English Camp

eng_camp

The gathering at the start of the camp shows many excited faces.  We were lucky on the first day that the weather was so good.  We left school just after another group returned.  They had experienced three days of rain that ruined their outdoor activities.   Activities on the camp were run by the English Ambassadors who had spent two Saturdays training as well as completing planning in some after school meetings.  While the focus was on developing English skills, there was a great sense of team building and personal challenge.

Crossroads

crossroads

The visit to Crossroads today was great.  Often, we talk about things without really understanding them.  At the start of the day, DJ asked us what we thought about people who were poor – and what poverty was.  The activities really showed some realities of poverty – and how hard it is to escape from that that cycle.  Best of all, he left us thinking about what we can do to help the billions of others in the world who struggle to survive each day.

TYPHOON

Amazingly good.  See the details from Brenda on the teaching page.  I created two sets of cards – one with questions and the other with the “points” including Typhoon cards.  The distribution is shuffled and random.   The points card is drawn after the team has answered correctly.  It’s great fun – especially when the team in front loses all their points to the typhoon.  Slightly different rules to the ones I used can be found on the GenkiEnglish site.   I think I’ll change the rules each time just to keep them on their toes!.

“online teacher training resources”

I recently received an email from the TESOL list that followed up a request made by a member for on-line training videos for ESL.  Larry Ferlazzo has provided a link here.    I’ve already followed the links to some excellent sites including a series from the BBC.  I have learned a whole lot more about teaching speaking and listening skills and learned about many more techniques.   These links are really useful as it is often difficult to find the time for professional development – I can take my time with these – and fit them in where I can.

Caring

As I have been exploring how to apply PoLT principles in the ESL classroom, I came across http://www.beyondmonet.ca/ch3_4.html .  This is a site recommended for further reading in the PoLT Online Professional Learning resource.  It highlights the importance of considering the needs of all individuals in our classes.  While some interpret care as the need for academic stimulation, others see “care” as something more related to the heart.  The response to the question: “Does my teacher care about me?” may have similar answers from a number of students, but very different implications.  Knowing our students will help in developing effective programs to enhance their learning.