The summer seminar/workshop was held at IELS, Mattew Pulis Street, Sliema on 2nd July and was well attended.
Angie Conti: Using Authentic Material with Low Levels The ideas in this workshop are suitable for both teenagers and adults and are for dealing with mixed levels in the classroom. They are engaging and motivating as they give students the chance to work with something 'real' as well as enabling them to deal with something that may appear too difficult for them. Using authentic materials is also a way of helping learners to discover ways of continuing to improve their English beyond the classroom. Alan Marsh: Grammar! Students (and teachers, sometimes) groan when it comes to grammar. Well, here are some interesting ways of making grammar learning motivating, meaningful and memorable.
Caroline Campbell: Arts and Craft for Young Learners Would you like to offer your young students an opportunity to use and develop natural language in the classroom while having fun? You can do so through arts and crafts! While doing the tasks, young learners interact meaningfully with their teacher and peers, practicing speaking, listening, reading and writing. Arts and crafts also help students develop in other areas such as creative thinking, fine and gross motor skills and cooperation as well as gain confidence with the use of language as they successfully complete their tasks. If you are not scared of scissors and glue, Caroline invites you to join her for this hands-on workshop.
Jean Theuma: No, that's wrong!! How do you correct speaking? When do you give your class feedback on their writing? Are there times when you shouldn't correct at all? How can correction seem supportive and not critical? This session will highlight the difference between content-focused and language-focused feedback, and look at a variety of stressless ways to give correction and feedback.
SECOND SESSION Alan Marsh: Vocabulary! Learning it and then remembering it - that's the rub! And then, there's so much of it! Here are some practical classroom techniques (and a bit of fun, too) to help learners acquire more vocabulary. Oh! and there'll be some food for thought, too!
Caroline Campbell: The Truth about Task Based Learning (TBL): Myths and Reality Caroline Campbell reports the session given by Jane Willis at the Brighton 2011 IATEFL conference At the Brighton 2011 IATEFL conference, Jane Willis discussed a number of statements about TBL, including some commonly held misconceptions. In this workshop we will discuss these statements and experience the task-based cycle in action. Is the way you teach language effective? Is the language you are teaching relevant to students’ lives? Would you like to learn more about TBL? This workshop will provide you with some practical ideas that can be easily applied in class.
Jean Theuma: Writing doesn't have to be painful! In her session, Jean will look at ways of tricking your students into writing and enjoying it!!! The session will be chock-a-block with practical ideas that you will be able to take straight into class and try out for yourselves. They will help you to expand your students' vocabulary, their awareness of writing genres and also....boost their confidence to have a go at writing themselves.
Richard Twigg: Using Cuisenaire Rods This workshop is aimed at teachers who would like to know how to use Cuisenaire Rods and who have no previous experience in using them. It will involve practical hands on activities using these interesting 'bits of plastic'. Numbers will be limited due to the hands on nature of the workshop.