Anna Hasper

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Anna Hasper is an experienced teacher development specialist and has been involved in English language teaching since 2002. She trained as a primary teacher and worked as an ELT teacher and DoS before moving to the Middle East. Over the years, Anna has worked as a teacher and trainer in a wide variety of contexts and roles. She is currently based in Dubai where she works as a CELTA tutor and assessor and designs and delivers training courses for Ministries and leading educational publishers. Alongside this, she is involved in course and content writing. She is super passionate about anything related to making better learning happen! Her research interests concern language teachers and language teacher educators' professional learning and educational psychology with an emphasis on social emotional wellbeing and motivation which is also the focus of her current doctoral studies. Anna’s passionate about educational psychology and teacher learning and runs: www.teachertrain.org

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Why on earth did I say yes to this? Developing confidence as a novice teacher

Introduction Recently I conducted a workshop with teachers who had only just started teaching. They told me about their concerns as a young teacher, which brought me back to when I started out teaching adults. I still remember what I wore on my first day; a dark red woollen jumper! I can only remember that because at the end of the lesson my face was the same colour as that jumper: bright red! Thoughts such as Why on earth did I say yes to this? or What if they realise that I am a fake and do not know everything?...

When the brain is on high alert: teaching in challenging times

“It’s day 24 of the war”, I copy from the daily update we receive. For some reason, I never imagined I would write that sentence in my lifetime. But who am I to assume I would never experience conflict like this? I have been incredibly fortunate. I did not grow up in a context shaped by political conflict or instability and we are not targeted here. Places nearby are. I’m aware that there are places in the world where conflict has sadly been a reality for many years now. Places that are not far away. Places that are not unknown...

The importance of relationships in times of AI

It is hard to attend an education conference or scroll through social media these days without encountering conversations about AI. We hear about Apps that promise higher engagement, tools that personalise learning, platforms that provide instant feedback, and technologies that reduce teacher workload. Much of this is exciting and much of it is genuinely helpful. Yet, it makes me question what the impact may be on communicative language teaching which evolves around student-centred teaching. Shouldn’t meaningful interactions and human connections be at the heart of learning and teaching? Now, don’t get me wrong this blog is not an argument against...

Rethinking sustainability: it starts with being self-sustainable

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a conference and one of the focus areas, besides AI, was, unsurprisingly, sustainability. Whenever we are talking about sustainability, most often topics like climate change, recycling, the SDGs, and environmental awareness are explored. All these topics are incredibly vital and there were truly some excellent talks and initiatives presented on how to integrate climate awareness into the curriculum and classroom, but I could not help feeling something was missing in this conversation. It seems that we forget about the one that quietly underpins all the others: If we want to combat climate...

Giving feedback on teaching practice

As teacher educators a large part of our job is observing pre-service and in-service teachers delivering lessons and providing feedback on their plans and delivery. Feedback is a time to celebrate wins, but it is constructive feedback that truly moves teachers’ development forward. While this process might sound simple, most teacher trainers or observers, if not all, know that even the most well-intended feedback may land differently at times. In other words, receiving feedback is not always easy, nor is giving feedback. In this article I will zoom in on oral post-lesson observation feedback (POFB), its challenges and some...

The emotions of inclusion: Building classrooms where everyone belongs

Discover essential tips to build classrooms where everyone belongs, making your students feel seen, heard and valued for a more inclusive learning environment. Recently, I had an experience that left me feeling excluded. It wasn’t dramatic, I was hanging out with a bunch of people I seemed to have very little common ground with. Every time I tried to contribute to the conversation, I experienced a lack of acknowledgment. No reply, no follow-up questions, simply nothing. It really gave me the feeling that the others were ‘in’ but I was, somehow, ‘out’. Now, I’m not upset or looking to blame...

Managing the classroom starts with us!

As many of us start a new school year, it pays off to think carefully about strategies we are planning to put in place to manage our classroom. However, classroom management isn’t just about setting boundaries and expectations for our learners: it begins with us. As we return to the classroom, awareness of our own behaviour and our ability to be emotionally agile and remain calm in times of undesired behaviour set the tone of everything that follows in the classroom. In this blog, Anna Hasper talks about some basic classroom management strategies for the young learners (and other!)...

Managing the lot

Classroom management and disciplining So let’s start first with the terminology. If you were asked to write a definition of classroom management, what would you write? Traditional classroom management often relates to agreeing or setting rules and having clear consequences when they are broken. Richards once described classroom management as the ways in which student behaviour, movement and interaction during a lesson are organised and controlled by the teacher. This very much reminds me of one of my teachers who raised their voice in class if we did not 100% behave, and then asked us to stay behind and recite...

BOOK REVIEW: Compassion-based Language Education

Compassion-based Language Education Sarah Mercer OUP (2024) ISBN 978 0 19 407074 4 Sarah Mercer is well known within the ELT world for her practical and accessible publications on engagement, psychology in language learning and wellbeing. Her latest book for teachers, Compassion-based Language Education, presents a compelling argument to go beyond developing language learners’ abilities and advocates a shift to a compassion-based approach to language education (henceforth CBLE). Following a more humanistic approach to teaching, she argues, not only enhances learning and teaching but also empowers learners to shape a better future for themselves, others and their communities. I feel that a book exploring...

Shy or Unsafe? Why some learners struggle with speaking in the language classroom

“Okay, turn to your group and share your ideas, you’ve got 5 minutes!” I look around the room and whilst the majority of my learners are actively engaging in their group conversations, I notice Maria behaving as usual when speaking is on the program; she’s withdrawn. And then there is Jin, another learner who mostly remains silent during speaking activities. I’m sure most teachers have encountered students like Maria and Jin who seem hesitant to participate in speaking activities; they may avoid eye contact, keep their answers short or simply remain silent. Whilst we may be quick to label these...

“No, I don’t mean THAT!”

Anna Hasper The MET Spotlight series shines a light on key topics we’ve explored in Modern English Teacher. In these webinars, our fantastic MET contributors will explore their chosen topic in more detail, and share their expertise alongside practical tips, useful ideas and more. Here, Anna Hasper will examine the concept of feedback in a classroom setting, and consider how we can proactively manage learners’ emotions in order to safeguard the emotional well-being of both those receiving and providing feedback. Link to VIMEO video

No, I don’t mean THAT!

Anna Hasper recently kicked off the MET Spotlight Webinar Series, shining a spotlight on how you can manage emotions when giving feedback. Here, she summarises the session to explore the impact of emotions on feedback and suggest some ways to proactively manage students’ emotions regarding feedback.

Back to school? Time to consider teaching with empathy!

Anna Hasper firmly believes that a teachers’ job is so much than teaching a language; it is teaching people. Here, she elaborates on the importance of teaching with empathy and explains how this concept links to building a rapport.

Writing end of year reflections – be kind to yourself!

For many of us another school year has just come to an end or is ending soon. One habit Anna Hasper has developed over the years is planning in some time, at the start of summer, to write down her end-of-year reflections. Here, she explains how she takes time to think back and self-reflect, but also why it is important to be kind to yourself.

Why do negative comments stick?

You've just finished your lesson and you felt it was really successful. But one student’s feedback was that ‘your lesson was boring’, and that is the one comment that sticks. Sound familiar? Here, Anna Hasper explores negativity bias, and what we can do to combat it when needed.
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