ELT Articles and Research Papers

Teaching Pre-School Children: The Importance of Stories (Cambridge Conversations)

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:September 21, 2015
Post category:ELT Articles and Research Papers ELT Newsletter ELTWeekly ELTWeekly Volume 7 Volume 7 Issue 17
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[ELTWeekly Volume 7, Issue 17 | September 21, 2015 | ISSN 0975-3036]

Oral stories are particularly important. For both adults and children language is perceived largely through sound, which many people believe links to a primitive human instinct. It’s easy to ignore words on a page, but humans are hard wired to pay attention to sounds, which in many instances provide information vital to survival. A caveman who ignored the sound of a lion did so at his own peril, to name but one of countless examples. If you have trouble getting through to a young learner, as many people report, an oral story is often the ideal vehicle.

Stories are also important because they allow us to simulate intense experiences without actually having to live through them. They teach us lessons that help us to survive and make sense of the word. (more…)

Strategies for Teaching IELTS: Part One – Where to start? (OUP Blog)

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:September 21, 2015
Post category:ELT Articles and Research Papers ELT Newsletter ELTWeekly ELTWeekly Volume 7 Volume 7 Issue 17
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[ELTWeekly Volume 7, Issue 17 | September 21, 2015 | ISSN 0975-3036]

As with most things in life, the key to a successful IELTS course is in the preparation. If you have a clear idea of what you and your students need to do from the outset then you are far more likely to help your students achieve their goals than if you have no plan at all. Likewise, as the expression goes, first impressions last, so if you can impress your students in the first few classes, then they are more likely to trust you for the rest of the course.

It is important to have as much information at your disposal as possible before the course actually starts. This will help you to prepare properly and show your students that you really do know what you are talking about. I have added a number of questions for each of the points listed below, but the answers will often depend on your own context. (more…)

Messages, Discussions and Chats: Increasing Student Interaction (OUP Blog)

Post author:Tarun Patel
Post published:September 21, 2015
Post category:ELT Articles and Research Papers ELT Newsletter ELTWeekly ELTWeekly Volume 7 Volume 7 Issue 17
Post comments:0 Comments

[ELTWeekly Volume 7, Issue 17 | September 21, 2015 | ISSN 0975-3036]

Today’s students are not limited to learning English in the classroom only. Through the use of technology, learning English has become 24/7 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In this environment, what is the teacher’s role in helping their students learn? More importantly, how can technology help teachers to help their students learn better? Using messages, discussions, and chats as an integral part of their classes, is one way. Through the use of these simple features, teachers can address questions of mixed ability, customised learning and teaching, personalisation, as well as simply being able to increase contact time with the language, beyond the classroom.

Using “Messages” provides teachers with a simple means to contact their students, as well as for students to be in contact with their teacher. In this way, teachers can follow up in individual needs, without taking up valuable class time. Students can ask questions or raise doubts without the pressure of time and classmates that can (more…)