How often to we reflect on how we learn? Is there anything from that reflection that could benefit the way we approach teaching, or how we identify our learners’ preferred ways of learning?
It is often suggested that studying another language can help teachers gain insight into their learners’ needs. In this video, Rubens Heredia looks back to his post from January this year, 5 things to try in English lessons and career in 2021 to see how the goals he suggested setting have turned out in reality, by comparing how far he has come in his own learning experiences of studying Catalan these last couple of years. He then shares five tips to design and deliver effective English lessons based on the insights he’s gained from his Catalan studies, useful for anyone teaching face to face (and perhaps with social distancing), teaching live online, or doing a mix of the two in hybrid teaching.
Please share you experiences and insights in the comments or via our social media. We would love to hear about your learning experiences and how they have benefitted your teaching.
Useful links
Bilsborough, K. (2021). ‘The principles of materials writing’. Modern English Teacher, 30 (4). Shoreham-by-Sea: Pavilion Publishing and Media.
Chong, C. S. (2015). ‘How much metalanguage do you use?’ English Teaching professional blog. Shoreham-by-Sea: Pavilion Publishing and Media.
Goh, C. C. M. & Burns, A. (2012). Teaching Speaking: a holistic approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Maley, A. & Bolitho, R. (2021). ‘Thinking things over: axioms and principles for language teaching’. English Teaching Professional, 137. Shoreham-by-Sea: Pavilion Publishing and Media.
Mayne, R (2021). ‘What does research say about error correction?’ Modern English Teacher, 30 (4). Shoreham-by-Sea: Pavilion Publishing and Media
