do model for students what they are expected to do or produce, especially for new skills, vocabulary or activities, by explaining and demonstrating the learning actions, sharing your thinking processes aloud, and showing good teacher and student work samples. Modeling promotes learning and motivation, as well as increasing student self-confidence -- they will have a stronger belief that they can accomplish the learning task if they follow steps that were demonstrated.

Don't just tell students what to do and expect them to do it.

Rate of Speech and Wait Time

Do speak slowly and clearly, and provide students with enough time to formulate their responses, whether in speaking or in writing. Remember, they are thinking and producing in two or more languages! After asking a question, wait for a few seconds before calling on someone to respond. This "wait time" provides all students with an opportunity to think and process, and especially gives ELLs a needed period to formulate a response.

Don't speak too fast, and if a student tells you they didn't understand what you said, never, ever repeat the same thing in a louder voice!

Use of Non-Linguistic Cues

Do use visuals, sketches, gestures, intonation, and other non-verbal cues to make both language and content more accessible to students. Teaching with visual representations of concepts can be hugely helpful to ELLs.

Don't stand in front of the class and lecture, or rely on a textbook as your only "visual aid."

Giving Instructions

Do give verbal and written instructions -- this practice can help all learners, especially ELLs. In addition, it is far easier for a teacher to point to the board in response to the inevitable repeated question, "What are we supposed to do?"

Don't act surprised if students are lost when you haven't clearly written and explained step-by-step directions.

Check for Understanding

Do regularly check that students are understanding the lesson. After an explanation or lesson, a teacher could say, "Please put thumbs up, thumbs down, or sideways to let me know if this is clear, and it's perfectly fine if you don't understand or are unsure -- I just need to know." This last phrase is essential if you want students to respond honestly. Teachers can also have students quickly answer on a Post-It note that they place on their desks. The teacher can then quickly circulate to check responses.

When teachers regularly check for understanding in the classroom, students become increasingly aware of monitoring their own understanding, which serves as a model of good study skills. It also helps ensure that students are learning, thinking, understanding, comprehending, and processing at high levels.

Don't simply ask, "Are there any questions?" This is not an effective way to gauge what all your students are thinking. Waiting until the end of class to see what people write in their learning log is not going to provide timely feedback. Also, don't assume that students are understanding because they are smiling and nodding their heads -- sometimes they are just being polite!

Encourage Development of Home Language

Do encourage students to continue building their literacy skills in their home language, also known as "L1." Research has found that learning to read in the home language promotes reading achievement in the second language as "transfer" occurs. These "transfers" may include phonological awareness, comprehension skills, and background knowledge.

While the research on transfer of L1 skills to L2 cannot be denied, it doesn't mean that we should not encourage the use of English in class and outside of the classroom.

Don't completely "ban" students from using their native language in the classroom. Forbidding students from using their primary languages does not promote a positive learning environment where students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. What you can do is turn it into a competition, assigning or taking away points for using L1.

This is certainly not a complete guide -- they are just a few of the most basic practices to keep in mind when teaching English Language Learners or a Second Language Learner.  If you agree with the previous tips and practices or would like to add more of your own, feel free to leave a comment!

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Who took the cookie?.... Teaching tips (chant used in the Rassias workshop).

Song: "Who took the cookie?"

Here´s a fun way to sing and play this chant!

Chant used in the Rassias workshop!

Six Tips for Brain-Based Learning | Edutopia

Excellent tips to take into consideration when preparing your classes!

Six Tips for Brain-Based Learning | Edutopia

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?176qqxirc1jrj77

Hello CELE Students, here you can find an excellent file with the 500 most common words in English, download and enjoy it! godspeed!

Flashcards, worksheets, wordcards and other excellent material!

In these websites you can find excellent material to use in your classes, from Preschool to Sixth grade! Enjoy!


http://flashcards.havefunteaching.com/
http://www.kidzpark.com/contents/flash_card_alphabets.asp
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/kplus_phonics.htm
http://www.ziggityzoom.com/activities.php?a=181
http://www.tlsbooks.com/
http://mrsjonesroom.com/teachers/worksheets.html
http://www.flashcardexchange.com/tag/ESL  (need to sign in)
http://www.flashcardexchange.com/tag/EFL  (need to sign in)
http://www.esl-kids.com/
http://www.eslflashcards.com/
http://www.kids-pages.com/flashcards.htm
http://www.mes-english.com/
http://www.english-4kids.com/flashcards.html
http://bogglesworldesl.com/cards.htm
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/
http://www.eslkidslab.com/index.html
http://www.esltower.com/index.html
http://learningenglish-esl.blogspot.com/
http://esl-library.com/flashcards.php
http://www.teachchildrenesl.com/flashcards.htm
http://www.esljunction.com/esl-efl-flashcards/esl-tefl-efl-flashcards.html
http://www.1-language.com/eslflashcards/index.htm

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Songs for Children

Delivered as promised, here you´ll find the songs that you´ll need!  Enjoy!
http://www.mediafire.com/?yxyeb39bvb62x

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Songs, lyrics, exercises activities and cool stuff

Hello fellow teachers!  This time I want to show you a really good website that Teacher Grisel Alvarez Rodrgiuez shared with us! thank you Grisel!

In this webpage you can find excellent songs, lyrics, download their lesson plans, exercises, activities among other great and cool stuff for teaching English!

http://www.agendaweb.org/

Myths and Legens - Literary and Ludic Environment

Hello again fellow teachers!  I want to share with you a very interesting website recommended related with myths and legends in English, it can be really useful especially when working with the Literary and Ludic environment, hope it works for you! regards!
http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends.htm

Software games to develop vocabulary

Software games to help vocabulary building

In this website you can find excellent software games to help every English teacher develop and understand vocabulary in students.  Visit it and have fun!