Fari Greenaway

Storytelling is as old as humanity itself. Evidence suggests that long before writing existed, people shared knowledge, values, warnings and wonders through spoken stories. A wide range of evidence from anthropology, archaeology, evolutionary psychology and studies of modern hunter-gatherer societies shows just how deeply narrative is woven into human evolution. Storytelling also had a strong social and survival function. It enabled communities to pass on essential information, where to find food or water, how to avoid predators, and which plants to steer clear of – without each generation needing to learn through trial and error. Interestingly, research shows that in...

When academic management books mention appraisals, timetables and organising classes, they appear to be working under the assumption that: teachers are available and interested in work; they are self-motivated, and any lack of quality or work is due to lack of ability not to lack of interest; and schools are able to keep the teachers they want. However, the day-to-day reality that many academic managers in language teaching operations (LTOs) experience can be quite different. One of the greatest challenges we have faced in recent years is recruiting and retaining teachers. Recruitment and retention of teachers is an ongoing challenge for LTOs with...

A spotlight on fun ways to engage very young learners Pre-recorded webinar for “Macaroni cheese, everybody freeze!” can be viewed by subscribers only with the link below. Engaging very young learners (VYLs) in the language classroom can be joyful, creative—and noisy! This practical webinar explores how songs, chants, and storytelling can be used to create a dynamic, interactive learning environment where English comes to life. We’ll look at how these tools can build routine and rhythm into lessons, support vocabulary development, and foster classroom community, all while keeping children motivated and having fun. Through real classroom examples, participants will discover how to...

The quote in the title is from W. Edwards Deming and is at the heart of this article. Public and private schools often belong to quality-assurance bodies that inspect schools. These inspections, for many of those involved, cause stress, necessitate extra work and can feel like pointless tick-box exercises. Academic managers take on extra work and teachers can be nervous about the consequences of a stranger assessing their work, seeing few benefits in the process. In England, Ofsted is the official body that inspects and regulates state-funded schools to ensure quality education, rating them from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Inadequate’. Inspections involve...

If you’re an academic manager, you have probably already thought about and craved the legendary (mythical?) concept of ‘work-life balance’. I don’t need to tell you how hard it can be to be an expert teacher, organiser, counsellor, customer services manager, materials writer and leader all at once. There’s a lot of plate spinning involved and a lot of putting out fires and above all else, a lot of being interrupted. In fact, Henry Mintzberg (2007), who has spent years studying, writing about and training managers, said that when he came to describing a manager’s job he found that in...

Encouraging shy students, forming bonds, tapping into natural inclinations and having fun are just four of the ideas covered.

Fari Greenaway offers advice on how to build a positive atmosphere through communication, interpersonal skills and self-awarness.

The article questions whether we have gone too far in our reliance and use of technology in the classroom and advocates a return to a more human based approach.