Met Editor

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

Developing Intercultural Language Materials Freda Mishan and Tamas Kiss Routledge ISBN 978-1032651378 With their wealth of expertise, Freda Mishan and Tamas Kiss offer an insightful guide to understanding culture and bringing intercultural teaching into the classroom. Developing Intercultural Language Materials takes readers on a journey through four distinct yet interconnected sections: Research to Implications; Implications to Application; Application to Implementation; and finally, Implementations to Research. This book review will explore each part in detail. The first part, titled ‘Research to Implications’ serves as a guide to help readers navigate the key findings from academic research. Acting as a foundation for the book, this chapter...

The Minimal Pair Collection: PronPack Accent-friendly Pronunciation Teaching Mark Hancock Hancock McDonald ELT ISBN 978-1838404062 It is now 37 years since I did my RSA Cert TEFLA in Cambridge and balked at teaching sure and shore as homophones. In my Scottish accent, they weren’t. The speakers in the 80s coursebook listenings all had plummy, ‘accentless’ voices. I remember learning about RP (received pronunciation), and understanding that ‘received’ meant ‘approved’ or ‘sanctioned’ ( not that you had been to a reception at Buckingham Palace.) And on the phonemic chart, hung on every classroom wall, where the heck was the ‘ch’ sound, as in ‘loch’? Decades...

Many of my ESL students in East Asia have asked me to help them learn about the rhythms and cadences of the English language. They will tell me with desperation in their eyes that they do not want to speak what they often describe as ‘monotone’ or ‘robot’ English. I developed the game ‘Drama queen English’ specifically for them. Of course, we all know what a drama queen is. This is a person who over-reacts emotionally and often makes a big deal out of nothing. I think the term applies to men as well as women – I know...

A spotlight on the Three Operator Model Christopher Walker We’ve all experienced the same thing – our students throw up their hands and say, “How can I learn all 36 tenses in English?!” From past perfect continuous to the passive voice, there’s a lot to cover, and it can feel overwhelming for both teachers and students. In an article in Modern English Teacher in November 2023, Christopher Walker explained how you can take a completely different approach, and look at the English verb system in terms of its three principle operators – do, be, and have. In this interactive webinar, we’ll look at the Three...

As 2025 begins, many of us are likely to reflect and set resolutions for the year ahead. Whilst it is great to set measurable results such as ‘use technology in the classroom 3 times a week’ or ‘read 20 books related to teaching’, these statements often overly focus on the outcome. Setting intentions is more process-oriented and focuses on our overall way of being and the strategies and support needed, rather than fixating on an end result. In this blog, Anna Hasper talks about setting intentions for our well-being to begin 2025 well.

The author shares his experiences of teaching.

The author shares her experiences of teaching.

The author shares her experiences of teaching.

A spotlight on integrating Critical Thinking into the Language Classroom Andrew Boon 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. Here, Andrew Boon will explore why critical thinking is so essential and examine the vital role it plays in language education. He will suggest how you can incorporate it into your curriculum and demonstrate useful classroom activities. Link to VIMEO video For additional reading, participants are encouraged to explore Andy Boon and...

The author shares her experiences of teaching.

In the first part of two, language acquisition, classroom management, and methodology are among the topics covered.