This presentation follows on from the notion of getting students to INVEST in the classroom learning experience by exploring a number of tools that can be employed in the context of teaching English. If you want answers to the questions below, then this session will empower you to transform your everyday classroom learning experiences into powerful human interactions that will not only inspire students to respond and compose texts in more meaningful ways, but will also make the learning environment a place where both teacher and student can be creative, expressive and successful!
• How can I encourage reluctant writers to express themselves? Drawing on everyday objects that are lying around your school and home, you can help students develop their understanding of abstract concepts, like empathy and characterisation, whilst simultaneously stimulating their sense of creativity and playfulness.
• How can reflection be more than just identifying strengths and weaknesses? This presentation will explore ways that self-reflection can be improved by using video recording technology as a means of improving collaborative skills and enhance speaking skills.
• How can I develop a classroom where students help each other? Edmodo is a simple yet powerful tool that helps to expand the classroom domain and by its very nature, encourages students to build a community of learners that supports and assists each other. In doing so, students act as the leaders in their learning. Learn how to implement and facilitate the use of this transformative tool.
• How can I avoid ‘death by PowerPoint’? PowerPoint is an excellent piece of software that continues to be used a presentation tool by teachers and students alike. However, there is a lot of potential for PowerPoint to make teaching very static and one-dimensional. During this presentation, we will explore the potential for PowerPoint to transform teacher-student interactions through the creation of what I like to call ‘learning pods’.
