Met Editor

In his ESL teaching bible, Learning Teaching, Scrivener describes classroom management as a teacher’s most important job, which is to ‘create the conditions in which learning can take place’ – a mammoth task that involves far too many things to cover in one short article. So, rather than try, I thought I’d take you on the journey I travelled when learning teaching – specifically learning classroom management. Where did it all start for me? When I consider my own approach to classroom management, and any success I had in the early days, I find myself thinking of my mother. Years after the...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is all over the news, and it’s especially making waves in education. But here’s a reality check: 85% of teachers haven’t even touched generative AI tools, according to the On EdTech Newsletter (2024). Even so, there’s one area quietly undergoing a profound transformation due to AI: language learning, especially for refining English speaking skills. Compared to previous generations like mine, today’s learners are experiencing a monumental change in the learning process. No longer held back by barriers of opportunity, cost or geography, English language learners are now empowered to achieve proficiency, unlocking global academic and career opportunities. Game...

Since the pandemic, I have been teaching on online pre-sessional English courses for a UK university, with the students dispersed across China (which is why the Chinese context is cyclically highlighted in this article). Many of these students lack authentic English practice, and some admit to never having spoken to a foreigner before (issues that are not exclusive to Chinese learners). Even though they are set regular collaborative discussion-led homework tasks, such homogeneous class groups invariably end up communicating overwhelmingly in their first language. Last summer, I devised this list of realistic ideas for my online students to get more...

I started working with Ukrainian refugees in March of 2022, soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine broke out. As the number of refugees from Ukraine and other countries is steadily growing, I believe it is important to share my experience, and that of people I have interviewed. I hope to be able to increase teachers’ understanding of how to provide useful, compassionate and relevant English lessons for those that require such help. While I have experience and data relating specifically to refugees from Ukraine, I believe the information that follows is helpful to teachers who work with students...

  Anna Machura The MET Spotlight Series shines a light on key topics we’ve explored in MET. 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. How can you turn your classroom into an oasis of growth? In this interactive webinar, experienced teacher and dedicated therapist Anna Machura will show how she puts a range of proven therapeutic strategies and techniques into action to create a feel-good lesson. Link to VIMEO video