The Art and Science of Correcting Students
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There are two equal and opposite errors into which we ESL teachers tend to fall: that of constantly correcting our students’ every error, and that of never correcting anything.
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Managing the Mixed-Level Class
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The question is how to:
- Teach different things to different groups (i.e., different levels)
- Keep everyone usefully busy
- Not neglect some while teaching others
- Successfully teach everyone what they need to know
Myths and Truths about “Discovery Learning” versus Direct Teaching in the Second Language Classroom
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A great impediment to clarity, as well as a source of poor advice to teachers that often results in deficient teaching, is the false dichotomy of “student-constructed learning as opposed to teacher-transmitted information.” An effective teacher gives students the tools to keep on learning and also empowers them by providing the knowledge, skills, and frequent practice which work together to give them the confidence and the ability to use what they learn.
Read MoreLower is Higher, or the Treachery of iPhone Translators and Word Lists
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Even after more than thirty years of teaching English to international students, I sometimes have epiphanies about why students write poorly.
Read MoreWrong Levels for Right Teaching, and Vice Versa
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The million dollar question for ESL teachers is often "Should I really teach that English concept at this level?"
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